Our thanks to Paul Elam for this. It should be another great Jamboree, I’m sorry I can’t attend personally. If you can make it, GO. It will surely be a memorable experience.

One of my strongest memories from the wonderful 2022 Jamboree is going with Paul and others to a gun store and firing range in Virginia. I hadn’t thought about bringing ID (such as a passport) but Paul was of the view that they might allow me onto the firing range if I simply told them I was British, and didn’t know ID would be required. It seemed wildly optimistic, but he turned out to be correct.

We were allowed to use one firearm from the store’s stock, and I opted for a .44 Magnum, the weapon of Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) in one of my favourite films, Dirty Harry (1971). In one of the most famous scenes in film history, after an exchange of fire after a bank robbery, in which he kills one bank robber and the getaway driver, Harry looms menacingly over a black robber on the ground, pointing the Magnum at his head. He speaks:

“I know what you’re thinking: ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you, punk?”

Despite surrendering, the robber insists on knowing, and Harry jovially pulls the trigger, revealing the gun is empty.

Another four films in the series were made, ending with The Dead Pool (1988).

Among the other weapons I fired that day was Paul’s semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle, also his 9mm pistol. We had been given a perfunctory safety talk beforehand, and the man hadn’t mentioned a key feature of such pistols, that the slide (at the top of the weapon) flies back at considerable speed due to recoil. I was about to fire the weapon with my thumb behind the slide – the most natural position, it seemed to me – when Paul stopped me. Which explains why I still have a right thumb today.

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A tip of the hat to Sean Bw Parker for this interview (video, 34:24) of Professor Richard Gill, Professor Emeritus of Mathematical Statistics, Leiden University, Netherlands.

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Interesting. The day is surely coming when Labour will have to face reality about the utter pointlessness of its net zero initiative, and the harm it’s causing energy bill payers and manufacturing companies.

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Interesting. Anna Barren is in her late twenties.

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Today’s video is here (1:09).

Over a period of almost six months we’re posting links to one video daily from the comedy channel of our associated award-winning website, Laughing at Feminists. Remember, it’s more than important to laugh at feminists, it’s a civic duty.  

You might also be interested in the 700+ videos on our YouTube channel, which includes our media appearances since 2012, 300+ videos of talks and other materials from the International Conferences on Men’s Issues (2014 – ), from the other men’s issues conferences we’ve been involved with, and so much more. The individual conference playlists are here.

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Interesting (video, 9:45). If you’re pushed for time watch from 6:40, where Jess Phillips is replying to a question from a Conservative MP. She looks like she’s on the edge of a nervous breakdown, and should resign for a number of reasons including that.

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An interesting piece (with occasional uninformed content) in The Scotsman.

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Ben Obese-Jecty is the Conservative MP for Huntingdon. He won the seat in 2024.

Our thanks to Nigel for this Facebook page. The content:

“Very proud today to present my Ten Minute Rule Bill: Interpersonal abuse and violence against men and boys (strategy).

This strategy is desperately needed as male survivors of domestic abuse, rape, sexual assault, digital image abuse, honour-based violence and forced marriage are currently an afterthought, incredibly, included within the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.

We urgently need a dedicated strategy for men and boys, and in lieu of a new position statement from the Government, legislates for the Safeguarding Minister, Jess Phillips, to ensure that alongside the forthcoming new Violence Against Women and Girls strategy a separate strategy for men and boys is finally introduced. [J4MB emphasis: Good luck with that, Ben!]

This is an issue that affects many more men and boys than you may realise and whilst so many suffer in silence there is now an opportunity to give their plight the focus it deserves.

My thanks to We Are Survivors, Men And Boys Coalition and Mankind Initiative for their advocating for such a step.

You can listen to my full speech in the clip below.”

We wish Ben every success in his advocacy for men and boys.

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Good news. An extract:

Haidar believes his support will encourage other wealthy individuals to donate to Reform UK. “I have a few friends that are seriously, seriously considering it,” he revealed, adding that Farage’s recent statements “have resonated with them”.

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Just published (video, 12:36).

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