Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Walk Across the Road, Already!

The Rifleman went on vacation last week.  Myrtle Beach, SC was the destination.  It was a good week, and not only did we have fun, there were several learning opportunities for my children,  as well. 

At one point, we were driving through town towards our restaurant for supper.  Traffic was slowed ahead.  As we waited out the slowdown, it became apparent that the cause of the slowdown was a couple of geese taking their sweet time crossing the road. 

I admonished the children that the geese had best be careful... some drivers would not slow down for them. 

On the way out of town Saturday morning, we saw two dead geese in the road... one was still kicking a bit.  The children remembered what I had said and they noted that I was right.  Again. 

At that moment, we also discussed people who walk across the road like that.  And we talked about people who try to protest in the road.  A point was made. 


Monday, July 30, 2018

Shut Up & Train

Some facts about training. 

1. Most people will spend more on guns than on training.  This is sad. 

2. A well trained person never says "I don't need training." Only a great fool says that. 

3. A well trained person never says "I don't need more training." Only a great fool says that. 

Shut up and train. 


Friday, July 27, 2018

9 Sayings

 9 Navy SEAL Sayings That Will Improve Engagement And Accountability In Your Organization 

This article was definitely worth linking. Below are the 9 sayings:

1. The only easy day was yesterday. 
2. It pays to be a winner. 
3. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. 
4. I persevere and thrive in adversity. 
5. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my team and accomplish the mission.
6. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. 
7. We demand discipline. We expect innovation. 
8. Embrace the pain. 
9. I am never out of the fight.


Thursday, July 26, 2018

Debt Free Virgins

A reader asked where I found the above meme. It was first used on this blog  for this article; however, it originates elsewhere.  And that's the best part of it.  The original blog post where the meme came from is actually a fantastic post. 

In fact, it was so good, that the FB page of the blog has over 20k followers, and that post on FB generated thousands of likes and comments.  Naturally,  a number of the comments were hateful. Any time you tell the truth, someone hates it (usually the person for whom it is most true!).

So here is the article, "Men Prefer Debt Free Virgins Without Tattoos" by the blog, The Transformed Wife:

Do you know how much more attractive debt-free virgins (without tattoos) are to young men? Unfortunately, there are so few of these types of young women anymore because of the high costs of college (debt) and sexual promiscuity even within those in the church. As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to live in a way that is pleasing to Him because His ways are the best. He calls debt a burden and urges us to live lives of sexual purity.

There are many more reasons why Christian young women should carefully consider whether or not they go to college, especially if they want to be wives and mothers someday. Secular universities teach against the God of the Bible and His ways. It’s far from what God calls women to be and do: it teaches them to be independent, loud, and immodest instead of having meek and quiet spirits.

One woman wrote me some more reasons that she thought of why women shouldn’t go to college. (I have added my thoughts in parenthesis.):
“Men don’t want to marry a women with debt. Most of this debt comes from college. They would also prefer a woman who still lives at her parent’s house that has not had other relationships. Do those two things and you will be highly sought after.” (I’m not sure about men only preferring women who still live at their parent’s house and have had no other relationships since some young women have no choice but to live away from their families and some have had their hearts broken by men they thought was ‘the one.’ I would agree that most men don’t want to marry a woman with a load of debt! That isn’t right to bring into a marriage.)
“If they go to college, they are unlikely to stay home raising their children to pay off the debt and use the degree they spent years on.” (I have seen this in many young women’s lives, sadly.)

“The husband will need to take years teaching his wife the correct way to act, think, and live since college taught them every possible way that is wrong.” (Sadly, most young Christian women wouldn’t listen to their husbands since they’ve not been taught to live in submission to their husbands. However, it’s the older women who are called to teach the younger women biblical womanhood and most husbands have never seen it modeled in their lives so they wouldn’t know what to teach.)

“They will start having babies later in life. That is if they can still conceive naturally.” (Is college worth having less children? I will never understand how women prefer careers over having precious babies.)

“They lost a handful of years of experience learning to cook large meals and learning how to work in the garden. College kids don’t cook. If they do, it’s typically for themselves.” (Young women learn nothing about biblical womanhood or what it takes to run a home when they go to college. They don’t learn to serve others either. They learn the ways of the world instead.)

“The list goes on. Churches don’t talk about it. They support the college kids (really adults) and the ‘working’ mothers.” (It greatly offends working mothers to teach women to be keepers at home.)

“It’s very rare to find an 18 year old woman that continues to work and live at her parent’s house until she meets her husband. It’s pretty much a joke to all who do that.” (It’s actually protection for young women to live under their father’s roof until they get married, if they are able, and there’s nothing wrong with doing this if they want this protection.)

“Your posts sound crazy to anyone who does not believe the Bible is true. Most girls have not read the Bible with their father (Ephesians 6:4) or husband to explain it to them (1 Corinthians 14:35). That part is important. Instead of learning it from their parents, they seek out books or movies on how to interpret the Bible which leads them down the wrong path.”

Young women, be wise in the path that you choose to walk on. Keep a long-term vision of your life and how you hope it will be someday instead of acting upon all of the “what ifs…?” that many will throw at you. Trust God with your life, study the Word, and take the narrow path that leads to life. Stay virgins until marriage, out of debt, and don’t get tattoos!

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
1 Peter 3:4


Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Make WWE Great Again

Recently, The Rifleman watched the WWE event, Extreme Rules. It was an entertaining show, but most of them are. However, it was not a great show, and most of them are not great.

The Rifleman was speaking about this very topic to a friend, and he made a few good points. Collectively, we came up with some suggestions we think would improve the product that is the flagship of professional wrestling.

1. Reduce the number of PPV events.
Currently, there are 12 or so events held per year. This is too many. There is no time to build up a good fued. Reduce this to five events per year -
The Royal Rumble, mid to late January.
WrestleMania, early April.
Money in the bank, mid June.
SummerSlam, late August.
Survivor Series, weekend before Thanksgiving.

2. Push the wrestlers that the fans want.
In the recent decade or so, the WWE has been notorious for pushing specific wrestlers, contrary to fans' wishes. One would think it would be simple to offer what the fans want.

3. Make it so that there are good guys and bad guys again.
These days, so many wrestlers are so many shades of grey. There are no true good guys. There are no true bad guys. And yes, this means there will have to be jobbers again. This also means you will have to give up the clownish gimmicks.

These are the Rifleman's suggestions. What say you?


Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Working Together

The Rifleman pride himself on being a classically masculine man. Of course, #Libtards , feminists, and other idiots frequently refer to this as "toxic masculinity." But how toxic can it truly be, if the feminists want that very thing?

As an example, the following data points exist from a feminist who is friends with the Rifleman's younger sister. This individual is in her late 30s, has two children (from different men, of course), and an ongoing series of failed relationships.  Naturally, she unfriended the Rifleman on Facebook a few years ago, due to a different of opinion on child support. Here are some statement she is made about the rifleman, as well as some interactions over the years:

"So immature!!!"
This was said when she was in her early teens, and the Rifleman was in college.

"Your brother has really calmed down!"
This statement was made just a few years after the above statement. The Rifleman had married the same girl he was dating when the above statement was made. The feminist was now in her late teens.

"I wish I could find a guy for me, like your sister-in-law has found for her."
This statement was made about 10 years after the first statement. At this time, the feminist had just broken up with her second baby-daddy. The Rifleman was about on year number seven of what is now a 20 year marriage.

"Your brother is such a misogynist! How does his wife put up with him?"
The statement was made roughly six or seven years ago. At this point, she'd had at least 10 failed LTRs. This is when the unfriending occurred on Facebook due to the child support comments.

<Longing look>
The Rifleman has consistently garnered this look for many years, from many different individuals. The wife unit used to get rather angry at it, but now takes it as a huge sign of respect. She knows she has what they cannot have.

Did you notice the back and forth? Every woman seeks the stability, but not all of them know how to obtain it. Someone that have obtained it, and then start to despise the man who provides it.

Ladies, would you like a hint on how to obtain this stability?

1. Don't be a feminist, and SJW, or an SIW.
Be a helpmeet (Gen. 2:18). This is so important, that God decided to put it towards the front of the Bible.

2. Don't be a combatant, a shit-tester, or a contentious/quarrelsome woman.
(Prov. 19:13, 21:9, 21:19, 25:15, and others)
If The Rifleman wanted a fight all the time, The Rifleman would enter MMA contests. No man wants this as a wife. Instead, be a helpmeet.

3. Don't undermine him. 
Work with him, not against him.  Here's a shocking,  but true statement, ladies: no matter how smart you are and he isn't, he will plan better for the long term than you are even capable of.  Women instinctively destroy that which they have - men instinctively create.  Use that to your advantage.

Here is a good link link to a fantastic article on a similar subject.


Monday, July 23, 2018

Hard Times

Hard Times create strong men.
Strong men create Good Times.
Good Times create weak men.
Weak men create hard times.


The Rifleman has given his review of Cobra Kai. Recently, The Rifleman came across this review. Pretty much everything in the review was correct. And viewing the original Karate Kid, along with the Cobra Kai series, in light of the above statement, yielded this revelation:

Hard Times create strong men.
Daniel experience is hard times in the original movie. With the help of Mr. Miyagi, Daniel is able to force himself into a strong man. This enables him to face his problem.

Strong men create Good Times.
In the space of time between the original movie, and the series, Daniel is able to create good times for himself and his family. Likewise, after the Reagan Era, the US experience plenty of good times.

Good Times create weak men.
The good times mentioned above I've clearly created a society of weak men. This is shown very obviously in the series.

Weak men create hard times.
The weak men mentioned above have clearly created hard times. Hence, the series. Hence, our current "Society."

Never fear, Generation Zyklon is coming into its own. And those hardened men from Generation X, who remember what it used to be like, will be more than ready to assist.

Friday, July 20, 2018

The Heart of the Matter

From this post:

if you were looking to exterminate a people, by that I mean destroy their culture and identity, the first thing you would do is put the women to work.


Thursday, July 19, 2018

The Stall Door Match

A friend posts on Facebook:
"One of my biggest fears in life just happened. I was in a single restroom and the door wasn’t properly locked and someone opened the door. 😭 "

This reminds the Rifleman of a similar instance...
I was in a stall, which would not latch. I realized this might become a possibility, so preparedness was the key. I was minding my own "business," when someone tried to open the stall door. I actually pushed the door back closed. 

Then a pushing match began!!! - each of us pushing on the stall door!!!

This lasted 3-5 seconds until I called out "occupied!" Then he quit pushing the stall door. To this day, I am still trying to figure out why anybody at any time would feel somebody pushing back on the other side of a stall door, and then continue to try to push to get inside. I mean, you already know that there's somebody in there.

Just doesn't make sense.


Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Being Feminine, Not Feminist

Seen on social media, with Red Pill comments:

For the woman whose husband makes an "extra stop" after work every evening.
It's the woman 75% of the time.

For the woman who is mourning the loss of a pregnancy that nobody else knew about.
There are support groups for that.  But really, in today's social media culture, the Rifleman doesn't believe it.

For the woman who still leads from the front even although she’s lost inside.
Well, there's your problem right there.  Women aren't designed to lead.

For the woman who was fired for her fourth late because she has been awake for a straight week with a sick child.
If the child is that sick, why are you even going to work???

For the single mom who doesn't know how the utilities are going to stay on this month.
Quit divorcing your husbands who provide, and this stops being a problem. 

For the woman who has gone through 2 IVF's and has tried for five years without success but still shows up to every baby shower for her friends.
Marry young, don't live the party life, and start having children before age 25 with a husband you will not leave, and this will never be a problem. 

For the woman who still hasn't forgiven herself for the abortion that she had 20 years ago.
Never have an abortion.  It's murder. 

For the woman who has a line of judging eyes at her and her children as she counts out coins or has to put something back at the supermarket.
Nobody cares... really.  It's not all about you. 

For the woman that opens the door to the news of her husband being killed overseas three weeks before he was to return home.

For the woman that lives with a quiet anxiety because nobody understands what you could possibly be stressed about.
Low carb paleo.  Get sunshine & exercise. Be a wife and a mother.  This will not be a problem if you do these three simple things. 

For the woman that gives to her family all day- everyday and just.needs.a.break.
Every woman who says this, actually does not give to her family.  The ones who really do, are extremely satisfied as people. 

For the woman that smiles at strangers all day in public- but weeps silently every night.
Low carb paleo. Sunshine and exercise.  Be a wife and a mother.  But, the Rifleman repeats himself. 

For the woman who has wanted to end it all but found strength to carry on.
Low carb paleo. Sunshine and exercise.  Be a wife and a mother.  But, the Rifleman repeats himself. 

For the woman that heard the rumor about herself at church today.
Attend a Bible preaching church - not a social ladder climbing Sunday assembly.  Volunteer. 

For the woman sleeping next to a stranger every night.
That's strictly your choice.  Promiscuity is not a fulfilling lifestyle. A good woman will not sleep with more than 3 different men in her lifetime.

For the woman whose genetics will never allow her to look like the ones in the magazines.
Low carb paleo. Sunshine and exercise.  Be a wife and a mother.  But, the Rifleman repeats himself. 

For the woman that endures one broken relationship after another because there was no father around to teach her what love looks like.
Marry young, don't live the party life, and start having children before age 25 with a husband you will not leave, and this will never be a problem. 

For the woman raising a fatherless daughter and praying that history doesn't repeat itself.
Marry young, don't live the party life, and start having children before age 25 with a husband you will not leave, and this will never be a problem. 

For the woman who loves with all her heart who’s desperate to be loved.
Marry young, don't live the party life, and start having children before age 25 with a husband you will not leave, and this will never be a problem. 

For every single woman that cries in the shower so that nobody else can see. Because if you aren't strong-nobody is.
Low carb paleo. Sunshine and exercise.  Be a wife and a mother.  But, the Rifleman repeats himself. 

Just because the water washes your tears doesn't mean that you don't cry. Just because you cry doesn’t mean that you’re not strong enough to handle it.

I am you. I see you. I am with you, I cry with you. I love you.


Seriously, the entire passage of problems women face can be boiled down into just a handful of categories:
- Take care of yourself: Eat low carb paleo, get sunshine and exercise, and be a wife and a mother. 
- Live right: marry young, don't live the party life, and start having children young.
- Don't leave your husband.  Divorce really isn't cool.  Be a wife and a mother. 
- Be feminine:
* don't lead - follow the lead of your husband.
* don't worry about what others think - worry about your husband first and your children second.  This is called being a wife and a mother.


Really, the only point above that a woman needs support on, is the one whose husband is killed overseas three weeks before he was to come home.  The rest can be solved by a woman committing herself to femininity, and not feminism. 


Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Red Pill For My Son

The Rifleman, in keeping with red pill philosophy, teaches the Ninja proper philosophy. Among these things, the concept of marriage and divorce. For the purpose of this article, we show use two key blog sources for material.

How to Pick the Right Wife - Bold ad Determined
7 Things I Require In The Future Mother Of My Child - Roosh V

Importance of proper spouse selection
Victor Pride of Bold and Determined lays it out:



Picking the right wife is of utmost importance. Marriage is a life-long commitment and requires a great deal of forethought. Getting married without a plan and without any forethought is a terrible decision.


Getting married is a business decision. Marriage is a contract between two entities. You've got to enter into it with the ruthless mind of a determined businessman for it to work.




Purpose of Marriage
Again, Victor Pride is on the money:


There are only two reasons a man should ever get married:


1) He wants to start a family.


2) His career or political ambitions demand he has a wife (he is interested in going into politics).

Roosh V's requirements:
1. She must be between 18-25 years old
2. She must have less than three prior sexual partners, though I prefer a virgin
3. Her physical attractiveness should hover around the 7 range
4. Her skin tone should be within two shades of myself
5. She must be feminine
6. She must want to be a traditional stay-at-home mother
7. She must believe in a god

Victor Pride's requirements:
1) She should be young.
2) She has to come from an intact family with original mother and father.
3) She cannot believe in divorce or even imagine getting a divorce.
4) She must have the natural body type you prefer.
5) She must be image conscious.
6) She must be family oriented and not career oriented.
7) She must be a “good” girl.
8) She must have no problem signing a pre-nuptial agreement.
9) She should change herself for you.
10) She must look up to you and respect you.
11) She should not have any children from a previous affair.
12) She should be a smiler.

Lots of overlap. And all good requirements.  

Monday, July 16, 2018

Fasting While Sick

Several weeks ago, The Rifleman completed a week-long fast. With intentions of doing more fasts, a unique situation popped up. One day, The Rifleman had picked up a stomach bug, and was experiencing extreme intestinal discomfort. Bloating and nausea were also among the symptoms.

After one day of symptoms, they subsided a bit. Since The Rifleman had not eaten that day, or in about 24 hours, a few hunger paigns were felt. A very low carb meal provided satiety. However, the abdominal pain and bloating returned within an hour or two.

Since there is a known correlation  between fasting and reduced recovery time from illness, The Rifleman decided to fast this one out. In short, after 48 Hours, the symptoms were all but deleted. The Rifleman maintain the fast and other 24 hours beyond that, just to be on the safe side.

There were no ill effects beyond that, pun intended.


Friday, July 13, 2018

Chest Rig Setup

The chest rig or battle belt is the perfect accessory to your combat rifle.  What should you carry on your rig? Here are the minimums. 

Magazines - at least 3 extra rifle magazines.
IFAK / blowout kit.
Tools - flashlight and multitool. 
Admin pouch - pen and paper.  Waterproof is best. 

Plates are a good consideration... depending on your wants and needs. 

Blowout kit contents:
(Easily accessible by either hand)
1 EMT shears
1 tourniquet
Two rolls gauze.
To chest seals.

IFAK minimum contents:
 1 tourniquet
 1-2 hemostatic gauze
 1-2 Pressure Bandages
 2 rolled gauze
 2 triangle Bandages
 1 NPA
 2 Chest Seals
 1 EMT shears


Thursday, July 12, 2018

Morning Musings

Musings:

The real gun problem is that too few people carry one.

Anyone who enters the US illegally should be permanently ineligible to:
- become a citizen,
- apply for or receive any form of welfare,
- work in the US.

The Left needs to face reality: Trump is winning.

When it comes to preparing,
You really don’t have enough trained, provisioned, hard-hearted friends.
Or ammo.
Or water purification.
Or food.
Or medical support.

It's not "Antifa" - it's really Pantifa. Their panties are always in a bunch.

The detail that conservatives tend to forget is that when one party violates a contract, the other party is no longer bound by all of its terms.


If no one is illegal, then no one is a citizen.

The idea that a sovereign nation would not even attempt to enforce its borders defies all logic.

For a friend, no excuse is needed.
For a foe, no excuse will suffice.


Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Best Liberal Path

Quote of the Day:

Liberal voices are saying the best path forward is to fight for even more leftism, even more aggressively. They are trapped. Things are going K. The populace opposes their ideals. They face a master of the art whose skills far surpass their own. The best path is to retreat, take cover, and wait until conditions change. But their amygdalae are so irritated that they are uncontrollably driven to act, even as all conditions are against them. And they are going to do so in an even crazier fashion than what is already failing. It only gets better for Trump from here.

(Emphasis mine)


Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Marriage and Divorce

As has been noted on this blog before, The Rifleman adheres to a red pill philosophy. Particularly of note, the concept of marriage and divorce is an important one. Here are some harsh realities about marriage and divorce.

The myth of love
A woman is incapable of love as it is depicted on TV and in the movies. A woman either admires a man or despises a man. There is no in between. There is no third category. Understand that when a young couple is "in love," the woman is in the infatuation period - a period in which she has an unusually deep admiration for him.

A financial contract
As has been mentioned on this blog on multiple occasions, marriage, as defined by the US legal system, is a financial contract. There is a start-up fee (marriage certificate). And although there appear to be finacial benefits within the tax code for a married couple, the finacial risks are potentially far greater. It is not a winning risk versus reward situation.

Framework of the family unit
It used to be that marriage was the framework of the family unit for society. For a society to grow and flourish, it needs a strong family unit. In modern days, the family court and child support system have replaced the family unit. In essence, the government has taken the role of the father.

Impact
Homes without a father in them are very detrimental to society:


63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.





90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.





85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.  (Center for Disease Control)





80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average.  (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)





71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average.  (National Principals Association Report)





Father Factor in Education – Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.





Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.





Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.





Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.





Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.





75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes – 10 times the average.




The Rifleman does not want these things for his children. This is why I am red pill.

If masculinity were truly toxic, then kids growing up without dads would presumably be better off than those who have them. But, they're not: they tend to be more depressed, aggressive & criminal. Truth is: we need more masculinity in society, not less.
- @conservmillen


Monday, July 9, 2018

More on the Myth of the Alpha Female

A reader writes in:
"Rifleman, we all know your thoughts on the Alpha Female. You've also gone on record saying you agree with sources that say all a woman is looking for in a man is access to resources. So how do you explain the situation where the alpha female is the primary or sole breadwinner and her husband is not - why did she marry?"

Excellent question... let's dig in.

Marriage in the US legal system is a financial contract. It overwhelmingly favors the female.  Why would a female in a far superior financial position want to enter such a contract?

1. Biology
"He chose ME!!!" is the overwhelming mindset of marriage in females.  Having a moment in the spotlight demonstrating this is hardwired into the female psyche.

2. Zero Risk
In relationships where the woman is the primary breadwinner, she is usually out-earning the male by a paltry sum.  The relationships where she makes big bucks and he makes little or nothing are very, very rare. Typically, if she is making, say, $50K, he will be making $35K. She is still using him for resources - with zero risk. When divorce happens (and it almost always does in these situations), she won't have to pay a dime.  He usually has to pay a bit. 

3. Some Resources
Given the same example - she makes $50K and he makes $35K - she still gets access to an $85K lifestyle that she cannot get on her own.  In these relationships,  she has the nicer car. She chose the house (and they are mortgaged up to their eyeballs). She has the nice things.  He gets table scraps from time to time. 

4. No other options.
The $50K woman is not likely to nab an $85K+ man.  She is too career oriented and lacks femininity. She has been forced to settle.  An Alpha Male does not marry a competitor, he marries a helpmeet.


5. NAWALT
NAWALT - "Not All Women Are Like That" - is purely BS. 
All Women Are Like That (AWALT).


Friday, July 6, 2018

The American Rifle

Rifle setup and upgrades. What are the most important upgrades? What do you need? What do you want? What looks cool?


Setup
The following three things are absolutely essential for your rifle:
Sling
Light
Optic

Sling - a two-point sling is the suggestion. 
Light - get a surefire or similar. 
Optic - a red dot is ideal. A low fixed power or variable power is also acceptable. 


Upgrades
The following upgrades are highly recommended:

Free float forearm
Trigger upgrade

Free float forearm - rail or slick, short or long. 
Trigger upgrade - look to one of the "big 3" of Timney, CMC, or Geissele.


Thursday, July 5, 2018

Rural South

Found online:

So, you've decided to move to the rural south.

Congratulations! However, depending on where you’re from, there are probably a few things here that will come as a nasty shock to you. Here are a few of those things. Consider this as a guide. It is by no means exhaustive.

1.       When you’re driving past your neighbors, you wave at them. This sends a signal that says “I am one of you, I belong here, I see you”. It also sends another, arguably more important signal that says “I promise not to scrape the left side of your F150 with the left side of my F150”.

2.       Yes, everybody here drives an F150. Yes, every single one of those F150s is absolutely necessary (according to the owner).

3.       The sweet tea is going to be sweeter than you expect. No matter how sweet you expect it to be, it’s going to be sweeter.

4.       “Corn from a jar” means moonshine.

5.       “Y’all” is a contraction of “You all” that means “You guys” or “all of you”. “Ya’ll” doesn’t mean anything, as far as I’m aware.

6.       Tennesseans WILL fight you if you say anything bad about Dolly.

7.       Please stop making Deliverance jokes. We’ve heard them all. They’re not funny anymore.

8.       It’s hot. It’s so, so hot. If you’re from a dry place, you don’t even understand what I mean when I say it’s hot. Every part of you will sweat and you won’t feel any cooler because the air is so full of water that no sweat will evaporate. You’ll just be hot AND sweaty. It’s basically a jungle. The windows fog up from the outside.

9.       If you have a house with a screened-in porch, that screen is a blessing from God. Do not remove the screen to “let the air circulate through”. There is no air to circulate. There are a lot of mosquitoes, however, who are more than happy to check out your circulation. Which brings me to my next point…

10.   Look around you. Do you see mountains on every side? That’s right, if you live in Appalachia you essentially live in a bowl. How fast does the air move around in a bowl? That’s why it’s 92 degrees and 80% humidity at midnight…

11.   … and it’s also 92 degrees and 100% humidity in the middle of the day! So if you’re from a place that maybe is a little less humid and you’re thinking of going for a jog outside, don’t bother. All the sweat-wicking microfiber in the world won’t save you when there is nowhere to wick the sweat to. Just go to Planet Fitness.

12.   You can’t defeat the kudzu. It’ll come back next year. Save yourself the trouble and the Roundup exposure.

13.   You also can’t defeat the insect life. A wasp or a beetle will get into your house eventually. Your best bet is peaceful coexistence, because paper wasps (the type you’re most likely to see) are not aggressive and keep other, nastier insects at bay.

14.   There will probably be a pack of free-range dogs in your neighborhood, probably without collars. They’re friendly. Give ‘em a pat.

15.   Seriously, wave at your neighbors. It’s rude not to.

16.   A firework echoes, a gunshot doesn’t. This comes up more than you’d think. Except on the 4th of July, when you’ll hear both.

17.   Opossums eat ticks and are nearly immune to rabies, so if you see one making its dumb little way across the road, please do your best not to hit it.

18.   Deer hunting is actually vitally important to maintain the ecosystem. We killed off all the whitetail deer’s natural predators, and now there’s just too god damn many of them. Hunting permits are strictly controlled by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Department, and they give out enough necessary to maintain the deer population. If the deer population isn’t maintained, they outgrow their food supply and begin to starve. You may find it distasteful but trust me, it is way better than watching deer slowly starve to death.

19.   The cooler you just bought has a ruler on top for measuring fish. See #12.

20.   Sometimes our local politicians say terrible things. If this bothers you, you are welcome to:
a.       Vote for a candidate that opposes the terrible politician
b.       Volunteer for a candidate that opposes the terrible politician
c.       Write letters to the terrible politician telling him he’s terrible and should stop that
d.       Run for office yourself

You are not welcome to:
e.       Talk about how everybody who lives here is an inbred racist hick

21.   Most importantly, please do not come here and think you’re going to magically change everything that’s wrong. Give the people here some credit. If there were easy solutions to the problems they face, they would have solved their problems themselves already. Life has its own pace here, and the problems in Appalachia and the South generally are deep-seated and far-reaching. You don’t have the magic solution to the opioid crisis, racism, wage stagnation, brain drain, economic inequality, generational poverty, chronic disease, environmental contamination, resource exploitation, or any other of the issues that are endemic to this area. It is at best insulting and at worst actively harmful to have a person who has zero understanding of this region and the people who live in it come in and insist that big changes need to happen and by golly gosh, he’s the one to make them. If you want to help, listen to the people here. Support them in their fight for justice.

22.   WAVE AT YOUR F*****G NEIGHBORS.


Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Red Pill Philosophy

Recently, The Rifleman was asked why the red pill?

Philosophy
Every man should pursue philosophy. There is no reason to pursue anything, unless first you know why. Why is it important? The answer to philosophical questions will form the basis of what you pursue and why. Nothing in life should be done without a reason. Philosophy is the pathway to that reason.

Taking the red pill, as a philosophy, means that one looks at life and the world as it is. Certainly, there is room for changing the world to be what you would like it to be. But in the end, acknowledgement of the red pill means observing things as they are, and accepting them as being that way.

Formative years
In my teen years, I became almost painfully aware of facts versus how the world had been portrayed to me. I was brought up in a strongly Christian household - albeit somewhat tainted by my mother's quasi-shamanistic outlook, as is common in charismatic circles.

My father was notoriously pragmatic about his outlook on life. He is and was from the old School - he saw things for what they were; and this included red pill positions on Race, gender, and what we now know as socio-sexual hierarchy archetypes. As a Young Man, I would occasionally not want to believe (due to opinions formed from watching TV or listening to my mother) some of these "stereotypes," but they all eventually panned out to be 100% correct.

My mother's philosophy was distinctly a dichotomy. On one hand, she was very strongly Christian (with the above noted exception). On the other hand, she had a strong propensity to spout beliefs that we now know as first and second wave feminism. This led to many clashes between us from my late teens, forward.

In my mid-teens, I took careful note that my mother was happy to give me advice on dating. The problem was, every time I did what she said, I never landed a date. However, when I would do the exact opposite, I was able to land dates repeatedly and reliably. In fact, I was able to land dates with girls whom my mother would have said were "out of my league." Being as I valued results, I stuck with what I observed that had worked.

Laughably, my last full conversation with my mother before she passed away was one of these clashes. She literally stated that I did not have my life together, and I should have been more like my cousin. In reply, I pointed out the circumstances of myself compared to my cousin. I had a family, wife, children, my own house, my own cars, and worked a job at which I was excelling, and making good money. My cousin was nearing 30, had never been married, and was known to be very promiscuous. She had held seven jobs in the past two years, and never had a job making over $10 per hour. Yes, my mother thought that this was a person who had her life together.

My children
When I became aware of the online red pill community a few years ago during my brother's divorce, it was quite the revelation. There had always been that nagging voice in the back of my mind that my mother's complaints had somehow been true, I just wasn't seeing it for some strange reason. Perhaps I was somehow bad for doing things that got results. Perhaps I was somehow wrong for viewing people as they were.

The red pill philosophy wasn't so much an explanation that made sense to me, as much as it was permission for me to continue to do the things that garnered results. It was a philosophy that matched my own personal philosophy 100%. But it was more than that... it was the acceptance of reality comma with zero apology, and full acceptance without reservation.

And this is important because of my children. My children shall be taught this philosophy. They shall be taught the importance of philosophy. And they will have a father who will point out the facts and life, as well as personal opinions, with full clarity as to which one is factual and which one is opinion.

My father tried to teach me many of these things so many years ago. I learned as much as I could, but I should have asked for more.

Monday, July 2, 2018

How Much #FakeNews

 72% of Americans think the media intentionally reports #FakeNews .

Yeah, well, 92% of stories about Trump are negative, and yet the country is improving day by day in measurable and observable ways.