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Sitting on the tailgate of my truck, I fire up the new Optimus Gemini II dual-burner camp stove in order to make some coffee and oatmeal to start the day. With a scenic backdrop of snowcapped mountains piercing a pale blue sky, I twist the knobs on the slim silver stove to get the heat settings just right. Moments later, I’ve got oatmeal simmering in one pot while my coffee water boils in a mug next to it. The new Optimus stove, which fits perfectly into my truck-camping regimen, is considered compact. The stove has two burners, making it a…
Toronto sure looks like a rough place these days. Not even by Canadian standards, but ours. Even the U.S. Consulate isn’t safe, as we found out last month.Yeah, that gun control is going just swimmingly, isn’t it? However, I apparently need to give the Toronto cops their due. They made two arrests in the incident, which is good. It’s everything else they announced about the arrests that has me scratching my head.Toronto police announced the arrests Thursday of a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy in the second shooting at the U.S. Consulate in five…
After a long day in the sun paddling the Missouri River, I hopped off the canoe, walked along the sandbar, and began to set up my tent. As I unfolded the poles, I began to hear the clinking and clanking of knives chopping vegetables and metal spoons hitting the side of a mixing bowl. Soon, the crackle and smoke of fire began to spread over the campsite, and I got my first inkling that something tasty for dinner was on the way. I walked over to the fire with my camp chair in hand, and took a seat to watch…
Violent crime is down across the country, and that’s a very good thing. Our homicide rate hitting record lows is something that we should all be celebrating, and we’re on pace to see it even lower this year. Again, a very good thing. However, the only acceptable number of homicides is zero, and that means there’s always work to be done. We need to be realistic, though, which is why gun control is still a non-starter.But maybe the answer is to not let dangerous people walk around on our city streets? I’m just putting that…
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has dropped its fight against a court-imposed ban on its policy of limiting what professors can publicly say and write. Tim Bakken, the school’s longest-serving law professor, brought the original suit, claiming the academy’s policy violates his constitutional right to freedom of speech. He challenged West Point’s policy implemented in early 2025 that barred faculty members from publishing papers, speaking at conferences, or even appearing on a podcast without first seeking approval from higher-ups in their department. The faculty speech rule appeared to be in response to President Donald Trump issuing an executive…
I got my first Swiss Army knife at a flea market when I was about 11 years old. I have no clue which model it was, but it had the basic tools we typically see nestled between those familiar red handle scales, such as a knife blade, can opener, bottle opener, and corkscrew. I beat the hell out of that knife for a few years. It whittled hundreds of sticks into sharp points. I used it to open cans of Dinty Moore or Chef Boyardee I’d brought to the campfire. It trimmed rope we used in countless forts in the…
Iowa’s always been pretty decent when it comes to gun laws, but the state has made a couple of major improvements over the past few years. In 2021, the state’s permitless carry law kicked in, and the following year voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that declares firearm ownership a fundamental individual right and mandating that courts apply “strict scrutiny” to any future gun control legislation. Those advances could be in danger, though, unless Iowa gun owners turn out in force this November. While Democrat candidates like Christina Bohannan and Josh Turek don’t…
A veteran with mobility issues who served in Operation Desert Storm said he has lost more than $150,000 after a construction project went awry. Ed Smith, 73, of Kansas City, and his family claim they began building another home on their second lot last year. But the family alleged the contractors they hired to complete the project took the $157,000 and did not complete it after over a year. The money was reportedly was paid from Smith’s retirement funds. “In exchange for $157,000 of my dad’s complete retirement funds, we have a hole in our backyard in the wrong place,”…
On the surface, the Supreme Court’s decision striking down Hawaii’s “vampire rule” prohibiting concealed carry by default on all private property open to the public isn’t that big a deal. Hawaii’s law was never actively enforced thanks to an injunction, and there are only three other states (New York, California, and Maryland) that had adopted similar laws after the Supreme Court struck down “may issue” concealed carry four years ago. None of those states were ever able to enforce those laws either, thanks to legal challenges. So why are law professors like Jake Charles and Megan Walsh crashing out over…
Buick, the automaker that once sold models like the Grand National, the Riviera, and Wildcat, has been reduced to a handful of semi-affordable, near-premium SUVs like the Envision. However, as disappointing as its lineup is these days, the SUVs currently available in Buick’s lineup are surprisingly some of the most dependable new cars on the market, according to the latest J.D. Power research. The J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study is now in its 37th year. It covers 184 specific problem areas that span nine main categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, and seats. The 2026…
If you have a VA loan and interest rates drop, you might consider refinancing your mortgage with a VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL). Unlike a traditional refinance, the IRRRL doesn’t require a home appraisal or inspection, income verification, or tax returns. To take advantage of an IRRRL, you need to certify that you’ve lived in the home at some point, and you can’t take cash out at closing. If you need to tap your home equity for a renovation, emergency expense, or something else, you’d need a VA cash-out refinance instead. You also don’t need to use the…
Minnesotans have five more counties to check before they put out feed, minerals, scents, or attractants. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources added Becker, Clearwater, Grant, McLeod, and Meeker counties to its deer feeding and attractant ban. The agency said it made the change after chronic wasting disease showed up in wild deer in new areas of the state last year. The ban now covers 37 Minnesota counties. Wildlife officials use the rule to limit artificial deer concentrations in areas at higher risk of disease spread. “Where people place food or attractants out for deer, higher numbers of deer tend…
If you have decided to join the military, you are faced with a big decision. Do I go on active duty, or should I join my local National Guard unit? It is not an easy choice and there are many factors to consider. Do I want to serve full time? Am I looking for a way to pay for college? How will my family be impacted? Which option offers better healthcare and retirement benefits? Will I be deployed often? These are all good questions and after reading this article, we hope that it brings clarity to your decision to serve…
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThere’s a crisis possibly looming on the horizon—a food crisis. The downside of this developing crisis is just that it’s developing. Developing means it’s already begun. The indicators are all there. It’s started, and if things continue as they are, we may find ourselves in a serious food situation—with higher prices, holes on the shelves, and potential civil unrest. TL;DR: The approaching food crisis is driven by four converging pressures: rising fertilizer costs, fuel and transportation disruptions, growing dependence on a fragile global supply chain, and worsening drought. These problems stack on top of…
The NRA v. NRA Foundation family feud has leveled up. A federal judge dismissed some of NRA’s claims against the Foundation and the Foundation has punched back with a countersuit. The National Rifle Association and the group formerly known as the NRA Foundation — rebranded to 1791 Foundation — has been locked in battle since 2025. What was a private squabble has turned into lawsuits. Yes, suits. And there appears to be no concessions happening from either group anytime soon. A federal judge recently dismissed some of the NRA’s claims against the Foundation and shortly…
LONDON (AP) — NATO’s deputy commander told The Associated Press that he wants a summit in Turkey to spur member countries to spend more on defense, reaffirm support for Ukraine and underline the unity of the alliance. Air Chief Marshal John Stringer, NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, spoke to AP in London less than two weeks before the crucial Ankara summit on July 7-8 tests the cohesion of the 77-year-old alliance. U.S. President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals over America’s force posture in Europe and has threatened to leave the alliance. He has also unnerved European leaders…
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I don’t expect much out of Gavin Newsom besides hair gel and terrible decisions. Somehow, though, he’s still a frontrunner for the next Democratic nomination for president. Absolutely weird. His latest bad decision was to attack the Supreme Court’s decision in Wolford, where they struck down the so-called vampire rule.Newsom, like most anti-gunners, has a problem with the decision, but his attempt to make a point was hilariously bad. Let’s start with his argument first.Gun laws keep people safe. This ruling by Trump’s Supreme Court will only endanger people.If Justice Alito really thinks people need…
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