The 2000s was a critical time for the gaming industry. The monstrously successful PlayStation 2 arrived in 2000, with Microsoft’s first Xbox system and Nintendo’s iconic GameCube launching in North America the following year. This set the stage for a console generation marked by a fascinating three-way competition, and of course, some brilliant games. In particular, RPG fans had an embarrassment of riches to enjoy during the 2000s. Then as now, though, it’s just impossible to play all the games we’d like to. Even if you’ve been an RPG enthusiast for decades, there are some great games from this era…
I’ve written a lot about the Department of Justice’s schizophrenia on NFA registration of things like suppressors and short-barreled long guns. The registration was, originally, nothing more than a list of who paid the NFA tax. It was there so law enforcement could check and see if the suppressor they found was lawfully owned or not. Now that there’s no tax stamp on such devices, the registry has outlived its purpose.Easy enough, right?The problem is, though, that the DOJ that is going after everyone else over unconstitutional gun control laws is defending this travesty. Mark…
Complexity is the enemy of affordability, and cars have an affordability problem. An automobile has always been a big investment, but now, more than ever, the problems come once the car leaves the dealer’s lot. While an out-of-warranty repair or a minor collision was once somewhat affordable to fix, even the simplest-seeming parts of a car can cost thousands of dollars. A new bumper, for example, is no longer something simple and relatively inexpensive to replace. Cars Have Become Rolling Computers Credit: Mercedes-Benz Cars becoming rolling computers isn’t a new complaint, but we’re not talking about a fairly basic ECU chip…
The Department of Justice has launched its first litigation aimed at “sensitive places”, suing Montgomery County, Maryland for its ban on lawful concealed carry in parks, places of worship, libraries, recreational facilities, and multipurpose exhibition facilities, along with the 100-yard “buffer zone” surrounding those locations where lawful carry is also forbidden. The lawsuit follows on the heels of a similar complaint brought by a Montgomery County rabbi last week in a case supported by the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Like the DOJ’s other Second Amendment litigation, today’s lawsuit is a “pattern and practice” case brought…
Ask most Americans what the Coast Guard does, and the answer stops at helicopter rescues. That’s real, and it’s the most visible part of the job, but it’s a fraction of what the smallest of the six armed services is actually responsible for on any given day. By law, the Coast Guard operates under 11 statutory missions, ranging from stopping drug cartels to keeping the Great Lakes shipping lanes open through the winter. Here’s what that actually looks like. Drug Interdiction: The Numbers Are Genuinely Staggering The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction, and the…
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act was created to protect the firearm industry from ruinous lawsuits meant not to recoup actual damages caused by companies’ misdeeds, but to punish them for selling guns to the public. The acts of third parties, most of whom never bought a gun lawfully in their life, were laid at the feet of the industry, and Congress responded to put an end to this. The lawsuits weren’t anything but lawfare. They were an attempt to destroy the industry through legal expenses, making it too risky to do business…
If you receive Department of Veterans Affairs disability payments, then for 2026, you received a 2.8% raise in your benefits. These are the dates you get those monthly checks. Disability benefit payments for a particular month are paid on the first business day of the following month. When the first day of that month falls on a non-business day or a holiday, VA benefits will be paid on the last business day of the preceding month. Here is the VA disability payment schedule for 2026 to help you plan your finances. 2026 VA Disability Payment Schedule Month Payment Date Day…
Riding a dirt bike is one of those activities that is often both very social and yet very isolating. They’re social in that you often go out riding with your buddies, and that camaraderie is one of the draws. On the other hand, you’re inevitably stuck in your helmet, which makes communication kind of tough. Until now, that is, because Cardo is introducing its Venture helmet, and spoiler alert: it’s awesome. The Helmet If you’re thinking, “Wait, Cardo? Isn’t that the company that makes those communicators that clip on the side of your street helmet?” then you’re already getting to…
She says it was self-defense. Police say it was cold-blooded murder. 35-year-old Ashley Ruhland has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 49-year-old Justin Emmick. The Sioux City, Iowa resident was killed on July 29 in a remote spot on his 30-acre property, accessible only by foot and ATVs. According to authorities, Ruhland had been staying with Emmick, but also had an active order of protection against him. That’s odd enough, but if you’re really in fear of your life then why would you put yourself in a position where you’re going to…
There are points throughout the year when half my time is hiking just to clear obstructed trails. From clearing winter storm damage in spring, to maintaining and managing downed trees and brush following intense, pop-up thunderstorms in summer, there’s little downtime. The best way to attach these chores is to use both an axe and a saw (chainsaws aren’t an option when power equipment in a state forest becomes political). A few years back, Zippo released an outdoor AxeSaw. Basically, if a hatchet and a bow saw had a baby, this would be it: a hatchet with a saw blade…
As it stands, there are already too many ways to figure out who has guns and who doesn’t. For all the guys worried about posting pictures of their guns online for fear the ATF will know who has what, I hate to break it to ya, they probably already have a way of knowing. Still, there’s no reason to make it easier on them, and when banks decided they should be in the know, that was a massive problem. Especially when it was premised on such a shaky and, frankly, ridiculous idea. Buying guns is…
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran early Friday by hitting more bridges, energy sites and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port, backing up U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to start striking infrastructure to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran launched missile attacks against U.S.-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, a mediator in the war, and Kuwait, where a power and water desalination plant — vital infrastructure in the desert nation — was damaged. The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has…
It’s not just dynamic and fragile waters that connect the passionate anglers who define the fishing culture of South Florida. In episode 2 of Common Currents, we see how three particularly fish-minded folks also share a larger, selfless desire to protect and preserve healthy habitats. Experience a day in the life of these anglers’ home waters: tarpon fishing with Capt. Chris Wittman; shooting for the Charlotte Harbor Slam with Alycia Downs’s family; and appreciating the natural movement of local aquatic life with Emily Hanzlik. Watch episode 1 of Common Currents to learn more about the interconnected ecosystem of the Florida…
President Donald Trump on Thursday publicly released a previously classified CIA assessment that he said proves that the Venezuelan regime conspired to manipulate election results through electronic voting technology, using the document to renew his criticism of election security both in Venezuela and the United States. “There was a specific plot to greatly favor the corrupt regime of Venezuela,” Trump said during a prime-time address from the White House, referring to the newly declassified intelligence documents. Trump said the newly released intelligence demonstrates that electronic election manipulation is not merely theoretical but a documented capability developed by the Venezuelan government.…
This article was originally published by William L. Anderson at The Mises Institute. He spoke with a very thick Sicilian accent.“Ah, young fellow,” he said to Vito. “People tell me you’re rich. You and your two friends. But don’t you think you’ve treated me a little shabbily? After all, this is my neighborhood, and you should let me wet my beak.” — The Godfather, Don Fanucci tries to shake down Vito Corleone In the mid-1990s, Microsoft stood atop the high-tech world, and its founder and chairman, Bill Gates, had guru status among his fellow Americans. Microsoft had recently come out with its…
The Trump administration is no longer defending the ban on lawful carrying at postal facilities, abandoning an appeal to the Fifth Circuit after a district court judge held the ban to be unconstitutional. The decision by the DOJ leaves the district court injunction in place, meaning the individual and organizational plaintiffs can now carry in federal postal facilities. Judge Reed O’Connor’s injunction applies to all members of Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation, regardless of whether they were members at the time the lawsuit was filed. In a statement, FPC head Brandon Combs declared the…
SpaceX’s mega Starship rocket came within a second or so from blasting off on a test flight Thursday, but some of the engines failed to ignite, triggering a launch abort amid billowing clouds of smoke and vapor. Elon Musk, the company’s founder and CEO, said two engines will be replaced “to be confident of a good flight” before sending Starship from Texas on a space-skimming journey halfway around the world. It will be the 13th flight for Starship, which at 407 feet (124 meters) tall with 33 main engines is the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket. SpaceX’s launch webcast…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital is being extended by more than two years and will last until the end of his term. The Pentagon confirmed the extension in an email Thursday, saying the mission will continue until Jan. 20, 2029, “or until terminated by the President.” The deployment was set to expire at the end of this year after previously being extended. The deployment in Washington, D.C., has been contentious since Trump issued an executive order in August 2025 to deal with what he called a crime emergency, calling up…
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran early Friday by hitting more bridges, energy sites and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port, part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to start striking infrastructure to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran launched new missile attacks against U.S.-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, a key mediator in the war. It also damaged a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait — something crucial in the small, desert nation. The interim ceasefire agreed to last…
The American Legion Department of Texas has broken with the organization’s national leadership over the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (TCAVA), urging national headquarters to reverse its support for the sweeping veterans’ benefits package. The disagreement became public shortly after the Texas department held its 107th annual convention in Austin from July 7 through July 12. A widely shared post by veteran advocate Elizabeth Hartman said Texas had “split” from national headquarters and was demanding opposition to TCAVA. Commenters praised Texas for challenging national leadership, although others asked whether the action represented formal separation or simply an official statement…
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