RECCE ROOM

This particularly for my friend, Right Minded. How many Easter peeps will a .50 BMG shoot through? Answer is here: .

For nearly 18 straight months, I have made it a point to have a blog post every day. It is not easy, but it was fun... mostly. I've decided to ease off a bit. I will not self-impose a post every day - at least for a while. Most of my traffic comes via specific Google searches anyways, and not through a chain of gun blogs to which I subscribe (it used to be that most of my traffic came through those... not anymore). Still gonna tackle the tough subjects. Still gonna do a blog post if requested by you, the reader. Still gonna ty to piss off Calvinists, Liberals, and other group that need to be PO'd.

Dave Ramsey: Good Stuff or Fraud? Google that and you find all kinds of things. I've been sitting on this one for about two years. At one time, I had all kinds of links to things. As people get better with Google, I find that's no longer necessary. To the point, Dave Ramsey - particularly his program "Financial Peace" which is marketed through his "Total Money Makeover" program - is a controversial topic and he is a controversial person in the financial world. Without a doubt, he is an expert self-promoter and a fantastic salesman. But what about the product he sells - is it good or not? I say, within the scope of whom it was intended for, it is better than average. Outside its scope, the program suffers a bit. The program seems geared toward those who have a higher than average income and who also have a fair amount of debt. Financial Peace meets its kryptonite when you have: A) A person with below average income - regardless of amount of...

This author asks if it is time to start the revolution. Is it? .

Several months ago, I had a really fun day. Here's how it happened: My daughter's best friend in the whole world is Nicole. I was told that at Nicole's school, there would be a "daddy-daughter" doughnut day (or daddy-son, depending on the child, of course). Nicole's father is not in the picture. Nicole's guardian asked me if I would mind stepping in for the day. Of course! I'd be happy to! So a few weeks later, the event came and went. It was a fun hour in the kindergarten class. They sang a few little songs, danced a little dance, and had an info sheet and a paper neck tie the kids had made during craft time the day before. I wore the tie, watched the songs and dance, and we all had a doughnut. The funniest thing to me was the worksheet. Nicole knows me from Taekwondo, as well as a few times from social functions as my wife and her guardian are close friends. But I am not her daddy. So some of the answers on the sheet were totally hilarious: ...

I get back from work today and see Facebook plastered. At the heart of it is that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard today arguments on California's ban on same-sex marriage. From my LGBT friends, and those who support them, I see tons of pictures like this: What they have right: Gays are not harming another person, so let them do what they will, with regards to marriage. What they have wrong: Do you really want the government telling ANYBODY whom they can or cannot marry??? From my conservative Christian friends, I see lots of pictures like this: What they have right: Marriage, as defined in the Bible, is one man and one woman. What they have wrong: Do you really want the government telling ANYBODY whom they can or cannot marry??? From the Libertarians, I see a picture like this: What they have right: Pretty much everything. What they have wrong: Still trying to determine. Gonna go with NOTHING! Fro...

We have already discussed what sin is. However, there are many "gray areas" out there. The confusion is 100% because of man. People twist scriptures to mean whatever they want, then go around talking about their perversion as if it were gospel truth. Spreading manure. Law of Moses The Law of Moses is fulfilled. So what are the sins a Christian might commit? Simply put, a Christian sins when he/she fails to show love to God, or to his/her neighbor. Similarly, Christians are not required to live according to the Law of Moses in order to show their obedience. Since Christ fulfilled those requirements, they no longer apply. For example, Christians are not required to offer sacrifices in order to wash away their sin - Jesus did that on the cross. The Law of Moses did not apply to the people who lived for many years before Moses. The Law of Moses had a distinct beginning point - when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (which determined what is sin and not sin for all man...

What is sin?  According to the Free Online Dictionary , the definition is: A transgression of a religious or moral law, especially when deliberate. That link also has another good statement of what sin is: "Deliberate disobedience to the known will of God." Ways to sin: Broadly speaking, there are two ways to sin: - Sin of omission: failing to do (to omit) what one should do. - Sin of commission: doing something that one should not do. What did Jesus say about sin? Matthew 22:34-40 - When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had left the Sadducees speechless, they met together. One of them, a legal expert, tested him. “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself . All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two comman...

Some time back, during my kids' spring break, I took some days off. We went to the western part of the state and had some fun. The first day, we went to the range and saw some wildlife at a TWRA refuge area. The second day, we went to my father's farm area and also saw some of my dad's side of the family. The final day, we drove by Tennessee Safari Park - an attraction we will have to visit with full admission in the future. Some photos I snapped: My newly-built RECCE shoots accurately:  Some more accuracy from the RECCE: At the farm, a young calf had fallen, probably to coyotes:   An older cow had also fallen, several months prior by my estimation: Near the farm is Highway 223 (lol): A five-year-old doesn't get hair and ear protection: .

Came across this video of a man who was saved out of Calvinism. Powerful stuff! .

Calvinists - take this quiz to see how Calvinist you are. Christians, take this quiz so you can elaborate on your doctrinal principles. THE QUIZ Tell me how you rank? (If this link ever expires, please write me, I have saved the text... as this is an important subject). .

Recently, some men from Global Vision Bible Church volunteered to experience life as homeless people for a time. Story about it in the Tennessean . (link has been taken down by the Tennessean) Here is a new link from the church itself. I know Pastor Locke personally - great guy! It was cool to see the tweets and Youtube videos from him and others while they went through with their plan. Global Vision is just up the road from my house, and has been growing like nobody's business in the last few years. They have a ministry for homeless people, and things like this are why they have great success with their ministerial outreaches. .

Just finished reading the book Winning On The Ground by Dr. Anna Maria DeMars and Jimmy Pedro Sr. Being the first martial arts related book I've purchased in a couple of years, it was a refreshing read. DeMars contributed the lion's share of the text, and Pedro seemed to play the role of contributor / editor / spoiler / technical consultant. Among the most notable persons posing for the photos in Winning On The Ground were: Ronda Rousey - current UFC women's bantamweight champion and Judo Olympic medalist. Kayla Harrison - Judo Gold Medalist in 2012 women's 78 kg. Travis McLaughlin - MMA fighter The theme of the book was simple - how to win on the ground. Not surprisingly, the methodology had a distinct Judo flair. The main difference between Judo groundwork and Jiu-Jitsu (most notably, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or "BJJ") groundwork is that Judo groundwork is more explosive, whereas BJJ groundwork is more laborious in the sense that it is really stretched...

Actually, I took the whole family. However, at one point, I told my kids to put their "ears" on. My son yells to get my attention and says: "look at Cali!" The hair!!! .

This past weekend, my student, Sarah, competed in the Louisiana State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu championships. Though prior obligations rendered me unable to attend, I was certainly there in spirit. Through the magic of Youtube, we happen to be able to view the matches that were filmed any time we want. Here was Sarah's First match in the gi division: My thoughts as a coach / instructor: Nice tomoe nage (circular throw) in the opening. Most BJJ players pull guard. Those of us with a Judo-inspired background will try to take someone down, as it leads to a dominant position. The juji gatame attempt from guard was good. You can hear the coach yelling for the opponent to pull her elbow out slow. That was good advice, and in direct contradiction to what he coached next... You can hear the opposing coach yelling for his player to go "fast fast fast!" in her guard pass attempts. "Fast" may win positions at this level, but is an unsure strategy for a more advanced...

Memphis... If you've ever watched Black Hawk Down and thought: "I could live there!" .

If you are from TN, you'll get this. If you have visited TN, you'll get this. If you don't get this, then simply understand that Memphis is a different country. Period. .

Calvinism is not Biblical Doctrine. It's a human philosophy that appeals to proud-minded individuals. Verbal Gymnastics: Calvinists will say that though God predestines some for Heaven, that does not mean that He predestines the others for Hell. How can that be? They will say that God shows grace and mercy, and try to change the focus and point of conversation. But these are age-old tactics used by a party whose argument is baseless. God created the concepts of light and dark, up and down, front and back, left and right, etc. He created the positive and the negative. What he didn't do is some odd predestination of some and judgment of others, and use verbal gymnastics to explain why He did it that way. He gave us the choice. Why? Because God seeks glory and our worship. What good is worship when we are unable to voluntarily give it? .

It seems that those with a degree in Chemistry can not only have a successful career in sales, they can also become Pope one day, too. .

Juji Gatame - the straight arm lock (also called arm bar in some circles) is the most widely used arm lock in the martial arts. One of the reasons that juji gatame is the most widely used arm lock is that it can be applied from virtually every position. While I personally do not advocate taking a juji gatame from a pin such as Mount or Side, it can be done. The reason I do not recommend it is simple: I teach with an emphasis on self defense. From Mount or Side, one can strike and use ude garami ("Americana" arm lock) without as much risk of losing the position. North/south (we call it the Wedge) and scarf hold positions also have several setups for juji gatame . Positional holds such as modified mount, guard, and back mount also lend themselves well for transition into juji gatame . Juji gatame can be secured when your opponent turtles up, or when you sprawl to prevent a take down. It can be used when your opponent is face down, even when he is completely flattened...

A while back, work took me to the Tri-Cities area. One of my favorite restaurants there is Cootie Brown's :

Things Found on Side of Road... The General Lee car

" I have a job. I exchange hours of my life for money. In that context, the government is literally taking my life. Taking the life of another is the most heinous crime. The founding fathers had it right. The federal government was to be supported solely by import and export duties. The income tax and federal reserve are the original sins that grew our government into what it is today." - E. G.  (Friend on Facebook, and in real life, too)

Arm locks come in many varieties. Broadly speaking, they are leverage holds which attack the joint of the elbow, or, less commonly, the shoulder. Locks that attack the wrist joint are often referred to as wrist locks in common parlance, and will not be discussed in detail in this article. Juji Gatame The most common arm lock is juji gatame - the straight arm lock or arm bar. The only positions from which one cannot apply juji gatame would be under a number of pins or otherwise inside of a hold such as guard or back control. Even still, one can apply juji gatame from under the side position ( yokoshiho gatame ). Opportunities and setups for the straight arm lock are as numerous as the stars in the skies. It combines well with virtually every other major submission hold. Ude Garami The clear second most common arm lock is ude garami - the arm lock, shoulder lock, Americana (when performed up, or North), Kimura (when performed down, or South) , or key lock. Ude garami has app...

Things Found on Side of Road: Bristol Motor Speedway For the record: I made sure there were no cars coming, and came to a complete stop to safely take this picture. I liked how large the stadium looked, even from nearly a half mile away. I really liked the clouds on that day. Thought about taking pictures up close, but will save that for next time. :) .

My son recently earned his red belt in Olympic style Taekwondo from Mr. Smith at Spirit Marital Arts . Ironically enough, not long ago, Mr. Smith earned his 5th Dan black belt in same. That said, my son, as well as some other boys at the Dojang are nearing black belt level. One is a brown belt, two are red belts, and one is at the "last" step - red belt with black stripe. There was a problem looming, according to Mr. Smith. I agree 100% with him on his analysis. Though Olympic TKD allows for youthful black belts as it is part of the sport, Mr. Smith clings (bitterly? - lol) to the notion that a black belt means a little more than proficiency in an athletic endeavor. The problem is immaturity.  Of the handful of boys at or near the same rank, my son is but 8 years old. He would turn 9 just before the black belt test, though. All of the other boys in question are older. Therein lies the problem. Each of the older boys demonstrates a deeper level of emotional immaturity. ...

Bushmaster M4 profile Carbine. 7 magazines - 30 rounds each magazine. 55-grain M193 clone ammo Cav Arms pink handguard, pistol grip and stock Primary Arms micro dot DPMS backup iron sight

Hugo Chavez must be dead... he just registered to vote in Chicago. .

There are three main types of positions in the ground grappling game: Pins, Holds, and Transitions. Transitions Transitions, or transitional positions, are positions that offer a slight advantage to the practitioner. Typically, these are more difficult to keep than Pins or Holds. Also, submission opportunities are more severely limited.  Nomenclature Half guard - note: the half guard is its own beast, more to come. Side port / starboard - you had a side pin, but the opponent rolled onto his side, either facing you or away. Turtle - opponent is curled into a ball on all fours. Sprawl - opponent shot, you sprawled, now he is turtled up. Submissions With the exception of half guard, all of these Transitions offer opportunities to catch one's opponent in a submission hold. Most notably, all of these positions offer an opportunity for juji gatame. Here are some other opportunities: Side port - ude garami Side starboard - hadaka jime Turtle - waki gatame, ushiro sankaku j...

There are three main types of positions in the ground grappling game: Pins, Holds, and Transitions. Holds Like a pin, a hold provides the practitioner with a superior position. However, the main difference is the ability to strike the opponent. While some strikes can be used in some holds, they are much less effective when compared to strikes delivered from a pin. Necessarily, most holds offer more submission opportunities than pins. Nomenclature Kamishiho gatame - commonly called the north/south position. My dojo calls this the Wedge position. Modified mount Back control or back mount Guard Nomenclature note: kamishiho gatame is a recognized pinning move in Judo - meaning a practitioner can win if she holds her opponent in this position for 25 seconds. However, for self defense purposes, I classify it as a Hold, since there are few good striking angles in the position. It is a position much better suited for seeking a submission or transitioning to back control. Submiss...

There are three main types of positions in the ground grappling game: Pins, Holds, and Transitions. Pins This set includes the three main positions from which one can a) keep a dominant position and b) strike one's opponent (MMA and self defense). From a pin, the main offensive option is to strike the opponent. A backup option is an arm lock. As always, the practitioner must be prepared to transition to other positions in order to maintain control in the fight / match. Nomenclature The pins are: Tateshiho gatame - Mount Yokoshiho gatame - Side Kesa gatame - Headlock or scarf hold Face down mount - opponent is face down, spread out on ground. Face down mount note: this is not a pin that can be used to win a Judo match by being held for 25 seconds, as are the other positions. However, it falls into the category of pin, as when applied properly, the opponent will have great difficulty in getting up or escaping. Also, the opportunity to strike is clearly present. Strat...

Colorado is trying to pass a bill to restrict certain types of guns, ammo, and magazines. Of note here, is major gun accessory manufacturer, Magpul, which is currently located in CO. Magpul has sent a letter in open publication to the legislature in CO, advising that if such a bill is passed, then they will leave the state and take the jobs with them. Hey Magpul - good on you! PS - you are welcome here in TN!!!  :) .

New York passed a very strict gun control bill. Basically, it is a near total-ban on most models and magazines. In response, several major gun manufacturers and gun accessory manufacturers have responded by stating they will not sell to Law Enforcement in New York. Most have similar policies for other states with draconian regulations (IL and CA, for example). Yay for these guys: Olympic Arms LaRue Tactical (I bought a ff quad rail from them as soon as I heard of this move!) Cheaper Than Dirt Barrett (Ronnie Barrett did the same thing to CA a few years back) ... and several others! On the other side of the fence, Armalite issued an announcement designed to look like they were going to do the same, but in fact, it had no teeth, and they actually promised to still sell to law enforcement agencies in New York and other states! Armalite wants some people to have guns, but not others! .