Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass

Non-practicing intellectual. Politics, conspiracy theories, technology, guns, geekdom, and the lamest memes you've ever seen.

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

I was looking through saved photos today for something in particular and ran across this picture (I still haven't found that OTHER thing I was looking for, but we're down a different rabbit hole now).

Y'all know me. Most of you have either had me as a student in your class, or you've been on the line with me as a fellow student. Y'all also know that I am NOT what anyone would consider a stellar performer. I'm middle-of-the-pack on my BEST day, when compared to the rest of you.

But on July 14, 2020, all the stars were in perfect alignment, that little butterfly flapping it's wings in eastern Mongolia had my back, and I did EVERYTHING just right.

This is the old-school version of The Complete Combatant's ( @complete_brian ) Accurate Ant patch. You can earn this patch (or the new version) by scoring 100% on the drill of the day.

When you're a person like me whose wins are hard fought and also few and far between (and you're also a former gifted child with a praise kink whose kink ain't getting....kinked), running across a reminder like this is more valuable than it may seem.

Celebrate your wins. Even if it's an OLD win.

And, now that my brain-body whatever fed me a dose of the happy little chemicals, I'm going to go clean my kitchen. Then I might wander out to the range and see if I can get some worthwhile practice done.

[Boston Smalls @smalls2672]

Ford can suck my white ass.

[Furkan Gözükara @FurkanGozukara]

LMAO who made this extremely based 😭😂🤣

[Thomas Sowell Quotes @ThomasSowell]

Bill Maher: “NEW RULE: Germans have to figure out a new way to say ‘We’re hiring.’ Yeah, I don’t exactly speak German, but sorry, but ‘Wir Suchen Dich’ doesn’t sound like you’re ready to hire anyone.”

[Amity @amitylee13]

GM!

[𝒦𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓎࿎☽ @idropFbombs]

I want to know everything about EVERYTHING. Why isn't everyone else the same?

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

I have (ahem) invested the last 2 hours of my time watching "public disturbance" videos. Why? It's educational. Also highly entertaining, from a certain perspective.

And now, for the Karen-is-SUCH-an-asshole take of the day.

There is almost ALWAYS some screeching harridan in the background, RUINING some excellent fight footage.

I ought to come up with a class. Call it "Bellow like a boss" or something. It'll NEVER sell, but squealing like a stuck pig does NOT make people stop fighting. It makes people (it's me - I'm people) want to hit the squealer to make the squealing stop.

I think that's enough internet for the day.

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

UPDATE to the UPDATE: Wow. So. I vastly underestimated the ferocity of the cartel response.
Been reading a bit more. These dudes have a different psychology. Instead of just business, it's more of a really intense brotherhood. Like, I did NOT understand the trauma-bond these guys have with each other.
I'm watching their videos, and they have basically declared war on "anyone who isn't US."
It's going to take an OVERWHELMING response to shut this down.
SEE?!?!?!? I knew I shouldn't have said anything. I hate being wrong.
Well, I wasn't COMPLETELY wrong. I was close. But DAYUM.
********************
UPDATE: Wow. This is moving pretty quickly. There have been reports of power outages across the central portion of Mexico (which makes sense). Standard internet access is being effected, and cell service degraded (also, makes sense). Gas stations are getting set alight with impunity (I mean, it's where the gas is, sooo....). Sporadic reports of hostage-taking, but no verification, so far. CJNG has started posting their OWN videos, warning people to pick a side (and, of course, you need to pick THEIR side or pay the price).
*********************

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

Putting the analyst hat back on. Probably a bad idea because 1 - I don't have enough information, and 2 - Mexico wasn't my area of interest way back in the day (I was further south).

BUT....humans being humans, and systems being systems, if I absolutely HAD to give an estimate TODAY on what the next 72 - 96 hours would look like for most of Mexico...I'd be so screwed. Like, in danger of losing my job screwed. UCMJ-level screwed.

I'll take a shot at it, anyway.

You kind of have to look at cartel activity (drugs, guns, human trafficking, you know - the PRODUCT) through the lens of multi-national and trans-national business. Because that's what it is. They have clients. Demand is high. Supply is determined by availability, so it fluctuates. All the normal business rules apply. Cartels just operate on a parallel, extra-governmental structure. They ARE or WERE bound by "laws", but those laws are cultural, not statutory.

For a long time (in Mexico, probably spanning about the last hundred years or so), the cartel structure was pretty predictable and stable. (Go with me, here.) Think "fast-food wars" in the US, just with a lot more violence. Branding was established. Cross-border deals were made for import and export. The guy at the top might change, but the BRAND remained the same. Barriers for entry for the little guy were hard - it was actually pretty difficult to break into the drug kingpin world without the right connections, introductions, and start-up capital. (This is ALL very simplified - the view from outer space. I know y'all are going to call me out on being inaccurate, but I do NOT have the kinda time that would be required to 'splain ALL of it.)

Then, about 15 years ago (ish?), along comes this upstart newcomer, the CJNG. These guys were like, fuck it. It's all illegal anyway. They're going to try and kill us anyway. We can do this BETTER and get rich as hell.

So, instead of a Walmart-model, or a Burger King model, or a Pizza Hut model, the CJNG did more of a "Dollar General Franchise" model. Intense geographic market penetration and saturation. Independent operators MORE than welcome - you just have to buy a franchise. Can't buy it outright? No worries, we gotchu, fam. You can buy in over time. You'll have access to our supply and distribution networks. You can use our sales funnel - we WANT you to. Oh, hey. We need you to recruit, too! Here's how you do it on Snapchat - get the teenagers involved. We even have an app!

They beat "the big three" by innovation. They went from being the noobs to running a damn empire - operating in over 40 countries and occupying a vast swathe of Mexico proper. They are aggressively expansionist and more decentralized from a tactical decision-making standpoint than their competitors.

What does that mean on a battlefield? It means madness, mayhem, and chaos with a unified goal.

I would expect attacks to pop up anywhere, anytime, and with zero provocation. They are lightweight and portable. They are YOUNG. They don't have important ties to really anyone but themselves. They don't just understand communication technology, they use it in their day-to-day activities. Much better than the State does. I would expect extreme violence and high civilian casualties. I would expect LOTS of fire - it's cheap and it scares the shit out of everyone. Expect the power to start going out today or tomorrow - at least across the middle portion of the country. Expect hostage-taking. Plus...they're probably enjoying the rush and won't want to stop. The gloves are off, and they kinda like it.

I don't think the State is going to have the resources or the flexibility to respond as quickly as they need to. They DO have a large bureaucracy that controls movement and allocation of resources. they also have to use a more restrained response in an effort to limit civilian casualties - something the CJNG does not have to consider.

The CJNG will also be able to exploit/find innumerable bolt-holes for safety across the country. After all, they are willing to murder, mutilate, rape, or take hostage anyone they like. If you're a regular person faced with that? You'll give them what they want.

So, yeah. This may turn out to be a pretty wild ride over the next few days.

CAVEAT - I have been out of the analysis business for a VERY long time. This little "estimate" is based on about an hour of OSINT research into what's been going on for the last 30 years, coupled with an understanding of historical practices of black-marketeers and cartels. So. Take it as you will.

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

@grey4626 Oh, I am sooooo stealing this line: "you sad little rage farmer, can’t process nuance because your prefrontal cortex is apparently running on dial-up." I love this!

[Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando]

Voting is exponentially more dangerous than owning a gun. Voting can kill an entire nation.

It should be at least as hard to vote as it is to buy a gun from an FFL.

[Amity @amitylee13]

Thomas Massie for President 2028!

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

This is sort-of an ICE post, but not really an ICE post.

This is prompted by the rhetoric coming from BOTH sides of the "Pretti was armed" emotional tug-of-war.

Yes - Pretti was legally exercising his right to carry, even if he forgot his wallet and ID (that lapse is largely an administrative matter, TBH).

No - being armed DOES NOT necessarily signal criminal or nefarious intent (unlike what so many of our politicians are spouting right now).
HOWEVER - and this is for all of us, particularly those who might be new to carrying tools for self-defense - please keep these things in mind.

1. When you carry a lethal tool, keep in mind that EVERY encounter you have carries the potential for lethality - because at least one person in that encounter has the means to make that happen.

2. When you carry a lethal tool, you no longer get to have a large ego. You have to "eat" the insult. You have to be calm(ish) - avoid matching energies, if you can.

3. When you carry a lethal tool, one of the best practices to employ is to treat it like The One Ring. Keep it secret. Keep it safe. Resist the temptation to use it to solve all your problems (use of the Ring did not go well for Frodo).

That's all I've got. Please don't turn the comments section into a political death match.

Thanks.

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

Taxation is theft

[Libertarian Party @LPNational]

Following back everyone who reposts & replies with

Taxation is theft

[Kickin' Brass in the Bluegrass @wkylp]

Me: Man, I wish I could go to Shot Show.
My wallet: We got Shot Show at home!
Shot show at home:

[GorillaScience @WatchGorillaSci]

IT'S THE SUN, STUPID!
Astrophysicist Dr. Willie Soon's new brilliant (and funny) film, exposing the CO2 climate scam.
@WillieSoon8 @TomANelson @Martin_Durkin

[Dustin Grage @GrageDustin]

🚨 BREAKING: Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office emailed staff inviting them to a “healing circle” with “therapy goats.”

While Democrats fan the flames against ICE agents. City staff are being offered quiet reflection time with goats.

This is not parody. This is Minneapolis.