Lockpicking with TOOOL

Examples of old and new locks.

TOOOL

Posted in craft, interesting people | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Back from Defcon and Security B-Sides conventions in Las Vegas

Just returned from Las Vegas. Both events had terrific people and interesting presentations. More photos as I get the time for editing.

Posted in interesting people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Sentimental value of a flag

Over the 22 years I lived in America, I have seen a drastic change in the attitude towards the stars and stripes. What was perceived by many as the American flag is now viewed as the Federal flag, evoking distinctly mixed feeling.

The old Gadsden flag is currently re-gaining favor, mainly because it is perceived as the flag of the people instead of the flag of the government. Most people have as little liking for their state governments as for the feds, but the local rulers are perceived as more controllable in the long run.

While I view the United States as the best country in the world in total, we are now quite inferior to many others in personal freedoms, tax laws and other aspects. I wouldn’t trade better gun laws of the US for better drug laws of Belgium, but I admit that they are better off in that respect. Likewise, even in Germany (with its reputation for gruffness), customs and airport staff were significantly less rude than INS and TSA. In many ways, life in America is better than it has ever been. In others, it’s starting to resemble the USSR. That development is almost entirely based on the federal impositions on the population. It’s easy to flee New Jersey for Pennsylvania, it’s a bit harder to get away from the national jurisdiction. IRS, for example, tries to pursue even the people who aren’t Americans anymore.

Until about 2001, I would invite friends from Russia and Europe to visit because I wanted to share my wonderful new homeland. Now I invite them with advance apologies for the indignities they are likely to endure en route from the US government agents. Hopefully, we will all be able to be proud of America again someday soon.

Posted in civil rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Best plugin for mirroring WordPress blog posts to Twitter?

I’d like to start using my Twitter channel but not sure which method would work the best. Suggestions?

Posted in advice requested | Tagged | 7 Comments

Which magnifier hoold for Canon 5D mk2?

At Defcon, I tried a Canon XTi with a Zacuto magnifier for video work and it worked great. B&H and others show several hood choices. I am not sure which one to pick for use with 5D mk2 with a battery pack. Any suggestions?

Posted in advice requested, camera and lens | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Which magnifier hoold for Canon 5D mk2?

Public transportation, public security

For some curious reason, our self-appointed social betters prefer collective solutions to the exclusion of private solutions. Public housing, public transportation, public protection in the form of police…invariably inefficient, insufficient and more expensive than private solutions. The expense is usually hidden, but it remains real and significant. The lack of choice is the greatest resulting problem — the bus goes from point A to point B, while a person on a bike or a car can go anywhere on the road and many destinations off road as well. The same is true of public protection — the political class get bodyguards and personal arms, the proles get only police who often act more as an occupying army than as protectors of the citizens.

Posted in civil rights, holster, interesting people, rkba, self-defense, weapon | Tagged , , , , | 34 Comments

A shout-out for my friends at Cavalry Medical

Cavalry Medical

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

An alternate version of the Brady Campaign poster

Posted in civil rights, dangerous, interesting people, pistol, rkba, self-defense, weapon | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Foreign wars are too inefficient. Let’s loot at home!

Joe Huffman points out that US government is escalating the brigandage against US residents.

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Head Down XPR15 HDR

For a Tactical Weapons article.

Head Down

Posted in rifle, weapon | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Master and slave relationship?

California legislature: “You may beg for permission to protect yourself.”

Law-abiding person: “Please, Massa, may I?”

California legislature: “Of course…not! Who do you think you are, Diane Fienstein?”

Larger printable file

Posted in civil rights, rkba, self-defense | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Stop California AB144!

AB144 would cause harm twice: once by denying self-defense than the current restrictions, and again by making gun owners invisible to the public. De-normalizing open carry would damage our rights in the long run.

(Print size file)

Posted in rkba, self-defense | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Another Laserlyte, this time on P3AT

This photo was taken of the pistol as it sat on my desk.

Then Alany cleaned it and I photographed it again. What a difference elbow grease and attention to detail make!

P3AT | Laserlyte | Alany

Posted in light/laser, pistol, weapon | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Seen at Panera Bread today

A friendly Nashville family. The pistols are usually concealed.

Posted in holster, interesting people, pistol, self-defense, weapon | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Does it quack like a duck?

Two of the shooters were dressed as uniformed police officers

…he presented himself as a police officer

Mass murderers sometimes masquerade as authority figures to gain compliance from their victims. It’s becoming especially common with home invasions, as those are almost indistinguishable from police raids to the residents.

Sometimes the murderers are police officers. The respect or fear of the uniform gives them an extra margin of safety from defensive actions of their victims and from the eventual response by legitimate police.

In short, it’s not enough for a peace officer to look the part. Actions speak louder than words and reflect on the entire agency. I’ve seen both kinds and found the local cops to be mostly lawful good. What kind of police does your town have?

Posted in civil rights, interesting people, self-defense, weapon | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Grown-up Barbie

Posted in holster, interesting people, pistol, rifle | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Night hunters

Keltec RMR30 with Gemtech 22WMR suppressor and ATN MK390 night scope. The infrared illuminator above the scope is turned off. Magpul backup sights for daytime use are folded out of the way.

Czech vz58

Both photographed with 35/2 lens behind through ATN NVM14 night vision monocular.

Posted in camera and lens, light/laser, rifle, sound suppressor, weapon | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Resting before a long ride

Alany Helmantoler one of the most active California lobbyists in favor of civil rights (including the right to effective self-defense).

Posted in civil rights, pistol, rkba, self-defense, weapon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Brady Campaign Terrorists

Brady Campaign’s stated goal is to disarm American civilians, making them defenseless from criminals. When danger visits, it is never the disarmers who stand between us and the violence, but Bradies and their ilk are the first to complain about successful defense against evil. It’s almost as if their constituency is made up of violent criminals of government and freelance varieties. My friend Alany, a civil rights activist from Northern California, outlines what Brady Campaign has in common with other terrorists. Brady Campaign, in turn, have tried to physically intimidate her and other pro-RKBA people in California.

Posted in interesting people, pistol, rkba, self-defense, weapon | 9 Comments

Scoped Chipmunk rifle

The 4x scope is quite decent actually has a rangefinding reticle.

Chipmunk

Posted in rifle, training, weapon | Tagged , , | 3 Comments