Monday, November 30, 2015

Handling SHTF Ridicule

So you prepare for a potential SHTF, but someone comes across that information and ridicules you and your ideas. How to handle this?

First, you must understand some basics. SHTF situations, are not only plausible, but have a degree of likelihood. Hurricane Katrina, LA riots, etc. So there is logic in being prepared. Since there is logic in being prepared, then those who belittle being prepared are not thinking logically. Instead, they are thinking emotionally.

Human children are known for letting their emotions get the better of them. Sadly, many grown women (and gamma males) have often faced no real consequences in life for their actions, and thusly fall into this category, as well. So, if someone is reacting emotionally (ridiculing your preparations), then the only logical means of handling the situation is to resort to treating that person as the child they are.

Amused Mastery
If you are new to this type of response, then please, dear reader, Google it. One of the best methods of dealing with children and those ruled by emotion over logic.

Agree & Amplify
This is primarily a method for dealing with shit-tests. However, when dealing with a grown person behaving emotionally, then it becomes a good tool to use. Agree with their statements and amplify them to ridiculous proportions. Best used in situations where looking like a jerk won't harm other interactions.

Dismiss & Ignore
Works in 1-on-1 situations. This might be your best defense. Also known as walking away. The implication here is that the other party's statement is so asinine, that they can no longer be taken as being serious nor credible.

Ridicule & Reframe
This might be a better option in social gathering scenarios than Agree & Amplify. Keep it short, and factual. Remember, people don't win arguments with long drawn out explanations. Arguments are won with zingers:

"So you don't think there will ever be another LA riot or Hurricane Katrina?!?! Let me guess, nothing bad ever happens in your world. I bet you don't even keep a fire extinguisher at your house either! Glad I'm not your insurance agent!!!"

Friday, November 27, 2015

Pardon The Interruption

Most people do not listen well, and this is no surprise to anyone over age 18. Sometimes, of particular annoyance, is a person not only not listening, but interjecting prior to the completion of the statement. However, it can be humorous when someone interjects so soon they miss the point altogether. 

Generally speaking, someone who prematurely interrupts conversations like this to interject will be a liberal, Calvinist, feminist, someone arguing based on emotion, or someone who does not take a stand based on logic. Here are some situations that the author was either a part of, or privy to, or that were submitted by readers:

[The rest of the statement will be put in brackets]

Sales Success
Situation - a trainee and an assistant manager were discussing sales statistics. Goal for promotion was a sales rate of 30%. Obviously, with any statistic, we are dealing with averages. Keep that in mind.

Trainee:  So far, my averages [have been over 40%, and it only takes 30% to get promoted.]...
***Interruption***

Ass. Mgr.: You don't want to be just average! 

*****     *****     *****     *****

Eye Doctor
Situation - at the eye doctor, a patient is discussing his medical history as is pertinent to vision. The patient advises he has diabetes, and the doctor asks how that is being controlled / managed. Evidently, the optometrist felt he was a cardiologist as well.

Patient: I went low carb / Paleo, and eat mostly meats and greens ... [and have lost over 100 pounds, cut cholesterol levels in half, have gone off all meds, and have completely controlled blood-glucose levels]
***Interruption***

Doctor: You realize that diabetes carries with it a risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, and these risks are the most prevalent early indicators of heart attack.

*****     *****     *****     *****

Marketing Rep
Situation - two people, recently introduced, discuss their careers. She asks him what he does for a living.

Marketing Rep: I'm a marketing rep for an industrial soap company. It's kind of like a pharmaceutical rep... [only instead of drugs and doctors, I deal with industrial cleaning facilities and soaps]
***Interruption***

Airhead: Oh, pharmaceutical reps make really good money. I have a nephew that works for one...

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Breaching And Clearing



Recently, I had the privilege of attending a class on breaching and clearing. The instructors for the day included a current US Army infantryman, and two retired US Army soldiers. Attendees included young men and women and several of us in our 40's. About 20 students overall. The course was designed for civilians in  SHTF scenario.

Abstract
Breaching and clearing in a SHTF scenario might be necessary for any of a number of reasons. Reasons may include assault on an enemy stronghold, searching for supplies, or simply reclaiming one's own property that has been taken away. These lessons center around a core 4-man fire team, but can easily translate to 3-man teams and 5-man teams. Only minor modifications are needed for squads (2 fire teams - usually 8-12 men) or platoons (2-4 squads).

Syllabus
First order was to take a look at the basics via Power Point Demonstration.
Second up was a safety briefing, as we were about to go to the live range.
Next part was breaching and clearing in 4-man fire teams. We used actual rifles of our choice that had been cleared (no live ammo, and you'll see why in a moment).
Last was a 1-5 drill.

Tactics
For a four man team. If the door is locked, the point man calls for the 4th man to come up and breach the door (via kick, crowbar, shotgun, etc.). Once the door is breached, the building is entered swiftly. The point man goes left or right, depending on what he sees. Second man goes opposite the point man. Third man goes center. Fourth man runs security - covering the rear of the team.

The remaining three men bunch up, and proceed to take additional rooms in the same fashion.

At all times, your task is to either shoot, move, or communicate.

Exiting the building can be just as hazardous to your health as entering.

There are special tactics for specific problems encountered by problematic layouts. One such example might be when a fire team is going down a hall and there are two doors - one left and one right - at the same spot. Another such problem is if a hall dead-ends into a perpendicular hallway. All angles must be covered and cleared.

The US Army infantry book has a lot of information. As does the US Army Ranger book.

Observations
I ran breaching and clearing drills and 1-5 drills with three of my rifles - SPR, M16A4, and an M4. On my SPR, I alternated between an Aimpoint and an ACOG (with piggyback red dot), and I found most drills to be virtually identical. The 1-5 saw a marked advantage with the Aimpoint.

Having a "musket" (M16A4 clone) limited maneuverability slightly, but not as much as some would have you believe. Oh, and the retired Army guys really got a kick out of seeing a man successfully breaching and clearing with a rifle. When they found out I own an M1, they asked if I'd do a breaching and clearing round with the M1... sadly, I'd left it at home.

Fitness is crucial. I never got winded nor tired. In fact, in a group debriefing, it was a shock to some of my fellow 40-plus folk that I was in their age bracket.

Marksmanship is crucial. It didn't take long (end of the first string of 5 rounds) for the instructors to realize that my marksmanship was tops among the students present. Of course, they were eager to see if I had any speed for the 1-5 drills... and they were not disappointed.

"Driving" your rifle (or carbine) is crucial when changing targets, and when clearing.

I loaned out my rifle and my carbine to other shooters for clearing and shooting drills. The younger shooters really liked the M4 carbine I brought and the Eotech sight on it. The older guys really liked the M16A4 clone. Several asked me about how to build one.

Our host was a remarkable host. Attentive, and a quality instructor. He went out of his way to make sure everyone felt welcome. No names here, but I'd worked with him before, and he is as quality a guy as you're likely to come across.

Watch for windows.

Gear & Weapons
I think I may buy a Primary Arms red dot and put on the M16A4 clone. That, plus the Primary Arms PAC3X scope would make an ideal combo.

My SPR was as fast as any carbine, weighs similar to a carbine, had the least recoil on the range, and still retains most of the velocity of a 20" rifle. This shall be my go-to SHTF gun. Of course, I already knew that... I'd built the gun specifically around that type of mission.

My drop-leg holster for my sidearm drops a but more than I prefer. This shall be remedied.

Aimpoint for total speed, but my ACOG with piggyback red dot is just fine for what I'll likely be doing if SHTF.

Some folks had iron sights fall off, front BUIS fall off, optics fall off, and one gentleman even had his takedown pin fall completely out (whoever assembled it had not put in the retaining pin and spring). My weapons had zero issues, and that was as expected.

Personal Training Notes
How to adapt what I've learned into my skillset, and what I've done in the past that helped in this class.

1. Continue with walking, sprints, pushups, dips, pullups, squats.
2. Speed drills changing targets are good.
3. Marksmanship is essential.
4. Learning mindset is essential.
5. My personal load out is pretty good overall.

Other Thoughts
We did the 1-5 drill, and it's a good drill. At this time, I would prefer the Army 2-2-2 drill. It will get more shots on multiple targets in a faster time... and still allows for followup if an enemy combatant is not out of the fight after 2 shots. If I have a reader who has seen actual combat (I haven't) who would disagree, post a comment or email me. Don't just say 2-2-2 doesn't work - give me a drill that works better instead.

It is important to be honest with oneself. I labor under no false pretenses of my role in  a particular fire team in SHTF. If anyone in certain of my circles makes it past day 1 of SHTF, then my most likely role in a fire team  (in order) is SDM, medic, rifleman.

As long as automatic weapons are forbidden for civilians, then I think a civilian fire team should base all movement around the SDM... and that's not just because I can personally fill that role. It's because reconnaissance and accurate fire will become much more important since civilians cannot call in air support. Again, if there's anyone who has actual combat experience who can give me an alternative, then I'm open to hearing it and changing my mind.

Get out there and train. It's one thing to occasionally be able to hit the middle of a target. It's another thing altogether to be able to rapidly and proactively engage multiple threats.



Posted via Blogaway

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Holm Vs. Tate?

Lately, there's been some lobbying by the Miesha Tate camp, stating that Tate would like to be the next match for UFC Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm. 

I would like to see that match, for several reasons -
- Rousey needs some time to recover. Add to that a proper training camp, and a Holm - Rousey rematch should be no less than 8 months from their fight.
- Holm would do well to get another fight under her belt between now and then.
- Tate was declared the #1 contender after her last win. To his credit, Dana White went back on his word and put together a more interesting fight (Holm - Rousey).

Also, now that the UFC judges have seen that a counter-puncher strategy is not only "legitimate," but can also be downright devastating, expect Holm to get a better shake if the fight goes to the judges. In her fight against Pennington, it was a split decision, even though Holm executed the counter-puncher strategy to perfection.  The problem is that MMA is still relatively new, as are the judges. Many had never given thought to that sort of style of fighting prior to Holm's win over Rousey.

In short - I'm all for a Holm - Tate title match. It would be fun. I would predict a 3rd round TKO by Holm to retain the championship.


Is Socialism Bad?

One or two liberal, militant feminist (redundant term is redundant) "friends" on Facebook can provide hours of entertainment and oodles of blog fodder.

Take this statement:
People, the government paves our roads, takes care of forests, funds our military, funds our elections, funds our educations via elementary-high schools, gave away lands (ever heard of the homestead act?), the federal government laid millions of miles of phone lines!, the feds build our damns [editorial note - "dams"] which create hydoelectric power, funds our elderly, funds our FDA the EPA (public health!), funds our canals and airports, we let places like walmart pay their employees crap so we fund their food stamps while their owners make billions, we fund basically EVERYTHING....yet the one thing that EVERYONE really needs is to have HEALTHCARE!!! And we don't fund that?! #headfrickingdesk #singlepayer #notallsocialismisbad!

And prior to 1900, the private sector did virtually all of these things, save the Homestead Act. While most people certainly need authority (this "person" especially), the government's job should be limited to doing things the private sector cannot or ought not.

And yes, all socialism is bad.
#socialismkills

Monday, November 23, 2015

King For A Day

Complaining about a situation without offering a solution is called whining. Here's a solution or two.

When this country was founded, it was organized as a representative republic. As time passed and things changed, mostly within the last 100 years, the US has morphed into a democracy. A quick study of history will reveal that a democracy soon becomes a socialist / communist / Marxist state. Another quick study of history will demonstrate that no socialist / communist / Marxist country has ever survived long term.

All socialism / communism / Marxism is bad.

Or, for those who require hashtags...
#allsocialismisbad

Idea
Restrict the right to vote to only those individuals age 21 and over, who actually pay federal income taxes.

This idea is based on the premise that we keep the current income tax structure in the US.

Caveats
For those who want a fair tax, then restrict voting rights only to those whose sum of taxes paid is in the top 50th percentile.

Income tax or fair tax, a person who has not met the requirement for at least 2 out of the last 3 years and 3 out of the last 5 years cannot vote.

Require military service as a condition to earn the right to vote. In addition to meeting the tax requirements.

Felons shall be disallowed to vote. However, a felon who has ten full and consecutive calendar years of tax requirements and clean record shall earn back all rights, including the right to vote.

Elected officials would be required to be eligible voters. If, in any calendar year, an elected official lost the right to vote - via felony or failure to pay enough taxes - would immediately lose whatever elected position he or she held.

If any individual wants voting rights, but does not qualify on the basis of taxes paid, then he / she has the option of paying enough extra taxes such that his / her amount paid puts them in the top 50th percentile. Of course, if the person does not meet the 2 out of the past 3 years and / or the 3 out of the past 5 years rule, then enough taxes must be paid to make up the back amounts.

Problems This Would Fix
Some people, this author included, feel women should not be allowed to vote, as they are terrible at decision making. these changes would prevent a majority of women from voting.

Voter ID would have to be built in and required, as the right to vote would have to be proactively earned.

Clearly, government leeches would not be able to vote.

Only productive young people would be able to vote.

Only productive seniors would be able to vote.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Mostly True = All Lies

Some time back, this was a Facebook conversation I shared with someone:

Me: I do not hit "like" or share memes or quotes by known Calvinists, regardless of the veracity of the quote.

Gamma Wanna-Be Pastor: Sadly, you do so to your own detriment because a teachable person will learn even from those with whom they disagree. I can honestly say I have been inspired to love Jesus more and been taught great truths of the Christian faith by men who fall into both camps. Learn to listen with discernment yes.... but still listen.

Please note the following tactics in the reply - 1. Changing the subject, 2. Denial, 3. Arguing from the exception. Three argument tactics from the emotional and illogical, and frequently used by women.

Me: Ahhhh, but where did I say I didn't listen?
In fact, you'll notice my statement says "regardless of veracity" - specifically because Calvinists do sometimes speak the truth.
But then, Satan speaks the truth about as often as a Calvinist.

Not surprisingly, GWBP did not reply.


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Perspective Is Reality

Quote from a young liberal feminist on Facebook:

Listening to 90s music with [female friend]:
[Her]: Men were so whiny in the 90s, and women were so hardcore!
Me: That's always, not just the 90s!
#feministforlife  #butreally

Sad reality is that if you only listen to the lamestream crap, you'll only hear their narrative.

Sad reality 2 - though her looks are ok (6 or so), her feminist mindset reduces her SMV. One boyfriend who dumped her in high school, and only two dates in college - the second of which turned into her current (gamma - not surprisingly) boyfriend. 

Suggestion -
Dump the feminist mindset immediately. Embrace the feminine side of your personality. Do this before you hit the wall (you have 5 years, tops).


Liberal Rebellion

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about the "controversy" over the Syrian (and some other) refugees. Of course, there is a well known and documented link between these Islamic refugees and Islamic extremists who have carried out great crimes against society (Paris, anyone?). The extremists infiltrate the hordes of legitimate refugees and enter into a court where their next target is.

Yet so many feminists and liberals are screaming out, demanding we continue to accept the refugees. They claim it is about humanitarian goals.

But...

And this is a big but...

These same liberals and feminists are simultaneously lashing out at Republicans, Christians, and Patriots. The charges of not being "Christlike" in the opinion of an atheist feminist is irrelevant to me.

These libtards also try to draw correlation with the lack of acceptance of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany... which has been debunked for multiple major reasons.

There was even one insaw, who had been bombarded by Christians asking if she would be willing to house refugees herself, who actually said that yes, she would house refugees! Of course, we all know this is a bluff. But people this unintelligent and uneducated  (this one in particular has an opinion on everything, including why she couldn't finish her college degree) only bluff when they are frightened.

In reality, these libtards are desperate. They are frightened. Not desperate to take in refugees. Not frightened of the harm that the Islamic extremists will cause - so long as that harm is to others. No, these libtards are desperate to find a way to fight the imagined patriarchy, and frightened that the realists of this world - conservatives, Christians, and patriots - will unite in a show of force. 

These libtards know that there are enough Christians, conservatives, and patriots with guns and training to make a difference in the country. And if a difference is made here, then it will spread worldwide. America would be great again in the eyes of the world.

At the end of the day, these libtards really don't even have any true emotion in this "controversy" except rebellion. They seek so strongly to rebel against the imagined patriarchy, that they will criticize and condemn anything associated with it.

Just because.

Just because they are so mentally ill, that they must say "no!" in a whiny toddler voice when reality dictates "yes."


Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Who Goes to the Doctor?

A recent trip to the doctor's office with the wife yielded some useful information regarding an insight. It was to be witnessed that there were 10 women in the waiting area at one time or another and not a single man who was there for his own appointment. Some of the women were visibly ill and some weren't.

This corroborated thoughts that had been swirling around in my head for days. It's a connection between facts... an explanation of "why."

Liberalism.
Feminism.
But, I repeat myself. The two are so closely intertwined it's not even funny. Why do so many women turn to these mindsets? There are many contributing factors, so I'll touch on each. But look for the main ones, down the page a bit further.

Diet
Our modern grain - based diet promotes physical and mental disorders. If we start with the acknowledgement that liberalism is a mental disorder, then it explains a lot.

Drugs
People eat things that weren't meant to be people food, then need drugs to combat the side effects. Not surprising when you view it that way. This is definitely a contributing factor to feminist and liberal minded folks. In fact, when was the last time you met a feminist or female liberal that wasn't heavily  medicated? It's ok, I'll wait... after I finish the rest of this article.

College
Know any conservative professors? Oh, that one? Women are biologically designed to be highly impressionable (very much needed when you have to follow the caveman tribe to survive). Surround their impressionable young minds with liberalism and feminist thought and what do you expect to get?

Solipsism
Combine the above with a court system that favors females and an outdated (by true feminist standards) societal norm of always favoring the female and of course the young woman will feel (and therefore think) she is the center of the universe.

Lack of bearing responsibility
In a world where society refuses to acknowledge facts as facts, to add to the mindset that women "can't be evil" is to doom the masses. Female convicts face milder sentences than men. Female divorcees rarely face alimony or child support. And the list goes on. Yet men are told to "man up." Yet, you never hear a woman told to "woman up."

When you will not face the consequences of a mindset that goes against the grain of society, you have the privilege of accepting mindsets that do not work.

Summation
Can you imagine a caveman clan that convinced themselves that bears weren't really going to eat them? This clan would not have lasted long at all.

In short, our ancestors didn't have the luxury to adopt counterintuitive philosophies. If they did, they would have paid the price with their lives and couldnt, therefore, pass the stupidity on to offspring.

Liberalism and feminism are luxuries - no different than my son's nerf gun. The only purpose they serve is temporary amusement of the holder. However, none of them serve a purpose larger than that in society. 

And just as you would regard a boy as a silly child should he point a nerf gun at you and demand money; so too should you regard feminists and liberals of either gender.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Worth Watching

Unless you've been living in a cave, you've probably heard the song Watch Me. Among the lyrics -

Watch me whip.
Now watch me nae nae.

True to the name of the song, the words "watch me" appear in the song 77 times, according to A-Z Lyrics.

And that's a big problem in our society today. Had I incessantly said "watch me" more than about twice growing up, I'd have had a belt upside my head. Children were expected to entertain themselves - not require adults to entertain them.

The other side of the coin that is problematic is the fact that for all this watching, there's not a bit of it that's worthwhile. When I was a child, if you wanted someone to watch you, then it was up to you to be worth watching.

That meant, acquiring a skill. And that's something sorely lacking these days in general.

Monday, November 16, 2015

How Not To Get Rousey'd

Tonight in my jiu-jitsu class, I taught the students "how not to get Rousey'd." The idea is from the point of view that as grapplers, we cannot make the same mistakes Ronda Rousey did this past weekend against Holly Holm.

Rousey made plenty of mistakes - several of which are covered here. To be fair, I did not read the article until after my class. In that article, two beautiful and honest points mentioned are:
1. The storm of uneducated opinion in the wake of the fight has been deafening and everyone wants to pretend that they always knew how to beat Rousey, they just didn't know if Holm was the 'level of athlete' to pull it off. When someone starts talking about 'A-level athletes' and ranking fighters by 'athleticism', you should immediately disregard their opinion on anything related to fighting.

2. The second moronic opinion that you will encounter is that Rousey lost because she chose to engage Holly Holm in a striking match. This fits nicely into the storyline of Rousey falling in love with her hands, being put on the cover of Ring magazine to sell copies, and so on. But it isn't true.

We had one white belt bring up the second point in class. That person will be excused due to lack of training time. Meanwhile,what I taught my students was threefold:

3. Cover your opponent's hands to clinch. Do not try to punch your way in to a clinch on a world class boxer.

2. Cut off the ring.
This is mentioned extensively in the article.

1. Shoot for the legs.
Ronda stayed with a plan of attacking for an upper body clinch, and it wasn't working. Holm had just enough defense to make it work. It was time for a double-leg attempt.


More Control

A Bill has been introduced  that would make civilian ownership of body armor illegal.

Why would the government want to take away your right to wear body armor, unless they want to shoot you?

Also - cited were cases of fatalities. Since when has body armor killed anyone?


Sunday, November 15, 2015

Fight Thoughts

Just got back from watching the fight with a few friends. Needless to say, the martial arts world is abuzz. Ronda Rousey was knocked out by Holly Holm early in the second round. 

It was no fluke, Rousey clearly lost Round 1. Holm executed her plan perfectly. Rousey got frustrated, exhausted, and sloppy. Holm got precise, and more precise, and more precise. Holm weathered several good grappling attacks - avoiding at least two throws and the dreaded arm bar. At one point, Holm even counter-threw Rousey.

In speaking with friends and on social media over the past few weeks, I had indicated that Holm had the correct style to defeat Rousey. For me, the surprising part was that Rousey wasn't better prepared for Holm's style. Among Rousey's trainers are Rener and Ryron Gracie... who also train Lyoto Machida. Holm's stick and move style is extremely similar to Machida's.

So, with that all said, here are a few observations -

Strikers are well advised to keep distance and work angles. Movement is key. Precision is essential. Do not try to knock out your opponent with every blow... try to land a solid blow. All it takes is that one solid "decisive" blow to open up your knockout punch or kick.

Strikers and grapplers who rely on an aggressive style would do well to learn how to cut off the ring. Rousey totally failed to cut off the ring in her advances. It cost her energy and damage. Those things add up.

Grappling is essential for a fight.
Striking is essential for a fight.
Learn both.

Holm evaded one of Rousey's arm bar attempts from a face-down (turtle) position. This is a staple in Rousey's tool box, and because so few others use it, this technique has been very difficult to defend. However, the defense Holm used was shown on a video I own put out by Travis Stevens and Jimmy Pedro. At one point in the past, Pedro was Rousey's judo coach. There are rumors the two parted company on less than peachy terms, though I cannot verify this as I do not know either party personally. It does make me wonder if Pedro put this information out there on purpose.

Holm appeared to evade Rousey's specific judo clinches. Not wrestling clinch defense (as others have tried), and not typical judo clinch defenses (again, which others have tried). Holm had an answer for Rousey's specific attacks. Finally, someone watched some film and adapted.

Holm appeared to be Rousey's first opponent who actually trained a comparable amount as Rousey herself. Up to this point, most of Rousey's opponents have been part-time fighters. Holm is a professional boxer and kickboxer, so it's good to see the women training in earnest.

Hopefully this will put an end to all the silly talk that Rousey could defeat a trained male fighter.

Sloppy sometimes works. Crisp and clean always works. Sharpen your technique. Then sharpen it some more. And when sharp fails, try sharp again.

When you let your style get sloppy, you lose.

There will be a rematch, and I will definitely watch it.

Congrats to Holly Holm. She's a great fighter and a true martial artist.



Posted via Blogaway


Friday, November 13, 2015

Leadership Needed

I was wrong. I have been wrong in my thoughts and suggestions for the direction of this country. Since realizing my Libertarian leanings a few years ago, I've pushed that agenda religiously. And while there's nothing wrong with that, per se; it is not a feasible mindset for success for 98% of the public.

That said, I am not abandoning my mostly Libertarian leanings. I might alter some of them slightly. Some will still be preached. Some will remain unchanged.

So why was I wrong? Simple fact is that most people require structure and heirarchy to simply function. This 98% of the public is too stupid to do the right thing on their own... or anything on their own. This 98% of the public is too dependent on heirarchy to ever be able to survive if it was taken away.

Women naturally require leadership. They yearn for it. Sure, there might be like 3 or 4 on the planet that would be okay by themselves, but you aren't one of them, and you certainly don't know one.

Men naturally form pecking orders. The only archetypes that function happily outside of hierarchies are omegas and sigmas. Alphas have to lead. Betas have to lead some and follow others. Deltas have to be led. Gammas have to pretend they lead. Lambdas have to figure out who is top and who is bottom.

So, to simplify, someone has to tell people what to do, or the people get lost. To be sure, Democracy is the worst... rarely does anything good come from consensus (because people need leadership). A Republic give voice to the people, along with maintaining the heirarchy they require. And some things do need to be legislated... while others do not. The catch, as it is in much of life, is the wisdom to know what should be regulated and what government doesn't need to touch.


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Fall Of Facebook

Facebook is in decline. More and more people with whom I communicate (personally, not online) are deleting their accounts or spending far less time on Facebook. Coincidentally, after I had penned this article and set it to post,  Return of Kings had a brilliant article on how Facebook emasculates men and should be avoided.

From my observations, Facebook has degenerated into the following:

Post something happy.
People secretly accuse the poster of artificial positivity, and suggest (behind the poster's back, of course) that the poster's life is in shambles the same as theirs.

Post something negative.
People point out (usually very accurately so) that the poster is attention-whoring.

Post something political.
And then the fight begins.

Post something pro-women.
This would be good, except these posts are rarely accurate.

Post something pro-men.
Usually doesn't happen.

Post pictures of your life.
This is almost the only redeeming value of the site any more.

Use Facebook to set up events and communicate with folks.
The only other acceptable use of Facebook these days.

Observe and collect information.
Hey, you know the government is doing it. You might as well join in - just might learn something. Knowledge is power, after all.



And those final three are the reasons I shall not delete my account, yet. That and my dojo page.


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Gun Registry

USA Today reports that millions of gun purchase forms (Form 4473) and other forms are "languishing" in storage at the BATFE. These forms contain all the information needed to to form a database of known gun owners. This would be a defacto registry.


But the government would never do anything illegal...


But the government would never lie to you...

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Who Is The Bigger Whore?

This meme presents a tidy conundrum.

Clearly, Mr. Hedges, along with anybody who shares this meme on social media, believes in government run health care.

Clearly, Mr. Hedges and those believing this line fear the effect of corporation involvement in health care.

Clearly, neither Mr. Hedges nor his "followers" realize that the Federal Government is the single largest corporation in the US.




If having corporations involved in health care scares you, then having the Federal Government involved in health care should scare the hell out of you.


Monday, November 9, 2015

RIP, Old Friend

The United States Marine Corps has officially adopted the M4 carbine to replace the M16A4 as the standard issue weapon.  Link to article. 

I've heard both sides of the coin, and understand and agree with arguments from both camps. I like the M16A4 and I like the M4. Hope the Marines get glass and free float rails for their M4s. I also hope they continue with the Designated Marksman in fire teams and squads.


Friday, November 6, 2015

Just Like The Others

Some people give me grief for being so hard on certain Republicans, especially when I draw likeness to their voting record when compared to liberal Democrats. The other day, I was presented with a conversational opportunity I rarely get - someone who didn't know my personal politics, and he was opening up to me about his politics.

First off, he plans to vote for Hillary Clinton for president. This is important to know. He described himself as a life long Democrat.

He likes Bernie Sanders, just doesn't think he can win, and doesn't think he can actually get anything done once in office. My contact didn't say this, but I interpreted his comments to mean Sanders is too much of a BETA (binary - CH model) to get anything done.

My contact likes Tennessee governor, Bill Haslam. Says Haslam is not as "hard right" (read: conservative) as most others in Tennessee.

This individual said he has voted every time for Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker - both in primaries as well as the general elections. Yes, anecdotal, but evidence of what I've always claimed.

This man claims Harold Ford, Jr. Is the smartest politician from Tennessee ever.

As far as Republican presidential candidates? This gets interesting.
He Likes -
Bush
Huckabee
Christie
Kasich
Rubio (?)

He really dislikes -
Trump
Carson
Rand Paul
Ted Cruz (most of all)

Just thought you would appreciate an inside the mind of a liberal... if they actually have minds, that is.


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Words of Wisdom

Your father probably told you a few things, but just in case he wasn’t around enough, here are some words of wisdom you might have missed out on:

Buy high quality tools, so you only have to buy them once.
Keep a change of clothes at the office.
Never hit anyone unless they are an immediate threat.
Every hat should serve a purpose.
Never take her to the movies on the first date.
Learn to wet shave.
Nothing looks more badass than a well-tailored suit.
Shave with the grain on the first go-around.
Always look a person in the eye when you talk to them.
Buy a plunger before you need a plunger.
Exercise makes you happy. Run, lift, and play sports.
Brush your teeth before you put on your tie.
A small amount of your paycheck should go directly to your savings account every month.
Call Mom and Dad every week.
Never wear a clip-on tie.
Give a firm handshake.
Compliment her shoes.
Never leave a pint unfinished.
If you aren’t confident, fake it. It will come around.
You can tell the size of a man by the size of things that bother him.
Be conscious of your body language.
The only reason to ever point a gun at someone is if you intend to shoot them. Period.
Always stand to shake someone’s hand.
Never lend anything you can’t afford to lose.
Ask more than you answer. Everybody likes to talk about themselves.
Never have sex with anyone that doesn’t want it as much as you.
Go for women out of your league. You may end up surprised.
Manliness is not only being able to take care of yourself, but others as well.
Go with the decision that will make for a good story.
When you walk, look straight ahead, not at your feet.
Nice guys don’t finish last, boring guys do.
Find your passion and figure out how to get paid for it.
Don’t let the little head do the thinking for the big head.
No matter their job or status, everyone deserves your respect.
The most important thing you can learn is personal responsibility. Bad things happen; it’s your job to overcome them.
The first one to get angry loses.
A man does what needs to be done without complaining.
Never stop learning.
Always go out into public dressed like you’re about to meet the love of your life.
Don’t change yourself just to make someone happy.
If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.
Luck favors the prepared.
Women find confidence sexy as hell.
Do whatever you want to do, but be the best at it.
No one is on their deathbed wishing they spent more time at work.


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Passive Aggressive Memes

I do not like passive-aggressiveness in people. That said, these passive-aggressive Memes seen on Facebook were funny. It's better than wishing actual harm, I suppose.


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Definitions Mainly

The photo caption states -

Imagine, if you will, a world where
police are the enemy, IRS is used to silence opposition, patriots are called terrorists, terrorism is called "workplace violence," and the leading Democrat candidates are a Socialist and an old ex First Lady under FBI investigation.

And so, this one needs explanation. The caption starts with the statement that police are viewed as the enemy, which naturally infers that this is the most important statement. It is the most important, and here's why:

The IRS is used to silence opposition.
This threat would be useless unless there is threat of force backing it up... and there is! Where would the force come from? Oh, yeah... the police.

So, it's not just that the IRS would enforce corrupt policy, it's that the police would be used in that enforcement. And the thought that such enforcement originate with a group who faces virtually no consequences for wrong or illegal activity? Scary thought.

Patriots are called terrorists
Again, what would this matter unless there was unjust force waiting to be dispensed. And whom would dispense such force?
The police.

Terrorism is called "workplace violence"
This is not a direct problem, except that the US is often outfitting police with the same weaponry as the military. There's an old saying appropriate here about all life's problems appear to be nails when the only tool one has is a hammer.

The leading Democrat candidates are a Socialist and an old ex First Lady under FBI investigation.

Part 1 - the Socialist. This is problematic because Socialism is, by definition, the government "legalized" theft of that which belongs to one and redistribution to another. Who exactly will be carrying out the theft (by force)? If you think it's Bernie Sanders, I have oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you. Nope, the forceful theft would be enacted by the police.

Part 2 - ex First Lady under FBI investigation. This is problematic on two fronts. A) we all know the police will never arrest her. She is as above the law as they (the police). B) When she is not arrested, and if she attains office, she will be in charge of the police


Let that sink in.

All the way in.

Then tell me why the police shouldn't be viewed as a threat?


Monday, November 2, 2015

He Got Game

Recently, I witnessed a friend demonstrate major league game when handling a gamma Twitter attack.

Heartiste provides three major types of  responses to shit-tests. Remember, by definition, a gamma is a man who acts like a bitchy woman. Therefore, expect bitchy shit-tests. But let's see how these shit-tests were handled. In the interest of preserving the interaction as well as helping others better themselves, here is analysis of this  Wolf Alpha's responses...
(Remember, this exchange delivered via Twitter)

Wolf Alpha - (starter tweet, not aimed at anybody) - GOP campaigns meet to try to fix debates, after complaints of liberal bias, gotcha questions - Fox News (link redacted - irrelevant).

Gamma Troll - So they're trying to "fix" the debates? I would expect no less from the party that cant answer a question.

WA - Just trying to have actual adults moderate the next one.
(Ridicule & reframe)

GT - Don't you think someone running for POTUS should be able to answer questions? Like Hillary did for 11 hours 8th bs Benghazi
(Notice the irrelevant correlation - proof of shit-test)

WA - Nah. I just want to expand gun rights, outlaw abortion, and cut marginal tax rates.
(Ridicule and reframe)

GT - Guns guns guns
Abortionabortion
Taxcutsrichtaxcutsrich
Gopmorons
Go walk through a housing project at night
Open your eyes
(Pathetic attempt at reframe)

WA - Black Lives Matter!
(Agree & amplify)

GT - You think only blacks live in the projects?
What a great and knowledgeable Christian you are!

WA - Actually, I'm a Libertarian.
(Reframe)

GT - Your tweets say racist

WA - But I've lived in the hood. I love the hood. #mypeople
(Ridicule & reframe)

GT - And I'm an independent (trying to qualify himself)
But not a racist or a bigot
Probably more Christian than others
But who knows
#valuesmatter

WA - Then you and I seem to have a great deal in common.
(Ignore & dismiss)


Rarely do you see evidence of all three in the wild... read and learn, my apprentices.