Just something to keep in mine; Both nations have the bomb….

India launches strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan
The military action comes amid tense relations between the nuclear-armed states following an April 22 attack that killed 26 people

India said it attacked “terrorist infrastructure” in neighboring Pakistan on Wednesday in two of its occupied territories, killing at least one child and wounding two other people, Pakistani security officials said.

The Indian armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor,” which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Press Information Bureau of India said in a statement.

“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature,” India’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. “No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted.”

“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the statement said.

The missiles launched Wednesday struck locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country’s eastern Punjab province. A mosque in the city of Bahawalpur was struck, killing a child, and a woman and man were injured, one Pakistani security official said.

The attack occurred in a remote valley only accessible on foot or by horse, and survivors claimed after the attack that the gunmen had accused some of the victims of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Donald Trump said he hoped the tension between the two nations subsides.

“It’s a shame. We just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval (Office),” he said. “I just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. You know, they’ve been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you really think about it.”

“I just hope it ends very quickly,” he said.

The military action comes amid tense relations between the nuclear-armed states following an April 22 attack that killed 26 people in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, a long-disputed territory that has been the source of tension between the two nations and is one of the most militarized regions in the world.

Kashmir has been a disputed region since both India and Pakistan gained their autonomy from Britain in 1947.

India has blamed Pakistan for backing the militant attack, which Islamabad has denied.

Pakistani army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, told ARY News that the missiles were launched Wednesday from within Indian territory and that no Indian aircraft had entered Pakistani airspace.

“This was a cowardly attack targeting innocent civilians under the cover of darkness,” Sharif told the broadcaster.

Dyersburg home invasion ends in one man dead, two arrests

DYERSBURG, Tenn. – A man died and police arrested two others and charged them after a home invasion style robbery in Dyersburg this week, the Dyersburg Police Department said.

Officers began investigating the incident when it was reported on Monday, April 28, around 7:45 p.m., Dyersburg Police Chief Thomas Langford said.

According to Chief Langford, 19-year-old Christopher Terry was shot during the home invasion after the homeowner defended himself.

On Wednesday, police arrested Jeremiah Terry, 18, and Raymon Patton, 20, on charges of aggravated robbery, attempted second-degree murder, and possessing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felon

Legal Adults, Limited Rights: The Second Amendment Fight for 18–20-Year-Olds

Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed a trend that’s hard to ignore. New lawsuits are popping up. Legislatures are introducing bills. Some states are loosening restrictions. Others are cracking down. But they all revolve around the same issue: the Second Amendment rights of 18- to 20-year-old adults.

It struck me just how widespread and fast-moving this fight has become. In a single day, I saw headlines about a federal court striking down the handgun sales ban for young adults, while another state pushed a new law to raise the ammo purchase age to 21. The issue isn’t isolated—it’s everywhere.

In the United States, turning 18 makes you a legal adult. You can vote, serve on a jury, enter contracts, and enlist in the military. But in many states—and under some federal laws—you still can’t buy or carry a handgun. This paradox has sparked a legal and legislative battle stretching across the country, with courts divided, lawmakers digging in, and gun rights advocates pushing back hard against age-based restrictions.

A National Patchwork of Rights

While some states have recently expanded Second Amendment rights to include adults under 21, others have doubled down on restrictions. In 2025 alone, at least a dozen legislative or judicial actions have focused on the question: Do 18- to 20-year-olds have full Second Amendment rights?

In Iowa, lawmakers passed House File 924, lowering the age to carry a handgun from 21 to 18. Florida considered a similar rollback to age of purchase with House Bill 759, while Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Nevada all saw legislative action aiming to either expand or restrict firearm access for this age group. Meanwhile, Colorado moved in the opposite direction, raising the age to purchase ammunition to 21 and restricting home delivery.

Major Lawsuits Reshaping the Debate

The fight isn’t just in statehouses—it’s in the courts.

In Worth v. Jacobson, the Eighth Circuit struck down Minnesota’s age-based carry restriction, ruling that 18–20-year-olds are indeed part of “the people” protected by the Second Amendment. This ruling directly conflicts with NRA v. Bondi, where the Eleventh Circuit upheld Florida’s ban on handgun purchases for those under 21. The NRA plans to petition the Supreme Court for review, but we’ve already seen SCOTUS pass on issuing any ruling on Worth v Jacobson so the conflict between these Circuit court decisions may exist for a long time.

In NRA v. Bondi Florida’s ban on firearm purchases by adults under 21 was upheld by the Eleventh Circuit Court.

In the Fifth Circuit, another milestone was reached when the court struck down the federal ban on handgun sales to 18–20-year-olds, declaring the law unconstitutional under the Bruen standard and citing a lack of historical tradition supporting the restriction.

Lara v. Paris: A Turning Point

One of the most significant rulings so far came from the Third Circuit in Lara v. Paris. The court held that 18–20-year-olds are “the people” under the Second Amendment and that the relevant historical benchmark is 1791, not 1868 as some courts had previously argued. This decision has already restarted previously paused litigation like Young v. Ott, which challenges Pennsylvania’s concealed carry age restriction.

The Road Ahead: SCOTUS Showdown?

With multiple federal circuits now in direct conflict and more states enacting laws both for and against under-21 gun rights, the U.S. Supreme Court may be forced to weigh in despite them already passing on the opportunity to do so. The question will be whether constitutional rights can be delayed based solely on age—even for adults legally recognized by every other standard.

Conclusion: A Defining Test for the Second Amendment

This unfolding legal battle isn’t just about guns. It’s about defining what it means to be a legal adult in America. The coming months and years will likely shape not only Second Amendment jurisprudence but also broader civil rights questions for young Americans caught in legal limbo. I find it utterly disgusting that our country has any question at all about allowing the same men and women we send to war to purchase guns and ammo here at home for their own personal protection. It is an absolute insult.

NSSF Data Shows Gun Sales Fell 3.4% from April 2024

The April 2025 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,174,294 is a decrease of 3.4 percent compared to the April 2024 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,216,116.

For comparison, the unadjusted April 2025 FBI NICS figure of 2,194,006 reflects a 2.1 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,240,434 in April 2024.

Additional insights on the month-over-month NICS data from GunBroker, NICS Reporting & Analysis(March 2025 data), available in the member portal under Industry Research.

Continue reading “”

From it’s continued use, ‘Gun Industry Profits™’ is apparently the latest talking point the gun grabbers are using.

Gun Control Crowd Explodes After Trump Admin Pulls ATF Display

The Trump administration removed a memorial from the main atrium of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for victims of gun violence that was put in place under the Biden administration.

As you can imagine, the move has tightened the jaws of folks on the anti-gunner left, which praised how the prior administration weaponized the agency against responsible gun owners. From The Washington Post:

Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin said that the decision to remove the portraits was not political and that officials are considering different ways to honor victims.

“The ATF will continue to honor the memory of all victims of violent crime while at the same time preserving the rights of law-abiding Americans,” Gilmartin said, referring to the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Former ATF director Steven Dettelbach — who was appointed by President Joe Biden — created the memorial at the agency’s Northeast Washington headquarters last April to remind employees of the human toll of gun violence. The display includes photos of police officers killed by gunfire, children slain in mass school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, and other victims.

A nearby kiosk told the stories of each, and many of the victims’ families would visit the memorial.

“The ‘Faces of Gun Violence’ exhibit is a permanent reminder of what ATF comes to work to do every day — a reminder of why agents risk their lives and why everyone at ATF dedicates their careers to this mission: to honor the fallen and protect the living,” Dettelbech said at a ceremony unveiling the memorial last year. “This exhibit both honors and tells the stories of the victims of firearms violence. And it reminds us to keep front and center the lives, the stories, and the courage of those who have been impacted by firearms violence.”

The White House wants to slash the agency’s approximately $1.5 billion annual budget by about a third, or nearly $500 million, according to budget documents released Friday. The proposal appears to cut much of the regulatory arm of ATF while saying it would leave resources for gun tracing and investigating gun traffickers. But more modest cuts in the past have forced cuts to ATF law enforcement, and if the agency loses a third of its budget, it would probably lead to law enforcement reductions.

One gun control advocate whose deceased father was featured in the memorial criticized the move, saying, “The ATF used to be an agency dedicated to fighting for people. Now, it’s crystal clear that its mandate has become fighting on behalf of gun industry profits.”

Gilmartin said the decision to take down the memorial isn’t political. But I have no qualms with discussing the politics of this situation.

The Biden administration exploited these victims to make a political statement: The government must curtail gun ownership at all cost, or else there will be even more victims.

As someone who has lost a family member to gun violence, I understand how horrific it can be. Yet, California, where my cousin was murdered, has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. Not a single one of these restrictions saved her life.

If gun control is such an effective policy, why are so many unarmed people dying at the hands of armed thugs who don’t obey these laws? These people promise that if we enact a few more restrictions, everyone will be safe. Then, they act surprised when criminals continue gunning people down in the streets in California and New York.

The only people the ATF protects are criminals who refuse to be disarmed. Instead of pushing “feel good” solutions like gun control, the nation would be better served if we stop making it difficult for responsible people to arm themselves while addressing the root causes of violent crime.

I think that Operation Nitro Zeus never really ended.

Quip O’ The Day: ‘Cardboard factory’, suuuure

What the Hell Is Going on in Iran This Time?

Iran is on fire — literally, again — and nobody knows why. A massive power plant and a “cardboard factory” caught fire bigly in Iran over the weekend. But there is impressive new video of Iran’s port explosion from last week.

Iran International reported that a “series of incidents unfolded in Alborz Province, west of Tehran, on Saturday evening, including two fires, reports of an explosion, and a magnitude 4.0 earthquake, according to official statements and eyewitness accounts.”

Israeli action? Typical authoritarian regime attention to maintenance issues? God just doesn’t like the mullahs’ regime? Who knows.

For reasons yet unknown, the Montazer Ghaem power plant in Karaj, just west of Tehran, caught fire on Saturday. Here’s that video:


Those cooling towers make Montazer Ghaem look like it might be a nuclear power plant, but it burns natural gas and other fossil fuels.

Tehran posted undated video of the plant not on fire and claimed that there was nothing to see here, move along.

In the same province, also on Saturday, a “cardboard manufacturing factory” was seen burning brightly.

Don’t take advice on guns from the New York Times’ “Ethicist.”

In a country with more guns than people (there were some 393 million firearms in civilian hands alone in 2017, according to the Small Arms Survey), it’s easy to see why your husband might feel that owning one himself could give him some control, some shield against chaos. But your instincts are sound. As you’re aware, bringing a gun into our homes doesn’t seem to tip the odds in our favor. Studies show little evidence that guns protect against injury or loss during a crime. Instead, they raise the risk of harm within the household, through accidents, impulsive actions or suicide.

You’re imagining your regret were civic life to unravel, and you had failed to prepare. Maybe there’s a “Last of Us” scenario flickering in your heads, where bandoliered bad guys roam a collapsed society, but even then, I doubt that whatever firearm your husband is contemplating would help. In a world where some are armed to the teeth, being armed to your toes seems unlikely to do anything but escalate the dangers for you. What’s more to the point is that you feel safe in your city. Your recognition that guns bring more harm than good isn’t naïve. Real control lies in holding fast to your reasoned beliefs, not in giving way to fear.

— Kwame Anthony Appiah in My Husband Fears Political Violence. Should We Buy a Gun?

It is a basic principle of a tyrant to unarm his people of weapons, money and all means whereby they resist his power.
– Walter Raleigh

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, a popular misconception.
Instead, it commemorates a single battle.

In 1861, Benito Juárez—a lawyer and member of the Zapotec tribe—was elected president of Mexico. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on debt payments to European governments.

In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico, demanding repayment. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew their forces.

France, however, ruled by Napoleon III, decided to use the opportunity to carve an empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large force of troops and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat.

The Battle of Puebla
Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla.

The vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez gathered his army—supported by heavy artillery—before the city of Puebla and led an assault.

The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.

Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at the Battle of Puebla on May 5 represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. In 1867—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France finally withdrew.

CP nails it again

Cynical Publius

I feel like I have been sleepwalking for years and just woke up.

It’s kind of embarrassing as I have always considered myself to be very astute and alert when it comes to American politics.

But Trump 2.0, DOGE and civilian heroes like Data Republican woke me up.

For DECADES, the Deep State has been taxing us at obscene levels, all the while claiming through their media mouthpieces that it was all going to national defense and untouchable entitlements, and there really wasn’t any fat in the budget to cut.

But there WAS fat. Lots of it.

And here’s the thing: that fat was seized from our pockets at the point of a gun, added to the federal budget, then dispersed to NGOs tasked to carry out ostensibly useful tasks which were in reality a concerted effort to undermine and destroy our Constitutional Republic. We were paying for our own demise, and were oblivious to it. We were like a parasite’s host, growing weaker day by day and totally unaware of the parasite thriving on our life’s blood.

What’s worse is that the cycle of America-hating NGOs also wrapped an entire class of Democrats in luxury. Exploiting the basic goodness of Americans to help those in need, we were in reality funding grift and graft whereby Democrats cycled from elected office, to lobbyists, to industry, to NGOs, and back again on an endless loop where the only true value was enriching themselves. Five of the seven richest counties in America are on the Washington DC Beltway. I just explained why that is so.

Now I know there are some who will belittle the cuts we are seeing as being inconsequential in the grand scheme of the entire federal budget and the national debt, and as a solely mathematical analysis this may be true. But this minority portion of the federal budget has nevertheless had an enormous and outsized impact on the destruction of the United States of America.

Cutting off the dollars we have been paying to these parasites will silence their voices of hate and American destruction, and allow us room to maneuver to recover our nation, all in the nick of time.

Ending the doom loop of America-destroying NGO graft is the greatest thing Donald Trump is doing. He deserves a statue on the National Mall for this alone. (With little statues of Elon, Big Balls and Data Republican.).

Thank you, Trump 2.0 Team, for saving us from funding our own demise.