Happy New Years!!

 

New New York Concealed Carry Rules Being Challenged In The Federal Courts

 So the Bruen decision came down in June, and it didn't take long for NYS to try to figure out a way minimize the number of CC permits they would have to issue by getting rid of the show a definitive "need to carry concealed. Most of it seemed to have been adopted by from the various Red Flag regulations that have been passed in the last couple of years.

A couple of initial court challenges resulted in a State Court issuing a stay against, I believe, 4 of the new requirements. The State then took it up with the Federal and Circuit Court who vacated the stay. At that point an Emergency Application was presented to SCOTUS to have the stay reinstated.

This has now resulted (as of yesterday) in NYS being ordered to present a reply/argument why SCOTUS should not grant the Emergency Application.

The video below will do a better job of explaining the situation than I can.

 

 

Old School Cool 1950's Style

 Click on The Image For Full Size

NYC Violent Crime Incidents - The Christmas Edition

Because New York is the town where crime never sleeps anymore;

nypost.com/2022/12/25/nyc-man-shot-in-shoulder-early-christmas-morning-cops/

www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/duo-robbed-at-brooklyn-subway-station-on-christmas

www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/early-morning-bronx-shooting-leaves-26-year-old-man-dead

www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/woman-64-dies-from-gunshot-to-head-on-manhattan-street

www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/subway-conductor-pepper-sprayed-aboard-harlem-train-nypd

www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/nypd-officer-stabbed-in-arm-in-the-bronx-on-christmas-eve

Sunday With Blackthorn - Paul Harrell Presents A Christmas Special Edition!!

 HO, HO, HO!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

You Gotta' Love Living In The Digital Age

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/12/22/tiktok-tracks-forbes-journalists-bytedance/?sh=1bb7c5a47da5

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11562433/Facebook-riddled-ex-CIA-agents-ex-FBI-agents-work-Twitter.html

RoboCop Idea Cancelled (For The Moment) In San Francisco After Public Outcry

Nobody Loves Robo-Cop!!

 

https://nextnewsnetwork.com/2022/12/09/san-francisco-halts-insanely-dangerous-robocop-policy-after-extreme-scrutiny/ 

 

https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/on-second-thought-san-francisco-halts-deadly-robot-cop-army/

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss Defensive Use Of Shotguns With Chris Baker Interviewing Steve Fisher

 This is a discussion about what a Shotgun is and isn't, over-penetration issues, user and hardware induced failures, and why you don't need a lot of Accessories on a Shotgun.

Oh yeah, and why you should actually take a course on using a Shotgun, instead of being a cheap, lazy bastid' who just wants free info from the Internet.

 

 

A Post On Fitness Training That I Found In a Digital Folder On My PC

It was dated Jan 2002,  no authors name though. Makes for a good read, even if you don't agree with everything on it. Give it a look and see what you think. YMMV

 

01-14-2002
Most people don't realize the enormous amounts of energy required by SEAL
and Force Recon types of operations. Strength counts almost for nothing.
The ability to put in long hours of activity, cover great distances and
function around and in cold water matter most.
For those with SEAL aspirations, a half hour of stretching, pull-ups,
push-ups, followed by a daily three-mile run and a two-mile open-water
swim will do.

However, most people don't have SEAL aspirations; rather they want to wear
their body like a costume, for the same reason we choose a car to drive.
Cars ought to provide nothing more than transportation.
Nonetheless, we lust after cars that will go 180 miles per hour and SUV's
that have the appearance of ability to go off road, accross the great
deserts, through the jungles and over the mountains.

We do this to impress other people, convince ourselves of our own personal
worth, and to maintain our illusions of power, safety and control.
If a person wants to wear a wrestler's body as a costume, he can put in
three or four hours a day, six days a week, and possibly sustain this for
six years before injuries make it impossible to continue.
In the real world, cardio-vascular fitness and healthy movement mean
everything.

Run at a comfortable pace 20 minutes a day, three days a week.
Swim laps for 20 minutes twice a week.
Learn to play handball (not racquetball) and play twice a week (hard to
find players anymore, start a club).
Study Tai Chi or purchase some Feldenkrais tapes and use them.
Study Judo or JuJitsu twice a week.
Hang a speed bag and a heavy bag in the garage (for those who have no
garage, I have a method for hanging a heavy bag in the house that will not
transmit sound to the rest of the building - contact me).
Learn to skip rope.
Buy a door frame pull-up bar from a wrestler's supply house and do
pull-ups three days a week.
Use the floor for push-ups and sit-ups three days a week.

Treat the body with respect, as one would a friend, and do not cause it
injury.
The body desires and appreciates wholesome exercise; it loathes pain and
punishment.
If we push our body too hard, it will respond to exercise with anxiety,
and we will find ourselves not doing our workouts.
Do no more than 80% of maximum during exercise.
With consistency, the maximum, and the 80% of maximum, will increase
dramatically.
Schedule out the week on Sunday evening.
Put it on paper.
Make appointments with yourself and keep them, just as one would an
appointment with the doctor.

Words Of Wisdom For A Wednesday

 

Physical Attacks On U.S. Infrastucture Targets On the Rise

For Full article go to the link below;

https://www.wired.com/story/attacks-us-electrical-grid-security-roundup/

 Physical Attacks Target US Grid in At Least Four States in Three Months

When shootings at two electrical substations in North Carolina left 40,000 customers without power for days, the incident seemed like an isolated—if bizarre and troubling—case. But this week, the same utility, Duke Energy, reported gunfire at another facility, a hydroelectric power plant in South Carolina. And combined with two more incidents of hands-on sabotage of US power facilities that occurred in Oregon and Washington in October and November, the vulnerability of the US grid to old-fashioned physical harm has begun to seem like a serious threat.

No damage seems to have occurred in the South Carolina case, and in the earlier incidents in Washington, the utilities involved described the cases as “vandalism.” But the intruders in Oregon carried out a more deliberate attack, cutting through a perimeter fence and damaging equipment, according to the Oregon utility, causing a “brief” power outage in one case. And in yet another, separate collection of incidents, Duke Energy saw half a dozen “intrusions” at substations in Florida, according to documents seen by Newsnation. Federal law enforcement is investigating the cases.

The incidents are reminiscent of another strange, isolated attack on the California power grid in 2015, when a sniper fired on an electrical substation and triggered a blackout to parts of Silicon Valley along with $15 million in damage. These newer cases, while still relatively small in scale, show just how disturbingly vulnerable the American power grid remains to relatively simple forms of sabotage.

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The "Violin Reload" For Shotguns

Once again we return to Shotgun usage here at La Casa Blackthorn. The video from Lucky Gunner Ammunition discusses a method of reloading a shotgun that doesn't get much attention. Now I've been using this method for about 7 or 8 years now since I learned it at a Shotgun handling course given by Chris Fry who formerly ran MDTS Training. 

It was one of three methods he showed. At the time he didn't call it the Violin Reload, but rather the Duck Hunters Reload or just the Hunters Reload. All I will say is that I immediately took to this method for all the reasons mentioned in the video.  Now that's all the background I have for an intro to this Video, so let's get to it.

 

Welcome To The City Of New Yorkistan In The 2020's....Looking More And More Like The 1970's/80's

 History is like a wheel, it just goes round and round.

 

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/man-stabbed-to-death-greenwich-village-subway

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/police-searching-for-3-gunmen-in-quadruple-shooting-outside-of-bronx-deli/ar-AA151JNl

 https://nypost.com/2022/12/06/bronx-shooting-wounds-3-teens-62-year-old-man/

https://nypost.com/2022/11/29/nyc-to-involuntarily-commit-more-mentally-unstable-people/

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/paramedic-nyc-mental-health-crisis-worse-than-ever

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Let Lucky Gunner Ammo Answer The Question "Why Won't The Ruger Mini-14 Just Die?" Part 2

 You had to know that this was coming. So here it is, the 2nd and final video on "Why the Mini-14 Just Won't Die" Enjoy!

 

 

 

Unbelievably, Robo-Cop Wins In San Francisco!!

 Even I can't believe this got passed by the City Council in San Francisco. Especially by a vote of 8 to 3.

 

 https://apnews.com/article/police-san-francisco-government-and-politics-d26121d7f7afb070102932e6a0754aa5

Chris Baker Of Lucky Gunner Ammo Discusses Your EDC: Is It "Right" Or "Wrong" , And Who Gets To Say So?

 This goes to discussions I've seen and/or participated in online. Which instructor says this, another says that, etc. But in the end, it's up to you to decide. And while the video below primarily refers to firearms concealed carry, the carryover to other items is just as relevant.

It's up to you to make an informed decision, not the current, "coolest",  most high profile Guru.

 

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Let Lucky Gunner Ammo Answer The Question "Why Won't The Ruger Mini-14 Just Die?" Part 1

 Introduced in 1973, yeah that's right, we're coming up on the 50 year anniversary), the Mini-14 was, at the time, the Semi-Auto Carbine to have. The AR-15 had yet to be more than a blip on the radar of most gun owners, and hey, by the early 80's it was the rifle of choice of the A-Team on TV. And don't think for a minute that bit of free advertising didn't contribute to it's sales. 

Vilified as unreliable by some, and eventually a victim of a lack of add-on upgrades, as well as the fact that after cutting a deal with the Bush administration in the late 80's (as gun control was starting to heat up as semi-auto rifles were becoming more popular), the Ruger brand name became mud with a large portion of the gun-buying market.

Yet, it's still around, multiple variations are available, add-on parts can be had and is also available in 7.62 x 39 caliber (as theMini-30) along with the original 5.56 caliber.

To see why, watch the video!

Robocop In San Francisco? City Council To Vote On Allowing Police Robots To Use Lethal Force

 

Somehow I don't see this getting past the City Council vote in the Most Progressive City in California.

 

However, the SFPD returned the draft with a red line crossing out Peskin’s addition, replacing it with the line that gives robots the authority to kill suspects. According to Mission Local, Peskin eventually decided to accept the change because “there could be scenarios where deployment of lethal force was the only option.” San Francisco’s rules committee unanimously approved a version of the draft last week, which will face the Board of Supervisors on November 29th.

 To Read The entire Article go to the link below;

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/san-francisco-police-consider-letting-robots-use-deadly-force/ar-AA14tRae

Two Thoughts For Everybody This Thanksgiving

 

And This One From John Stossel

 

Thanksgiving Lessons

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022

Thursday, if you eat a nice meal, thank the Pilgrims. They made Thanksgiving possible.

They left the Old World to escape religious persecution. They imagined a new society where everyone worked together and shared everything.

In other words, they dreamed of socialism. Socialism then almost killed them.

Read The Whole Article here:

 https://www.johnstossel.com/thanksgiving-lessons-student-loan-debt-forgiveness/

On The Subject Of Digital Media and Green Technology - Philosopy From Aldous Huxley and Inconvenient Facts About Lithium Batteries

 As regards the advances in Digital Media

 

 

John Stossel On The Inconvenient Truths Of Lithium-Ion Batteries vs The Laws Of Physics

https://reason.com/2022/11/16/electric-cars-are-good-but-we-still-need-fossil-fuels/  

 

"Engineers are really good at making things better, but they can't make them better than the laws of physics permit."

  John Stossel

Politicians praise electric cars. If everyone buys them, they say, solar and wind power will replace our need for oil.

But that's absurd.

"The future of the auto industry is electric," says President Joe Biden. He assumes a vast improvement in batteries. Better batteries are crucial because both power plants and cars need to store lots of electric power.

But here's inconvenient fact three: Batteries are lousy at storing large amounts of energy.

"Batteries leak, and they don't hold a lot," says physicist Mark Mills.

To Read the Full Article, Go to the Link above:

Looks Like The Bad Old Days Of The Late 70's through The 80's Are Back In The Rotten Apple Baby!

 Ah, I remember them well!! 

My biggest regret is that I don't run as fast as I used to!!  😲

 

Read The Full Article Here;

 https://news.yahoo.com/midtown-manhattan-crime-surge-leaves-103000874.html

 

Midtown Manhattan crime surge leaves locals, 

landlords feeling uneasy: ‘The fear is real’

Kerry Burke and Larry McShane,   Copyright @ New York Daily News

Tue, November 22, 2022

NEW YORK — The busy Midtown South precinct, home to Times Square and packed with hordes of tourists, shoppers and commuters on any given day in New York City, has seen substantial jumps in grand larceny, burglaries and robberies in the first 10 months of 2022.

The spike has alarmed locals, who fear a return to a scary world of rising crime and diminishing quality of life.

“We’re repeating the ‘80s,” said Eddie Hassan, a local deli worker who lives just south of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. “We could talk about it for days, but it’s the homeless and the drug dealers. ... After the pandemic, it definitely got worse. People are wilding out here.”

The numbers came as no surprise to Garment District building owner Steve Kaufman, whose family business dates back to the 1920s. He believes a reduction in police staffing helped embolden local miscreants while offering a less-than-welcoming landscape for out-of-towners.

“I live on the Upper West Side, and I see more cops on the street there,” said Kaufman. “(Tourists) see disorder in the streets. ... We need a police presence, and we don’t have it. Open drug use, a homeless encampment on W. 39th Street — it creates the feeling of an unsafe quality of life.”

The stretch of Midtown Manhattan is an exceptionally busy and high-profile one, with the precinct covering an assortment of commercial offices and hotels, Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, the Koreatown neighborhood and the Manhattan Mall Plaza.........

Click on Link above to read the rest of the article..

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Look At How Some District Attorney's Are Using Your Self Defense Training Against You

 I guess this was inevitable.  This is a sad statement on the criminal justice system in 21st Century America.

Two "Protestors From The May 2020 George Floyd Riots In NYC Convicted

The Wheels Grind Slowly, But Slowly they Grind.

 Two incidents, though Molotov cocktails thrown at NYPD vehicles in both cases, were separate incidents.  The first case involved  a woman who threw a Molotov cocktail at a parked Police van containing 4 officers. The improvised firebomb broke two windows but did not break and ignite. The officers jumped out of the van and arrested her on the spot.

 https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/woman-who-threw-molotov-cocktail-at-nypd-van-gets-6-years

The woman initially had tried get a friend to go down to the protest/riot with her but declined. He did however supply the empty bottles that she used. He was later arrested and stated that he thought the bottles would be used  to be thrown at Police, not as firebombs. At the time of the incident I remember when this case hit the news that the bottles were beer bottles. The thick glass most likely being the reason they did not ignite.  The friend is still being tried and is facing a 5 year sentence.

 The second case involves two LAWYERS who threw Molotov cocktails at a parked, unoccupied NYPD car. Those improvised firebombs did ignite. Both were caught at the scene, but this case only applies to the woman involved, her accomplice is not mentioned. She was sentenced to 15 months as the result of a Plea deal (most likely because the vehicle was unoccupied at the time). While not mentioned in the article, NY State law mandates her disbarment as a Lawyer.

 https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/lawyer-gets-15-months-in-jail-for-firebombing-nypd-car

Her accomplice in the firebombing attack, Colinford Mattis also agreed to a Plea deal and is to be sentenced this December

Bitcoin And Other Cryptocurrency.... Yeah Sure.....

 

Looking more and more Like a 21st Century Ponzi or Pyramid Scheme......

https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-bitcoin-taxes-irs-11668127981

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss Level 3A Soft Body Armor Pros and Cons

 I'll keep my intro brief. We see movies where guys wearing Soft Body Armor are shot multiple times,get up and get back in the fight. Wow!! Exciting huh??

Nothing like getting shot multiple times in the upper thorax region and being able to bring down all the bad guys!! Yay!!

Yeah, not quite.

I'll let everybody's favorite firearms guy give us a dose of the reality nobody ever talks about as regards what really happens when you shot while wearing Soft Body Armor.

Gents, Here's Paul.....

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss What You can Use In Your Home As Cover When Dealing With An Armed Intruder

 Yes, I'm using Paul Harrell again. And why not, he's the most practical and least "Tacticool"  firearms guy I've seen on the internet.  Today, you'll see what will, won't, or may work to keep you from springing a leak if someone gets into your home and starts shooting at you. 

 

 

Paul Harrell Discusses Revolver vs Autoloader Reloads When The People He Refers To As The "What If Brigade" Put A Specific Restriction On The Situation

 Delivered, as usual, with Paul's dry wit, and world -weary acerbic humor. Enjoy!

Sunday With Blackthorn - Overpenetration Of Firearms In Home Defense

 I'll keep the into to this Paul Harrell video brief;

Do you intend to use a firearm in a home defense situation?

Is your home of wood frame construction with sheetrock interior and exterior walls?

Is there a roadway, sidewalk, or homes across the street?

Would you like to avoid legal or civil issues if any of your shots overpenetrate?

If you answered in the affirmative to any or all of these questions, watch the video.

End of intro to the video.

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The History Of The Italian SwitchBlade And The Bullshit Behind How And Why They Were Banned

 Ahhhh, all those cheesy "Juvenile Delinquent" movies of the 50's and 60's. 12 Angry Men, The Asphalt Jungle, Westside Story (yeah I know, but I had to throw it in there), and even Elvis in King Creole.

Yes, truly damning material......

This video is a good if somewhat brief historical perspective  on the History of the Switchblade and Italian cutlery as well as how a bunch of low budget movies and one article in a Ladies Magazine of the 50's brought about the Federal Ban of 1958.

Some interesting facts here gentlemen. Enjoy!

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today An Article From A Corrections Officer Discussing The Effectiveness Of Different Weapons In Violent Encounters

 The link to the article below is courtesy of a member of a forum that some of you belong(ed) to. Despite it being based on conversations with inmates, the questions are not all about weapons used in prisons. The C.O. talked to numerous inmates about how they acquired the numerous scars they had on their bodies. Predominantly knives and handguns, a brief mention of rifles is also made. 

The more salient issues though are firstly, how resilient the human body is at absorbing damage. Secondly, how rage, adrenaline, and most importantly, a single-minded mental focus can carry even badly a damaged body to not just keep going through the encounter, but to survive.

 Here's the Link;

  https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/scars-tell-all-a-tale-about-wounds/?avad=55963_f2b7471fd

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We See How To Effectively Throw An Assailant To The Ground Without Looking Like A Trained Martial Artist

Here's an interesting take on how to protect yourself from a criminal assault, and not look like you were some sort of a professional MMA fighter, and thereby landing yourself in jail on the whim of your local District Attorney.

 

 

Jim Cantore, Toughest Weatherman In America

 Jim Cantore in Charleston SC 2104 

Jim Cantore in Punta Gorda FLA 2022

Didn't Take Long For The NYS Concealed Carry Law Restrictions To Wind Up In Court

 As soon as I saw The Requirements and Restrictions that NYS was  putting in place to keep the number of Carry Permits they havwe to issue to minimum, I knew the legal Circus would begin.

And it didn't take ling at all.

From requiring Character References, to providing Access to Your Social Media Accounts within the last 3 years, to "sensitive areas" where you can't carry, it was quite an "inclusive" list.

From 1010 Wins News in NY;

 https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/state/judge-hears-arguments-challenging-new-yorks-new-gun-law

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The Ruger LC Carbine in FN 5.7x28mm

 Today;s video review comes to us from Paul Harrell. I hadn't really paid much attention to the Ruger LC when it came out. I also pretty much ignored the FN 5.7 x 28mm cartridge when it was introduced and promoted to the civilian market about 5 or 6 years ago. Originally introduced back in the early 1990's as a military round, it was to a large extent the round of choice in the PDW concept (Personal Defense Weapon). 

I won't go into a long discussion of the history of the round myself. For those interested you can go to the Wikipedia link below.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_5.7%C3%9728mm

 

As for the Ruger LC Carbine, I couldn't help but notice the similarity in design between the Ruger LC;

 

And the Kel-Tec SUB 2000 9mm Carbine;

 

Now I know most of you, and to a degree myself included, have a pretty low opinion of Kel-Tec products. But to be fair, if you look at Kel-Tec objectively, they do come up with good, innovative ideas and concepts.

The problem however always seem to be in the execution and production of those products. 

But I'm not putting up this Blog Post to Bash Kel-Tec, so let's move on.

It's here to enlighten and entertain you with another scintillating and witty review by Paul Harrell. So grab a cup of coffee or your adult beverage of choice, sitback and hit the play icon on your PC.

Time Now For Paul Harrel Discussing the Second Most Argued About Issue Among Gun Owners After 9mm vs .45 ACP

 To carry with a Loaded Chamber or an Empty Chamber.

Once again we have Paul Harrell bringing some rational insight to the debate, that doesn't involve, insults, screaming, or infantile comments.

Not to mention a Shakespearean reference from a guy with the vocabulary of someone with an education. 

Okay, enough lead-in from me, and time for some dry wit and sardonic humor from Mr. Harrell.

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today Paul Harrel Discusses 'How To Spot A Fake Expert'

 We've all met these guys over the years. Sometimes at the Range, sometimes in a bar, and a lot of times we've made the mistake of watching their Youtube videos and realizing far too late that we've just lost 10, 20, 30 minutes or more of our lives that we can never get back. A substantial number of us probably dealt with these guys early on in the course of our shooting lives, and didn't realize until later what a bunch of idiots these guys were and that we took far too long believing their fantasies and bullshit.

Now while we've all moved on from that nonsense, Paul Harrell is here to give us an entertaining look at how we should have avoided it all in the first place. And as always, his dry wit and pithy remarks are always worth the listen.

And In Other News, Ron DeSantis And Greg Abbott Up Their Game In The Great American Illegal Immigration Debacle

 Yesterday Ron DeSantis, in  a move taken straight out of the Biden Administrations playbook of a few months back, flew two planeloads of Illegal Immigrants to Martha's Vineyard. Home of the rich and liberal. 

Hey, I've heard that the Obama's new mansion has 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. Maybe they can help out with housing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ron-desantis-sends-two-planes-of-illegal-immigrants-to-martha-s-vineyard/ar-AA11QkAR

 

Not to be outdone, Greg Abbott has dropped off 2 busloads of Illegal Immigrants outside the US Naval Observatory where VP Harris lives.

https://www.newsweek.com/buses-migrants-appear-outside-kamala-harris-house-greg-abbott-1743247

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/2-busloads-of-migrants-dropped-off-near-vp-harris-residence/ar-AA11RN3B

How Current American College Students Answered When Asked About The 911 Attack

Talk about a sad state of affairs..........

 

 

The Gun-Grabbers Are Like Rust, They Never Sleep

 Always plotting and planning. The problem here is that there's a quick and easy solution to this new idea of theirs.

CASH.

  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/10/guns-credit-card-trackable

 I'm putting up the text because the website is a bit screwy in terms of presentation.

Guns bought through credit cards in the US will now be Trackable

A new ISO-approved measure will also allow sharing of suspicious purchases with law enforcement

By Samira Asma-Sadeque
Sat 10 Sep 2022 15.16 EDT
Last modified on Sat 10 Sep 2022 15.18 EDT

Credit card purchases of firearms in the US can now be tracked and purchases deemed suspicious can even be shared with law enforcement, according to a new measure approved by an organization that sets parameters for business transactions.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) voted in favor of creating a merchant code for firearms stores, according to Reuters.

Merchant codes are four-digit codes that categorize retailers across all industries; until now, gun purchases had been classified under “miscellaneous retail stores” or “sporting goods stores.”

While the measure has been lauded by politicians such as Massachusetts senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey among others, it isn’t clear how this process will work.

Numerous top level credit card companies such as PayPal, Stripe and Square don’t allow gun purchases. For the credit companies that do allow the purchases, the total cost can be extra high due to interests.

As a result, many gun buyers often use cash for their purchases; potential buyers are often seen asking in online forums whether it’s better to buy guns with cash or credits, with many voting for cash.

Meanwhile, fintech companies such as Credova, built for the purpose of allowing installment plans for gun purchases, shrug off their role when asked about how people like the Uvalde, Texas, shooter purchased guns through their platform using a debit card.

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, welcomed ISO’s decision, which was announced on Friday, and said it’s now crucial for this to be implemented thoroughly.

“Today’s announcement is a critical first step towards giving banks and credit card companies the tools they need to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing trends – like a domestic extremist building up an arsenal – and report them to law enforcement,” he said in a statement shared with the Guardian.

Amalgamated Bank, which brands itself as a “socially responsible bank” had requested the codes to the ISO.

On Friday, they celebrated their victory, thanking their partners, including New York governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Tish James.

Priscilla Sims Brown, President and CEO of the bank, said in a statement that the code will open the path for banks to report suspicious or illegal gun sale activity in a way that will not interfere with legal gun sales.

“This action answers the call of millions of Americans who want safety from gun violence and we are proud to have led the broad coalition of advocates, shareholders, and elected officials that achieved this historic outcome,” she added.

The tracking and blocking of illegal gun sales has already made headway with FBI background checks, according to Everytown.

In 2020, the FBI background checks led to blocking more than 300,000 illegal gun purchases, nearly double the number of 2019.

The same year, gun purchases skyrocketed as people were stuck indoors during the first wave of the pandemic; records show there were 20m legal purchases in 2020, up from 12.4m the year before.

In a statement, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility said: “We are glad to see the financial industry take action to recognize that it has a role to play in helping keep our communities safe. Passing stronger gun laws is essential, but it is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to addressing the gun violence epidemic.”

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today Ken Hackathorn Discusses Why Siuational Awareness And Decision Making (ie: mindset) Is More Important Than Armed Or Unarmed Skills

 Thanks go to John at The Forum  for finding this one.

 

Time For Some Non-Political Humor!

 

Ken Hackathorn On The M1 Carbine Reputation vs Reality

 This is an informative discussion on why people either love the Carbine or hate it. A lot of interesting history, especially since there seems to be a resurgence in interest considering the number of reproductions being made these days. 

I'm also throwing in the Daily Situation report from Forward Observer whether you guys like it or not!

The Daily Situation Report for August 30, 2022 

https://forwardobserver.com/dailysa-iraqi-unrest-sparks-curfew-suspension-of-government-cabinet

By Troy Watson

IRAQI UNREST SPARKS CURFEW, SUSPENSION OF GOVERNMENT CABINET: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi instituted a curfew and suspended cabinet meetings following the storming of government buildings and the outbreak of widespread civil unrest led by the supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.  Sadr, possibly under pressure from Iran-backed political factions, unexpectedly announced his retirement from politics, triggering the response from his supporters. Sadr is opposed to a coalition of Iran-linked Shiite parties and called for the dissolution of the Iraqi Parliament and early elections following a political stalemate over the formation of a new government. In response to the widespread violence, the U.S. State Department evacuated personnel from its embassy in Baghdad.

LUKASHENKO: BELARUS IS NUCLEAR CAPABLE: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the Belarusian fighter-bombers had been modified and modernized by Russia to be able to carry nuclear weapons. The leader stated that Minsk would react immediately to threats from The West. This announcement follows earlier remarks from Lukashenko that Belarus would host Russian nuclear weapons in response to any potential deployment of NATO nuclear weapons to eastern Europe and reports from Ukrainian defense intelligence officials outlining the deployment of advanced Russian air defense systems and Iskander missile batteries to Belarus.

FRANCE CALLS FOR ENERGY SOBRIETY PLANS: French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has called on companies to draw up energy sobriety plans as Europe’s looming energy crisis raises concerns of power shortages and blackouts. Borne announced that French government ministries would also be instituting energy sobriety plans, reducing power consumption by 10% as an example to the nation. Companies are expected to submit their plans to the government for review in October. 

CHINA BEGINS NEW ROUND OF COVID LOCKDOWNS IN HEBEI AND SHENZHEN: Despite only small numbers of mild COVID cases Chinese government officials began a new round of zero-COVID restrictions in the province surrounding Beijing and in the major commercial hub of Shenzhen. Officials are scrambling to bring the minor flare-up of the virus under control and also began additional rounds of testing in China’s major port cities of Dalian of Tianjin.

CHINA INDUSTRIAL HUB HIT BY FLOODING AND POWER SHORTAGES: China’s industrial hub in southwest Chongqing and Sichuan are on alert for flooding after experiencing weeks without rain and scorching temperatures that dried up rivers and shutdown hydroelectric plants. The resulting power outages and shortages decreased manufacturing output for a number of global companies. The extreme heat along the Yangtze River basin also threatens agricultural output at a time when global food security is a growing concern.

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Compare The Beretta CX4 Storm 9MM Carbine To The Ruger PC9 Carbine

 I've been shooting both of these 9mm carbines as rentals at various target ranges for years. Mostly the Ruger because it's more common. Yesterday I grabbed my son and we trekked out of state to our favorite range and they had the Beretta available. 

It's been a few years since I shot one last and I have to say, I'd forgotten how good this little carbine was. The balance, handling and weight of the Beretta really does put the Ruger to shame. The gun is just a natural pointer with iron sights, but yesterday the one I rented had a red dot sight which was a gift to my aging eyes. 

Now as much as I like the Ruger, it comes in second place in my personal opinion. Of course living in NYC,  the Ruger, due to it's physical design is legal. However the Beretta due to the pistol grip stock is not. 

Such is life. The following three videos will give you both a good insight into the Beretta in general, and also a side by side Comparison of the two PCC's.

A Mixed Bag For This Thursday *** First Up; The Daily S.A. Report from Forward Observer *** Second; An Interesting Take on Physical Conditioning From Mark Hatmaker *** And Finally A 1hr Video on The Fate That Could Await Most Major American Cities

Several of the Info dumps in today's S.A. Report are direct results relating to the Current Russian Invasion of The Ukraine. Brief, but to the point, it goes to show the effectiveness of the weaponization of 'Energy Warfare' in the 21st century.

https://forwardobserver.com/dailysa-safety-systems-tripped-at-ukrainian-nuclear-plant/

 

Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness for Thursday, 25 August 2022.

SAFETY SYSTEMS TRIPPED AT UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR PLANT: Safety systems were turned on at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine currently held by Russian forces. Russian state media reported loss of electricity in the region, including to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

PUTIN SIGNS DECREE TO INCREASE RUSSIAN FORCES: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to increase the size of Russia’s standing military to just over 2 million troops. The 137,000 increase equates to about 10 Division-sized units. The decision goes into effect on 01 January 2023.

GERMANY SWITCHES TO RAIL FOR ENERGY TRANSPORT: German parliament has released a 6-month decree forcing railway operators to prioritize the transportation of energy commodities and related equipment as water levels on the Rhine continue to fall. The decree grants priority over passenger and freight traffic to a variety of commodities, including mineral oils, coal, liquid natural gas, transformers, and equipment for power generation and transmission. Officials note that the decree is necessary to prevent economic disruptions over the winter as Eurozone officials warn of a dark, cold winter.

IN TODAY’S EARLY WARNING: Mike gives his weekly update on the economy and expectations for Fed activity’s effects on inflation. Get access to the full intel briefing here: https://forwardobserver.com/subscribe 

— END REPORT

 

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Next, we have a  very 'Old School' take on Physical Conditioning from Mark Hatmaker. I have a few of his videos from what he calls his "Unleaded Conditioning" series. Definitely won't interest the younger, hard charging crowd at all. However considering the average age of most of the people who read this blog, there are some realistic aspects to what he's promoting. 

Oh, and yes, by the end of the article he makes a pitch for his DVD materials, but he doesn't try to hard sell you, and most of his instructional stuff is pretty inexpensive. And since most of you guys know how chea.... er, ahhh,, frugal (yeah frugal, that's the word) I am, you know I ain't kidding!

 

Three Old School Principles You MUST Have to Un-Stick Your PT 

by Mark Hatmaker

August 25, 2022

Old School Warrior Wisdom, be it striking, grappling, or training for warriorship has more than a few nuggets that can, and to my way of thinking, should be used today.

 These old nuggets can take the form of the specific application [the tactical] as in “Fire this elbow this way” or “Pull-ups? Nah, not like that, like this.”

 Or the nuggets can take the form of an overall schema or approach [the strategic] as in, “A southpaw fighter will drift opposite what your mirrorwork tells you, skip the mirror when fighting one is on the schedule” or “Sequencing is King” training, say arms before back will kybosh gains in both realms and does not make full use of Hebb’s Rule.

 Today’s sojourn deals with the tactical in the physical training realm. We will touch on three principles of overall PT Program construction without going into a specific PT Program itself. I and many of the Black Box Brotherhood use The Unleaded Conditioning protocol which is a synergistic mix of low weight and somatotrophics [increasingly escalating calisthenics] to render the desired effects in less time than you ever thought possible, with far less wear and tear on ever-aging bodies. [Entropy is a fact of being a living organism.]

 [BTW-Don’t let “low-weight” fool one into assuming high-reps. We’ll get to that.]

 Two Things before we get to the three principles.

 One-These will work with any PT program, Unleaded or otherwise, Unleaded is simply constructed inside-out top-to-bottom with these old school thoughts in mind. A little imagination though will allow you to adjust whatever your own flavor of mayhem is to take advantage of this wisdom.

Two-I address ONLY natural athletes. My bias is 100% old school, pre-steroid era, hell, even pre-creatine consumption.

Supplementation is designed to alter how the body can adapt to physical stressors.

Old School training had no recourse or desire to “hedge” training.

What you see is what you get.

What you do is what you wrought.

Many of us are pursuing training templates created in the shadow of pharmaceutical help, hamster-wheeling training schemas that allow the “helped” athlete to respond—not the pure OD natural warrior.

So, if one digs pharmaceuticals, you can skip this lesson, I speak to the Old School Warrior.

What I am offering is akin to saying “Hey, here’s some financial advice, first get a rich dad to bankroll you, bankrupt several times but have high-powered attorneys on hand to allow you default on recompense putting others at jeopardy while you reap rewards.”

One can indeed get rich that way, but most of us do not have that option or desire the ethical trade-off to enjoy that option.

I speak to true old schoolers, true boot-strappers.

 

To Read The rest of the Article please click on the link:

 

 http://indigenousability.blogspot.com/2022/08/three-old-school-principles-you-must.html

 

 

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Finally we have a news Documentary out of Seattle. This was done in 2019 before the rioting by ANTIFA and BLM had gotten completely out of hand. It deals primarily with city's homelessness, drugs, the abrogation of virtually the entire city government to do their jobs, and the attendant hamstringing of Law Enforcement (both of the police and the courts) to prevent them from doing their jobs.

This is a cautionary tale as well as an idea of what we can expect in America over the coming years. This news documentary is well done, and well presented. After finding this I did a little more searching and found similar video News Documentaries on the same subject about other American cities in the same situation. I will be presenting these over time as part of series of the shitstorm that is facing America in the immediate future.

Seattle Is Dying

 

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The NORCO Bank Robbery Shootout of 1980

 Everyone remembers the 1997 North Hollywood Bank Robbery and massive shootout between the heavily armed robbers and the police which followed. That incident initiated a change in LEO Agency policies around the country in regards to having Shotguns replaced in Patrol vehicles with Rifles. Essentially the same as what happened after the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout that resulted in the move away from Revolvers to Semi-Auto handguns for Law Enforcement.

However the NORCO Bank Robbery seems to have been forgotten these days by most people. The NORCO Incident should have been a wake-up call to most LEO agencies, but somehow it just never happened.  I hope the linked article and Youtube video below will give you all an idea of just how brutal and bloody the NORCO Incident  actually was.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norco_shootout

 

 

Paul Harrell On Why If You Want A Rifle, Buy A Rifle. Or If You Want A Shotgun, Buy A Shotgun. Don't Buy A Hybrid. - And, Today We Have the Daily Situation Awareness Report From Forward Observer

 A few years back , Rossi/Taurus came out with the Circuit Judge Carbine. Essentially a revolver action that goes back to the days of the 19th century. Originally designed as handgun caliber carbine, it was relegated to the dustbin of history once the more efficient Lever Actions were designed and produced.

As you would, Paul Harrell gives a an efficient, no-nonsense review, punctuated with his usual wry wit, and dry humor. 

 

 

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The Daily S.A. From The Forward Observer

Next up, we have the return of The Daily Situation Report from the Forward Observer Website. Several of you guys are aware that I used to link to it at the forum, as it was originally posted online at their website. However a few weeks back they decided to make it by subscription only. Since the format cannot be linked to, I will be posting it here in regular text format every day, Mon to Fri. 

This will allow those of you who don't look in regularly at the forum these days to check it out. The news in the Daily S.A. tends to be the sort of things that somehow don't make it to any other news sites regardless of their political leanings.

Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness for Friday, 19 August 2022.

ARGENTINA HIT BY STREET PROTESTS OVER DETERIORATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS: Argentinians took to the streets today by the thousands to protest poor economic conditions that are gutting its working class. Inflation rose 7.4% in the last month to a high of 70%, and 40% of the population lives below the poverty level without steady employment. Protest leaders from local unions and political opposition groups called for government action to control prices on food, fuel, and essential consumer items as skyrocketing inflation are weakening the peso currency. Prices at grocery stores are increasing daily, and many working-class Argentinians are losing confidence in President Albert Fernandez’s government to improve economic conditions. – M.M.

RUSSIA REJECTS UNITED NATIONS CARETAKER FORCE AT UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR PLANT: Russian foreign ministry officials rejected a proposal by the United Nations to demilitarize the area around the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine today. Moscow accused Kyiv of daily artillery and rocket attacks on the plant in an effort to introduce foreign military forces under the pretext of a demilitarized exclusion zone. Russian officials said they are following all safety protocols to keep the plant operating but may need to shut down plant numbers 5 and 6 power units due to the Ukrainian shelling. – M.M.

NEPAL NEXT TO EXPERIENCE FOOD SHORTAGES: According to agricultural officials, only 75% of Nepal’s rice paddy areas were planted this year. Lack of monsoon rains this year and extreme fertilizer shortages will further decrease yields. While India provided an emergency shipment of fertilizer, the country still faces a food shortage. – M.S.

BARRASSO ACCUSES BIDEN ADMIN OF SUBVERTING FEDERAL LAW: Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) accused the Biden administration of subverting the law on oil and gas lease sales. “Federal law is clear as day: the Secretary of the Interior is required to hold quarterly lease sales in states with federal oil and gas resources,” Barrasso said in a statement, adding that the Biden administration’s policy on curbing lease sales ‘subverts federal law.’ – M.S.

And In The Ukraine, Things For The Russians Are going From 'Vlad' To Worse

Nothing says you're winning quite like one of your military units engaging in a mutiny by way of a Video going Viral!

https://www.the-sun.com/news/6025935/putin-pulls-back-jets-helicopters-crimea/

What Does A Realistic Knife Fight Look Like?

 

Certainly nothing like any of the stage managed, pressure tested, BS you see all over Youtube or at some training website with cool music being played in the background. From October 2021 in NYC, not a lot of moving in close to clinch and grapple, or take someone to the ground.

Although the use of a backpack as a shield was certainly and obviously effective for the user, and detrimental to the other guy.

While I would have liked to see how this was all set off, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that there was some sort of escalatory verbal exchange involved rather than a surprise attack. I would also doubt that either of these guys have ever taken a knife fighting class.

In any event, check out the video for yourselves.

https://rumble.com/vo87l4-just-your-everyday-nyc-knife-fight-caught-on-camera.html

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The Difference Between Theory And Reality When Fighting With A Knife

 The Video below is from the Youtube channel of a guy I'm not a big fan of. Some of his stuff isn't bad, but as the old saying goes, "sometimes even a blind monkey can find a banana after it falls out the tree".

This however was not one of those times.

 In this particular video he brings on a 'Subject Matter Expert' that most of you guys who are regulars here will know. You will see the much vaunted, sometimes useful, but quite often over-hyped "Pressure Testing Drill" used to prove (ahem!) that knives are useless for self defense against multiple attackers.

Yes, proven by watching how a guy wearing padding, a helmet, gloves , etc., while being repeatedly stabbed and/or slashed by a rubber/plastic training knife will be able to continue attacking you, grappling with you, controlling you, and finally taking you to the ground so that his buddies can safely join in and strike, kick and stomp you.

I find it particularly interesting that these are the same guys who for decades constantly told everybody that grappling, especially on the ground, will work for you.  They tell and "demonstrate" this in the video in spite of the fact that they have for years derided Combatives guys and anyone else for telling you to avoid going to the ground if it's at all possible  because you will get stomped and kicked by your attackers buddies.

Amazing how that bit of hypocrisy works huh?

Anyway, after watching the video I will put up an old article from Carl Cestari. For those of you who  might not catch the point being made, I will make it easy for you. The word "Snake" in the article is a Metaphor for the word "knife".

 

 

“Training, Reality & Snakes"
by Carl Cestari

Before we "discuss" what will or will NOT work on the street and what is "practiced" in the training environment let's think about this analogy:
I place in front of you a King snake; let's say an average of four feet long. Non-venomous and
nasty looking to be sure, but in NO way really "life threatening".

I show you how to catch it barehanded.

You MAY get bitten, but since this snake is NON venomous, well............a little scratch never hurt anyone. After a couple of practice runs you feel fairly confident, and after
all, the snake is NON-venomous, so even if you do GET BITTEN, well, it's really NO big deal.
That IS the training environment. Rubber knives, training blades of various materials, even LIVE blades. All NON-venomous! No matter how "real" you think you're making it, NO ONE is really going to be maimed for life or killed. NON-venomous!

OK? Now I place in front of you a King Cobra. I tell you to capture IT barehanded.
Little different NOW, huh?

HIGHLY VENOMOUS!
One single mistake, one miss-step, even a GRAZE from one of those fangs and you are in DEEP SHIT!

AND......YOU KNOW THAT!

I bet you approach the WHOLE affair now with a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT attitude, mind-set and gut level feeling. Your sphincter will be slammed tighter than a virgin's thighs on prom night! ONE false move and YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE! HIGHLY VENOMOUS! That IS the STREET! HIGHLY VENOMOUS!

You CAN afford to make a mistake or try something "fancy" against the King snake. NON-venomous. You'll live.

Against the COBRA, well that's a whole different "ballgame". One "slip-up" might very well be your last. HIGHLY VENOMOUS.

And the above is analogous to JUST the fundamental difference between "training" and reality. Add ALL the other human elements (both yours and your assailant's) and the stew gets pretty thick and dicey.

If You Follow This Blog, I Know You'll Appreciate This One

 

'Judo' Gene LeBell Dies At 89

 

Another Martial Arts legend gone. 

R.I.P. Gene LeBell

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/12/gene-lebell-iconic-martial-arts-pioneer-dies-at-the-age-of-89/

 

 Oh yeah, and here's a link to a story about Gene LeBell and Steven Seagal that's always worth reading about.

https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/gene-lebell-talks-steven-seagal-s-ing-himself