Happy Father’s Day to all the dads of whatever kind out there.
My own father died over 42 years ago. I can’t say I think about him every day but I do wish I had more time with him. He was 62 and 10 days old when he passed away. I had intended to hire a fishing guide in Maine that summer and take him fishing. He died before we could take that trip. That was a reminder to not put off stuff.
While I don’t have any biological children, I do have two wonderful step-daughters thanks to the Complementary Spouse. I have been in their lives and they in mine for over 20 years now. The best gift I ever received from them is the framed picture which the younger one crafted herself.
So to all the dads out there, biological or otherwise, Happy Father’s Day.
It is fitting that the true American spirit – bourbon – is celebrated on Flag Day. Both represent something uniquely American.
So today I would suggest is a great time to have a nip of bourbon. It doesn’t matter if it is in a cocktail, on the rocks, or neat. If you don’t wish to partake of anything alcoholic, you could still use bourbon to make a great tasting sauce as the alcohol will evaporate as you cook it leaving you with the wonderful flavor of bourbon.
I hesitate to even say this out loud but I probably have one too many bottles of bourbon in my collection. I know the Complementary Spouse would agree. I just can’t help myself when I see an interesting bottle that is not overpriced.
So tonight, after we get home, I think I will have a sip or two of the Parker’s Heritage Cognac Finished bourbon. It was the 5th edition of the special blendings of bourbon by the late Parker Beam who was the Master Distiller for Heaven Hill. What good is it to have a special bottle of bourbon if it just sits on the shelf lonely like an old dog waiting for its owner to give it some attention instead of playing with the new puppy.
Rocky Marshall, former NRA Director and business executive, sent out this opinion piece on the NRA’s finances. I published his earlier analysis on their finances back in February of this year as well as a guest post from January.
His post is below and is presented exactly as it was sent to me.
The following opinion presents an updated financial analysis of the National Rifle Association (NRA) by examining the correlation between US gun sales and NRA revenues. Based on the analysis, revenue projections are made, highlighting the potential catastrophe the NRA has created.
The correlation analysis comparing US gun sales and NRA revenues reveals a consistent revenue coefficient of $12 per gun sold. Utilizing this coefficient, projections are made for the NRA’s revenues based on the number of guns sold from January to May 2023, which annualizes to 16.2 million units. Accordingly, estimated revenues for January to May are $81.4 million, with a forecast of $195 million for the entire year.
Estimated
Jan-May
Jan-Dec
NRA 990 IRS Reports
2020
2021
2022
2023
2023
Total NRA Revenue
282,030,375
227,419,952
205,314,000
81,418,224
195,403,738
US Gun Sales (in units)
21,799,813
18,868,921
16,550,340
6,784,852
16,283,645
Revenue$/Guns Sold Ratio
13
12
12
12
12
However, these projections starkly contrast with the NRA’s budget of $230 million, which appears unrealistic given the current downward trends and decline in gun sales. This raises concerns about the organization’s financial sustainability, particularly considering the anticipated legal expenses that may further strain its finances.
The Board of Directors plays a critical role in overseeing an organization’s financial management, ensuring transparency, and upholding accountability. However, in the case of the NRA, there are indications of a lack of transparency, as financial information is being withheld from Directors. This lack of disclosure suggests potential complicity in deceptive practices.
During the most recent NRA board meeting, no Directors questioned the financials or expressed concerns about the possibility of insolvency. This negligence is concerning, as it reflects a failure to fulfill their core responsibilities in safeguarding the NRA’s financial health and future.
This level of negligence exhibited by the NRA Directors is reminiscent of the children’s nursery rhyme; “The Three Blind Mice,” wherein the mice run around aimlessly until being caught by the Farmer’s wife. Not only has the NRA Board lost not only it’s sight, but also the ability to speak and question the deceptions that are presented at Board meetings.
The NRA’s financial crisis demands immediate attention and action. The alarming revenue projections, coupled with the lack of transparency and negligence displayed by the Board of Directors, pose significant threats to the organization’s survivability. Unfortunately, the NRA Board inactions and wonted neglect suggests they do not give a damn!
Source Gun Sales Data: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), run by the FBI
While I’m on a roll talking about watches, I thought I’d continue it. Just like with firearms, many of us have purchases a watch (or firearm) that we thought we’d love but ending up hating.
It is a stainless watch, charges the battery through sunlight, has big numerals at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions, tracks the date, is water resistant to 200 feet, and has a slide rule. What is not to like?
Well….
I should say I’m right-handed and wear my watch on my left wrist. Look at where the crown or knob to operate the slide rule is located. It is on the lower left side. If you use the fingers of your right hand to operate the slide rule, you cover some, if not all, of the watch face including the slide rule. The only way to effectively use it is to either wear the watch on your right wrist or take it off your wrist altogether. That is problem number one.
The second issue for me is that the slide rule numerals are so small and I suffer from presbyopia (I need reading glasses!) that I virtually need a magnifying glass to read them.
When I get around to it, I need to sell this watch to someone who can appreciate it. I will note that Citizen has revamped this watch so that the control knob for the slide rule is now on the right side of the watch. Smart move.
So let me know in the comments what watch you bought that you grew to hate or dislike. Let me know the reason why if you don’t mind.
I saw this meme on Reddit and found it amusing. It compares watch guys to gun guys and finds they are similar.
Even funnier to me is that I own or have owned watches from all three companies and two of the three handgun makers. I am going to presume that Ruger owners have the Citizen Eco-Drives and that guys with old Hamilton Automatic watches use 1911s. Not sure where I’d put the guys wearing a Casio G-Shock.
Of course, right now I’m wearing a Bulova WW2 commemorative military style watch that I picked up off of EBay for about $50 years ago. I’ve had to replace the original olive canvas band with a nylon Nato band because it wore out.
Now she has announced she plans to go on a cruise. Will it be to an area where guns are banned like much of the Caribbean? Nope, it will be to Alaska where not only are guns prevalent but they have constitutional carry.
Thanks to “Bad Gun Control Takes” for pointing this out in a tweet.
I come bearing good news on this Friday afternoon. That is if you hold the North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit. Both the states of Nevada and Minnesota now allow holders of the NC CHP legally to carry concealed in their states. Of course, if Nevadans and Minnesotans wish to carry in North Carolina, we will recognize that permit as well as the permit of any other state as we offer universal reciprocity.
At one time, Nevada had stopped offering reciprocity to North Carolinians. However, Grass Roots North Carolina worked with state level groups there providing information on the NC CHP and its standards which led to a re-evaluation by that state.
We have some good news to announce, in that Minnesota and Nevada added North Carolina permit reciprocity. GRNC worked regularly for a multi-year period with the state gun rights organization in NV to help inform NV’s state attorney’s office on the rigor and standards involved in North Carolina’s permit process.
After thorough analysis, NV finally restored reciprocity for North Carolina’s Concealed Carry Handgun permit.
The relevant information on North Carolina permit reciprocity in these states is available here:
PERMIT TO CARRY RECIPROCITY
Minnesota
Under MN law, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is required to publish a list of states which have handgun carry permit laws that are not similar to Minnesota’s permit-to-carry law.
You are permitted to “open-carry” firearms, with certain limitations, whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.
If you are a non-Nevada resident, you can carry a concealed weapon only if you have a CCW from a reciprocal state.
Currently, Nevada’s reciprocal states for concealed carry of handguns.
Reciprocity with North Carolina
This brings to an exceptional 40 states in which lawful North Carolinians may exercise the fundamental right to carry concealed firearms. For a map of reciprocal states, go to: GRNC Reciprocity Map
After the murders at The Covenant School in Nashville, some politicians as well as the gun control industry have been calling for the state of Tennessee to enact a “red flag law”. Indeed, Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) is threatening a special session of the Tennessee legislature to enact a “red flag law” that he insists is not that.
“To be clear, the Governor does not support red flag laws. His proposal is different from any law across the country – it would strengthen Tennessee’s existing law around the order of protection process for cases of domestic violence and enhance support for law enforcement, ensure due process, require the highest burden of proof, and boost mental health support,” said Press Secretary Jade Byers.
But what do the majority of Tennesseans want?
According to a recent poll by co/efficient done in conjunction with the Daily Wire, 84% of respondents said it was more important to remove the dangerous person than to remove the guns. In my opinion, this is a recognition that those individuals who are a danger to themselves or others will use other means – knives, cars, gasoline, etc. – if firearms are not available and they are allowed to remain at large.
In the poll, Tennessee voters dramatically retreat from their soft support of proposed Red Flag Laws and do not see this as the solution to their safety concerns when informed that Red Flag Laws merely take guns away from dangerous individuals but do nothing to prevent them from causing harm by some other means. Red Flag Law support erodes even further when informed that there are existing laws to take threatening individuals out of the community right now. Tennesseans largely support recently passed legislation that puts police officers in schools and believe enforcing the current laws on the books is an effective solution to keeping their families, communities, and state safe.
People are not stupid. They recognize when their emotions are being played by politicians, the media, and the gun control industry. Once they have a good grasp of the situation, they usually come to a reasonable conclusion.
Today, June 8th, is Thomas Paine Day by one calendar. It is also known as Freethinkers Day.Another puts both at January 29th. I’m not sure which is correct so I’m going with today as this is the first I’ve heard of it.
Paine didn’t come to America until late 1774 at the urging of Benjamin Franklin. He had recently been fired from his position as an excise officer in Sussex after writing a pamphlet that demanded higher pay for excise officers. Paine is most known in the United States for his pamphlet Common Sense as well as a series called The American Crisis (Kindle version is free on Amazon) It is said that Common Sense sold between 150,000 and 500,000 copies. Given the population of the 13 colonies is estimated to 2.5 million in 1776, that is astounding.
The latter was read to Washington’s dispirited troops at Valley Forge. I still find the first paragraph stirring.
THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: — ’Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but “to* BIND us in all cases whatsoever,” and if being bound in that manner*, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to GOD.
Paine went back to England in 1787 and then to France somewhere around 1791-1792. He was an early supporter of the French Revolution and almost ended up becoming a victim of it like many of its supporters. He wrote another of his major works The Rights of Man in 1791. After being released from prison in France, he made his way back to the US and eventually died in New York City in 1809.
The first units ashore or on land have gotten most of the attention in the Battle of Normandy. They rightly deserve this attention as landing on a hostile beach or behind the beaches in the dark of night is a terrifying task. That said, this post will given attention to the follow-on units that arrived in June and July of 1944. Part of my reasoning is that they don’t get this attention and the other part is that my sister-in-law’s father who passed away in April at age 102 was a member of one of these units.
Early July saw both the 8th and 35th Infantry Divisions arrive in France. The 8th was soon in action helping to capture the cities of Brest and Rennes. As July progressed, three armored divisions, the 4th, 5th, and 6th, landed in France and were instrumental in closing the Falaise Gap. The final infantry division to participate in the Battle of Normandy was the 28th Infantry Division which arrived on July 22nd to join Operation Cobra.
Of particular interest to me is the 8th Infantry Division. Walter Driscoll, my sister-in-law’s father, was assigned to 3rd Platoon Mortar Squad, Co. A, 1st Battalion, 121st Regiment, 8th Infantry Division as a PFC. He passed away at the age of 102 on April 1st just short of his 103rd birthday. A native of Massachusetts, he was married for 58 years, raised three daughters (two of whom served as officers in the USAF Nurse Corps), had eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Walter was wounded in action in Normandy and carried the shrapnel in his hand throughout the rest of his life. That shrapnel was recovered after his cremation by the funeral director and presented to the family. He tells the story of how he was wounded in the oral history video below. The French subtitles are due to this being a project of the World War II Veterans Memories located in Normandy.
There are not many of these veterans still alive and that Walter made it to 102 was remarkable in and of itself. We should be grateful that a number of their stories have been captured either in video or audio format. Without that, the human element would be lost and our knowledge of these events would be confined to the history books.
by 
