Dicks Sporting Goods not selling guns? No big deal, but social activism is easy the other stuff too hard for corporate America.

via NPR

Dick's Sporting Goods, one of the largest sports retailers in the U.S., has announced it is immediately ending its sales of military-style semi-automatic rifles and is requiring all customers to be older than 21 to buy a firearm at its stores.

Additionally, the company no longer will sell high-capacity magazines.

CEO Ed Stack announced the decision on ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday, the same day that survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are returning to class. Stack said the 19-year-old gunman allegedly behind that massacre, which claimed 17 lives and wounded many more in Parkland, Fla., had purchased a firearm from the retailer last November.

While that the weapon — a shotgun — was not used in the shooting, the CEO said the revelation deeply affected Stack and his colleagues at Dick's.

"We did everything by the book. We did everything that the law required, and still he was able to buy a gun," Stack said. "When we looked at that, we said the systems that are in place across the board just aren't effective enough to keep us from selling a gun like that.

"And so we've decided we're not going to sell the assault-type rifles any longer."

Story here.

A few things.  

1.  This is a Hail Mary pass by Dicks!  They have been in serious trouble and this is just an easy way to get a few brownie points from the liberals.  Don't believe me?  Check out the following links...

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/15/dicks-sporting-goods-shares-crater-as-company-cuts-2017-forecast.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/05/16/dicks-sporting-goods/101741328/

https://consumerist.com/2017/03/08/dicks-sporting-goods-predicts-more-trouble-in-industry-will-focus-on-house-brands/

Long story short?  Dicks has been on the verge.  Its business model ain't working.

2.  I don't know of one person that buys weapons at big box sporting goods stores.  Mags either.  Ammo either.  Them bailing on this market is just common sense.  No one shops at their stores for the product in question.

3.  It's easy for corporations to chime in on the "issue" of the day.  Its the other stuff that is hard.  They take what they believe is a popular stance on guns and that takes the heat off worker pay, import of goods that can be made in America etc...It's vile but it's true.  This is just giving them a fig leaf to hide behind.

In summation?

Dicks ain't fooling me.  I wouldn't be surprised if the entire enterprise isn't closed or sold by the end of the year.  This is a last gasp of a failing business.

Open Comment Post. Feb 28, 2018

What would you do?  Black bears aren't as large as Grizzlies but can be just as dangerous.

Would you freeze, run or use a weapon?

You got 3 seconds to decide and you just lost 2 of them wrapping your brain around the threat.

China BLATANTLY and OPENLY admit that their Z-20 is a copy of the Sikorsky Blackhawk...

They aren't even bothering to lie anymore.

It's like they're out of fucks to give, they're looking us in the eye and saying fuck you, kiss my ass, eat shit and die.

Check this out via Defense Aerospace.

New online photos of China's Z-20 10-ton utility helicopter have sparked heated discussion on the Internet. Let’s take a look at the new helicopter.

The Z-20 is the informal name of a medium-lift (9-10 tons) utility helicopter (similar to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk) developed independently by China. The official name of this helicopter will be announced when it is commissioned.

In recent years, a large number of Z-10, Z-19 and other armed helicopters have joined the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), making up for China's lack of reconnaissance and attack helicopters.

However, China has been lacking a 10-ton general tactical helicopter to carry out assault transport, airlift and logistic support tasks. Although China has the large military transport aircraft Y-20, it is more suitable for remote transport and delivery tasks. Short-range transport and assault operations still need a general helicopter like the Z-20.

China acquired 24 US Black Hawk helicopters in the 1980s. These helicopters helped China fully understand the leading aviation technology of the US. The Black Hawk’s flight performance, material technology and reliability were much higher than those of China’s homegrown helicopters at that time.

In the 1980s, it was said that the Black Hawk was the only helicopter in China that could be used in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Black Hawk played a huge role in many remote areas of China. As late as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, eighteen UH-60 Black Hawks were dispatched to conduct rescue operations, although these helicopters had been in high-load service for many years.

China once considered copying the Black Hawk when it was first introduced to China. Although the model was only the civil export model, the technology was something beyond China’s reach at that time. For example, the manufacturing process of large-size titanium parts used in Black Hawk couldn’t be found in Chine even in the 1990s.

Although the Black Hawk was a product of the 1970s, China was not able to come up with a similar product even in the early 21st century. As it is with most models, the learning process from the Black Hawk was a very difficult process requiring countless accumulation in materials, workmanship, processing and research and development, as well as 20 years of running-in and an experienced team.

The arduous course of the development of the Chinese helicopter industry has actually been a painful process that countries with less developed aviation industries must go through.

The Z-20 medium-lift utility helicopter is said to be in the late stage of development. It is expected that in the near future, the final design work of the Z-20 will be completed and the helicopter will soon join the PLA Army and Navy service.

In the foreseeable future, the combination of the Y-20 transport aircraft and Z-20 utility helicopter will effectively link the strategic and tactical transport in the PLA. 

Now do you get the force of connection?  Our trade policy with China and our desire to buy widgets from them...our irrational consumerism...helped fuel the beast that is at our door.

America's sons and daughters will soon have to fight a beast created by their (great) grandparents with tech that we gave them.

Historians and future generations will curse us all.  The leadership for doing it and the public at large for not protesting it.

F-35A price soars for Japan...

via Defense Aerospace.

The estimated per-plane cost to Japan of acquiring a single US F-35A stealth fighter soared by about 53 percent to US$137.6 million (14.7 billion yen) in FY 2017 from an estimated US$90 million (9.6 billion yen) in FY 2012, according to a report by the Asahi Shimbun. 

Japan Defense Ministry officials attributed the catapulting price on the currency impact of a weaker yen. But some defense analysts blamed the surging costs on Japan’s procurement of the aircraft from the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. 

Asahi noted FMS sales are considered part of the defense aid that the US provides to its allies. Because of this, buyers like Japan tend to pay the asking price, versus what might have been paid by purchasing the plane directly from Lockheed Martin, its manufacturer. 

“As the F-35A is aircraft loaded with sensitive features, it is difficult to verify whether the cost is reasonable,” a senior Defense Ministry official was quoted as saying. “It is true that we tend to accept the US asking price.” (end of excerpt) 

No rant.  I just wish someone somewhere could give me a no bullshit price for this jet.

You can do all the Google searches in the world and you're just gonna be caught in a hall of mirrors.

Some say its dropping, others say its rising...the public is just left confused.

Well done Program Office.

With your accounting practices no one has any real idea how much this plane costs.

Royal Marines launch 'assault' from HMS Queen Elizabeth

via Royal Navy News.

A troop of Royal Marines from 42 Commando in Plymouth has embarked in the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier to prove the process of launching them by helicopter to conduct operations ashore.

Marines from Lima Company and supporting elements from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Ship’s Company have been called to ‘Assault Stations’ for the very first time, on exercise.

The troops were processed from their accommodation, through the ship, collecting kit, including weapons and ammunition in a carefully orchestrated process, in through the massive hangar and onto the flight deck to simulate being launched ashore by helicopter.

The Royal Navy’s amphibious assault capability has to now been provided by assault ships HMS Bulwark and Albion and the Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH), HMS Ocean.

Whilst HMS Queen Elizabeth does not have the surface assault capability with landing craft of the specialist ships, her four-acre flight deck provides plenty of scope from which to project manpower and equipment ashore using the variety of helicopters she will be able to host.

Hmm.  This wasn't widely broadcast and for good reason.  While an admirable capability and one that will serve the Brits and coalition well, its also a source of much criticism.

Many mock the Queen Elizabeth as the world's biggest helicopter carrier.  The fact that it can serve in that world is NOT necessarily a bad thing. I remember a US aircraft carrier that had its deck filled with troops from the 101st for disaster relief in Haiti.

A big deck aircraft carrier!

Yeah I screamed at the moon but it was doable.  Maybe not practical for the US considering our force structure but for a smaller Navy with limited assets?

It kinda makes sense.

US Army trying to muscle in on Air-Sea Battle...getting serious about coastal defense!

Thanks to Lee for the link!

via Navy Recognition.

At the Surface Navy Association's (SNA) 2018 National Symposium held in January near Washington DC, Navy Recognition learned from Raytheon and Kongsberg that the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) will be test fired from a U.S. Army HEMTT truck during RIMPAC 2018 exercise this summer.

The U.S. Army will demonstrate the "cross domain fires / cross domain integration" concept by firing an NSM against a ship target at sea during the joint exercise taking place in (and off) the island of Hawaii. A contract was awarded to Raytheon for this.

The first mention of this live test came from the Chief of U.S Pacific Command, Amiral Harris, talking at the Association of the United States Army LANPAC Symposium and Exposition last year in May.
"Significant to this audience, during RIMPAC 2018, USARPAC will fire a Naval Strike Missile from the shore to sink a ship." Admiral Harris said at the Army symposium last year.

Story here. 

Ordinarily I'd be punching walls screaming Roles and Missions at the top of my voice.

I'd be going off on the leadership of both services.  The Army for intruding on Marine Corps turf and the Marine Corps for letting them.

China is different though.

All hands on deck with them.  Full national effort and cross domain is a REAL thing.

So yeah.  No bitching on this one.  I just hope it works and if it does I hope they buy enough so that the Marine Corps can grab some.

GAO is mobilizing gun owners. I called mine...if you're a free man then calls yours too!

via Gun Owners of America!

We Can Tie up the Capitol Hill Phone Lines, or We Can be Stuck with Dreadful Gun Control

Dear Solomon,

I know that we have asked you to make several calls in the past few days.

And I realize that by now, you could be growing weary. That temptation is there for us too.

But when our rights are under attack, we can't grow weary in doing good.

George Washington didn't, when his troops were suffering at Valley Forge. And neither should we, when our rights are under attack, as well.

If there's any consolation, you're merely being asked to wield a phone rather than a sword.

WE HAVE TO COUNTER THE ANTI-GUN LEFT

The Left is mobilizing every force at its command in order to ban large categories of guns ... to ban large categories of people ... and to send SWAT teams to your door to seize your guns.

And some cowardly squish Republicans are willing to give them the gun control they're asking for.

So unless those who favor the Second Amendment can tie up the Capitol Hill phone lines, we fear they will succeed.

That's why renewed calls are needed to your two Senators -- Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) at (202) 224-5824 and Sen. John Kennedy (R) at (202) 224-4623 -- urging them to oppose every single word of gun control ... and to stand with the governors who are calling for arming teachers!

And you can click here to email your Representative and Senators a summary of what several pro-gun Governors had to say yesterday to the President -- all of them showing how arming teachers is ALREADY working in their states.

CONGRESS PUSHING FOR NEW GUN CONTROLS

The core proposal that's on the table is the Second Amendment Infringement Act of 2018 -- legislation that we alerted you to on Monday.

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) -- along with Connecticut Senators Richard Blumenthal (D) and Chris Murphy (D) -- are pushing a core gun control package which would ban guns, send names to NICS, and authorize secret hearings and government SWAT teams.

This package may come to the Senate floor as one, two, or three bills.  But, even before the Senate passes this package, Sen. Schumer and company have already announced that IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

Eric Pratt and the Gun Owners of America sounded the alarm and to answer it didn't require courage, just getting off your ass and dialing a few digits.

Easily done.

Don't get it twisted though.  After talking to that Subject Matter Expert on Active Shooters I've done a 180 on the issue of arming teachers.

I think I want and desire more than they're able to do.  After chewing on this a bit I just don't think they'll be able to deliver what the public is demanding and we shouldn't ask them to.

The teaching profession is getting whipsawed by a bunch of funky theories and batshit crazy ideas.

They can't handle the tremendous responsibility that we would hoist on them with having to confront an active shooter.

But that's my opinion.

What's pure dee fact is that I will act against EVEN more draconian gun laws. I was born free, have been a good citizen and will not entrust my personal safety or the safety of my family to some bubba that don't know me and has a family of his own to take care.

Yeah the Police will bust 130mph getting to a scene.  The good ones will rush in to attempt to save you but unless you've traded in your man pants for panties then at the end of the day it's up to you.

If that means not hanging out in the hood after midnight or buying weed for a party from slim shady on the corner OR EVEN being mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to defend yourself if the goblins pick the wrong house it's up to you.

Get training.

Armed Novelists (a reader of this blog) gives classes in LA.  So do others.  Get trained up, get in the gym (harder to kill a strong guy) and get your mind right.

Last but not least if you think like I do then call your Congress critter!

House approves enhanced security measures for themselves...schools are a local responsibility!

via Roll Call.

House lawmakers can use taxpayer funds to buy bulletproof vests and other security equipment, under a resolution approved by the House Administration Committee on Tuesday.

The resolution also allows members to hire security personnel for events such as town halls, to guard their district offices during business hours, and to accompany them on official business.

Paying a security detail for those reasons is now considered “an ordinary and necessary reimbursable expense,” according to the new guidelines.

Security expenditures over $500 must be added to offices’ inventories.

The changes to the Members’ Congressional Handbook come after a gunman opened fire at the Republican baseball practice last summer and wounded five, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

They also come amid a national debate on gun violence sparked by the Valentine’s Day shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. A former student roamed the halls there with an AR-15, killing 17 people.

Story here. 

My first reaction was outrage.  How dare they provide money for enhanced security measures for themselves and then don't do a thing to harden local schools.

Then I remembered.

I'm for local control whenever possible.  I want to know the guy or gal that is making decisions that affect me or mine.

Then I remembered chafing at the idea of Washington allocating money locally that had strings attached.

Long short.

Hardening schools is at heart a local decision (at least how we're setup today).  The Feds can develop best practices but its up to each community to DECIDE what THEY want to do and what they will ask citizens to pay for.

As much as I hate taxes I guess its time to support an increase aimed at public schools to prevent active shooters.  I mean that's the only real answer.

The solution in Louisiana will be totally different from what they do in Broward County or New York city.

Time to accept that and move forward. One size will not fit all due to attitudes, demographics and local views on things.

Pushing Tanks

Want to talk about a force multiplier?  Tanks is under utilized in the Marine Corps and can add much needed punch for our infantry.  The thing that should shock and amaze is that we're floating MEU's without them. Terrible mistake. You just can't be the fire and shock that comes from seeing a 65 ton beast rolling at ya!

Marines, Vikings, and Drifting...

Combat Camera is putting a little funk on it!  Pretty damn awesome.  I said "funk on it"...did I just date myself?  They don't say that anymore do they? LOL!