CWP, 15 August MMXX Anno Domini

 Hi Sheepdogs,
 
William Aprill, rest in peace.
https://www.facebook.com/tom.givens.37/posts/10220943782296771
     "With shock and profound sadness I learned today of the loss of my good friend,
William Aprill.  The training community has lost a great mind and a true friend.  
I first met William well over 20 years ago when he took a class of mine at some
police range in Alabama.  I immediately recognized that he had a great deal of
talent with a handgun.  Later, he was one of very few people to earn an Advanced
rating at the Rogers School shooting from concealment.  In that first class together,
I also recognized someone with a keen intellect and a vast and deep understanding
of the workings of the criminal mind.  We had dinner during that class so many years
ago, and I loved his sense of humor and humility.  I believe he presented at every
Tactical Conference we’ve put on, as well as many other conferences.  He was a unique
individual, and he will be sorely missed."  
-- Tom Givens
 
     Get your training while you can.  Feel the urgency to get training.  
I am so glad I was able to attend his lectures and ask him questions before
his passing.  
 
“What we do now echoes in eternity”
-- Marcus Aurelius
 
*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****
 
"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
 
----- Mindset -----
 
It’s about prevention, not response.
-- Michael Mann
 
You are your first responder by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2020/08/02/you-are-your-first-responder/
     Please read Claude's analysis.  
Excerpts:  
"Going outside your home to investigate a suspected crime is, literally, ‘looking for trouble.’ "
"Your presence will not necessarily deter a criminal."
 
Funnybone Fractures And Cracked Concentration by John Connor
https://americanhandgunner.com/guncrank-diaries/funnybone-fractures/
Excerpt:  
     The Big Diff between me an’ Davey was
that previous combat experience had taught me
stuff blows up and weird things happen in gunfights,
and you have to keep your head in the game.
 
“Woman must not depend upon the protection of man,
but must be taught to protect herself.”
-- Susan B. Anthony
 
     If you don't have a plan, you won't have the tools and information ready to
execute your plan (even if you are able to make a plan on the fly).  
     My next door neighbor had no plan for what to do if she locked herself out
of her apartment.  So, she didn't have the emergency maintenance phone number.  
So, she couldn't call them to open her door for her.  
     She later informs me that her plan for all "situations" is to call me.  
So, I guess she did have a plan.  (And I enabled her by making her plan succeed.)
 
Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam
 
     Stay within your domain of competence.  
-- Jordan Peterson
 
     You only see what you aim at.  
-- Jordan Peterson
     [This is why, for instance, you did not see the gorilla amongst the basketball players.  
But, Prof. Peterson is making the statement in a much more general sense.  For example,
you won't see your path to family or financial success if you don't aim at it.]
 
    The exchange of truth is curative.
-- Jordan Peterson
     [The further development of the idea is that if you are not exchanging truth with
the person, then you are not in a relationship with that person.  "Relationship" is
used in the technical sense in the field of psychology.]
 
Jordan Peterson: Becoming Mr. Right rather than Mr. Nice guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8-fYbcCpuU
     [This, more than all of your firearms training, will allow you to avoid fights.  
Or, win them, if you must fight. -- Jon Low]
Excerpts:  
     "Without the capability for mayhem, you will be a victim of mayhem."
     "You have to have your sword.  You should keep it sheathed, but you have to have it."
     "They have to learn to be dangerous.  That's the only way out.  What's the alternative?"
     "Being victimized, you can say, it wasn't my fault.  But, that doesn't solve the problem."
     The meek shall inherit the Earth.  Matthew 5:5  But, you have to look up the Greek
word that the translators translated into the English word "meek".  And then look up the
definition of that Greek word.  [Following the etymology of the English word "meek" back
to the Middle English and then back to the Old Norse is just non-sense.]  The Greek word
means having the ability to use force, but choosing not to.  That is to say, those showing
restraint shall inherit the Earth.  If you lack the capability to use force, you have
nothing to restrain.  So, you cannot be meek.  That is why Peterson says cowards hide
behind morality.  
[Prof. Peterson is a psychology professor.  This stuff is graduate level psychology.  
It may sound politically conservative, but it's not.  It's just psychology. -- Jon Low]
 
     "A genuine moral effort is a good substitute for psycho therapy."
-- Jung (as in Carl Gustav Jung)
 
The Importance of Awareness and Avoidance for Personal Defense by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2020/7/28/the-importance-of-awareness-and-avoidance-for-personal-defense/
Excerpt:  
     "Sometimes, it’s not the bullet with your name on it, it’s the one that says,
“To whom it may concern.” "
     "The best gunfight is truly the one that never happens."
 
How to Establish the Habit of Concealed Carry by Jacob Paulsen
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/how-to-establish-the-habit-of-concealed-carry/
 
4 Essential Elements of Self-Defense by Jim Wilson
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/8/1/4-essential-elements-of-self-defense/
 
Do You Know The Gun Laws In Your State Or In Your Travels? You Should by Joshua Gillem
https://www.concealedcarry.com/law/do-you-know-the-gun-laws-in-your-state-or-in-your-travels-you-should/
Excerpt:  
     "So, if I know that a place is anti-gun I don't go there. It's really that simple."
 
Your Tactical Training Scenario- Racking a Shotgun by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/your-tactical-training-scenario-racking-a-shotgun-t
Excerpt:  
     A motivated attacker isn’t going to be deterred by anything less than using
more force against him than he is willing to experience.  Rape whistles, yelling
the word “no”, or racking a pump shotgun WILL NOT deter a motivated attacker.  
For that job, ruthless violence is the only solution.
 
Yes, It’s All Your Fault: Active vs. Passive Mindsets by Shane Parrish
https://fs.blog/2019/03/active-mindset/
Excerpt:  
     The hard truth is that most things in your life – good and bad – are your fault.
The sooner you realize that, the better things will be. Here’s how to cultivate
an active mindset and take control of your life.
 
"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses."  
-- Tom Givens
 
----- Safety -----
 
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety
RULE I:  All guns are always loaded.
RULE II:  Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
RULE III:  Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
RULE IV:  Be sure of your target.
 
No Relief!
https://defense-training.com/no-relief/
     Because it's not happening in your community, you may be thinking,
"It will never happen here."
With that thinking, you will be taken by surprise, and probably defeated.  
An officer may be forgiven for losing a battle, but will never be forgiven
for being taken by surprise.  
 
"The fast and/or emphatic reholster is an awesome way to shoot yourself."
-- Chuck Haggard
 
"Shopper accidentally shot inside Publix — by his wife's gun" by Doug Phillips
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-pasco-publix-accidental-shooting-20190506-story.html
"They were standing at a Publix register when her purse fell.
Her Derringer fired and hit him." by Paul Guzzo
https://www.tampabay.com/hillsborough/they-were-standing-at-a-publix-register-when-her-purse-fell-her-derringer-fired-and-hit-him-20190506/
     What's wrong with this story?  
     The "two-shot derringer" has no trigger guard.  Such handguns should never be
acquired, much less carried, much less carried off body.  
     The derringer was not in a holster.  Always carry your pistol in a holster.  
     The derringer was not drop safe.  All of your pistols should be drop safe.
     The victim and his wife neglected to get expert training.  Any competent
instructor would have explained the above to them.  
 
Tennessee Fusion Center
https://www.tn.gov/tbi/law-enforcement-resources/tennessee-fusion-center.html
     There is one of these in every state.  Find yours.  Use it.  
 
Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.  
Don't hang out with stupid people.
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.
Don't look like a freak.  [Because you draw unwanted attention to yourself.  
     "I have the right to self expression.  I am entitled.  No one can suppress
my free expression."
     I know that's what you want by dressing Goth with piercings and tattoos,
but the bad guys understand it to say, . . . other things.  Just as mini-skirts
and shear halter tops speak loudly of your "intentions".  Actions have
obvious consequences.  Even if the consequences are unintended. -- Jon Low]
Don't fail the attitude test.
-- John Farnam
 
----- Training -----
 
“You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol
than you are a musician because you own a guitar.”
from Principles of Personal Defense by
Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC, (1920 – 2006 A.D.)
 
Left Wing Terrorism - History and Modern Violence - Michael Mann Security Services
https://youtu.be/E9vgOaQCKsU
 
Law of Self Defense News/Q&A Show: Thursdays at 15:00 Central Time
https://www.facebook.com/LawofSelfDefense/
or on YouTube.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/lawofselfdefense
 
Law of Self Defense live online class, $149
3 October 2020 A.D.
https://lawofselfdefense.com/product/live-online-class/
Usually starts at 07:00 central time and goes for 8+ hours.
 
The Well Armed Woman
Concealed Carry for Women Online (pre-recorded) Course, $79.99
https://thewellarmedwoman.com/product/concealed-carry-for-women-online-course/
"The total course time is 3 hours and 50 minutes –  that is a lot of information!
But don’t worry you do not have to do it all at once! It is broken down into
lessons and topics which allow you to take it at your own pace."
 
     Learn how to carry your pistol concealed.  Learn how to operate your pistol
(at least:  presentation from concealment, marksmanship at 7 yards, reloading,
clearing malfunctions).  Learn the laws of self defense (at least for your state).  
Learn how to stop the bleeding (at least:  direct pressure techniques, tourniquet
application, chest sealing, wound packing).  Because someday you will be forced
to use these, knowledge and skill, probably against your will.  
      A Marine Sergeant applied a tourniquet to my nephew's leg, when my nephew
got shot by a sniper (I can't remember the name of the forward operating base.
My son always referred to it as Camp Cupcake.) The Sergeant
had many things to do in this combat situation, but he chose to apply the tourniquet.
He had to have a tourniquet.
He had to known how to apply it, so that he could do it competently and quickly.
He had to decide to do it, as opposed to anything else at the time.
He had to be able to do it in a high stress situation.
     You may have a high stress situation.  A car collision for instance.  Your child's
leg is bleeding.  Would you have a tourniquet?  Do you know how to apply it correctly?  
Have you practiced enough to be able to competently apply it in this situation?  
It's pouring rain.  It's freezing cold.  Other cars are smashing into the cars behind
you.  Did you get the tourniquet on in time?  If not, your child dies.  Reality
has no compassion.  
 
     In case you couldn't get to the Facebook web page for the class on terrorism concerning the
2008 Mumbai Attack: A Case Study in Surveillance Detection - Michael Mann Security Services
https://youtu.be/avwkXNWoYLM
This is well worth watching.  
 
Brownells Daily Defense (video series) by Jeff Gonzales
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRNgjwKiAAEAowjH8A3U-cimqe7WAjOiq
 
Self-Defense Myths That Just Won’t Die: 11 Experts Weigh-In by Melody Lauer
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/self-defense-myths-just-wont-die-11-experts-weigh/
 
You Must Train With Different Instructors by Short Barrel Shepherd
https://shortbarrelshepherd.com/you-must-train-with-different-instructors/
 
Low Light Skills for Civilians by Tom Givens
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-08_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
page 6.
 
Point Shooting vs Sighted Fire, a Historical Perspective by Tom Givens
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-08_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
page 8.
 
"Straight Talk on Armed Defense", the book.
ISBN-13:  978-1-4402-4754-5
ISBN-10:  1-4402-4754-4
"Armed Citizens Fight Back:  Lessons Learned" by Spencer Blue, the chapter.
"Factors in Losing the Fight", the section, page 143.
Except:  (paraphrased, because I could not cut and paste)
     "A full half of the losses happened when the armed citizen presented a
non-working firearm.  Generally, this was not a mechanical failure of the
weapon, but a user error."  
Case 1.  ". . . The suspect charged Jane and she attempted to fire at him but
the gun did not fire.  . . . [description of disarm and rape] . . . Jane
reported the crime to the police and told the detective she attempted to
shoot the suspect but she did not get the thumb safety off and pulled a
dead trigger.  Jane, to her great credit, vowed to continue to be a
fighter and stated she had purchased a striker-fired pistol with no safety."
     [I recommend striker fired pistols without safeties to my students.  
Here we are talking about thumb safeties that must be intentionally defeated.  
The trigger safeties and the grip safeties are fine because you will
automatically defeat them. -- Jon Low]
Case 2.  "The victim was able to draw a firearm but was shot and killed
before firing it.  The firearm was determined to contain a loaded magazine
but the chamber was empty.  We believe he was intentionally carrying on
an empty chamber."
     [Keep your pistol loaded.  That means a round in the chamber.  
You're never going to have time to chamber a round. -- Jon Low]
Case 3.  A description of off body carry where the good guy was not able
to get the gun before getting shot.  
     [Keep your pistol on your body.  You're never going to have time
to get the gun if it's not on your body. -- Jon Low]
Case 4.  The father never fired a shot.  He just watched his son get shot
(and permanently disabled) and robbed.  Because he wasn't mentally prepared.  
He had no plan.  So, he executed to his plan and did nothing.  His pistol
was still in his pocket as the bad guys drove away.  
Case 5.  Situation in which the bad guy "appeared out of no where".  
     [This is simply a lack of situational awareness.  Keep your head up and
look around. -- Jon Low]
Case 6.  The "good guy" was open carrying while riding a bicycle.  When
stopped for traffic, the bad guy walked up and grabbed his pistol.  
     [Don't open carry.  Open carry in urban areas is an act of criminal
stupidity. -- Jon Low]
 
EP-073 Instructor Development and TACCON by Rob Beckman
http://www.firearmtrainerpodcast.com/2020/08/04/ep-073-instructor-development-and-taccon/
An interview with Tom Givens.
Take Tom's instructor development courses
https://rangemaster.com/training/instructor-development-course/
https://rangemaster.com/training/advanced-instructor-development-course/
https://rangemaster.com/training/master-instructor/
and attend TacCon
https://taccon.info/
to be a better instructor.
 
Urban Targets: A Case Study in Surveillance Detection, Part II - Michael Mann Security Services
https://youtu.be/-B9QpoaETPA
The gun does not stop the attack.  Early detection stops the attack.
 
Dry Practice Function Stacking: Varying The Draw by Justin
https://swiftsilentdeadly.com/dry-practice-function-stacking-varying-the-draw/
 
"Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice".
-- Claude Werner
 
----- Practice -----
 
     Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
 
Why practice?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill
 
     "Be careful what you practice.
Because you will do in combat whatever you
have practiced, no matter how ridiculous."
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Techniques -----
 
"Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
 
Concealed Carry: Point Shooting Vs Aimed Fire by Massad Ayoob
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/concealed-carry-point-shooting-vs-aimed-fire
Excerpt:  
     "Ineffective and potentially dangerous, point shooting should be avoided
at all costs and aimed fire employed in any lethal-force scenario."
     "Law school students are taught that the exemplar of recklessness is a
“blind man with a gun.”  A person who is firing a gun when they can’t see
whether or not it’s on target is, in effect, a blind man with a gun."
 
The Why’s and How’s of Transitioning to a Secondary Weapon by Mike Seeklander
     What the heck is a dead trigger?  Let’s define that term first:  
Anytime you pull the trigger and expect it to go bang, and it doesn’t,
that is a dead trigger.  If you are in a situation like the one described
in the title of this article, it really doesn’t matter why the rifle didn’t
go bang, just that you have a response when it does.  The article that
follows discusses your options.
     If you have a "dead trigger," it is due to either one of three things:
1. the rifle wasn’t loaded in the first place,
2. the rifle ran out of ammunition, or
3. you have some sort of malfunction.  
Common sense would say that if any of these have happened, simply fix the
rifle right?  Maybe not.  Read on.
     Before I teach you how to reload your rifle or clear any malfunction,
I want to discuss the context of the situation and make you think about a
few things.  Dealing with a malfunction or emergency reload situation
requires that the operator thinks about and reacts to what’s going on.   
The common answer might be to perform a reload as quickly as possible,
but let’s consider a few things first.   If you happen to be defending
your home or maybe you’re a law-enforcement officer and you’re doing a
warrant in a house and you’re in a gunfight, when the gun runs empty
you’re likely very, very close to the person you’re shooting it out with.
     If you break the fight down into time, a full reload with an automatic
rifle such as an AR-15 or AK-47 platform is going to take you two seconds
or more to perform.  Clearing a malfunction will take as long or longer.  
If the person you’re shooting at is within at 20 to 30 feet, this means
that they can close the distance and make contact with you well before the
reload is done.  If they are shooting at you, they can likely shoot 8 or
more rounds in those two seconds . . . all coming right toward your
lovely body.  
     Another consideration is when the gun goes dead (i.e. pull trigger
and no bang) you may not know exactly what’s wrong with it.  You don’t
know if it’s a serious malfunction or possibly if your weapon has been
shot and damaged beyond repair.  A damaged rifle is certainly possible,
whether it is from being shot or something simply breaks at that moment
in time.  I recently broke an extractor on my rifle, and guess what,
the rifle becomes a single shot at that time.
     Therefore in a situation where you’re at room to yard distance
(3-20 yards), I recommend strongly that if you’re armed with a handgun
you immediately transition to that handgun.  This guarantees that you
will quickly be able to get rounds on target again.  Think about it in
terms of time and risk.  While a reload with the rifle compared to a
transition to the handgun might require very close to the same amount
of time, the fact that you have a dead trigger on the rifle does not
always mean you can fix it with a reload.  
     What if that dead trigger signifies a catastrophic bolt override
malfunction or something similar?  Most rifle malfunctions that cannot
be cleared with a tap, rack, bang (or ready) will take much more time
to fix.  If the rifle is damaged and shot up as referenced above,
then that particular rifle is now a viable club, but not much more.  
So the solution is to transition to the handgun if you have one,
anytime you have a dead trigger on the rifle.  Don’t think about it,
look at the rifle, weigh your options, etc., just make something happen
that will save your life!  Dump the rifle and transition to the handgun!
Steps to the transition:
   Try to pull the trigger on the rifle (this could happen during a
series of shots), and get either a click, or nothing at all.  
   Recognize the rifle is dead and if the distance is appropriate,
not behind cover, and you have a handgun . . .
   Sweep the rifle out of the way and to your side with your front hand
(the one that was on the front handguard/stock) while building the grip
on your handgun in the holster.  
   After the front hand sweeps the rifle out of the way make sure it
ends up near your chest in a good area to meet the hands together and
build a two-handed grip on the handgun.  
   Engage with the handgun as appropriate.  
     Keep in mind that the handgun is now your primary weapon,
so finish the fight with it and then follow your post engagement actions.  
Consider:
   Finishing the shooting.  
   Scanning the threat and all areas around you (with the handgun as
the primary weapon, remember the rifle is dead).  
   Retrieving and looking at the rifle once the fight is over and
assessing if it is a problem you can fix (*reload or clear the malfunction).
If so . . .
   Holster the handgun and fix the rifle.
     The rifle is now your primary weapon again.
     So let’s assume that the distance is great enough that transitioning
to a handgun is not feasible or you don’t have a handgun to transition to.   
In this case during the fight when the rifle goes dead your options are to
fix it by performing a reload or clearing the malfunction.  Additionally,
let’s say you’re at a very close range and you don’t have a handgun, you
might have to initiate some sort of combatives and strike the threat with
the rifle.  Another option is to use explosive movement to get to a safer
spot like a piece of cover, or at a minimum put distance between you and
the threat before attempting to reload or clear the malfunction.  
     One last thought I want you to consider – if you are transitioning
because of a dead rifle, that does not always mean you are transitioning
to a handgun.  Consider your other weapons, such as a knife if you carry
one, or possibly your own combative skills like punches and kicks.  The point
is that you are transitioning to another weapon system; so don’t forget
the tools you possess.  Train with them!  
     Training for the transition requires that you work with a drill that
will truly simulate what you want to happen.  This is where you need to
address your own personal situation.  Consider this:  
     If you are likely to be armed with a handgun when you deploy your rifle,
then train the handgun transition as your immediate response.  No need to
look at the rifle or think about it, simply go to the next weapon system.  
If the distance and circumstance limits your ability to hit with the handgun,
then obviously stick with the rifle and fix it if possible.  Set up drills
that mimic these needs.  For example, practice the transition at distances
from 3-10 yards, and set up a secondary drill with a piece of cover
(like a barricade) and practice ducking behind cover and reloading the rifle
or clearing the malfunction.
     If you are likely to be armed with a rifle ONLY (like I was during my
career in the U.S.M.C) then train yourself to respond accordingly.  For
example if you are training in the 3-10 yard range, your response to a dead
trigger while under fire might be an immediate muzzle strike to the target
if you are in range, then a reload.  If you are a bit farther away,
sprinting offline to another position (like a room or piece of cover) would
be your response.  So the stimulus response might be: dead trigger – strike
the target (0-3 yards) or dead trigger – sprint offline (4-10 yards).
     In addition, I recommend NEVER training transition drills by keeping
the rifle loaded and "simulating the dead trigger."  An example I watched
was a group of individuals that were practicing the transition by shooting
a couple shots, then flipping their safety on, and transitioning to the
handgun (the rifle was still loaded).  Two problems with that is that it
does not give your brain the proper stimulus to learn (dead trigger), and
secondly they were sweeping a loaded rifle out of the way with the potential
of having a safety problem if for some reason they failed to get the safety
back on.  In that case they would have had a loaded, un-safed rifle hanging
off their body pointing wherever.
     So practice your transition drill with either the reload option or
malfunction option.  To do this:  
     Reload option: Set your rifle up with one round in the chamber and an
empty magazine.  Mount and shoot the rifle (try to shoot twice).  The rifle
trigger will go "dead."  Transition to the handgun and finish your job,
then go through the process of reloading the rifle.  After that, set the
drill back up again by putting the full magazine back into the rifle.
     Malfunction Option: Set your rifle up with a magazine loaded with live
ammunition and dummy rounds.  Practice shooting 1-4 rounds (I call this a
progression of 4) and when you get a click (from the dummy round) go through
the same transition process.  The only difference in this option is that
after you have finished your job with the handgun you will have to clear
the malfunction on the rifle.  If you place several dummy rounds in your
magazine, you can practice the drill over and over.
    A sample drill can be watched here:  
Defensive Rifle Transition Drill
https://vimeo.com/118343782
 
Situational Awareness – Everything You Need to Know
https://www.survivalsullivan.com/new-take-situational-awareness/
 
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
     This is especially true in writing.  In English class we were taught to
re-write, that means to delete extraneous words, sentences, and paragraphs.  
The more you re-write, the shorter your prose become, the better your prose
become.  (English teachers who require a minimum page count on a writing
assignment are bad teachers.  Those who set a maximum page count are good
teachers.  Explain how to clean a pistol to a person who has never cleaned
a pistol before, in one page or less.  We will give your paper to a novice
student to use as instructions on cleaning his pistol.  If he finishes
with a functioning clean pistol, you pass.  Otherwise, you fail.  
Now that's a homework assignment for an English class.)
 
----- Tactics -----
 
How do you win a gunfight?
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
 
How to Win a Street Fight by Tom Marlowe
https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/fighting-dirty-secret-selfdefense/
Excerpt:  
1.  Detect Attack Before It Starts
2.  Evade the Attack Before It Starts
3.  Win the Fight and Stop the Attack
4.  Get Away and Prevent Follow-On Attack
     [This is a taste of reality for those of us who live in a civilized world,
and have never ventured out into the jungle.  You have noticed how big cities
have quickly turned into jungles.  The federal troops went in to protect the
federal buildings, the court houses, and such; not you.  Only you will protect
you. -- Jon Low]
 
     Once you engage in a fight, you run a greater than zero chance of
dying and a greater than zero chance of spending the rest of your life
in prison.  No matter how skilled you are.  No matter how justified you
are. -- Andrew Branca (paraphrased)
 
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
 
----- Education -----
 
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
 
     In my 34 years in the Marine Corps, I never met a Marine who told me that he had
read the U.S. Constitution beginning to end.  The vast majority told me that they had
never read any of it.  All of these persons had sworn an oath to uphold and defend the
U.S. Constitution, with lethal force if necessary.  
     One of my pastors told me that when he was attending seminary, many of his fellow
students admitted that they had never read the Bible cover to cover.  All of these
students would be teaching the meaning of this book to others.  
     Unfortunately, I could give a lot more examples like these.
     Please urge your students, subordinates, loved ones, etc. to read these
important documents.  Our western civilization is based on one. Our country
is based on the other.  Choosing the wrong side in a war or coup or schism is really bad.  
If you don't understand these documents, you could easily choose the wrong side.
 
Accuracy vs. Precision: Sharpen Your Shooting Skills by Lynsey Davis
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2020/8/5/accuracy-vs-precision-sharpen-your-shooting-skills/
     If you are not shooting tight groups, don't waste your time moving your sights.  
It's you, not the pistol.  
     If you are shooting tight groups (all bullet holes touching at 5 yards slow fire),
then it makes sense to move your sights, if your point of impact is not your point of aim.  
     All self-defense pistols from reputable manufactures are test fired before being
shipped to you.  So, it's likely they are zeroed for self-defense distances.  So, if
your point of aim is not your point of impact, you might want to have a knowledgeable
person watch you shoot.  It's amazing the things we do that we don't know we are doing.  
For example, closing your eyes, not using your sights correctly, not gripping correctly,
involuntarily and unconsciously flinching (because you haven't achieved a surprise
break), using the image from the wrong eye (because both of your eyes are open), etc.  
     If you have bought a used pistol, the previous owner may have monkeyed with the sights.  
(Probably with a file, a hammer, and a punch.  WRONG!)  So, you may have to adjust the
sights (with the correct tools, please).  
     If you (a right handed shooter) are scattering your shots low left, it's you, not
the pistol.  You are anticipating the recoil and pushing against it.  This is very
common and often subconscious.  The solution is to practice and achieve a surprise break.  
If you don't know what this is, find an instructor and learn.  (Left handed shooters
will scatter low right, when anticipating the recoil and pushing against it.)  
 
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
 
*****     *****     ***** Hardware (which includes you) *****     *****     *****
 
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
 
----- Gear -----
 
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
30 July 20 by John Farnam
TSA “refines” rules for transport of guns in checked baggage on domestic commercial flights:
As of this month, TSA is now requiring that all guns within hard or soft checked baggage be
contained within a separate, hard, locked case.
The separate hard case containing the guns(s) themselves must be locked, and when locked,
not easily pried open.
Having pistols inside a zipped, soft gun-rag, all within a hard piece of check baggage,
does not suffice!
This requirement is easily met!
“Travel Armor” is making hard cases specifically designed for commercial air travel.
Web Page is at
travelarmorcase.com
I've been flying since last year with my Travel Armor cases.
They're light, so they don't add much weight.
They're strong, secure, and the locking system is the one TSA likes most!
Their current line-up includes single and double-pistol cases, and magazine cases.  
They easily fit within my regular, checked baggage,
As noted, I fly with Travel Armor cases regularly, as recently as last week!
They solve the issue described above.
Recommended!
/John Farnam
 
     A helicopter flew in with a patient from Kentucky.  A 15 minute flight to Knoxville.  
But, none of the hospitals in Knoxville would accept him (you need a doctor willing
to admit the patient), so they few 1.5 hours to us in Nashville.  The flight crew had
never been to TriStar Southern Hill Medical Center in Nashville before.  Their GPS would
have put them down in the Walmart parking lot a quarter mile away.  So, they were circling
overhead trying to find our landing pad.  The landing pad lights were completely washed
out by the city lights of Nashville.  The pilot had night vision goggles, but they did
not help.  The pilot told me that if it were not for my flashlight signalling them,
they would never have found the pad.  (Our helicopter pad is not directly adjacent
to the hospital.  A Nashville Fire Department ambulance has to transport the patient
from our pad to the emergency room.)  So, having a 1000 lumen flashlight that a
helicopter can see from 5 miles away is very useful.  Blinding bad guys is also nice.  
 
Question from a Patron [concerning small low capacity handguns] by the Tactical Professor
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/question-from-a-patron/
Excerpt:  
     "Periodically, I hear the quip “no one in a gunfight says they brought
too much ammunition.” My response to that is that a lot of people who are
attacked think “I wish I’d brought my gun.” "
     "With respect to one of my colleagues [Clint Smith], the concept
“It should be comforting not comfortable” is probably the most foolish
and out of touch saying that has ever been uttered in the training community."
 
Tips To Achieve Ultimate Comfort In Concealed Carry by Joshua Gillem
https://www.concealedcarry.com/uncategorized/tips-to-achieve-ultimate-comfort-in-concealed-carry/
 
Skill Set: Context & Conditions by Tiger McKee
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/b69fa9f2-589f-49a9-97de-8230c29834f5
 
3 Things To Look For In A Concealed Carry Holster by Sara Tipton
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-for-beginners-three-things-to-look-for-in-a-concealed-carry-rig/
 
1986 Miami Shootout: The Aftermath by Edmundo Mireles
https://gundigest.com/tactical/1986-miami-shootout-the-aftermath
Excerpt:  
     ". . . The group consensus on handgun ammo was that “size” did matter.
A larger handgun bullet caused larger wounds, which in turn generally led
to rapid, faster bleeding. Rapid bleeding led to quicker incapacitation,
either by passing out or death."
     "A person with fifteen-round magazines can keep fighting. Replacing a
magazine is easier and faster than reloading a revolver.  This led the FBI
transition from revolvers to high capacity pistols."
     "The FBI . . . Firearms Training Unit (FTU) . . . started to add more
“combat” shooting courses: Moving and shooting, shooting one-handed,
reloading one-handed, shooting with your weak hand, shooting at moving
targets, shooting from cars, and shooting at smaller targets.  It added a
more realistic style of training as opposed to shooting in straight lines
at stationary targets."
 
“Your car is not a holster.”
– Pat Rogers
 
----- Technical -----
 
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
 
Off-Body CCW For the Disabled: Why & How by Dr. Joseph Logar, PT, DPT
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2020/7/28/off-body-ccw-for-the-disabled-why-how/
     If you've never had a disabled person in one of your classes,
you might want to do some out reach.  
     I once had a lady, who was missing both of her hands, attend a class.  
I had to admit that I lacked the training and knowledge to help her.  
But, she hung out to observe and take part in the discussions after the
lectures.  She handled the babies and cooking chores effortlessly.  
So, she was not disabled except in the technical sense of not being able
to hold the pistol and manipulate the trigger.  
     I had referred her to a previous USA Shooting Paralympic National Team Coach,
as he had always been very helpful.  The present
Paralympic National Team Coach & Manager is Will Anti,
william.anti@usoc.org
So, you could contact him for help with disabled shooters.  
 
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
 
*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God's gift to our students.
Our students are God's gift to us."
 
----- Instructors -----
 
Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam
 
     When your dental hygienist tells you that you need to floss your teeth,
she is correct.  She is a highly trained professional who knows what she is
talking about.  To ignore her is WRONG.  
     You can't smell your bad breath because it is normal to you.  If you worked
around chlorine swimming pools all day long, you would not think that the pools
smelled bad.  But, the chlorine would still be toxic, poisonous, and nasty.
     You have to floss your teeth correctly to remove the plaque from the sides
of your teeth below the gum line.  Brushing will not do this.  If you don't remove
the plaque daily, it will turn into tarter (calculus), and eventually destroy
your teeth.  
     "But, Staff, I am 53 years old and have never had a cavity.  So, I don't
need to floss."  
     That is exactly the same as saying, "I've been teaching for 53 years and
have never had a negligent discharge, so I don't need to follow all the silly
safety rules."  Being lucky doesn't mean shit.  If you don't religiously follow
the safety rules, you are WRONG!  If you don't floss your teeth daily, you are
WRONG!   
 
You Must Train With Different Instructors by Short Barrel Shepherd
https://shortbarrelshepherd.com/you-must-train-with-different-instructors/
     This is the same citation as in the Training Section above.  
But, it is so much more important for you, the instructor.  
Tom Givens takes classes from other instructors all the time.  Follow
his example.  
 
     Be careful what you teach.  Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do, no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Pedagogy -----
 
Teach positive.  Teach what to do.  Don't talk about what not to do.
-- John Farnam
 
The Lost Art of Mentoring
https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/lost-art-mentoring/382735
     Maybe they don't need an instructor.  Maybe they need a friend.  
You are the ambassador of our shooting culture.  Strive to be a
competent diplomat.  
 
How to motivate yourself to change your behavior by Dr. Tali Sharot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp0O2vi8DX4
1.  Social incentives
2.  Immediate reward
3.  Progress monitoring
4.  Sense of control
 
Scenario Training Ideas from “The Upside of Irrationality” by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/scenario-training-ideas-from-the-upside-of-irrationality
 
Defensive tactics training: Using Big Ben to escape from a headlock by Lt. Dan Marcou
https://www.police1.com/police-training/articles/defensive-tactics-training-using-big-ben-to-escape-from-a-headlock-CT6k238pOEAyYx91/
Excerpt:  
     “KISS,” which stands for, "Keep it simple stupid!" (The stupid is the trainer, not the trainee.)
[You may have to register to see this article.  But, the registration is fairly painless.]  
     This technique isn't effective on biologic females.  You could injure your hand
or wrist by banging it into a pelvic bone.  
 
     An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.  
-- "Building Shooters" by Dustin Solomon
 
*****     *****     ***** Legal, Political, and Philosophical *****     *****     *****
 
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
 
     Andrew Branca's info-graphic describing the 5 elements of the law of self defense.
https://lawofselfdefense.com/beginjourney/
 
Gabe Suarez Commentary on communism in our country
https://vimeo.com/442861067
     Words of wisdom from someone who was there in Cuba.
Please take this seriously.  Black Lives Matter is a communist organization.  
 
Compel Aggressor to Work for the Fight by Andrew Branca and Don West
https://lawofselfdefense.com/branca-west-compel-aggressor-to-work-for-the-fight/
(Transcript is included, so you don't have to watch the video.)
Excerpt:  
     ". . . 13 states impose a legal duty to retreat before you can use force in self-defense."
     "Your job is to make it hard for that other person to compel you to use force against them."
     "I think a lot of people have a naiveté or almost an ignorance of how the criminal justice
system actually works."
     "If you’re convicted, you’ve been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  
All the presumptions on appeal are against you.  They’re no longer in your favor.
It’s a much higher, uphill battle to win an appeal than it was to try to win
a trial, and you’ve already lost a trial.  Going to appeal is not a winning
strategy.  It’s what you do as a desperate last resort."
 
“Don’t be so Square!”
https://defense-training.com/dont-be-so-square/
     Don't think, "That could never happen here."  It is happening here.  
I'm sure you're smart (you're reading this).  But, you might not be politically
aware.  You might believe things that are false.  
     "There is no journalism, there is only propaganda."
-- Prof. Yerkes, English Department, Columbia University (the one in NY city)
 
News/QA Show: August 6, 2020 by Attorney Andrew Branca
https://lawofselfdefense.com/news-qa-show-august-6-2020/
     Andrew gives us 3 examples of prosecutions of the innocent to get the prosecutor
re-elected or elected.  In all cases the evidence was overwhelming.  The prosecutor
knew she could never get a coviction.  She tried the case to get votes to win an
election that she was otherwise sure to lose.  This is reality.  Don't waste your
time complaining about it.  Prepare for it.  Buy insurance.  Get educated.  Get trained.  
     "Oh, that would never happen to me.  I'm not white (caucasian)."
     George Zimmerman wasn't white.  He didn't look white.  But, CNN called him white.  
So, the prosecutor could use the narrative to get re-elected.  Welcome to the real world.  
 
Understanding Post-Incident Legal Assistance Plans by Marty Hayes, J.D.
(Sorry, I couldn't get a working URL.)
Excerpt:  (paraphrased, because I could not cut and paste)
     "In my experience, conclusions the police draw and even the
scene investigation done by law enforcement can be very wrong."
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NSSF: Firearm Purchases by Black Men and Women up 58% from 2019 by AWR Hawkins
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/08/04/nssf-firearm-purchases-by-black-men-and-women-up-58-from-2019/
 
'It’s my constitutional freaking right':
Black Americans arm themselves in response to pandemic, protests
By MAYA KING
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/26/black-americans-gun-owners-380162
 
National African American Gun Owners’ Association
https://naaga.co/
 
Black Gun Owners Association
https://blackgunownersassociation.org/
 
National Black Rifle and Gun Association ("Black" doesn't refers to the rifle.)
https://officialblacknra.org/
 
     Isn't everyone pro-gun?
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
      I viewed a CCW Safe analysis of Mr. and Mrs. McCloskey in St. Louis, MO, an
analysis by Andrew Branca, and an analysis by US Law Shield.  The opinions did not
differ much.  The important points were:  The rioters were not just on the
McCloskey's property.  The rioters broke down a fence to a gated community.  So,
the road was private property.  Everything within the fence was private property.  
The McCloskeys are hard core liberals who support Black Lives Matter.  Black Lives
Matter mob trespasses on the McCloskeys' property and threatens to hurt them and
kill their dog.  (Threatening a man's dog is beyond the pale.)  The Republican
(conservative) Missouri Attorney General has filed a motion to have the charges
against the McCloskeys dismissed.  The irony is breathtaking.  
     You think the McCloskeys will convert to conservative Republican?
 
Don’t Feed The Gun Prohibitionists!
https://www.ccrkba.org/antigunbusinesses
     I changed my cell phone carrier from AT&T to a local company.
It was very easy.  
 
     If you can't intelligently argue with your friends as to why capitalism is
vastly superior to socialism/communism, Liz Wheeler explains it here,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi2YoOj70L4
in 4 minutes.  Beauty and brains.  
 
Cases of the Week: Aug. 12, 2020 (Murder-for-hire ≠ Self-defense!) by Attorney Andrew Branca
https://lawofselfdefense.com/cases-of-the-week-aug-12-2020-murder-for-hire-%e2%89%a0-self-defense/
     What this article is really about is that if you are stupid or have a stupid
attorney and do stupid things at trial, you can open the door for the prosecution
to present evidence to the jury that would normally be inadmissible.  When hiring
an attorney (as with everything else in this world) you get what you pay for.  
That's why you have to have insurance and a list of top notch attorneys to choose
from.  In America, you get as much justice as you can pay for up front.  
     I have had good outcomes in court because I have always paid my attorneys in
full up front.  The attorney knows that if he bills you after the case is decided
he is never going to get paid.  That's why every legitimate attorney demands payment
in full up front.  
     Please note that the defendant in this case was a firearms instructor.  Though
I have not been able to find his name on any of the NRA instructor lists, nor any
other instructor list that I am privy to.  So, maybe he just claimed the title.  
 
NRA Sued in New York, Washington, D.C. by Dave Workman
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/exclusives/nra-sued-in-new-york-washington-d-c/
     The article has links to the primary source documents, the charges filed by
the New York and Washington, District of Columbia Attorneys General.  
 
5 Things You Need To Know About Kamala Harris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGvCV6nlDn0
     Sun Tsu said you have to know your enemy to have any chance of defeating him.  
 
News/Q&A Show: August 13, 2020 by Attorney Andrew Branca
https://lawofselfdefense.com/news-qa-show-august-13-2020/
 
“Is there no virtue among us?
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form,
will insure liberty and happiness for an dishonorable population
represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
 
*****     *****     ***** Survival, Medical, Security, and such *****     *****     *****
 
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
 
Threat Journal
https://threatjournal.com/archive/tj08012020.html
https://threatjournal.com/archive/tj08082020.html
 
Heavy flow is not massive hemorrhage: Tampons don’t belong in IFAKs by Mike Shertz
https://www.crisis-medicine.com/heavy-flow-is-not-massive-hemorrhage-tampons-dont-belong-in-ifaks/
     As a scholar, I rely on peer reviewed journals.  So, should you.  
As Mr. Shertz points out, absorbing blood is not the same as stopping bleeding.  
 
Anatomy of an Assault: The 5-Step Attack Cycle by Steve Tarani
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/8/2/anatomy-of-an-assault-the-5-step-attack-cycle/
Excerpts:  
     ". . . the Attack Cycle: Look, Choose, Stalk, Close, Strike."
     "Break the Cycle
Three easy ways to break the cycle:
1: Don’t put yourself in harm’s way (no need to go to the ATM at 2 a.m. in a bad neighborhood)
2: Don’t be an attractive victim (cash hanging out of your purse, belligerent or drunk in public, etc.)
3: Make the bad guy ask the question “Are there softer targets around?” and answer “Yes.” "
 
Defeating facial recognition software --
"Fawkes: Protecting Privacy against Unauthorized Deep Learning Models" by
Shawn Shan†, Emily Wenger†, Jiayun Zhang, Huiying Li, Haitao Zheng, Ben Y. Zhao†denotes co-first authors with equal contributionComputer Science, University of Chicago{shansixiong, ewillson, jiayunz, huiyingli, htzheng, ravenben}@cs.uchicago.edu
http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~ravenben/publications/pdf/fawkes-usenix20.pdf
     The idea is to cloak any photo of you before you transmit or publish it anywhere.  
Then when pictures are taken of you in the wild, they cannot be matched to identified
pictures of you on the internet.  
 
     Keep your gut healthy, sauerkraut and kimchee whenever you can.
 
Willingness is a state of mind.  Preparedness (or lack thereof) is a fact.
 
*****     *****     ***** Basics *****     *****     *****
 
“Often, it’s what you don’t know that kills you!”
-- Carr
 
     "Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans."
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
 
*****     *****     ***** Miscellany *****     *****     *****
 
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
 
     May I enthusiastically recommend
Spartan Hunting Preserve
https://boarhuntingtn.com/
     I paid in full up front for my son's boar hunt.  I received no discounts
and no freebies.
     Mitch and Joy Kemmer run a first class operation.  The lodge is clean and well
furnished.  (We always took off our shoes before entering the lodge, but you don't
have to.)  The hunt is well guided and efficient (they don't waste your time).  
The food is like mom's home cooking, good and yummy.
(Mitch and Joy's cousins are the kitchen staff.)  
     You can zero your rifle from the porch of the lodge down into a gully.  The
range is 60 yards (according to my son's laser range finder).  If you can't get
your rifle zeroed, they have rifles they will loan you for your hunt.  Several of
the hunters that we met there were hunting with cross bows, compound bows, and
long bows.  An 11 year old boy took a boar with compound bow a few hours before
I arrived.  He was bouncing around with joy.  
     They have all kinds of animals for you to hunt.  And their guides (Mitch and
Joy's adult children) will find what you want and set you up in position to take
the game.
    This is the sort of hunt you take your child or grandfather on.
No 50 mile hike with backpack over rough hilly terrain.
     They drove us to the blind in all terrain vehicles.  The blinds were
large and roomy with chairs.  If we saw what we wanted, we could shot
it from the blind.  The guide told us to stay in the blind, so that the guides will
know where everyone is, so no one gets shot accidentally.  We saw all kinds of wildlife
from the blind, but not what we had come for (a feral or Russian boar).  Later in
the day a guide came to our blind and led us to the top of a hill with a view into
a gully where a large boar and a couple of piglets were grazing.
     My son shot the boar from about 60 or 70 yards downhill, using a tree as a brace.  
The single shot from his 30-06 Tika (Finnish) rifle took the boar behind the shoulder
and it went down immediately.  (We did not have to track a bleeding animal.  Which
I have done in the past.)
     After he shot the boar, the piglets immediately started licking the blood.
The guide chased the piglets away and we took some pictures.  The tusks on the
boar were the size of my son's hands.
     The guides and staff gutted and carried the 500+ pound boar out for us.
They hung it up on a stand to let the blood drain and allow us to take pictures.
     I wasn't hunting.  I just went along as body guard for my son.  His mother and
wife would have been very angry with me if he had gotten gored.  I carried by
AR-15 type rifle on a two point sling.  
     At 61 years of age, this is my sort of hunt.  I'm too old to carry or drag a
500 pound boar out of the woods over hill and dale.
     Dogwood Baptist Church is adjacent to the lodge, if you happen to be there
on a Sunday.  
     $950 for the hunt including food and lodging for as long as it takes you to
get your boar (I arrived Friday evening had dinner and slept.  My son arrived Saturday
morning.  He had shot his boar by mid-afternoon.)  They had it butcher and in ice
chests for him to take by Saturday evening, $300.  $1200 for the taxidermy to do a
shoulder mount.  And I left a tip for the guides and kitchen staff.  
 
     Gun Cranks with Brent Wheat, Tom McHale, and Roy Huntington
Wednesdays at 19:00 on YouTube.com
Guncranks Live!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHQfhDyZ8yw&list=PLVNFxu_2AK44bHcYVSNNLfnLpJ-sO4t2h
FMG Publications
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLqg5DCTFuqKHkLZTG4GxrA
 
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck’.
However, the short-run is longer than many individual lifetimes!”
-- Anon
 
     A CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate for children) called me to help out,
because she was accompanying a foster parent and child to a meeting with the
biological mother and they knew that the biological mother's boyfriend (long
criminal record) would be in the vicinity and that they would probably attempt
to kidnap the child.  (Hey, when the state takes custody of a child and the
parent takes the child, that's kidnapping.)  They gave me pictures and descriptions
of the boyfriend and vehicle.  He's parked in the parking lot of the Burger
King with the engine running.  I walk up, smile, and say, "It's not a good day
for this operation.  There are several officers in the parking lot.  We know
what you're doing."  He gives me an angry look and drives away.  
     Use your words.  They are powerful.  
 
10 Things The Aliens Forgot To Tell Us When They Left Us Here
https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/aliens-10-things-to-be-informed/
 
/* Random data from the HotBits radioactive random number generator */
unsigned char hotBits[128] =
{   146, 199, 126, 212, 120, 129, 228, 32, 141, 157, 39, 62, 32, 112, 60,
    76, 240, 119, 197, 112, 217, 99, 84, 86, 66, 154, 183, 97, 5, 182, 117,
    218, 148, 253, 169, 83, 6, 42, 198, 213, 235, 157, 218, 164, 164, 183,
    24, 87, 252, 230, 159, 89, 145, 60, 197, 79, 14, 0, 173, 5, 239, 181,
    137, 183, 142, 132, 141, 140, 132, 144, 176, 144, 123, 100, 173, 102,
    146, 225, 67, 38, 92, 220, 30, 217, 43, 41, 120, 149, 170, 3, 157, 29,
    36, 106, 22, 139, 114, 93, 122, 98, 93, 87, 187, 22, 255, 149, 84, 55,
    71, 197, 245, 249, 53, 125, 165, 152, 187, 102, 71, 27, 167, 20, 2, 1,
    167, 26, 80, 246
};
 
     "Hey, Staff, why don't you have any pictures in your blog postings?"
     A picture may be worth a thousand words, but pictures also attract
internet trolls.  Especially bright colorful high resolution photographs.  
Reading prose is an effort barrier that causes the lazy to neglect
my humble blog.  I would prefer to avoid having to deal with the activism
of the intellectually lazy.  
 
     I know these blog postings are too long.  
"If I had had more time, I would have written a shorter letter." -- Napoleon
 
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com