Idaho Advisory On "Official State Gun" Makes Ballot

Above, one of the guns on the list is the Winchester 94 .30-30. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is officially on the November ballot in Idaho.

It is an advisory measure asking Idaho voters on what gun should be named the "Official State Gun."

According to Ballotpedia:

The Idaho State Legislature approved House Bill 932, placing an advisory question on the November 2026 ballot to determine the official state gun.

The ballot question will be as follows: 

“Which of the following guns should be designated as the state gun of Idaho? Please choose only one answer.

(a) Winchester Model 1894 (.30-30);

(b) Winchester Model 1873 "Gun that Won the West" (.44-40);

(c) 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver "Peacemaker" (.45 Colt);

(d) M1 Garand rifle (.30-06);

(e) Colt M1911 .45 automatic Colt pistol (.45 ACP); or

(f) Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle (.30-06).”

The list of gun choices could increase before the 2026 election. House Bill 932 (HB 932) grants the Idaho Legislative Council, which is tasked with providing the Secretary of State with the official ballot language before election preparations, the ability to add options to the list of potential state guns. 

It will be interesting to see which gun is the most favored. A friend joked that if California were to designate an official state gun, it would be a water pistol.

To read more, go here. 

John Moses Browning Inventions Install At U.S. Air Force Museum

 

Hickok45: Is This The Most fun Rifle Ever Made?

Is This The Most fun Rifle Ever Made? video by Hickok45.

Summary:

Hickok45 explores the capabilities of the iconic Ruger 10/22 rifle, demonstrating its function with both Butler Creek magazines and the newer Ruger BX-25 magazines. Various .22 Long Rifle ammunition types are tested against different targets, ranging from plastic bottles to metal plates, to assess reliability and performance.

 

Guns People Swore They'd Never Sell, But...

Above, Colt Python revolvers. Photo by Jeff Dean, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Did you ever have a gun (pistol, rifle or shotgun) what you swore you'd never part with? 

Then, you found that you needed cash badly enough that you sold your prized gun thinking you can later replace it but found the price skyrocketed.

The Avid Outdoorsman posted an article listing several guns that fall into that category. 

It begins with:

There are guns you buy because they make sense, and then there are guns you hang onto because something about them gets under your skin. Maybe they shoot better than they should. Maybe they remind you of a different time, when prices were sane and racks were still full of models people now treat like lost treasure. Either way, these are the guns owners used to say they’d keep forever, and a lot of them meant it.

The rough part is that life happens. Bills show up, priorities change, and sometimes a gun gets sold with the honest belief that another one can always be found later. Then later shows up and the market has gone completely sideways. These are the firearms that turned that lesson into a painful one for a whole lot of people.

To read more, go here.

Pre 64 vs. Post 64 Winchester Model 94 Rifle

Pre 64 vs. Post 64 Winchester model 94 rifle video by Terry Benton.

Summary:

this video shows the difference in a post 1964 and a pre 1964 Winchester Model 1894 rifles. the firearms used as examples in this video are as follows 

Winchester model 94 in 30WCF mfg. in 1949

Winchester model 94 in 30-30 mfg. in 1979

 

Some Americans Find Hawaii Vacations Less Appealing

Above, the Sheraton Waikiki is where I stayed in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have only been to Hawaii once in my life. I mainly stayed in Waikiki on Oahu and Kona, on the Big Island.

That was ten years ago this coming May. It appears that I visited Hawaii just in the nick of time before prices skyrocketed.

Nowadays, some American travelers find Hawaii less appealing as a vacation destination.

MSN posted a slideshow article on why this is so.

They begin it with:

Hawaii is becoming one of the most expensive vacation destinations in the U.S., and travelers are noticing. Hotel rates, flights, and daily expenses have all climbed sharply over the past few years.

What once felt like a special but manageable trip now requires a much larger budget. Many repeat visitors say the overall experience no longer matches the price they are paying.

The islands are still beautiful, but the total cost of getting there and staying comfortably has reached a point where people are reconsidering. This growing gap between expectation and reality is changing how travelers view Hawaii as a destination.

To read more, go here. 

First-Timer's Guide To Joshua Tree National Park

Above, camping at Cottowood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Years ago, Joshua Tree National Park was known as Joshua Tree National Monument. It became a national park in 1994.

I had been there several times since I was a kid. My Boy Scout troop camped there back around 1966. I remember we camped in Jumbo Rocks Campground. We had a great time there climbing the huge rocks.

I last visited it in 2015 and camped at Cottonwood Campground.

Cleveland.com posted a first-timer's guide to Joshua Tree National Park. 

They begin it with:

JOSHUA TREE, California – The trees here get all the glory. But the rocks may be the coolest part of Joshua Tree National Park.

Don’t get me wrong – the trees are also special, with their Seuss-like branches and spiky leaves.

But you can’t climb the trees.

The rocks, on the other hand, are open for exploration.

Unlike some national parks, where visitors are discouraged from getting too close, explorers here are encouraged to hike, scramble, climb up, rappel down and otherwise fully experience the hundreds of igneous rock formations that dot the landscape.

To read more, go here. 

Pre 64 Winchester Model 94 In 30-30

Pre 64 Winchester model 94 in 30-30 video by Terry Benton.

Summary:

This video talks about the Winchester model 1894 that was manufactured before 1964. the firearm used as examples in this video is a Winchester model 94 chambered in 30 WCF manufactured in 1949.

 

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Government Alien/Human Hybrid Breeding Program EXPOSED?!

Here's a weird story:

Government Alien/Human Hybrid Breeding Program EXPOSED?!

Artemis II Flight

Artemis II is currently in Earth orbit. If all of the Orion spacecraft's systems are functioning correctly, they will fire the Trans Lunar Injection rocket burn to send them on the way to the moon. This will come later today.

From Space.com:

 NASA's Artemis 2 mission is officially underway.

After a successful launch on April 1 (and a slight toilet issue), the four-person crew is now in Earth orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft, settling in for their first night of sleep as ground teams continue to check the vehicle's systems.

Today marks a critical moment in the Artemis 2 mission.

The astronauts are not yet on their way to the moon. Instead, mission teams are preparing for a crucial maneuver later today — the translunar injection burn — which will send Orion out of Earth orbit and toward the moon.

It's a major commitment point for the mission. If all systems are go, Artemis 2 will become the first crewed flight to travel beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era.

To read more, go here. 

Artemis II Launch Video

It was an emotional moment of pride for many that we're finally sending astronauts to the moon.

The launch of Artemis II yesterday was spectacular. It would have been more spectacular had the camera work of the launch were better. (Compare the launch video below with the one of Apollo 17 I posted yesterday. The camera tracked Apollo 17's Saturn V rocket much better.)

Still, it is great to see the launch. I noticed that political pundits like Glenn Beck and Benny Johnson were covering the launch. 

Here's a video of yesterday's launch: 

I will be at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas this month. They should have some interesting goodies related to the Artemis II flight to purchase.

Lighting Up The Night | The Launch of Apollo 17

If everything goes as planned today, the flight of Artemis II will mark the first time in 50 years since man traveled to the vicinity of the moon.

The last time was in December 1972 when Apollo 17 was sent to the moon. It was the last moon mission of the Apollo program. I remember the flight as I was at the "ripe old age" of 18 at the time. 

Here's the launch of Apollo 11.

Summary: 

On this edition we remember the anniversary of the flight of Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan,  Harrison Jack Schmitt & Ronald Evans.

In the early morning hours of December 7, 1972 the Apollo 17 crew lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center aboard a Saturn V rocket becoming the last astronauts to attempt a lunar landing and bringing a close to the the Apollo program.  Cernan & Schmitt took their Lunar Module called Challenger to a landing in the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon.  The Apollo 17 crew returned to Earth from the Moon on December 19, 1972. 

 

The Deadliest Lever-Action Rifles Ever Made!

The Deadliest Lever-Action Rifles Ever Made! video by ZeroSight Media.

Summary:

From the Henry 1860 to the Winchester 1873 and modern Henry Lever Actions, this is the complete history of lever-action rifles explained.

Discover how these legendary firearms shaped the American frontier and still dominate hunting today.

We break down every major lever-action rifle, from Civil War repeaters to modern big-bore hunting machines.

If you want to understand lever-action rifles, their power, history, and evolution, this is the only video you need.

Every era. Every rifle. Fully explained.

Lever-action rifles aren’t just guns — they are icons of survival, power, and American history.

Artemis II Launch Today

Above, Artemis II on launch pad. By NASA Headquarters / NASA/Joel Kowsky

We'll have something to watch this afternoon!

Artemis II is scheduled to launch four astronauts to the moon from Cape Canaveral. This will be the first crewed mission for the new spacecraft.

According to NASA:

As the Artemis II countdown moves steadily toward liftoff no earlier than 6:24 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, April 1, launch teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue completing a sequence of highly choreographed steps to ready the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the crew’s journey around the Moon. 

The weather forecast for launch day shows an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions with primary concerns being cumulus clouds, ground winds, and solar weather. NASA and weather officers with the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 will continue to monitor the weather leading up to liftoff. 

Engineers began the day by finishing critical health checks on the rocket’s four RS‑25 engines, confirming that sensors, connections, and diagnostics were all performing as expected. Their readiness marks an important milestone as cryogenic operations approach. 

To read more, go here. 

Dollar At ¥159 In Tokyo

Happy April Fool's Day!

Yes, today is April 1 but the following is not an April fool joke. 

As we're in a new month, it is time to take a peek at how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen in foreign exchange for those planning a vacation in Japan.

According to The Mainichi:

The U.S. dollar briefly weakened to the lower 158 yen range in Tokyo, as buying on flight-to-safety demand subsided amid speculation of a cease-fire, dealers said.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 158.79-80 yen compared with 158.66-76 yen in New York and 159.62-64 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

To read more, go here.