Category: A Victory!

Shipping Hacks Written By Will Dabbs, MD

Post author By Grumpy
Post date October 2, 2026
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Reg Spiers was a quite competent javelin thrower who didn’t quite make the cut for the Olympics.
Social media photo.

I daresay most all of us have a weakness for gun stuff. Little makes a good day a great day faster than glancing out the front window to spot the Brown Truck of Happiness pulling up the drive with some gun-related widget in tow.

There is actually a not-zero possibility that the BATF will soon amend its rules to allow law-abiding citizens to order firearms remotely, pass the requisite background checks, and then have guns delivered straight to their front door. We do live in amazing times.

While technology has facilitated supply chains that operate with unprecedented efficiency, that convenience comes at a price. Shipping, particularly the expedited sort, can cost a fortune. I once needed an important legal document spirited across the country overnight and was quoted $72 for the service. Ouch.

The box Reg Spiers built to ship himself literally halfway around the world was only 5x3x2.6 feet.
Social media photo.

The Lunatic

Back in 1964, an indigent Australian athlete named Reg Spiers yearned to return home from London. Spiers was a javelin thrower who had recently failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. After a pickpocket stole his wallet, he found himself stranded. Ever resourceful, the poor, unfortunate guy set out to engineer a solution. A desire to return home in time for his daughter’s pending birthday supercharged the enterprise.

Spiers could not afford a traditional passenger ticket on an airplane or boat, but shipping costs were not nearly as egregious back then as they might be today. With the assistance of a fellow Olympic hopeful, Spiers constructed a 5x3x2.5-foot wooden crate just big enough to accommodate his muscular form. There was room inside to sit with his legs straight or rest on his back with his knees bent above him.

Spiers knew this would be a weird trip. As a result, he equipped his personalized shipping container with internal security straps so he wouldn’t jostle about unduly during takeoff and landing.

He also thoughtfully included several cans of food, a pillow and blanket, and a battery-powered flashlight. In addition, he packed two large plastic bottles. One of these was full of water. The other was to serve as a makeshift toilet. He marked the outside of the box “Medical Supplies” in hopes that the baggage handlers would be careful with him.

What Spiers was planning was both illegal and dangerous. If he pulled it off, he would bypass Australian customs and violate Lord-only-knows how many shipping company regulations. As a result, he labeled himself “To Be Collected” and added the made-up address of a fictitious shoe company. Why a shoe company would be receiving a crate of medical supplies was anybody’s guess.

The poor guy had no money. He shipped himself air freight cash-on-delivery. His hope was that his family might collect him once he arrived in Perth and pay the shipping costs at that time.

After a sordid stint as a drug trafficker, Reg Spiers eventually got his life in order.
Social media photo.

One Seriously Wild Ride

The trip took three long days and became a serious gut check for the frugal spear chucker. His parcel was set aside and delayed in Paris. During a layover in Bombay, India, baggage handlers left his crate upside down in the direct sunshine on the hot tarmac for hours. Regardless of the deprivations, Spiers remained still and silent throughout. Any suspicion on the part of the shipping company folks would have ended his trip immediately.

Once he was down safe in Australia, baggage handlers secured his box in a cargo shed. Now convinced he was alone, Spiers chopped his way out of his wooden crate and changed into a fresh suit of clothes he had brought along for that purpose. Having stretched his sore muscles, Spiers then just walked out of the airport like he owned the place.

The Aftermath

Reg Spiers never intended to tell anyone what he had done. However, several days later, his buddy in London became worried after not having heard from him and alerted the media. Spiers’ story circled the globe and brought the man a certain curious notoriety. The human interest angle of a failed Olympian who shipped himself home via COD air freight so as to make his daughter’s birthday celebration was irresistible clickbait even in the days before clicks were a thing.

Reg Spiers broke the law, but not a whole lot. In short order, all was forgiven. However, the rambunctious athlete did subsequently go on to a lucrative career in drug trafficking. He was even caught and sentenced to death in Sri Lanka, only to be extradited back to Australia later. The Internet says he eventually got his life in order and stopped such ridiculous stuff.

In case you might be considering it, modern baggage screening technology makes such a stunt virtually impossible today. Should you find yourself in desperate need of transportation around the globe might I suggest you take a job to earn the money or throw yourself on the mercy of GoFundMe. Mailing one’s person around the globe is, tragically, not terribly practical anymore.

You have to be kidding, right!?!

Homeowner Charged After Shooting Bear Eating Chickens in News

Post author By Grumpy
Post date October 2, 2026
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A Connecticut homeowner called state authorities after shooting a black bear in his backyard.

Now he is facing a criminal charge.

Michael Gero, 39, told investigators the bear had broken into an enclosure and killed several chickens. He reportedly saw the bear eating one before he fired.

Gero also believes the same bear killed his goats in August, according to WFSB.

He Reported the Shooting

The incident happened Friday at Gero’s property in Granby.

Gero contacted the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection after killing the animal. Environmental Conservation Police investigated and cited him for illegally taking a black bear.

The charge may carry up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for a first offense under Connecticut law.

Gero is expected to appear in Torrington Superior Court in early October.

This was not his first close encounter with a bear.

WFSB interviewed Gero in 2024 after another bear attacked one of his goats. Gero said he struck that animal with a branch and chased it into the woods.

Connecticut Law Draws a Fine Line

Connecticut law allows someone to kill a bear when that person reasonably believes it threatens serious bodily harm to a human.

Deadly force is also allowed when a bear attacks a legally controlled pet or enters an occupied building.

However, chickens and goats kept as livestock do not necessarily qualify as protected pets under that provision.

State law instead directs livestock owners toward Connecticut’s agricultural damage permit process. That process requires property owners to try nonlethal measures first.

They must then consult a DEEP wildlife biologist. The agency must approve a permit before the owner can legally kill a damaging bear.

That distinction sits at the center of the controversy.

The bear was reportedly inside Gero’s enclosure and actively feeding on one of his chickens. Yet the law appears to treat that situation differently from an attack on a household pet.

Residents Question the Charge

The case drew thousands of comments after WFSB shared it online. Many commenters argued that Gero should have been allowed to protect his animals on his property.

Granby Town Manager Mike Walsh also expressed sympathy for Gero. He suggested lawmakers should review the statute and that DEEP should provide communities with better guidance.

DEEP said the bear was not tagged and that the agency knew of no other reported attacks connected to it.

The facts will now move into court. The larger question may eventually land with state lawmakers: How long must a property owner wait while a bear kills his livestock?

You have to be kidding, right!?!

‘Squatter Hunter’ Helps Homeowners Get Back Their Property’ – What a nightmare!

Post author By Grumpy
Post date October 2, 2026
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All About Guns You have to be kidding, right!?!

When the Father of the World’s Richest Man Shot Three Cannibals Guncrank Diaries Written By Will Dabbs, MD

Post author By Grumpy
Post date September 30, 2026
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Elon Musk is the richest man in the world. His was an interesting childhood. Photo: Public Domain

Elon Musk is the richest man on Planet Earth. Elon made his billions producing rocket ships and electric cars, among other things. He was a darling of the Left right up until he declared his friendship with Donald John Trump. Now they think he’s the Antichrist.

Elon is a delightfully weird guy with a delightfully weird past. He’s certainly diagnosable on a certain level. However, he has weaponized his curious form of Asperger’s syndrome into financial success the likes of which have not been seen in the modern age. Having invested a little time researching his Dad, it seems the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Left: Like his uber-wealthy son, Errol Musk is a pretty fascinating guy. He once killed three murderous cannibals with only two shots from a .357 Magnum revolver. Below: Elon Musk is the richest man in the world. His was an interesting childhood. Photo: Public Domain

The Father Of The Savant

Errol Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1946. His father was South African, and his mother was English. Errol married Maye Haldeman in 1970. Their first son, Elon, was born the following year.

Errol Musk was a successful businessman in his own right. He was politically active and served in a variety of roles in local government. Along the way, he developed office buildings, subdivisions, retail store space and an air force base. He also owned an auto parts store and had a substantial interest in several emerald mines. He once boasted that his emerald dealings were more smuggling than anything respectable.

These sundry enterprises brought the elder Musk a great deal of money. He used these proceeds to buy himself a yacht, an airplane, several luxury automobiles and a couple of palatial homes. Among all that was a large estate that he used as a rental property.

In the days of high-capacity concealable 9mm wonderguns, never underestimate the manstopping power of a classic magnum revolver.

The Gunfight

My source was an in-person interview I watched with Errol Musk himself. The man looks vaguely like an aging Al Pacino and sports that same lyrical South African accent as does his famous son. I have no compelling reason to doubt the details.

Errol and his six-year-old daughter went out to this remote rental property to check on things. The house was empty in anticipation of its next set of renters. They were hot and sweaty, so Errol set his daughter up in the tub for a bath. He then heard noises coming from downstairs.

When he went down to investigate, Musk found several strange men in his living room. The spokesman for the group was wearing a coat and tie. Musk assumed they might be prospective renters and introduced himself. Without preamble, this man presented a handgun and opened fire.

Musk retreated miraculously unscathed. He scrambled back upstairs and retrieved a loaded .357 magnum revolver. Posting himself in the doorway between the gunmen and his daughter, Errol waited until they came up the stairs. As soon as he got a decent angle, he shot the lead assailant through the head.

The first shooter was dead where he stood. That same bullet also struck and killed the man behind him. Then all hell broke loose.

The Bad Guys fired a total of 52 rounds, one of which would have struck Musk in the chest had it not fortuitously lodged in an aluminum door frame. Musk fired twice total. His second shot struck a man in the groin who bled out on the floor. The rest of the crew then fled in disarray. Musk scooped up his daughter and leapt through a shattered window to safety.

Details

Musk claims that these men were practitioners of muti — witch doctors who would kill adults to kidnap kids. They would then harvest limbs and organs from the stolen children to make traditional medicines. Along the way, they would supposedly nibble a bit as well.

This seemed pretty far-fetched to me. However, Google claims it’s real. In 2010, traditional African healers and the South African government held a conference with the published goal of rooting out the “Evil practice of mutilating human bodies for purposes of muti making.” It is actually plausible that the three men Musk killed really had broken into his home with the intent of killing and eating his daughter.

The Rest Of The Story

Errol Musk is not a terribly nice guy. He divorced Elon’s mom in 1979 amidst allegations of abuse. Elon has described his Dad in the media as a “terrible human being.” Apparently, he’s not wrong.

When Errol was 45, he married 25-year-old Heide Bezuidenhout. He and Heidi had two children. Errol later fathered two more kids by Heidi’s daughter from a previous relationship.

He was once quoted as having said, “The only thing we are on Earth for is to reproduce.” Regardless of the man’s character, when Errol Musk was threatened by a mob of armed witch doctors, that guy took care of business. Dropping three murderous cannibals with two rounds from a magnum revolver is undeniably fine gunmanship.

COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to be kidding, right!?!

Domino’s Pizza – King of Delivery

Post author By Grumpy
Post date September 30, 2026
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You have to be kidding, right!?!

Me

Post author By Grumpy
Post date September 30, 2026
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You have to be kidding, right!?!

Why Guantanamo Bay is Totally Forbidden

Post author By Grumpy
Post date September 30, 2026
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All About Guns You have to be kidding, right!?!

The Soviet R-23M Kartech Orbital Space Cannon By Will Dabbs, MD

Post author By Grumpy
Post date September 30, 2026
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“Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” is my second favorite science fiction movie after “Aliens.” Had the M41A Pulse Rifle been in the hands of Peewee Herman, “Aliens” still would have been the coolest movie in human history. “The Wrath of Khan” earns its spot because of the amazing 1982 analog special effects combined with Ricardo Montalban’s epic pecs (which were real, by the way).

All real men are smitten with the concept of space combat. Nobody does that better than “The Expanse.” The folks who made that series put a great deal of effort into getting the physics right. If you haven’t seen it, “The Expanse” is nailing 95% on the Tomatometer and is available on Amazon Prime. Check it out. You’ll thank me later.

As cool as “Aliens,” “Star Trek,” and “The Expanse” are, none of that is actually real. However, on January 24, 1975, the Soviets test fired the first legit orbital space cannon. This modified 23mm antiaircraft gun loosed twenty rounds in three bursts pointed Lord-knows-where. Given that there is no air friction in space, the Russkies likely dropped those 20 high explosive shells into some benevolent alien’s afternoon picnic someplace. Tragically, humanity has gone to war over stupider things.

Details

In the 1970s, the U.S. and the USSR were locked in the Space Race. The Russians smoked us when they launched Yuri Gregarin into low Earth orbit in April of 1961. Then Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin told the Commies to suck it from the surface of the moon eight years later. By the mid-1970s the metric to beat was an inhabitable orbital space station.

Our own Skylab went up in May of 1973. However, the Russians beat us to it with their first Salyut (“Fireworks”) space station in 1971. Now faced with the prospect of Americans and Russians occupying the same vast reaches of infinite space, the Soviets naturally began scheming how to blow us to pieces over it.

Salyut wasn’t much of a space station. This thing was thrown together out of Soyuz components just to win the race. The Salyut was cramped and fairly miserable. However, in their defense, they did orbit seven of the things. Four of these were nominally there for respectable research purposes. The remaining three were Almaz (“Diamond”) military spy stations.

Origin Story

Aleksandr Nudelman of the KB Tochmash design bureau in Moscow got the tasker to build the world’s first orbital space cannon to defend the Almaz stations from imaginary American attacks. Nudelman and his team began with a 14.5mm automatic gun that weighed 37 pounds and could accurately engage terrestrial targets up to a mile away. This was adapted from the KPV antiaircraft gun that the Russians used as primary armament on their BTR and BRDM armored personnel carriers.

The KPV formed the basis for the family of towed ZPU antiaircraft guns as well. It cycled at 600 rounds per minute and was a proven and effective short-recoil design that should function just fine in outer space. However, Nudelman’s mob eventually decided on something with a bit more authority.

Proper Defensive Weaponry

The final operational version was a 23mm beast called the R-23M Kartech (“Buckshot”). This fast-firing weapon was adapted from the tail gun on the Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder supersonic strategic bomber. The R-23M Kartech was a curious gas-operated, single-barrel weapon that incorporated four individual chambers like a revolver. The gun fired 23x260mm telescoped ammunition at 2,500 rpm. Muzzle velocity hovered around 2,800 feet per second.

The R-23M was fitted in a fixed mount along the centerline of the station. There was an optical sight mounted in the spacecraft’s cockpit. To aim the thing, cosmonauts had to orient the entire space station. Actually touching it off was where the real fun started.

Physics is a Cruel Mistress

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That’s not just a good idea, that’s the law. This is the reason full-power 12-gauge buckshot rounds are adequate to peg your funmeter after a long day on the range. This gets even worse in zero gravity with no air.

Smokeless powder contains an oxidizer that provides its own oxygen. Modern cartridge-firing weapons will shoot just fine in a vacuum. The problem is what to do when the recoil from that 23mm gun sends your sparkly new spaceship hurtling toward Uranus.

They only fired the thing once and then only remotely. The station was de-crewed and about to plunge into the earth’s atmosphere to be incinerated at the time.

The Russians are so paranoid they still haven’t declassified the results of that firing test. However, back in 1975, our communist friends really did unlimber their R-23M Kartech space cannon for real, quite effectively lighting up the final frontier.

All About Guns You have to be kidding, right!?!