After more than two years of litigation, a coalition of Second Amendment groups and advocates have reached a settlement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over its policies and practices related to our right to bear arms. California Rifle & Pistol Association, Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners of California, and Gun Owners Foundation filed suit against LASD and the city of La Verne in December 2023, alleging that the sheriff’s office was taking well over a year to process concealed carry applications, while La Verne officials were imposing exorbitant fees…
The Trump administration on Thursday announced sanctions on five Cuban entities and eight individuals accused of procuring weapons and military equipment for the Cuban regime from Russia and China, the latest escalation in a months-long campaign targeting the island’s military-run economy. The designations, announced by the State Department, hit companies and officials linked to the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and to GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls roughly 40% of Cuba’s economy. The action was taken under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, 2026, that authorizes sweeping sanctions on Cuba because of government…
It was the Fourth of July in Colorado, and I was about to host the backyard party of the year. Twenty or so friends were on their way for a low-country boil, a delicacy from my home state of Georgia. The volleyball net was up. Camp chairs were arranged for prime spectating. Thirty pounds of corn, shrimp, potatoes, and sausage were ready to hit the pot. But there was an issue: It was well over 85 degrees. The afternoon sun was beating down on my exposed backyard. And the only reprieve (since I didn’t have a slip n’ slide or…
For years, the mainstream media blatantly misrepresented what it meant to “stand your ground.” They claimed that Stand Your Ground laws legalized murder. All you had to do was say you were afraid for your life, and that was that; you’d walk. I think they honestly believed that, too. They thought they knew what they knew and didn’t bother to do any more digging to see if they were accurate. They weren’t.Part of why I think they believed it is because of this piece from the New York Times about an incident in Wyoming.When Rihanna…
I don’t think we’ve ever had a year where everything went according to plan. We’ve replaced tires weeks before a PCS. Paid for extra hotel nights because travel changed. Bought plane tickets we never expected to buy. And once, my husband broke his leg two days before we were supposed to leave Germany. At some point, I stopped asking, “What else could happen?” and started budgeting as if life was going to throw us another curveball. A resilient budget isn’t about predicting every emergency. It’s about creating a financial plan that’s flexible enough to absorb life’s surprises without completely derailing…
Jonas Black wants to protect Yellowstone’s Mollie’s Pack. At least, that’s what he says. The animal-rights influencer recently offered a $10,000 reward for information identifying anyone who legally kills 12-year-old wolf 1090F or another member of her pack during Wyoming’s upcoming wolf season. He also promised to make the hunter famous, comparing the potential backlash to what followed the killing of Cecil the lion. I understand what he thinks he’s doing. He wants hunters to believe that killing one of these wolves will come with consequences. Instead, he may have signed their death warrant. That plan rests on the assumption…
Congratulations, you’re having a baby! Babies are amazing, but it’s incredible how much gear comes along with such a tiny person. If you’ve ever packed for a PCS, you already know how quickly stuff adds up. Babies somehow manage to double it. Don’t let me discourage you; children are amazing, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them. The gear changes as they grow, but somehow the amount of stuff never gets smaller. It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of Pinterest and Instagram and start planning a perfectly matched nursery. The baby gear available today is incredible. I…
A successful deer season doesn’t start when you climb into the stand. It begins months prior, with intel you can gather and animal habits you can help create. The payoff from that initial effort has made trail cameras (also called game cameras) and deer feeders into inseparable tools for dedicated hunters. A trail camera is a weatherproof, motion-triggered camera mounted on a tree or post that turns guesswork into data, showing you exactly when and where deer are moving so you’re not burning time in the wrong spot. Pair that with a feeder, and you’re not just watching deer activity;…
The Supreme Court will finally hear not just one case about bans on so-called assault weapons, but two. They’ve basically combined two different cases, particularly after the lower courts got pretty damn stupid in their own rulings. And that’s good news for us.Or is it?So far, pretty much everyone expects the Court to rule against these bans, even anti-gun attorneys, but let’s understand exactly why.The Bruen ruling established a two-step test lower courts are to use when assessing restrictions on firearm possession. The majority said courts must first assess whether the regulated conduct is covered…
Your VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a required document in the VA loan process. Most borrowers can get their COE in minutes, either online or through a VA-approved lender. Learn how to obtain a COE quickly, who needs one, and how to avoid common delays. Quick Answer: You can get your VA Certificate of Eligibility online at VA.gov, through a VA-approved lender, or by mailing VA Form 26-1880 to the VA. Most veterans can get their COE in minutes using the online portal or through their lender. What Is a VA Certificate of Eligibility? A VA Certificate of Eligibility…
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The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday announced that it awarded a $230 million design-build contract for new operational support facilities at Coast Guard Base Charleston, S.C. It’s the latest phase of a multi-year infrastructure expansion plan at the base, established in October 2015 and comprised of two campuses that, according to the service, is home to 175 personnel—including 111 enlisted guardsmen, 35 reservists, 22 civilians and seven officers. The base manages 21.5 acres of property with 214,841 square feet of facilities, along with two major piers and two floating piers. The Coast Guard’s Facilities Design and Construction Center on June…
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It was one of those Minnesota days that tricks you into forgetting that the icy gales of winter and muggy oppression of summer exist. I lay on a pebble-strewn beach at the edge of Lake Superior, and the sun, cool air, and warm rocks felt divine. In a moment of goofy reverie, I hopped up and dove into the crystal water to cool off. Boom! The frigid water exploded every nerve in my skin. I gasped for air. Shocked from my stupor, I remembered that I was wearing a Timex Expedition Capstone watch. (Photo/Sean McCoy) I didn’t really care about…
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and sudden U.S. involvement in conflicts in the region, more Americans have started to wonder — both quietly and publicly — “Is there going to be a draft in 2025?” and, “What are the odds of the draft coming back?” Google searches within the United States for the phrase “military draft” began spiking in mid-June, reflecting a growing unease about global instability and questions surrounding U.S. military readiness. Although there is currently no active draft, the Selective Service System remains in place as a contingency measure. All male U.S. citizens and residents ages…
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It’s hot out there! We can’t seem to do much about our overheating planet, so if you want to keep enjoying the outdoors in these infernal summer months, you’ll have to come prepared with ways to stay cool and hydrate. That’s the general theme of this week’s batch of gear, which mostly focuses on various ways to combat the sun for runners, cyclists, hikers, or just the people at risk of heat exhaustion while walking their dog for 10 minutes (looking at you, Arizona). Find apparel and gear to stay cool — and look cool — in the latest and…
There’s a surprising amount of policework that is really just not being dumb. My late father, for example, got an “attaboy” from the chief because of his diligent work solving a theft. What happened was that he simply followed the stolen lawnmower’s tracks in the dirt alley that led right to the thief. A lot of it is much, much more complicated than that, admittedly, but sometimes, it’s just not. That’s especially true when the criminals make it easy on the police. See, most crooks don’t think they’ll get caught. They’re convinced they’re too smart or…
Did you know that, once you join the military, Uncle Sam may keep you there longer than you planned — or that you can be recalled to active duty once you get out or retire? That can happen several ways. Voluntary Extension at Certain Duty Stations As the name suggests, this extension is up to the service member. If you are serving in a designated assignment, location or unit, you can voluntarily extend your enlistment past your normal ending date. If you do so, you are entitled to a special assignment incentive pay (AIP) of up to $1,500 monthly. The…
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The National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Illinois State Rifle Association, and several gun sellers and gun owners in the state of Illinois have filed a new federal lawsuit taking on the state’s 72-hour waiting period for gun sales. The lawsuit, known as Pearlstine v. Raoul, argues that the three-day waiting period is an “unadorned effort to delay the exercise of Second Amendment rights, on the theory that people who seek to acquire firearms are likely animated by violent intentions that may subside if they are forced to ‘cool off’ for three days.”Similar challenges…
