Quote of the Day We’ve reached a fascinating point in American public discourse where we’re expected to believe that if one group has more encounters with the police than another, the only possible explanation is racism. This would be a … Continue reading

Meme Dump!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-05T12:22:01Z

The Saint with Cigars in His Pocket

by David in Musings Over a Barrel on 2026-07-05T12:00:00Z

Yesterday, July 4, marked the first celebration of the feast of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati following his canonization by Pope Leo XIV on September 7, 2025.

Known simply as Pier Giorgio among his friends, he was born into an affluent family on April 6, 1901, in Turin, Italy. An avid outdoorsman, he was athletic, adventurous, and rarely seen without a smile. Tragically, he contracted polio and died on July 4, 1925, at just 24 years of age.

During his brief life, he became known for his quiet generosity, frequently giving away money, possessions, and even his own clothing to those in need. The full extent of his charity became apparent only after his death, when thousands of the poor and marginalized whom he had helped lined the streets of Turin for his funeral.

His life of joyful charity earned him the title “Man of the Beatitudes,” a description given by Saint John Paul II, who saw in Pier Giorgio a remarkable embodiment of Christ’s love for the poor and those in need.




Though often depicted with climbing gear and a pipe, Saint Pier Giorgio’s enjoyment of cigars is also well documented. FrassatiUSA, a website devoted to his life and legacy, preserves several delightful anecdotes that reveal another facet of his warm and engaging personality.

One comes from a story titled Pier Giorgio’s Last Christmas, recounted by his friend and teacher, Gian Pietro Ravera:
Christmas 1924 was celebrated according to the Club’s tradition, and in fact about fifteen members gathered that night in a private chapel at 9 Via Ormea where Canon Bues celebrated Mass. I was among those who were invited by Pier Giorgio, who went on and on about how beautiful the Mass would be, as well as the gastronomic delights that would follow. Pier Giorgio and Carlo Pol served the Mass, and I remember how it was difficult to move in the chapel because it was standing room only.

Pier Giorgio had some cigars in his suit coat pocket, and they started to fall out when he was making a genuflection. He blushed deeply as he stuffed them back into his pocket. Then, turning toward my side of the chapel and seeing that I had seen everything that had happened, he made a face as if to excuse himself and he suppressed a smile, returning to his prayers with greater intensity than before.

I continued to watch him, and the longer the Mass went on, and the more intense and spiritually delightful it became, the more I was moved to see that group of university students follow the liturgy of the Mass with such devotion. 

Another story recounts the last gift Pier Giorgio received from his sister on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, his name day:
... we know that the last gift he received from his sister was a cigar case that he chose for himself that day while they shopped together.  Later, he joked with a maid, “Two cigars.  Today you have to give me two cigars: one for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it's a double feast today!”




In honor of his canonization, Regina Cigars released the PGF ST-090725, a cigar bearing Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati’s likeness on its band. I had the opportunity to review the cigar earlier this year.

Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati lived only 24 years, yet he left an extraordinary mark on the Church and the world. He loved the mountains, cherished his friends, appreciated the simple pleasures of life, and possessed a joyful sense of humor. Above all, he devoted himself to Christ by serving the poor with humility and generosity. These small stories about cigars remind us that holiness does not erase our humanity, but perhaps even enhance it.


Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati Ora Pro Nobis!



[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

FL: Nakomis - Man Intrudes, Assaults, is Shot, Dies

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-07-05T11:30:27Z

Murphy entered the gated apartment complex by scaling a perimeter fence, it states.

Video footage shows the resident unsuccessfully attempting to prevent Murphy from entering his residence, it states.

The video also shows Murphy assaulting the resident and repeatedly threatening to shoot him while keeping one hand behind his back in a manner that caused the resident to believe he was armed, in an attempt to force the resident to leave the apartment against his will, it states.

There had been prior conflicts between the two men, with the resident providing evidence of prior threats allegedly made by Murphy toward him, the release states.

During the confrontation, the resident retrieved a firearm from a bedroom. It was discharged during a physical struggle, striking Murphy, it states.

More Here


Suspect and witness accounts differed as to who started a gunfight at a local motel early Wednesday that resulted in three non-life threatening injuries and the arrest of five Hot Springs men, according to affidavits obtained Thursday.

Henry Master Love, 23, who was staying at the Kings Inn, 2101 Central Ave., where the shooting occurred, was charged with one count of terroristic act, punishable by up to life in prison, and two counts of first-degree battery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Shawn James Sanello, 20, Monico Joseph Contreras, 18, and Dustin Gene Wayne Devore, 18, all of whom share the same Wood Street address, and Andrew Elisha DeWeber, 18, who lists a South Rogers Street address, were each charged with one count of first-degree battery and one count of terroristic act.


More Here


Sunday Meme Drop–7-5-26

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-07-05T10:30:00Z

"We Fought a War for This?"

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-05T04:47:54Z

Our dogs are losing their sanity from the fireworks." In the closing years of the 19th century, cynics begin to make fun of the solemn speeches associated with the Fourth. I would like more of that and less of this.

July 4, 1776

by Glenn B in BALLSEYE'S BOOMERS on 2026-07-05T01:48:18Z

 JULY 4, 1776 WAS THE OFFICIAL AND VERY FIRST NO KINGS DAY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! LET'S NOT FORGET THAT EVER. ALSO BEAR IN MIND, NO PRESIDENT OF THE USA HAS EVER BEEN A KING, NOT THE FIRST ONE ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR CURRENT & VERY PATRIOTIC ONE DJT. 

Today, Americans celebrate a key point in a long process of gaining independence and gasping at liberty. Those who are demanding that until everything wrong is "fixed," we are not supposed to celebrate. TPOL rejects that thinking. Continue reading

Watching John Adams With My Wife

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-05T00:00:02Z

Really well done. Yes, I have to make little corrections because I have read Adams' defense of the Boston Massacre soldiers and see how the screenplay oversimplified it and left out the RKBA lines, but hey, being married to an historian is hard.

Moving is So Much Fun

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-04T21:54:30Z

We were going to use UPack to get our stuff cross-country.  We are not inclined to pack and load ourselves but UPack has an affiliated business that provides local pack and load services. 

I made a reservation with them. They do not bring or supply boxes, tape, or moving blankets to protect your furniture. So how many boxes will I need? I really do not want to buy 100 boxes and they only use 80. This is not something that I would expect professional movers to do, and yet this is a local moving company. 

SuperGrok thinks the full service movers can do it for about $15,000 (no appliances, 300 pound gun safe, not heavy but oddly shaped telescopes). I am getting estimates this next week. If it comes into that price range, it is only a few thousand more than UPack and whatever the local pack and load service would cost. 

Frustrations

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-04T21:44:06Z

The initial burst of showings of our Caldwell house had trickled down. I hope this is because of 4th of July.

That the first offer fell through because they were not really looking to buy a house was odd, but several realtors now have told of people who finally admitted (in one case after wasting 18 months of her time) that they could not buy a home. They just liked shopping.

Happy Independence Day

by Glenn B in BALLSEYE'S BOOMERS on 2026-07-04T19:06:01Z

 




Life & Freedom

by Glenn B in BALLSEYE'S BOOMERS on 2026-07-04T18:54:08Z

  • Caught this in my kitchen yesterday. 
  •  

  • Took it outside, to set it free, and a moment or two later it flew off of my hand and landed in the grass maybe 10 feet or so away. Immediately after it landed, a Mockingbird flew over, landed next to it, grabbed it or gobbled it up right there, then flew away. It hapened so fast I am not sure if it ate it right then or flew away with it in its beak. You never know when your time is going to be up. Life is short, freedom can be fleeting, enjoy them while you have them.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

Gamification!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-04T14:29:42Z

Adult chores would be better if they were more like World of Warcraft daily quests.

If I could turn in five mown lawns or ten folded laundry baskets for a special title or a pretty hat or a magic sword, life would be way cooler.

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Record Heat!

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-04T14:26:19Z

 Actually, no. This is the data on record high temperatures by state and in which year. I am trying to do what should be simple: plot a map showing year and maximum temperature by state. It is harder than it looks. Can any of you tell me how to do this?

State,Record High (°F),Year,Date,Location

Alabama,112,1925,"September 6, 1925",Centreville

Alaska,100,1915,"June 27, 1915",Fort Yukon

Arizona,128,1994,"June 29, 1994",Lake Havasu City

Arkansas,120,1936,"August 10, 1936",Ozark

California,134,1913,"July 10, 1913",Greenland Ranch (Death Valley)

Colorado,115,2019,"July 20, 2019",John Martin Reservoir

Connecticut,106,1995,"July 15, 1995",Danbury

Delaware,110,1930,"July 21, 1930",Millsboro

District of Columbia,106,1930,"July 20, 1930",Washington

Florida,109,1931,"June 29, 1931",Monticello

Georgia,112,1983,"August 20, 1983",Greenville

Hawaii,100,1931,"April 27, 1931",Pahala

Idaho,118,1934,"July 28, 1934",Orofino

Illinois,117,1954,"July 14, 1954",East Saint Louis

Indiana,116,1936,"July 14, 1936",Collegeville

Iowa,118,1934,"July 20, 1934",Keokuk

Kansas,121,1936,"July 24, 1936",Alton

Kentucky,116,1930,"July 28, 1930",Louisville

Louisiana,114,1936,"August 10, 1936",Plain Dealing

Maine,105,1911,"July 10, 1911",North Bridgton

Maryland,109,1988,"June 21, 1988",Conowingo Dam & Darlington

Massachusetts,107,1975,"August 2, 1975",New Bedford

Michigan,112,1936,"July 13, 1936",Mio

Minnesota,115,1917,"July 29, 1917",Beardsley

Mississippi,115,1930,"July 29, 1930",Holly Springs

Missouri,118,1954,"July 14, 1954",Warsaw

Montana,117,1937,"July 5, 1937",Medicine Lake

Nebraska,118,1936,"July 24, 1936",Minden

Nevada,125,1994,"June 29, 1994",Laughlin

New Hampshire,106,1911,"July 4, 1911",Nashua

New Jersey,110,1936,"July 10, 1936",Runyon

New Mexico,122,1994,"June 27, 1994",Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

New York,108,1926,"July 22, 1926",Troy

North Carolina,110,1983,"August 21, 1983",Fayetteville

North Dakota,121,1936,"July 6, 1936",Steele

Ohio,113,1934,"July 21, 1934",Gallipolis

Oklahoma,120,1994,"June 27, 1994",Tipton

Oregon,119,2021,"June 29, 2021",Pelton Dam

Pennsylvania,111,1936,"July 10, 1936",Phoenixville

Rhode Island,104,1975,"August 2, 1975",Providence

South Carolina,113,2012,"June 29, 2012",Columbia

South Dakota,120,2006,"July 15, 2006",Fort Pierre

Tennessee,113,1930,"August 9, 1930",Perryville

Texas,120,1994,"June 28, 1994",Monahans

Utah,117,2021,"July 10, 2021",St. George

Vermont,105,1911,"July 4, 1911",Vernon

Virginia,110,1954,"July 15, 1954",Balcony Falls

Washington,120,2021,"June 29, 2021",Hanford Site

West Virginia,112,1936,"July 10, 1936",Martinsburg

Wisconsin,114,1936,"July 13, 1936",Wisconsin Dells

Wyoming,115,1988,"July 15, 1988",Diversion Dam







I had a chance to spend some time on the USS New Jersey, today docked in Camden NJ as a public museum ship. Today we are going to go through all of the weapons systems [...]

The post From the .50 M2 to the Mk7 16 Inch Turrets: All the Guns of the USS New Jersey first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.

Independence Day

by DRGO in Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership on 2026-07-04T13:00:00Z

Happy 250th from DRGO! [Ed: There’s no better way to mark July 4th than to read our country’s Declaration of Independence. The original orthography is retained, but the specific complaints about King George and Parliament’s abuses are edited out in order to focus on the principles that applied then, do now, and always will. Reposted […]

LET FREEDOM RING

by Mas in on 2026-07-04T13:00:00Z

It’s the Fourth of July Weekend, and this particular Independence Day falls in the middle of our nation’s 250th anniversary.  All the more reason to celebrate. Freedom is the USA’s hallmark. Gun owners’ rights are a bellwether of that freedom, and of late we firearms folk have much to be thankful for. Be careful with the […]
Quote of the Day I have to give politicians some credit. They have done a masterful job of directly stealing your money and managed to redirect your ire to “the rich”. Elon, Bezos, et al do not send men with … Continue reading

Uh...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-04T12:42:49Z

Bitching about "data centers" is becoming a bipartisan thing, which I guess is okay, on balance. Still, people are doing so on social media and, uh, I hate to be the one to break it to everyone but Facebook and Blogger are not hosted on a Commodore VIC-20 running in a closet in someone's spare bedroom.

I fear we may have gone a Glonzo too far, gentlemen.

.

Happy Independence Day!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-04T12:33:20Z

A Glorious Fourth by Mort Künstler


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AL: Huntsville - Armed Intruder Shot by Occupant

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-07-04T11:20:28Z

On Wednesday, July 1, around 3 a.m., HPD officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on Salem Drive. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation by HPD’s Violent Crimes Unit found that the injured man unlawfully entered the home while armed with a firearm. During the incident, he allegedly threatened the occupants inside the residence before one of them fired a weapon in self-defense.


More Here


Police said the shooting happened after an assault, and they described it as a “justifiable homicide.”

“You’re allowed to use deadly force if you’re in fear of death or great bodily harm to yourself or another,” explained FOX19 NOW legal analyst Mike Allen.

The prosecutor’s office could pursue charges down the road if new evidence should come to light, Cincinnati police added.

More Here 



Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra 20-gauge shotgun suppressor . This week, we are checking in on some interesting lawsuit updates. And I am taking some editorial liberty to talk about the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Happy 250th, America

by Borepatch in Borepatch on 2026-07-04T11:01:00Z

Today, and indeed this entire year, patriotic Americans celebrate the foresight, wisdom, and courage of our Founding Fathers in declaring independence from an oppressive government. As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of its founding — the American Semiquincentennial — Independence Day carries an even deeper significance. It is both a celebration of freedom and a solemn reminder that liberty must be vigilantly protected.

Our forefathers were explicit in their intent: our rights are granted by our Creator, not by government. Political power is legitimate only when it derives from the consent of the governed. These timeless truths laid the foundation of a nation built on freedom. Yet today, those principles face challenges — not only from foreign adversaries, but also from those within our own society who misunderstand, disregard, or seek to redefine them.



Enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and secured through the Constitution is the conviction that all people are endowed with unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These founding principles remain as relevant today as they were in 1776. But freedom is not self-sustaining. It depends upon citizens who possess the character, courage, and resolve to uphold it.

Celebrating this great gift of liberty does not require ignoring the threats against it. Some, under a distorted understanding of “freedom” or in pursuit of ideological causes, seek to silence dissent, erase history, redefine language, and shame those who hold differing views. Such attitudes reveal not confidence in their ideas, but hostility toward the principles of open debate and individual liberty that have long defined our republic.

Yet hope abounds. Millions of Americans are growing weary of division, hostility, and caricatures that portray their beliefs as dangerous or extreme. They continue to stand by the values enshrined in our founding documents: freedom, faith, personal responsibility, and equal rights under the law.

Even amid uncertainty and division, the light of liberty has not been extinguished. Many Americans seek a renewed commitment to the principles of 1776 and the constitutional order that followed. Their efforts are driven not by hatred, but by love — love of country, love of liberty, and love for future generations who deserve to inherit a free and united nation.

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Roger C. Weightman on June 24, 1826, reflected on the significance of this day:
For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.
I, for one, am proud of my country. I will not quietly accept efforts to restrict religious liberty, diminish the right of self-defense, or replace the principles of a free society with ideologies that history has repeatedly shown to be destructive.

As America marks its Semiquincentennial year, may we renew our appreciation for the principles that gave birth to this nation and recommit ourselves to preserving them. Celebrate America. Celebrate freedom. And above all, prepare to defend and preserve these blessings for those who will inherit the nation we leave behind.

Happy Independence Day!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Quickie Range Trip...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-04T10:59:51Z

Sig SP2022 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special and a P320 XFULL with a tungsten-infused TXG frame* in Dark Star Gear kydex.

Spent a whole fifteen minutes on the range at Marion County Fish & Game yesterday before wilting like steamed broccoli overdone in the microwave.

I had loaded all the magazines ahead of time, and so I was in and out for the amount of time it took me to carry my stuff to the line, snap a picture, ring steel 115 times from 20 yards, carry my gear back to the car, and leave.

I signed in at the clubhouse at 0929 and signed out at 0945, so the actual shootin’ time was… brief. Thermometer in the car read 88 degrees in the shade and the humidity down there on the banks of Eagle Creek is notoriously sticky. Humidity was 90% at the airport, so probably closer to 95% at the range. 

*Those tungsten infused P320 frames are the berries. That thing weighs like a heavy 1911. With that 115gr range ammo, you can just go ham on a steel target making it ring like a telephone, and the gun hardly moves.

Meme Dump!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-04T10:47:50Z




Happy Independence Day

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-07-04T10:30:00Z

No meme drop today! I was around for the Bicentennial and, here we are, 50 years later. The world has changed in the last 50 years. Liberals and the press, but I repeat myself, have been denigrating our great country for most of that time. But today, none of that matters. Because we are in […]

July 4th

by Pawpaw in PawPaw's House on 2026-07-04T10:00:00Z

 This

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

And This 

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Y'all have a magnificent day. 

Editors’ Quote of the Week

by James Wesley Rawles in SurvivalBlog.com on 2026-07-04T07:01:50Z

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” – John Adams, in a letter to his wife Abigail, 1776

The post Editors’ Quote of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Editor’s Note: In the aftermath of two significant Supreme Court Second Amendment rulings, and the announcement that the court will take up the constitutionality of bans on modern semiautomatic rifles this fall, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued the following statement on why American gun owners have much to […]

The post CCRKBA: Gun Owners Have Much to Celebrate appeared first on Liberty Park Press.

Diggy diggy hole

by Commander Zero in Notes From The Bunker on 2026-07-04T03:58:21Z

Tucked away in my one man combat tent, exhausted, but I know you guys all wanna know how it went. So far, other than a flat tire getting here, it’s been mostly on the good side. Details tomorrow, if the … Continue reading

 I hope you all have a very Happy Independence Day. Well except the governor of PA, who, in my understanding, refused to have PA officially participate in Freedom 250 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding and the independence of the USA, Which came about by way of the signing of our Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, PA. See: 

 

https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2026/06/shapiro-says-pa-is-opting-out-of-trumps-great-american-state-fair.html


Imagine the governor of the state in which our founding document was signed seemingly hates not only President Trump but also the USA so much as to make such a disgusting terribly partisan and disrespectful decision. Freedom 250 is not a partisan event, every state was invited to attend, that regardless of whether a blue or red state. Not surprisingly many blue states have opted out claiming Trump made it partisan when in fact, it seems to me, the governors of the states not attending are the ones making it partisan and are not living up to the first word in our nation's name ' UNITED'! 

If it was legal, I could imagine seeing the governor of PA being tarred and feathered for that disrespect toward our great nationbeing that our Independence was first declared in PA. I am not condoning or advocating such an illegal action but my guess is that if it was legal, it probably would bring on a satisfactory feeling for many patriotic U.S. citizens.

HAPPY IDEPENDENCE DAY TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PATRIOTS AND WHO LOVE THE USA.

 

All the best,

Glenn B 

Anno Libertatus 250 – lost liberties

by TPOL Nathan in The Price of Liberty on 2026-07-04T01:00:00Z

What was intended and done back in 1776? Independence of thirteen nations? Or a new empire? In a guest commentary, Tom Evans discusses the truth, and we at TPOL point out we need to think and act on these things. Continue reading
The equipment design and procurement failures that produce poor fit for female officers, why body armor, duty belts, and holsters built around a male body type create real safety and performance gaps, and what agencies and officers can do about it.

Germany: Mass Murder

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-03T18:13:00Z

 6/29/26 DW:

A shooting in the northern German city of Stade left several people dead on Monday, according to local police.

Police initially reported a death toll of five adults, but later on Monday said it has risen to six. Five people died at the scene, while the sixth died in the hospital due to injuries sustained during the shooting, police said in a statement.

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By Dave Workman ANALYSIS – In the 24 hours following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Wolford v. Lopez—striking down Hawaii’s unconstitutional ban on licensed concealed carry on private property open to the public—many media reports incorrectly declared the 6-3 decision to be a “new expansion of the Second Amendment.” That’s how a headline at Slate described the high […]

The post How Media Gets It Wrong About Recent Second Amendment Rulings appeared first on Liberty Park Press.

Balancing Checkbooks

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-03T16:13:37Z

After my stroke in 2014, I was in the hospital for three months, so I was not balancing the checkbook. My wife took over that disagreeable task. I just focus on large scale finance now.

Those of you too young to remember dial phones, or even corded phones, may not know what a pain balancing checkbooks was. You had no way to go online and see which checks had recently cleared. You got a monthly statement showing which checks had cleared as of several week ago, and which deposits you had made. Then you marked in your checkbook register which checks and deposits were on the statement. Then take the balance from the statement, add any deposits not yet cleared, subtract outstanding checks and see if you were lucky enough to have it match what your register claimed.  If not, check every arithmetic operstion in the register, verify that you recorded the amounts correctly, and you did not fsil to record a check.  If the register went from check 2948 to check 2950, hmmm...

This was before ATMs and similar paperless transactions. You have no idea how impressed a young lady in my car was about 1978 when I said, "Let me get some cash out of the bank," at 7:30 PM. 

Yea, a rare date.  I was adequately good looking, well-paid and too polite (or clueless) to recognize an opportunity.  I had a young lady out to dinner. She invited me to her place where she changed into "something more comfortable" a not very sexy nightgown.  She had me lay down on her waterbed to see what it was like and she hovered over me and in retrospect waited for me to take the hint. 

I was not a bad boy who mistreated women by treating them as casual sex objects, so I was pretty much free of second dates until I met my wife at a Bible study 

A girlfriend (yes, mentally ill, hence a second date, the result of a double blind date: blind date arranged by a blind girl).  She had a checking account that always had overdrafts and not for the reason satirized in a bumper sticker of the time: "I can't be overdrawn.  I still have checks left." Many (most? all?) checking accounts of the time charged a per check transaction fee. Hers was $0.35 per check.  She did not know this. 

Once enough of the charges accumulated to take her to 0, every check, no matter how small, caused another overdraft. Once I explained this mystery, her problems, at least her accounting problems, were solved. 

So, how do young people balance checkbooks? (My son does not even have a checking account; possession of a checking account used to be a sign of adulthood.) Nothing like the old days I am sure. My wife balances the old-fashioned zway with the advantage that she can see which checks have recently cleared rather than rely on a three week old statement. It strikes me that there must be a way to do this that is less cumbersome.

I envision what I call the top-off method for very rich people.  You put $100,000 in checking; when your current balance gets below $20,000 you transfer money to get it back to $100,000. 

Advantage: no need to balance checkbook or keep a register. Disadvantages: you have no idea if someone has figured out how to loot your account except regularly reading the transaction history; the difference in interest rate on checking and your investments means you are forgoing some income. But once you have 3-4 million dollars, the difference is less than $50,000 per month.

Can anyone think of a more clever name than top-off checking?


Belts, Revisited

by Pawpaw in PawPaw's House on 2026-07-03T14:18:52Z

 Back in February, I complained that I could not find a belt I liked in the local stores.  You readers made some recommendations, and I took them to heart.  I particularly liked the belts advertised on AmishMadeBelts.com.  So, I ordered one.  When it came in, I was impressed.  The belt mic'd a sold 1.5 inches and was made from good saddle leather.  The only drawback was that it was too wide to fit the holster I use for my SW Shield. The blet was simply a tiny bit too big to go through the loops on that leather holster.

However, it fit nicely on the Simply Rugged holster I use for the SW Model 60.  I'm basically a revolver guy and didn't see the little revolver as a handicap. However, a man might live with one woman, but one EDC simply isn't enough. I needed a skinnier belt to carry that SW Shield.

So, I went bac to the Amish website and learned that a customer can sort by width and thickness.  I found a belt that was thick leather and yet measured in at 1.25 inches.  UPs dripped it off yesterday. I put it on this morning and think that this may be the bees knees for carrying the Shield.  The holster fits the belt nicely and holds the gun close and tight.

Y'all have a great 4th.

We talk Tikka, mindset, past, and present with Phillip Valayo! From USMC Scout Sniper to PRS winner.
The MAT 54 SB is a variation of the MAT 49/54, which was in turn the police model of the French MAT 49 submachine gun. Chambered for 9x19mm Parabellum, it uses MAT 49 magazines and [...]

The post MAT 54 SB: A Semiautomatic SMG for Banks and Cash Trucks first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.

A 62-year-old man has died after being shot by a woman following an argument over a Walmart parking space in North Lauderdale, Fla.

The fatal scene, which happened around 12:28 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 30, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, was captured on cell phone video by others in the parking lot. The footage, shared via WPLG Local 10 and NBC 6, showed the woman holding up the gun while the two appeared to be in a heated argument. 

At one point, Bart Diguglielmo, 62, took a step toward the woman and she fired into his stomach, before he was seen falling to the ground. The woman then waited for police to arrive. 

More Here 



More Here


PA: Domestic Defense, Woman Wounds Man with "Warning Shot"

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-07-03T13:11:23Z

A woman told police that Diante Sherrill, 42, of New Brighton, assaulted her while they were both in a car, then refused to leave her home, and that's when she fired a shot, according to the criminal complaint.

"(The woman) stated that she was fearful and fired one shot that she described as a 'warning shot.' (The woman) stated that Sherrill sustained a gunshot wound, she rendered aid and called 911," police said in the complaint.

The complaint shows that Sherrill is charged with simple assault.

 

More Here


Quote of the Day If you aren’t tempted by the promises of socialism, you don’t understand them. It promises everything anybody could possibly want. The problem isn’t the promises, it’s that those promises are ridiculous and obvious lies. The only … Continue reading
America250, the nonpartisan congressional commission planning the nation’s landmark 250th anniversary, has officially launched Giving 4th, the historic initiative aiming to permanently transform Independence Day into a new national tradition of generosity and shared community impact.

Friday Memes!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-07-03T11:39:37Z




Adventures with B

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-07-03T10:30:00Z

Sorry about the lack of posts but I’ve been kind of busy. Check out B’s posts here and here (and the third installment will show up today here). Our travels are never what one would call ordinary, but I’m really glad he is serializing it. Between the food poisoning (I narrowly missed joining him on […]

Weekend Knowledge Dump- July 3, 2026

by Greg Ellifritz in Active Response Training on 2026-07-03T10:27:53Z

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.   Tactical Entertainment: When High-Volume Shooting Masquerades as Advanced Training “True “advanced” work is usually exhausting because of the mental focus required, not the quantity of empty casings left lying on the ground.”     […]

Venezuela - Lending Them A Hand

by Glenn B in BALLSEYE'S BOOMERS on 2026-07-03T02:55:07Z

Tonight, I donated $100, plus an optional processing fee, to the Salvation Army for Venezuela relief. If you want to donate, you can go here, supposedly a website of the Salvation Army, and it certainly looked to me to be legitimate:


https://sawso.org/

 

At the top of the page, a box comes up about Venezuela with a donate icon in its lower left. If you click on donate anywhere else, it does not seem to go to Venezuela but to other areas helped by the Salvation Army. 

 

Maybe some of you can also donate. I am hopeful anything you can spare would be appreciated and go toward doing good for the people who suffered so long under Maduro and who now have been devastated by the recent earthquakes. If you cannot afford to donate, say a prayer for them, prayers are free. If you do not pray, at least keep them in your thoughts and hopes.

 All the best,

Glenn B 

 

TFB Deals for Independence Day, July 4th 2026

by Luke C. in The Firearm Blog on 2026-07-03T00:00:00Z

Happy Independence Day! This July 4th, we’re back with even more deals on guns, gear, ammunition, and accessories from some of our most frequented online retailers like 5.11 Tactical, Primary Arms, Natchez Shooters Supply, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, and more. Whether you’re looking for deals on new or used guns, ammo to add to your reserves, or specific accessories like flashlights, range bags, optics, bipods, and magazines, each week we’ll have new sets of deals that might fulfill one of those needs and save you a few dollars while you’re ringing in the 4th with the sound of freedom.

My oh my, it’s the 2nd of July!

by TPOL Nathan in The Price of Liberty on 2026-07-03T00:00:00Z

It is the 2nd of July! When the Continental Congress voted for independence in 1775, 250 years ago. Continue reading
Not every range has a roof or a traditional backstop. Aboard San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), a sailor assigned to the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group runs live-fire drills with an M4 carbine on the ship's flight deck while underway in the Caribbean Sea, February, 2026. The open-air range is as operational as it gets.
Welcome to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we looked at some of the tough realities when it comes to carrying concealed. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here  to check it out. This week, I want to take a deeper dive into what is actually necessary versus what is useful. So many people say the magwell or two-tone coloring on their handgun is an absolute must and then proceed to explain why it's completely necessary when, in reality, most times it's just what they wanted or it can be slightly useful. I decided to take a look at the three top items to see if they're really must-change items to carry safer or if it's just something you want. Let's take a closer look at useful vs necessary concealment items.

Not Like He Did Something Bad

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-02T20:30:16Z

7/1/26 BBC News:

 Government ministers have said officials are "exploring every option" to have the leader of a Rochdale grooming gang deported.


Shabir Ahmed was jailed for 22 years in August 2012, but his victims were this week told he was set to be released from prison on licence today.

They were also informed, despite earlier promises, that a 55-year-old law barred the government from deporting him.

The good news is that this guy is such an embarrassment to the groomer gang/Islamophile Industrial Complex that he needs to go, and Parliament is looking for some way to do so. 

Headstamp Publishing has launched pre-orders their latest book "The Real Schmeissers: From the M.P. 18.I to the M.P. 41," a 678-page book covering the complete history of Hugo Schmeisser's submachine gun designs from World War I through World War II.

Remember What Party Hates Trump More Than Child Rapers

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-07-02T17:37:25Z

7/2/26 Daily Mail:

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pardoned an illegal immigrant who was convicted of raping a ten-year-old child to stop him from being deported. 

The Democrat was part of a three-person panel that granted clemency to Tou Lue Vang, 42, who was set to be sent back to Laos due to his horrific child sex crimes. 

Vang admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing the child for four years when he pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2006, and at the time he justified his actions by claiming it is a 'cultural thing' to 'marry and have sex with girls as young as 12.' 

His plea deal allowed him to avoid jail time but face deportation, a fate he has now been spared by Walz and the other two members of the panel, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota's Chief Supreme Court Justice, Natalie Hudson.

This is the party that with no evidence claims Trump is a pedophile but helps keep a guy who makes excuses for raping a 10-year-old in the U.S  You also notice that justifying raping a child got him no jail time in 2006.


Free Books- Part 340

by Greg Ellifritz in Active Response Training on 2026-07-02T17:11:24Z

Amazon has a tremendous number of FREE ebooks on their website.  You can find thousands of free kindle books on Amazon’s site every day.  These books can be downloaded to a Kindle reader or a free App on your phone or personal computer.  Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free […]
Luke C. speaks to Ian at GunCon 2026 to check out the o"ST"-14 Groza kit from the boys over at Stuff & Things Inc (STINC), a drop-in bullpup conversion that turns a PSA Krink (AK-74U pattern pistol) into a reasonably obtainable version of the Russian OTs-14 Groza. STINC says their conversion kit has compatibility with the 300 BLK, 7.62x39, and 5.56 Krink variants, with some fitting work potentially needed on other AK platforms.

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