United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the Iranian government is using the Strait of Hormuz as an “economic nuclear weapon”. Rubio added that the U.S. ruling class will not allow Iran to continue to use the vital waterway to control the direction of the war. According to multiple sources, including Axios, Iran has passed a new offer to Washington, which includes a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later stage. While speaking on Fox News on Monday, as reported by RT, Rubio was skeptical of…

After months of waiting, the T-bar was spinning at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. It had been an unseasonably dry December and January. Finally, the snow was stacked up enough to open the infamous High Lift, a surface lift serving double-black extreme terrain. After riding groomed runs and park laps all season, I was yearning to get off-piste and back into my favorite cliff bands. At the top of the lift, I strapped into a 160 W Jones Howler, with Jones Mercury FASE bindings, the perfect board in my quiver for big mountain freestyle riding. I strapped in and rode the…

I’ve spent too many mornings frustrated with a soaking wet blind bag after wading across the marsh. This morning was different. As I slid the Divebomb Waterproof Zip Backpack off my shoulders and unzipped it, I was happy to see (and feel) my shells and camera gear were dry. While waterproof blind bags have been around for a while, I’ve never been a fan of the traditional roll-top dry bags. They waste a lot of space and never feel comfortable while on my back. After several months of using the Divebomb Waterproof Zip Backpack in the dove field and duck blind, I…

When we recently reported on a federal measure that would grant eligible veterans and active-duty military personnel nationwide concealed-carry privileges, effectively overriding state-level restrictions that can differ significantly from one jurisdiction to another, we noted that the bill could face pushback from pro-gun advocates. Boy, were we ever right! The measure, the Special Operations Forces Concealed Carry Act, applied specifically to special operations-type military personnel and veterans, and the author, Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-North Carolina, touted those personnel’s credentials to carry a firearm for self-defense. However, some in the pro-gun community believe the legislation slights the average American citizen, whose…

Last week, Palantir Technologies, headed by Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, released a technological manifesto. However, it was more of a dystopian blueprint than anything else. Palantir has unmasked itself, revealing its authoritarian face and desire for control over humanity. To be fair, Palntir is only one of several major technology companies that sell their technologies to systems of repression and human rights violations, and has been condemned by international human rights organizations. It has been participating in and enabling forced deportations, mass surveillance, and the persecution of dissidents. According to a report by TruthDig, the most damning of all…

Peak summer tourist season is quickly approaching for the National Park Service (NPS), and it still doesn’t have an official leader. On Monday, April 27, the Trump Administration announced it had withdrawn Scott Socha’s nomination as Director of the NPS. The change follows backlash surrounding Socha’s past business dealings. What Happened The Context On Feb. 11, Trump announced Socha as his nominee to head the National Park Service. This position requires confirmation by the Senate. For nearly 3 decades, Socha worked as an executive for Delaware North, a hospitality company that operates hotels, dining, and other visitor services in national…

When testing a mountaineering tent, you never expect your greatest setup trial to be at a rest stop in some Oklahoma nowhere, or your coldest temps to be in Bentonville, Ark. Nevertheless, from winter backpacking in Tarptent’s own Tahoe backyard to MTB camping in Northwest Arkansas, I’ve taken Tarptent’s new ArcDome 1 across half a country. Suffice it to say, Tarptent has built a name for itself upon long trail miles and attention to detail: smart reinforcements, multi-configurability, choosiness behind the fabric and coatings — the list goes on. The ArcDome is no exception. It’s the brand’s answer to “What…

I have written about New Mexico several times over the years; each time pertaining to gun rights. Despite (or because of) the abysmal leadership within the State, where Democrats hold the House, Senate and Governorship for the past decade, crime rates continue to skyrocket. Of course, for Democrats, increased crime means “doing something,” which history shows us their solutions are more taxes and gun control. Obviously, neither has worked as New Mexico remains in the top 5 homicide rates for the entire nation. Repeatedly, increasing numbers of gun control bills find their way across the Governor’s desk, either from…

With 124 state parks, three national parks, 3,000 miles of coastline, and over 12,000 climbing routes, Washington state is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. There’s a reason it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. And yet, for all of the outdoor experiences this Pacific Northwest gem offers, it lacks adequate funding. Recent budget cuts have forced the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to close multiple campgrounds and limit visitor services. What Happened Unlike the federal government, almost all states, including Washington, can’t run at a deficit and are constitutionally required to have a balanced budget. This means…

President Donald Trump said Iran has asked the U.S. to lift a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz while the two sides negotiate an end to the two-month war, which has upended global energy supplies.Tehran wants the critical waterway for oil and gas shipments open “as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation,” Trump said on Truth Social on Tuesday. Iran has said it’s in a “State of Collapse,” he added.The U.S. leader on Monday convened his national security team to discuss an Iranian proposal to end the conflict, which began with U.S. and…

Heading into his final months as a World War II combat medic, Sgt. Andrew “Tim” Kiniry thought he had seen enough carnage to haunt him for the rest of his long life. After all, Kiniry landed on Omaha Beach along the French coastline on June 16, 1944, just 10 days after the bloody D-Day invasion. In the brutal winter of 1944-45, the Army soldier was in the thick of the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s last stand to salvage his crumbling Third Reich. Despite the devastation he had already witnessed, it paled in comparison to the hell he would walk into as…

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the United States has been humiliated by Iran in negotiations. The U.S. lacks skills in diplomacy and has “no convincing strategy” in talks with Tehran. “The Iranians are clearly stronger than expected, and the Americans clearly have no truly convincing strategy in the negotiations either,” Merz said during a visit to a school in Marsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Iran Offers To Open The Strait Of Hormuz, Then Hold Nuclear Talks “The problem with conflicts like this is always that you don’t just have to get in – you also have to get out again. We…