This is not a call to arms, nor is it a fear-raising distress call for shooters.  However, there are at least five good reasons why the time is now to head to your reloading bench. 1.  Due to the ammo shortage Though the shortage seems to be lessening in most areas of the country and more popular ammo is back on the shelves, ammo levels are nowhere near what they were five years ago, and perhaps never will be again.  While there’s not much we can do about the ever-elusive or overpriced 22 LR rounds, we can generate our own … Continue reading →

Bacteria play a central role in our lives, shaping much of the world around us, as well as the world within us. We’ve long regarded bacteria as something to be feared – agents of illness and death – but, increasingly, it’s understood that many bacteria are, in fact, harmless and even beneficial. Bacteria in our gut, for example, help us produce vitamins, such as folic acid, while others help us to absorb important metals, such as calcium, from our food. In a fascinating new book, Adam Hart, a biologist, broadcaster and professor of science communication at the University of Gloucestershire, … Continue reading →

This is my re-working of Henry Hazlitt’s book, Economics in One Lesson (1946). He was a friend of mine. It was late in his career, and it was early in mine. He was always upbeat. He was always learning. I like to think that he would have approved of my book. It targets an audience very different from his: Christians who are interested in both economics and ethics. His audience initially was initially readers of hisNew York Times column. But that did not work out. Before the year ended, Hazlitt left the New York Times because of his opposition to the … Continue reading →

Congressman Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has invited me to the House of Representatives to watch Pope Francis address a joint session of Congress. This generous Methodist congressman has invited your traditionalist Roman Catholic columnist and cable TV guy to this grand event. I am going with joy because the pope is the Vicar of Christ on Earth, and his presence in Congress is historically unique. But within me is fear and trembling over what he might say. The papacy is an office created personally by Our Lord. Its occupants are direct descendants of St. Peter. Its role and authorities have evolved … Continue reading →

Negative health effects of prolonged sitting have come to light as of late, and now research has found that fidgeting movements can help combat such side effects. The research comes from the University of Leeds and UCL. They suggest prolonged sitting increases the risk of death in those who only noted they were occasional fidgeters. Fidgeting is the act of making small movements. They can be repeated and are often done with the hands or feet. Fidgeting can result from nervousness or anxiety or even out of boredom. In active women who reported moderate to very high fidgeting, there was … Continue reading →

This could kill VW – until recently (until last week) the world’s largest car company. But unlike say the exploding Pinto fiasco this is not a story about defective cars. It is a story about defective public policy. None of the VW cars now in the crosshairs are unreliable, dangerous or shoddily built. They were simply programmed to give their owners best-case fuel economy and performance. Software embedded within each vehicle’s computer – which monitors and controls the operation of the engine – would furtively adjust those parameters slightly to sneak by emissions tests when the vehicle was plugged in … Continue reading →

Cleaning your gutters is one of the un-sexiest home maintenance chores you can do. It’s usually dirty, you’re moving the ladder a lot, you’ll likely get wet from flushing the gutters, and it’s not exactly something you can show off once you’re done (like you can with a clean and organized garage). Not doing it regularly, though, can spell trouble for your home. If the gutters are too full, water can actually damage the roofing and the fascia (the boards behind the gutters, rather than the tough tissue in the human body). Overfull gutters can spell trouble below deck as … Continue reading →

When it hits the fan…I mean REALLY hits the fan in a permanent kind of way, the most likely outcome is death. That’s not pretty, and I’m well aware of it. I always try to be positive and optimistic, because for me, preparedness is the ultimate act of optimism, but sometimes we have to look at the numbers and face some things that are pretty terrifying. The first reality check is that some research says that only 3 million Americans are preppers.  That means that 315 million Americans are notpreppers. Some experts predict that within 30 days of the power going … Continue reading →

Who’d want to buy a VW right now? Me, for one. The VW I currently drive is, by some margin, the most exciting car I’ve ever owned. It’s a Golf Four-Motion which I picked up for a song on Ebay. From the outside it looks deceptively ordinary: just the standard, boxy Golf body with no distinguishing marks or features to tell you how secretly evil it is. But underneath the bonnet is a ludicrously inappropriate 2.8 litre V6 engine. On a Golf. Imagine! It goes like a rocket. Or rather – as the bloke who sold it to me so … Continue reading →

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Vladimir Putin is pulling Assad’s fat from the fire in Syria. At least that’s how it looks to America. He’s sending military assets to Syria and told Assad all he needs to do is just whistle and Russian troops will be on the way. The U.S. government is still wondering what all of this means. The U.S. government doesn’t realize that in the grand scheme of things, it all comes down to knowing culture. Russians play chess. America plays poker. Putin was looking at moves on the board ten years down the road. America was only worried about bluffing its way … Continue reading →