On Hiroshima and Apologies for the A-bomb

With Barack Obama traveling to Hiroshima, there has been media talk over whether he'll apologize for dropping the atomic bombs.

Why should we apologize for Hiroshima? Even with two A-bombs dropped, many in the Japanese hierarchy still didn't want to surrender. Those that did want to surrender, never wanted war in the first place, such as Prime Minister Suzuki and Admiral Yonai. There is no way the militarists would have surrendered without the intensive bombing. We had 100,000 causalities in Okinawa. How many would there be in a Japanese invasion – 1,000,000 was estimated by the War Department, and I believe that is a fair assessment

Of the POWs not already executed or starved to death, more would have been killed. Many were on the brink of death when they were rescued. How many POWs would have met the fate of Jimmy Dye or Floyd Hall… POWs who were bayoneted, beheaded, and then EATEN by their Japanese captors. War is a terrible thing and almost all of the Japanese who suffered due to the atomic bombs were not part the decisions to go to war or to violate the Geneva conventions.  However, the alternative was more American dead. How many America lives would have you been willing to sacrifice? What if it was YOUR family?

Incarceration Rates in America

              

"America now incarcerates a higher rate of its population than any other country in the world" is a common phrase the media will trot out as if it is a bad thing.

Why is it important? Maybe we are just better at catching criminals? Maybe not releasing murderers after 5 years is a good thing? Maybe we don 't ignore petty crime?

If you crime rate is high but your incarceration rate is low, perhaps there is a problem.... like South Africa or the Philippines.

Some countries, like Singapore, have a low crime rate and a low incarceration rate. That's because criminals are caned there. You don't go to jail - you get a beating.

What Fuels Terorrism?

A common theme by the global socialists is mirror by an OpEd by David Petraeus:  "Anti-Muslim bigotry aids Islamic terrorism"


The theory is that if we were just over-flowingly welcoming of all-things Muslim, they would be nice to us. However, there are many things about the USA and the West that fuel Islamism more that prejudice. Look at their propaganda materials: things like unabashed homosexuality, gay marriage,  trans rights, rampant pornography are much more the focus of their propaganda materials.
Yet, none of the global leftists seeks to curb any of those activities.


In fact, women's rights aids the jihadis. Jihadis don't care much for Christians and Jews, but they really hate atheists and agnostics. That aids them. Anything short of rescinding women's rights and converting to Islam (and the right branch of Islam at that point) will actually mollify the jihadis.


They aren't looking for appeasement. They are looking for unconditional surrender.

Takedown Survival Rifles

A takedown rifle would be a fun addition for camping, travel, hiking, etc. Key purposes would be hunting game and/or defense against bears or bad guys.

 

Key Considerations

• Caliber: A .22 LR is inexpensive,  you can carry a lot, but it wouldn't take down a deer. Larger calibers are costly, more bulky, and could destroy any meat on a small game.
• Reload speed: Options include semi-automatic, lever action, or single shot. Semi-automatic is nice of course, though it is something else that can break.
• Complexity of Takedown: The shorter and simpler the better. Do you need special tools? Any tools required is something else to loose.
• Weight, Size: Every pound or cubic foot of rifle is one less pound or cubic foot of anything else that you can carry.
• Cost: What comparison excludes cost?.... especially for a rifle that may see little use.

Potential Options - Every list of potential rifles has several of these, but not ALL of them. There have also been new releases in the last several years.

1. Henry AR-7 - Completely takes apart and fits in the shoulder stock. It's definitely the most compact and lightest of the group, weighing in at 3.5 lbs. Henry supposedly has made updates to improve the failure to feed, failure to fire, and failure to eject issues. Buy new from $220
2. Ruger 10/22 takedown - Classic semi-automatic .22 with magazines that hold 25 rounds. 4.6 lbs, $350
3. Marlin Papoose - Officially the Model 70PSS. Requires a barrel wrench to tighten the ring on the barrel to the receiver.Weighs 3.25 lbs and costs $330.
4. Chiappa M6 - An update of the M6 survival rifle. It's chambered in .22 LR / 20 gauge. Most comparisons of the AR-7 and M6 are comparing against the original M6 chambered in .410 bore. The ability to get that M6 was rarer since it wasn't in production. The stock is foam, which makes me question how long it will hold up. New at $390.
5. Savage Model 42 takedown - This is the new kid in down. A over/under combo, it can be chambered in 22 LR /.410 or .22 WMR/ .410. The advantage of the .22 LR is cheaper, lighter ammo, though the .22 WMR will pack a bit bigger punch. It would have been really nice if they had designed the .22 WMR such you could shoot a 22 LR in it, like you can the .357 or .38. However there are a lot of bad reviews on the non-takedown version.
6. Kel-Tec SU-16 - Chambered in .223, it looks like a takedown AR without a pistol grip, though it's a long-stroke piston design.
7. TNW AERO - An AR-style carbine shooting pistol calibers in a blowback design. Weighs 5.5 lbs and costs $800
8. Chiappa Alaskan Takedown- A takedown lever action in .357 or .44. It's a little heaver than some at 5.5 lbs. Not many are made so they are expensive - $1200.
9. Browning BLR Takedown - A takedown lever action. Available in many larger calibers, it is the heaviest at 6.5 lbs and costs $1200