Greetings Sheepdogs,
I know this newsletter is way too long, but there are so many good things
going on, I can't help myself.
"Absence of Order!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/absence-of-order/
What's really going on in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.
‟We were born to live at this time for a reason. Our life experiences are
preparing us for the tasks before us. Don’t blow your assignment because
you spent time reading about the assignment. Go do your assignment instead.”
-- Greg Ellifritz
Password tip. There are many unicode characters that password readers will accept.
https://www.rapidtables.com/code/text/unicode-characters.html
You might not be able to type them from your keyboard, but you can cut and paste
them from a note pad or the web page cited above. Using such characters will put
your password beyond the ability of some software to crack, and will definitely
put it outside of a dictionary attack.
On the other hand, that URL that you are going to may look like one you know,
but actually be composed of characters that look like English characters but in fact
are not. A lot of foreign unicode characters look like English characters.
Be aware. Be careful.
"The work of spirituality is to recognize where we are - the particular
circumstances of our lives - to recognize grace and say,
"Do you suppose God wants to be with me in a way that does not involve
changing my spouse or getting rid of my spouse or my kids,
but in changing me, and doing something in my life that maybe I could
never experience without this pain and this suffering?"
-- Edmund Clowney
Hat tip to Mark Fitzhenry.
Your ability to hit the intended target in combat is the result of thousands of
correct repetitions and hundreds of hours of practice. [Paraphrased from Jack
Wilson and other instructors at SOS 2023. -- Jon Low]
Your good health is the result of the last couple of decades of exercise and
healthy eating and sufficient sleeping.
Start now. Your time is nigh.
Never fire warning shots! They are illegal in every state. You will be prosecuted
for such stupidity. You're not doing the bad guy a favor by warning him to leave.
You are depleting your ammunition. Every warning shot will be destroying property,
injuring innocent bystanders, and killing a few. Nothing good will come of warning
shots.
Never shoot to wound. Shooting in combat is a low probability event. Shooting
to wound is a zero probability event, which means you will be missing, which means
you will be destroying property, hitting innocent bystanders, maybe killing them.
Even if you intend for your shot to be less than lethal, it may be lethal. If you make
an excited utterance such as "I was shooting to wound. I didn't mean to kill him."
you're screwed. That statement will be used against you. Self-defense is intentional.
Your statement indicates that your use of force was not intentional. Using a pistol
in combat is using lethal force. There is no way to use a pistol in a less than lethal
way.
"Tucker Carlson Is Changing . . ." by Fight For Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MKgsXTRU-4
The culture war is not about debating the facts. It never has been.
It is a conflict between two religions: Christianity and Liberalism.
There are only two sexes: male and female. Liberals deny this fact.
I know this newsletter is way too long, but there are so many good things
going on, I can't help myself.
"Absence of Order!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/absence-of-order/
What's really going on in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.
‟We were born to live at this time for a reason. Our life experiences are
preparing us for the tasks before us. Don’t blow your assignment because
you spent time reading about the assignment. Go do your assignment instead.”
-- Greg Ellifritz
Password tip. There are many unicode characters that password readers will accept.
https://www.rapidtables.com/code/text/unicode-characters.html
You might not be able to type them from your keyboard, but you can cut and paste
them from a note pad or the web page cited above. Using such characters will put
your password beyond the ability of some software to crack, and will definitely
put it outside of a dictionary attack.
On the other hand, that URL that you are going to may look like one you know,
but actually be composed of characters that look like English characters but in fact
are not. A lot of foreign unicode characters look like English characters.
Be aware. Be careful.
"The work of spirituality is to recognize where we are - the particular
circumstances of our lives - to recognize grace and say,
"Do you suppose God wants to be with me in a way that does not involve
changing my spouse or getting rid of my spouse or my kids,
but in changing me, and doing something in my life that maybe I could
never experience without this pain and this suffering?"
-- Edmund Clowney
Hat tip to Mark Fitzhenry.
Your ability to hit the intended target in combat is the result of thousands of
correct repetitions and hundreds of hours of practice. [Paraphrased from Jack
Wilson and other instructors at SOS 2023. -- Jon Low]
Your good health is the result of the last couple of decades of exercise and
healthy eating and sufficient sleeping.
Start now. Your time is nigh.
Never fire warning shots! They are illegal in every state. You will be prosecuted
for such stupidity. You're not doing the bad guy a favor by warning him to leave.
You are depleting your ammunition. Every warning shot will be destroying property,
injuring innocent bystanders, and killing a few. Nothing good will come of warning
shots.
Never shoot to wound. Shooting in combat is a low probability event. Shooting
to wound is a zero probability event, which means you will be missing, which means
you will be destroying property, hitting innocent bystanders, maybe killing them.
Even if you intend for your shot to be less than lethal, it may be lethal. If you make
an excited utterance such as "I was shooting to wound. I didn't mean to kill him."
you're screwed. That statement will be used against you. Self-defense is intentional.
Your statement indicates that your use of force was not intentional. Using a pistol
in combat is using lethal force. There is no way to use a pistol in a less than lethal
way.
"Tucker Carlson Is Changing . . ." by Fight For Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MKgsXTRU-4
The culture war is not about debating the facts. It never has been.
It is a conflict between two religions: Christianity and Liberalism.
There are only two sexes: male and female. Liberals deny this fact.
Abortion is baby murder. Liberals deny this fact. Facts don't matter
to the liberal. So there is no debate. There is only war. Did you
notice the cities in ruin? Did you lose your job because you wouldn't
bend the knee to the government and take the vaccine? Or did you
bend the knee? All of the non-compliant police officers were fired.
All of the non-compliant members of the Armed Forces were fired.
All of the non-compliant healthcare workers were fired.
What type of person is left in those professions. They certainly are
not like us.
Table of Sections:
Prevention
Intervention
Postvention
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Prevention ***** ***** *****
All the things you can do to avoid the lethal force incident.
Table of contents:
Mindset
Safety
Training
Practice
*************************************************************************
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
"Heroes!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/heroes-4/
Excerpts:
1) When it’s least expected, you’re elected!
2) “Vetting” is a joke, there and here!
3) No government, nor unit thereof, will ever care about you, personally!
4) Don’t expect to be thanked!
“Opportunities are never ‘lost’.
They go to someone who’s awake,
and ready to host them attentively.”
-- African Proverb
‷If you look at someone bigger, faster, and stronger and immediately think,
‶I'm at a disadvantage″,
I have news for you: you are.
But that's only because you just put yourself there for no reason.
The truth is that anyone can do debilitating violence to anyone else.
Your size, your speed, your strength, your gender --
all the factors that untrained people think make
the difference when it comes to violence --
all matter far less than your mindset and your intent.‴
-- Tim Larkin
From an email from Jason Hanson --
Yesterday, I was talking with a guy who had to use his knife to defend himself . . .
Three guys had threatened him and said they were going to kill him.
He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Of course, he tried to talk his way out of it and he told the guys he didn’t
want any trouble and he wanted to leave peacefully.
But these three guys didn’t care.
When the good guy saw that things were about to go down and he had no
chance to get out peacefully, he quickly and surreptitiously drew his pocket knife.
At about the same time, the “ringleader” of the crew rushed him while the
other two guys kind of hung back.
A vicious fight ensued and the good guy ended up stabbing the attacker
multiple times in the stomach and chest area.
The other two attackers just watched in disbelief and didn’t come to
help their friend.
There was a tremendous amount of blood and, as you can imagine,
it was not a pretty scene.
But the good guy lived and didn’t get pummeled to death by the three
men who said they were going to kill him that evening.
Clearly, this is not a situation that anyone wants to be in.
I pray you and I never find ourselves backed into a corner while
three men threaten to kill us.
But his folding knife saved his life that day and the good guy might
not be walking the earth right now if he didn’t have it.
It certainly didn’t hurt that he knew how to handle a knife
using the techniques below . . .
https://cf.spybriefing.com/blade-warrior-ebook-v3
Table of Sections:
Prevention
Intervention
Postvention
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Prevention ***** ***** *****
All the things you can do to avoid the lethal force incident.
Table of contents:
Mindset
Safety
Training
Practice
*************************************************************************
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
"Heroes!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/heroes-4/
Excerpts:
1) When it’s least expected, you’re elected!
2) “Vetting” is a joke, there and here!
3) No government, nor unit thereof, will ever care about you, personally!
4) Don’t expect to be thanked!
“Opportunities are never ‘lost’.
They go to someone who’s awake,
and ready to host them attentively.”
-- African Proverb
‷If you look at someone bigger, faster, and stronger and immediately think,
‶I'm at a disadvantage″,
I have news for you: you are.
But that's only because you just put yourself there for no reason.
The truth is that anyone can do debilitating violence to anyone else.
Your size, your speed, your strength, your gender --
all the factors that untrained people think make
the difference when it comes to violence --
all matter far less than your mindset and your intent.‴
-- Tim Larkin
From an email from Jason Hanson --
Yesterday, I was talking with a guy who had to use his knife to defend himself . . .
Three guys had threatened him and said they were going to kill him.
He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Of course, he tried to talk his way out of it and he told the guys he didn’t
want any trouble and he wanted to leave peacefully.
But these three guys didn’t care.
When the good guy saw that things were about to go down and he had no
chance to get out peacefully, he quickly and surreptitiously drew his pocket knife.
At about the same time, the “ringleader” of the crew rushed him while the
other two guys kind of hung back.
A vicious fight ensued and the good guy ended up stabbing the attacker
multiple times in the stomach and chest area.
The other two attackers just watched in disbelief and didn’t come to
help their friend.
There was a tremendous amount of blood and, as you can imagine,
it was not a pretty scene.
But the good guy lived and didn’t get pummeled to death by the three
men who said they were going to kill him that evening.
Clearly, this is not a situation that anyone wants to be in.
I pray you and I never find ourselves backed into a corner while
three men threaten to kill us.
But his folding knife saved his life that day and the good guy might
not be walking the earth right now if he didn’t have it.
It certainly didn’t hurt that he knew how to handle a knife
using the techniques below . . .
https://cf.spybriefing.com/blade-warrior-ebook-v3
[Ya, nobody writes to me, except to sell me stuff. -- Jon Low]
Violence is not pretty, but real men understand that
sometimes it needs to be done.
I hope you never have to partake of it,
but I also hope you’ve made the decision
to always defend your loved ones no matter what it takes.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
‟We don’t decide what is necessary to survive a lethal force encounter initiated
by someone else. That person decides what’s necessary for us to survive.”
– William Aprill
"Is Anyone Willing or Even Capable of Serving Anymore?" by Jim Glennon
https://calibrepress.com/2023/07/is-anyone-willing-or-even-capable-of-serving-anymore/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpts:
"I love history. I read it, study it, am amazed by it. I’m especially drawn to the
stories about those who put themselves second. Who willingly put their lives at risk.
Who are driven to support principles, that to them matter so much, that they devote
their lives to the protection of others."
“It does not matter if the cobblers and masons fail to do their jobs well,
but if the guardians fail, the democracy will crumble.” -- Plato
According to Military.com a new study from the Pentagon “shows that 77% of
young Americans would not qualify for military service without a waiver due to
being overweight, using drugs, or having mental and physical health problems.”
[I would add criminal convictions. It was once my job in the Marine Corps to
shepherd Marines through the process of getting their security clearances. -- Jon Low]
Generally, what this Chief of Police told me is summarized here,
though obviously not verbatim.
“We had 1,000 take out applications. We had 500 show up for orientation.
We had 150 take the written test where 75 passed. Of those 75, only 45
participated in the physical power test. Of the 45 who had to run a mile and
a half in less than 12 minutes, bench press 75% of their weight, bend, stretch
and drag a dummy, only ten passed! Ten! Then we conducted our drug tests
that they know they have to take and five flunked! After the background
[investigation], one was left, and he decided not to join because he didn’t
want to work night shifts.”
I spoke to a training director of a major Midwest city just last month.
She told me that ten years ago they would have two academy classes running
simultaneously with about 65-75 recruits in each class. The dropout rate was
about 5%.
In 2023? They began their one academy class with 20 recruits and within
ten weeks, only 9 were still in the course. Some were forced out, but most
quit. Some had their mothers drop off their gear without any warning or
explanation.
I talked to another training director and she told me that one recruit
showed up to the first day of the academy with an emotional service cat
that he insisted needed to be next to him throughout the four month course.
‟Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice.”
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
"Presumption of Safety and the “Should” Worldview
To keep yourself safe, you must live in the world how it is, not how you wish it was."
by Jo Deering
https://www.nrawomen.com/content/presumption-of-safety-and-the-should-worldview/
Blaming the victim is fine if the victim is at fault. Just say NO! to stupidity.
Dressing as a slut, getting drunk, and running your mouth are acts of stupidity, that
when combined get predictable results. Either take your bodyguards with you, or
act like a lady. Ladies dress conservatively. Ladies never get drunk. Ladies speak
in a genteel manner (never verbally abusive).
“Willingness is a state of mind. Readiness is a statement of fact!”
-- Lt. Gen. David M Shoup, USMC Commandant, 1960-1963
By Tim Larkin
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle-kitchen-melee/
The weapon is the enemy's mind. Stop the enemy's mind. Chasing after the
weapon (pistol, knife, etc.) should NOT be your primary goal. Shutting down the
enemy's brain is the goal. As you saw in the video, getting the enemy's pistol
didn't achieve shit. The pistol didn't work. When you do a combat pick up, you
don't know anything about the weapon system that you picked up. Maybe it
will explode and injure you.
***** Situational Awareness *****
From an email from Jason Hanson <jason@spybriefing.com>
With violence continuing to skyrocket across the nation…
You’ve got to be on your “A” game these days when it comes to situational
awareness. The last thing you want to happen is to suddenly find yourself
surrounded by an angry mob. So today, I want to quickly share with you the three
dimensions of situational awareness that every spy learns and how you can apply
this to your own life.
The first dimension is your immediate vicinity. Quite literally, anything in
arms reach out to about a 15-foot radius.
The second dimension is your surroundings. For instance, are you attending
a church service, are you in a restaurant or at home? Basically, your second
dimension will be your line of sight and auditory range of perception beyond
your immediate vicinity.
Your third dimension is outside of your surroundings. It can be described as
exterior to your immediate environment. For example, if you are attending a
church service, your third dimension will include the parking lot, the back of the
building and it extends out to any current events that may affect you. Your third
dimension of SA is not described with physical boundaries, rather it includes
events that may have a big impact on you. These events could be things such as
a developing military coup in the country you are working or a widespread power
outage in your area.
While you can observe your first two dimensions, it is the ability to perceive
your third dimension that will be essential in becoming fully aware. To really
be prepared, you need to try and figure out what is likely happening and about to
happen in all three dimensions.
You can practice developing skills in all three dimensions as you go about
your normal day. To start, simply take a few moments to realize that all of these
dimensions are surrounding you. Then, be able to describe them to yourself in
your mind and be prepared to act in the face of danger. In other words, the next
time you’re at Home Depot or going to the grocery store . . . Instead of just
mindlessly shopping like most people do, take the time to think about your three
dimensions of SA [situational awareness] and how it might affect your safety.
This is an easy exercise to do, doesn’t take long at all, and can definitely pay
off in a crisis situation.
-- Jason Hanson
“You need to have the capacity for danger. You need to be ‘dangerous’.
Yet, you need to learn how to not use it except when necessary.
And, that is not the same thing as being harmless. . . .
There's nothing virtuous about harmlessness.
Harmless just means you’re ineffectual and useless.”
-- Jordan Peterson
*************************************************************************
----- Safety ----- (How to prevent the bad thing from happening in the first place.
How to avoid shooting yourself, friendlies, and innocent bystanders. How to avoid
toddlers getting your guns.)
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.
"Do as I say, not as I do!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do/
Stay out of gun-free-zones. They will only get you killed, as they attract predators.
"A Parent’s Guide to Concealed Carry" by Nic Lenze
https://www.thearmorylife.com/a-parents-guide-to-concealed-carry/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
"Link to me."
‟If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it.
The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury.
Therefore what he must fear is his victim.”
-- Col. Jeff Cooper
" Convenience Store Robber Gets a Hilarious Beatdown" by Michael Knowles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqwdpnRBl3U
"Security measures credited with saving lives at Margolin Hebrew Academy"
by Jack Bilyeu
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/security-measures-credited-with-saving-lives-at-margolin-hebrew-academy/article_8e7e8ef0-30da-11ee-8577-f3def289d0af.html
Excerpt:
"The threats don’t just come from outside.
According to state Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis,
the gunman was a former student at the academy."
[If your children's school doesn't have robust realistic security measures in place,
change school. You are responsible for your child's security, not some bureaucrat
employee of the school. Suing the school after the incident won't bring your child back.
-- Jon Low]
These stories are constantly in the news. Please assume the responsibility to
outreach and educate everyone around you, as to how to safely carry their firearms.
The life you save, may be your grand mother's.
"Woman injured after 4-year-old granddaughter accidentally shoots her, police say"
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/08/03/woman-injured-after-4-year-old-granddaughter-accidentally-shoots-her-police-say/
Carrying your pistol in a purse is a really bad idea. Attach it to your body in a
high quality holster, otherwise someone will eventually get their hands on it and
fire it. In this case the 4 year old granddaughter shot her grandmother.
It is completely the grandmother's fault, but who is suffering the trauma?
"Armed Staff Versus School Resource Officers -
The Quality of Quantity to Defend Our Students" by Rob Morse
https://slowfacts.wordpress.com/2023/08/03/armed-staff-versus-school-resource-officers-the-quality-of-quantity-to-defend-our-students/
Excerpt:
"The threat is changing over time. Greg Ellifritz did an excellent job looking
at armed attacks at schools after the Covid lockdown.
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/timing-school-shootings-for-higher-body-counts-updated
Only 20-percent of the attacks are now in the classroom. That means we need
to do more than lock the classroom doors. Half of the armed attacks on our
schools occurred before or after school when students were out of the classroom
and on school grounds or on their way to school. That number is increasing, and
that means that a single School Resource Officer at school for a few hours a week
isn’t enough. Murderers might be adapting to the security measures that schools
have already put in place like locked doors, metal detectors, and revised policies
when someone pulls a fire alarm or triggers a smoke detector. We have to adapt
as well."
[Arming the faculty and staff is really the only way to get low body counts,
because as Ed Monk says, you have to stop the attack within 30 seconds.
Historically / statistically, the SRO will take about 3 minutes to arrive on
the scene. The police will take about 7 minutes to arrive on the scene.
But, 30 seconds is all you have to stop the murders. So, the adults on
scene must stop the attack. So, they must be armed and trained. -- Jon Low]
"In Self Defense Podcast 116: Tom Givens on Home Defense: Part 1"
https://ccwsafe.com/news/in-self-defense-podcast-116-tom-givens-on-home-defense-part-1/
The transcript is included.
Home invasions is not just for drug dealers.
Lock your doors and windows! (If you don't force the bad guy to break something,
there is no forced entry.) Breaking down front doors is fast, less than a minute.
Doors can be kicked in without tools.
[When I was at the 2023 SOS Conference a couple of weeks ago, we learned
how to kick in doors (first check which way the door opens). Turn you back to
the door and kick like a mule. Much more effective than facing the door to kick
it in. -- Jon Low]
Lights don't deter the bad guys. They just light up the area for the bad guys.
The purpose of the motion sensitive lights is to allow your cameras to see and
record the bad guys.
"Marked for Mayhem
Street criminals are selective about their victims.
Unfortunately, many of us unwittingly give off signals that mark us as easy targets."
by Chuck Hustmyre and Jay Dixit
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200901/marked-mayhem
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpts:
"Nowhere does victimology imply that people who stand out as easy targets
are to blame for becoming victims."
[Blaming the victim is politically incorrect, so the authors have to put this
statement in their article. But refusing to get training and refusing to carry
a pistol are choices. Stupid choices. Just say NO to stupidity. -- Jon Low]
". . . many attacks are random, and no amount of vigilance could deter them."
[This is a false statement made to excuse lack of situational awareness and
failure to take decisive action, such as fleeing or counter-attacking. -- Jon Low]
"The researchers analyzed the body language of the people on the tape,
and identified several aspects of demeanor that marked potential victims
as good targets. One of the main precipitators is a walking style that lacks
"interactional synchrony" and "wholeness." Perpetrators notice a person
whose walk lacks organized movement and flowing motion. Criminals
view such people as less self-confident—perhaps because their walk
suggests they are less athletic and fit—and are much more likely to
exploit them."
"Just like predators in the wild, armed robbers often attack the slowest
in the herd. People who drag their feet, shuffle along, or exhibit other
unusual gaits are targeted more often than people who walk fast and fluidly."
"The rapist is going to go after somebody who's not paying attention,
who looks like they're not going to put up a fight, who's in a location that's
going to make this more convenient," says Tod Burke, a criminologist at
Radford University in Virginia."
"Like, if they had a dog, then forget it. Even a small one makes too
much noise. If I saw a pair of construction boots, for example, out on
the porch or on the landing, I walked right on by. In fact, I think if women
who live alone would put a pair of old construction boots—or something
that makes it look like a physically fit manly-type of guy lives with them
—out in front of their door, most rapists or even burglars wouldn't even
think about trying to get into their home."
‟Some people think talking on a cell phone enhances their safety
because the other person can always summon help if there's trouble—but
experts disagree. Talking on a phone or listening to an iPod is a distraction,
and armed robbers are casting about for distracted victims.
"Not paying attention, looking like a tourist—having the map out, looking
confused—absolutely makes people more vulnerable," Burke says.”
"Conventional wisdom holds that women who dress provocatively
draw attention and put themselves at risk of sexual assault. But studies
show that it is women with passive, submissive personalities who are
most likely to be raped—and that they tend to wear body-concealing
clothing, such as high necklines, long pants and sleeves, and multiple
layers. Predatory men can accurately identify submissive women just
by their style of dress and other aspects of appearance. The hallmarks
of submissive body language, such as downward gaze and slumped
posture, may even be misinterpreted by rapists as flirtation."
"Drinking and drug use, not surprisingly, also mark a person as a
potential victim."
". . . robbers are especially apt to target people who are flaunting
material possessions or even just displaying a cocky, superior attitude."
[Wearing that Rolex is stupid. Flashing the roll of cash is stupid.
Wearing that jewelry is stupid. Just say NO to stupidity. -- Jon Low]
"Walk in an alert fashion, walk with purpose, with your shoulders
held back," advises Topalli.
". . . don't even talk to strangers on the street in isolated locations."
"They're not going to hurt you unless they need to," says New Orleans
Police Department psychologist James Arey.
[This is completely false. The more you give, the more the criminal
will want and take. The more you submit, the more the criminal will
aggress. If you cooperate with the criminal, the criminal will learn that
crime works and will attack others. You will be doing the criminal's
next victim a grave disservice. Immediate ruthless counter-attack with
a pistol is the correct solution, that will minimize injury to you (both
historically and statistically). -- Jon Low]
"Anarchy!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/anarchy-2/
As I wrote to my children --
Kiddies,
The anarchy is spreading. You must be prepared to leave.
You must have jobs lined up. Many people here in Nashville
are refugees from the Los Angeles area. I have met several.
The Ukrainian refugees who arrived in Nashville drive nice
cars and live in nice houses. They got out in plenty of time.
The transition was easy, if not pleasant. Be like them.
Love,
Dad
"Don't Get Seduced by a Woman - Honeypots and Honey Traps Explained"
by Jason Hanson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmwSIUv3BeM
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:
Don’t go to stupid places.
Don’t associate with stupid people.
Don’t do stupid things.
Be in bed by 10:00pm (your own bed!).
Don’t look like a freak.
Don’t fail the attitude test.
*************************************************************************
----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to practice) -----
“Perfection is not attainable.
But if we chase perfection,
we can catch excellence.”
– Vince Lombardi
Tom Givens recommended
"No Safe Alternative: Improving How We Teach Cops to Kill"
by T.C. Fuller
So, I bought a copy and read it.
For years I have been telling / teaching instructors to stick to
teaching and to stop telling war stories during class. Students
are paying for the knowledge that you convey to them, not
your reminiscence. But, Dr. Fuller has turned that notion
completely on its head. He advocates Scholarly Personal Narratives
(SPN). Which is effectively teaching by story telling in first
person experiences. Made my head explode. Learning new
stuff everyday. Will have a review of the book for you in the
Violence is not pretty, but real men understand that
sometimes it needs to be done.
I hope you never have to partake of it,
but I also hope you’ve made the decision
to always defend your loved ones no matter what it takes.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
‟We don’t decide what is necessary to survive a lethal force encounter initiated
by someone else. That person decides what’s necessary for us to survive.”
– William Aprill
"Is Anyone Willing or Even Capable of Serving Anymore?" by Jim Glennon
https://calibrepress.com/2023/07/is-anyone-willing-or-even-capable-of-serving-anymore/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpts:
"I love history. I read it, study it, am amazed by it. I’m especially drawn to the
stories about those who put themselves second. Who willingly put their lives at risk.
Who are driven to support principles, that to them matter so much, that they devote
their lives to the protection of others."
“It does not matter if the cobblers and masons fail to do their jobs well,
but if the guardians fail, the democracy will crumble.” -- Plato
According to Military.com a new study from the Pentagon “shows that 77% of
young Americans would not qualify for military service without a waiver due to
being overweight, using drugs, or having mental and physical health problems.”
[I would add criminal convictions. It was once my job in the Marine Corps to
shepherd Marines through the process of getting their security clearances. -- Jon Low]
Generally, what this Chief of Police told me is summarized here,
though obviously not verbatim.
“We had 1,000 take out applications. We had 500 show up for orientation.
We had 150 take the written test where 75 passed. Of those 75, only 45
participated in the physical power test. Of the 45 who had to run a mile and
a half in less than 12 minutes, bench press 75% of their weight, bend, stretch
and drag a dummy, only ten passed! Ten! Then we conducted our drug tests
that they know they have to take and five flunked! After the background
[investigation], one was left, and he decided not to join because he didn’t
want to work night shifts.”
I spoke to a training director of a major Midwest city just last month.
She told me that ten years ago they would have two academy classes running
simultaneously with about 65-75 recruits in each class. The dropout rate was
about 5%.
In 2023? They began their one academy class with 20 recruits and within
ten weeks, only 9 were still in the course. Some were forced out, but most
quit. Some had their mothers drop off their gear without any warning or
explanation.
I talked to another training director and she told me that one recruit
showed up to the first day of the academy with an emotional service cat
that he insisted needed to be next to him throughout the four month course.
‟Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice.”
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
"Presumption of Safety and the “Should” Worldview
To keep yourself safe, you must live in the world how it is, not how you wish it was."
by Jo Deering
https://www.nrawomen.com/content/presumption-of-safety-and-the-should-worldview/
Blaming the victim is fine if the victim is at fault. Just say NO! to stupidity.
Dressing as a slut, getting drunk, and running your mouth are acts of stupidity, that
when combined get predictable results. Either take your bodyguards with you, or
act like a lady. Ladies dress conservatively. Ladies never get drunk. Ladies speak
in a genteel manner (never verbally abusive).
“Willingness is a state of mind. Readiness is a statement of fact!”
-- Lt. Gen. David M Shoup, USMC Commandant, 1960-1963
By Tim Larkin
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle-kitchen-melee/
The weapon is the enemy's mind. Stop the enemy's mind. Chasing after the
weapon (pistol, knife, etc.) should NOT be your primary goal. Shutting down the
enemy's brain is the goal. As you saw in the video, getting the enemy's pistol
didn't achieve shit. The pistol didn't work. When you do a combat pick up, you
don't know anything about the weapon system that you picked up. Maybe it
will explode and injure you.
***** Situational Awareness *****
From an email from Jason Hanson <jason@spybriefing.com>
With violence continuing to skyrocket across the nation…
You’ve got to be on your “A” game these days when it comes to situational
awareness. The last thing you want to happen is to suddenly find yourself
surrounded by an angry mob. So today, I want to quickly share with you the three
dimensions of situational awareness that every spy learns and how you can apply
this to your own life.
The first dimension is your immediate vicinity. Quite literally, anything in
arms reach out to about a 15-foot radius.
The second dimension is your surroundings. For instance, are you attending
a church service, are you in a restaurant or at home? Basically, your second
dimension will be your line of sight and auditory range of perception beyond
your immediate vicinity.
Your third dimension is outside of your surroundings. It can be described as
exterior to your immediate environment. For example, if you are attending a
church service, your third dimension will include the parking lot, the back of the
building and it extends out to any current events that may affect you. Your third
dimension of SA is not described with physical boundaries, rather it includes
events that may have a big impact on you. These events could be things such as
a developing military coup in the country you are working or a widespread power
outage in your area.
While you can observe your first two dimensions, it is the ability to perceive
your third dimension that will be essential in becoming fully aware. To really
be prepared, you need to try and figure out what is likely happening and about to
happen in all three dimensions.
You can practice developing skills in all three dimensions as you go about
your normal day. To start, simply take a few moments to realize that all of these
dimensions are surrounding you. Then, be able to describe them to yourself in
your mind and be prepared to act in the face of danger. In other words, the next
time you’re at Home Depot or going to the grocery store . . . Instead of just
mindlessly shopping like most people do, take the time to think about your three
dimensions of SA [situational awareness] and how it might affect your safety.
This is an easy exercise to do, doesn’t take long at all, and can definitely pay
off in a crisis situation.
-- Jason Hanson
“You need to have the capacity for danger. You need to be ‘dangerous’.
Yet, you need to learn how to not use it except when necessary.
And, that is not the same thing as being harmless. . . .
There's nothing virtuous about harmlessness.
Harmless just means you’re ineffectual and useless.”
-- Jordan Peterson
*************************************************************************
----- Safety ----- (How to prevent the bad thing from happening in the first place.
How to avoid shooting yourself, friendlies, and innocent bystanders. How to avoid
toddlers getting your guns.)
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.
"Do as I say, not as I do!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do/
Stay out of gun-free-zones. They will only get you killed, as they attract predators.
"A Parent’s Guide to Concealed Carry" by Nic Lenze
https://www.thearmorylife.com/a-parents-guide-to-concealed-carry/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
"Link to me."
‟If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it.
The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury.
Therefore what he must fear is his victim.”
-- Col. Jeff Cooper
" Convenience Store Robber Gets a Hilarious Beatdown" by Michael Knowles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqwdpnRBl3U
"Security measures credited with saving lives at Margolin Hebrew Academy"
by Jack Bilyeu
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/security-measures-credited-with-saving-lives-at-margolin-hebrew-academy/article_8e7e8ef0-30da-11ee-8577-f3def289d0af.html
Excerpt:
"The threats don’t just come from outside.
According to state Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis,
the gunman was a former student at the academy."
[If your children's school doesn't have robust realistic security measures in place,
change school. You are responsible for your child's security, not some bureaucrat
employee of the school. Suing the school after the incident won't bring your child back.
-- Jon Low]
These stories are constantly in the news. Please assume the responsibility to
outreach and educate everyone around you, as to how to safely carry their firearms.
The life you save, may be your grand mother's.
"Woman injured after 4-year-old granddaughter accidentally shoots her, police say"
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/08/03/woman-injured-after-4-year-old-granddaughter-accidentally-shoots-her-police-say/
Carrying your pistol in a purse is a really bad idea. Attach it to your body in a
high quality holster, otherwise someone will eventually get their hands on it and
fire it. In this case the 4 year old granddaughter shot her grandmother.
It is completely the grandmother's fault, but who is suffering the trauma?
"Armed Staff Versus School Resource Officers -
The Quality of Quantity to Defend Our Students" by Rob Morse
https://slowfacts.wordpress.com/2023/08/03/armed-staff-versus-school-resource-officers-the-quality-of-quantity-to-defend-our-students/
Excerpt:
"The threat is changing over time. Greg Ellifritz did an excellent job looking
at armed attacks at schools after the Covid lockdown.
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/timing-school-shootings-for-higher-body-counts-updated
Only 20-percent of the attacks are now in the classroom. That means we need
to do more than lock the classroom doors. Half of the armed attacks on our
schools occurred before or after school when students were out of the classroom
and on school grounds or on their way to school. That number is increasing, and
that means that a single School Resource Officer at school for a few hours a week
isn’t enough. Murderers might be adapting to the security measures that schools
have already put in place like locked doors, metal detectors, and revised policies
when someone pulls a fire alarm or triggers a smoke detector. We have to adapt
as well."
[Arming the faculty and staff is really the only way to get low body counts,
because as Ed Monk says, you have to stop the attack within 30 seconds.
Historically / statistically, the SRO will take about 3 minutes to arrive on
the scene. The police will take about 7 minutes to arrive on the scene.
But, 30 seconds is all you have to stop the murders. So, the adults on
scene must stop the attack. So, they must be armed and trained. -- Jon Low]
"In Self Defense Podcast 116: Tom Givens on Home Defense: Part 1"
https://ccwsafe.com/news/in-self-defense-podcast-116-tom-givens-on-home-defense-part-1/
The transcript is included.
Home invasions is not just for drug dealers.
Lock your doors and windows! (If you don't force the bad guy to break something,
there is no forced entry.) Breaking down front doors is fast, less than a minute.
Doors can be kicked in without tools.
[When I was at the 2023 SOS Conference a couple of weeks ago, we learned
how to kick in doors (first check which way the door opens). Turn you back to
the door and kick like a mule. Much more effective than facing the door to kick
it in. -- Jon Low]
Lights don't deter the bad guys. They just light up the area for the bad guys.
The purpose of the motion sensitive lights is to allow your cameras to see and
record the bad guys.
"Marked for Mayhem
Street criminals are selective about their victims.
Unfortunately, many of us unwittingly give off signals that mark us as easy targets."
by Chuck Hustmyre and Jay Dixit
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200901/marked-mayhem
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpts:
"Nowhere does victimology imply that people who stand out as easy targets
are to blame for becoming victims."
[Blaming the victim is politically incorrect, so the authors have to put this
statement in their article. But refusing to get training and refusing to carry
a pistol are choices. Stupid choices. Just say NO to stupidity. -- Jon Low]
". . . many attacks are random, and no amount of vigilance could deter them."
[This is a false statement made to excuse lack of situational awareness and
failure to take decisive action, such as fleeing or counter-attacking. -- Jon Low]
"The researchers analyzed the body language of the people on the tape,
and identified several aspects of demeanor that marked potential victims
as good targets. One of the main precipitators is a walking style that lacks
"interactional synchrony" and "wholeness." Perpetrators notice a person
whose walk lacks organized movement and flowing motion. Criminals
view such people as less self-confident—perhaps because their walk
suggests they are less athletic and fit—and are much more likely to
exploit them."
"Just like predators in the wild, armed robbers often attack the slowest
in the herd. People who drag their feet, shuffle along, or exhibit other
unusual gaits are targeted more often than people who walk fast and fluidly."
"The rapist is going to go after somebody who's not paying attention,
who looks like they're not going to put up a fight, who's in a location that's
going to make this more convenient," says Tod Burke, a criminologist at
Radford University in Virginia."
"Like, if they had a dog, then forget it. Even a small one makes too
much noise. If I saw a pair of construction boots, for example, out on
the porch or on the landing, I walked right on by. In fact, I think if women
who live alone would put a pair of old construction boots—or something
that makes it look like a physically fit manly-type of guy lives with them
—out in front of their door, most rapists or even burglars wouldn't even
think about trying to get into their home."
‟Some people think talking on a cell phone enhances their safety
because the other person can always summon help if there's trouble—but
experts disagree. Talking on a phone or listening to an iPod is a distraction,
and armed robbers are casting about for distracted victims.
"Not paying attention, looking like a tourist—having the map out, looking
confused—absolutely makes people more vulnerable," Burke says.”
"Conventional wisdom holds that women who dress provocatively
draw attention and put themselves at risk of sexual assault. But studies
show that it is women with passive, submissive personalities who are
most likely to be raped—and that they tend to wear body-concealing
clothing, such as high necklines, long pants and sleeves, and multiple
layers. Predatory men can accurately identify submissive women just
by their style of dress and other aspects of appearance. The hallmarks
of submissive body language, such as downward gaze and slumped
posture, may even be misinterpreted by rapists as flirtation."
"Drinking and drug use, not surprisingly, also mark a person as a
potential victim."
". . . robbers are especially apt to target people who are flaunting
material possessions or even just displaying a cocky, superior attitude."
[Wearing that Rolex is stupid. Flashing the roll of cash is stupid.
Wearing that jewelry is stupid. Just say NO to stupidity. -- Jon Low]
"Walk in an alert fashion, walk with purpose, with your shoulders
held back," advises Topalli.
". . . don't even talk to strangers on the street in isolated locations."
"They're not going to hurt you unless they need to," says New Orleans
Police Department psychologist James Arey.
[This is completely false. The more you give, the more the criminal
will want and take. The more you submit, the more the criminal will
aggress. If you cooperate with the criminal, the criminal will learn that
crime works and will attack others. You will be doing the criminal's
next victim a grave disservice. Immediate ruthless counter-attack with
a pistol is the correct solution, that will minimize injury to you (both
historically and statistically). -- Jon Low]
"Anarchy!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/anarchy-2/
As I wrote to my children --
Kiddies,
The anarchy is spreading. You must be prepared to leave.
You must have jobs lined up. Many people here in Nashville
are refugees from the Los Angeles area. I have met several.
The Ukrainian refugees who arrived in Nashville drive nice
cars and live in nice houses. They got out in plenty of time.
The transition was easy, if not pleasant. Be like them.
Love,
Dad
"Don't Get Seduced by a Woman - Honeypots and Honey Traps Explained"
by Jason Hanson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmwSIUv3BeM
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:
Don’t go to stupid places.
Don’t associate with stupid people.
Don’t do stupid things.
Be in bed by 10:00pm (your own bed!).
Don’t look like a freak.
Don’t fail the attitude test.
*************************************************************************
----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to practice) -----
“Perfection is not attainable.
But if we chase perfection,
we can catch excellence.”
– Vince Lombardi
Tom Givens recommended
"No Safe Alternative: Improving How We Teach Cops to Kill"
by T.C. Fuller
So, I bought a copy and read it.
For years I have been telling / teaching instructors to stick to
teaching and to stop telling war stories during class. Students
are paying for the knowledge that you convey to them, not
your reminiscence. But, Dr. Fuller has turned that notion
completely on its head. He advocates Scholarly Personal Narratives
(SPN). Which is effectively teaching by story telling in first
person experiences. Made my head explode. Learning new
stuff everyday. Will have a review of the book for you in the
next blog posting.
"Things To Consider
What's on your hip isn't as important as what's inside your head."
by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/things-to-consider/
Excerpt:
"Controlling your emotions is a great defensive tool."
"Why YOU SHOULD Shoot Competitively" by Armed and Styled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl3gcT2SVy8
You need training because:
You don't know what you don't know.
Much of what you know is false.
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
"14 Defensive Handgun Carry Commandments From Ken Campbell"
https://www.athlonoutdoors.com/article/defensive-handgun-carry-tips/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpt:
". . . rotate your carry ammo at least once per year."
"It has become en vogue for some trainers to ask students to stand
downrange during live fire so that they “know what it’s like” for bullets
to whiz by them. If you are asked to do that, pack your pistol and
walk/run off the range."
“The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more
important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is
supplemental.” -- Steinbeck
---
Ken Campbell mentions, but doesn't explain in detail. So I will.
The pistol fits your hand, if when the barrel is in line with the bones of your
forearm and the web between your thumb and index finger are up tight
against the tang of the pistol, and your thumb is high and laying flat against
the side of the pistol, the tip of your middle finger is pointing back toward
you, not out to the side.
AND when you take the slack out of the trigger, your trigger finger is
pressing the trigger straight to the rear. No vector component of lateral
force.
Yes, as a matter of fact, a competent gunsmith can move the trigger to
fit your index finger length. He may have to replace the trigger. He may
have to do some machining. But making the pistol fit your hand is essential.
If someone tells you that the trigger on your pistol cannot be moved,
he is WRONG! (It might not be worth the cost to move the trigger.
You might be better off using a different pistol. But it can be moved.)
AND you must be able to get all of your fingers from both of your
hands on the grip. If the grip is too short to allow you to get all of your
fingers from both of your hands on the grip, you won't be able to control
the pistol. You might not be able to retain the pistol (the bad guy will
take it from you).
---
Anyone who uses the name of my organization in his text is okay by me.
From an email from Jeff L. Gonzales --
Hello Jonathan,
I love working with students of all skill level. It is immensely rewarding and
challenging to help them achieve their shooting goals. This is more of a guidance
tour than a by the book approach since everyone is a little different. Over the 20+
years of training I've seen a lot, but here are 5 simple tips to building skill.
1. Begin with the end in mind.
2. Define the critical tasks and sub-tasks
3. Move slow, the slower the better
4. Measure every aspect of your performance
5. Be consistent
If you don't know where you want to go, it is hard to know the right path.
What do you want to accomplish, expert level shooter or comfortable with
the basics and everything in between. Rather than aiming (no pun intended)
high, set multiple and realistic goals that are attainable. Stack the goals as a
form of motivation to continue.
If you want to get good at something, you have to understand it at an
intimate level. A single task is made up of several sub-tasks and probably
even micro-tasks. The more granular you go, the more knowledgeable you
become. Without this knowledge you are doomed to what I call "beginner mistakes".
The most important attribute you develop is patience, patience to go slow.
Speed is both a blessing and a curse. If you move so fast, you cannot perform
the sub-tasks to a minimum standard then you are lucky and not skilled.
Your mind wills the body to perform, not the other way around.
Keep detail records of everything. I collect data on just about everything
in our courses. It is time consuming for sure, but so incredibly valuable.
It provides the means to validate your time, talent and treasure. To know if
you are making progress.
Being consistent is probably the hardest tip to perform . . . well consistently.
I have the "talk" with all my private students about what is their honest level
of commitment. I don't care what it is, but it has to be honest. After we peel
the layers away, what they are left with becomes their consistency. And, here is
the big secret . . . consistency builds consistency.
Ponder these tips and stay tuned for more.
JLG
P.S. feel free to share with other like minded folks.
https://tridentconcepts.com/course-calendar/
"How to Improve Yourself Right NOW (and Why)" by Prof. Jordan Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE0u7-SX2hs
You see what you aim at. Be careful what you aim at.
--- Classes ---
"Understanding the Terrain:
An Overview of Brain-Based Tactical Training Design (2 Day Version)"
by Dustin Salomon
https://buildingshooters.com/oct-16-17-seminar-waukesha/
October 16-17, 2023 | Waukesha, Wisconsin
Limited to 24 participants. Details will be provided to those attending.
Cost: $200
Please Note: This is not a shooting or tactics class. This seminar is intended
for an audience of professional firearms and tactics instructors from within
the law enforcement and military communities. Any person without the
prerequisite skill necessary to conduct any live fire exercise safely will be
asked to sit out that event. Any participants who exhibit unsafe / questionable
behavior based solely on the professional judgement of the host(s) and/or
instructor(s) will be asked to leave.
"Instructor Camp: Interleaving"
by Lee Weems
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/instructor-camp-interleaving-tickets-689264688237
Hi You All,
Video simulator training for civilian self-defense. $150 per person.
(Bill Armstrong is doing us a huge favor. The training is usually $150
per hour per person. Which would be $1200 per person.)
9 December 2023
09:00 to 17:00
Mead Hall Range
https://meadhallrange.com/
2181 South Blackberry Drive, McLoud, OK 74851
Instructor: Bill Armstrong
Hotels:
The Grand Hotel and Casino, 5 minutes from range.
https://www.grandresortok.com/
Ask for rate for those taking a class at the Meadhall Range.
~$139
---
Hampton Inn of Shawnee is 15 minute drive from the range.
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/shnokhx-hampton-shawnee/
Ask for rate for those taking a class at the Meadhall Range.
~$123
---
Located approximately one hour east of Will Rogers World Airport
in Pottawatomie County, OK.
It's about a 10 hour drive from Nashville, TN. I'll be driving if you
need a ride.
---
Class outline --
1. Arrival: I would like to do some introductions and ask some questions
of y'all. One of the reasons for this is to find out not only what background
each person has but to find out hobbies and interests so I can, ideally, have a
basis for analogies for different concepts and information that will be more
directed to how each student learns and intakes information.
2. Baseline assessment: I would like to run each of you through some
baseline exercises and drills on the simulator to get an idea of skill level
and reaction/personality types while using a firearm. I can better guide each
person and personalize recommendations that way. We might need to spend
a bit of time here if anything is glaringly in need of addressing from a safety
or skill standpoint but it won't be a ton of time.
3. Scenario work. When I do scenario work you may go through the scenario
once or you may go through it a few times depending on the student actions and
the scenario itself if there are different points to be made. Part of the way I do
scenario work is to make sure that
A. you are being exposed to different situations but also
B. that you are a getting a full picture of possible actions and consequences
in that scenario.
I have a good bit more than one scenario for us to go through. 😊
4. Debrief and questions. We will do a fair bit of this during the process
but I like to make sure that students have a chance to have the downtime
after they have been through this and been able to process it a bit.
---
Onsite capability: Classroom has plenty of space, bathrooms, and a full
kitchen including fridge if you want to bring lunch etc.
[Yes, I think it would be best if everyone brought lunch and munched through
the day. We won't have time for a lunch break. -- Jon Low]
---
Cheers,
Jon
--- End of Classes ---
“Take training from different instructors.
We are all wrong about something.”
-- John Farnam
From an email from Mike Ox --
Eye dominance is one of the most misunderstood aspects of shooting . . . and
your instructor probably tested it wrong, just like their instructor and THEIR
instructor before them. Most use a "triangle test" where shooters make a triangle
with their outstretched hands and then bring the triangle to their face. Supposedly,
the eye that you bring the triangle to is your dominant eye. Ironically, that test
really only works for people who already know which eye is dominant because
one eye is WAY more dominant than the other. Did you know that eye dominance
is sometimes determined by one optic nerve being a SINGLE NEURON shorter
than the other? Did you know that eye dominance can change based on lighting,
color, distance, angles, and what you're holding in your hands? (This means that
dominance can change between when you use the triangle test and have a pistol
in your hands . . . it also means that eye dominance for shooting can change from
day-to-day and throughout the day.) Did you know that covering, patching, or
closing an eye will make it MORE dominant? Did you know that many shooters
appear to not have a dominant eye initially? They have "cyclopean" dominance
that completely invalidates the "triangle" test. So, how DO you know which eye
is your dominant eye for shooting and how do you make it MORE dominant?
I've got a super-simple drill that I want to show you on
"How To Determine Eye Dominance"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrFqhaejG4
Video on how to aim with both eyes open,
https://AutomaticAiming.com
that will help you figure out your dominant eye with a pistol . . . in seconds.
Here's the thing . . . eye dominance really doesn't matter that much for the vast
majority of sports, so most vision specialists and sports vision specialists don't
give it much weight. But archery and shooting are two pursuits where eye
dominance matters . . . and it can matter a lot . . . especially for people who
seem to have shifting or unstable eye dominance.
-- Mike Ox
“The secret of success is this.
Train like it means everything when it means nothing –
so you can fight like it means nothing when it means everything.”
-- Lofty Wiseman
"Those motivated by a desire to improve their
gunfighting skills as opposed to a quest for trophies,
must be willing to bleed ego on the match results
to avoid shedding real blood in combat."
-- Andy Stanford
Report on the Security Operations Summit 2023
(Everything is paraphrased from my notes and memory, and not necessarily
in the order presented. And not necessarily correct, as my dementia is progressing.)
---
"Biblical Basis of Church Security" by Kurt Owen, Connect@KurtOwen.com
2nd Kings 11: 4 - 11
Romans 13
1st Samuel 26: 5 - 16
Nehemiah 4: 7 - 9
Proverbs 23: 3, 27: 12, 14: 16
Mark 3: 7 - 10
John 7: 1
Luke 22: 36
Proverbs 21: 31
1st Timothy 5: 8
Work the aisles (in your church building). Post at the entries. Interdict outside.
Strive for good intel. If you have to engage in conversation with a non-threat,
talk to him without looking at him, keep scanning. You will commit your violence
with love, out of love. Your violence is without hate, it's just the right thing to do.
---
"Engaging The SSFB [Sutherland Springs First Baptist (Church)] Killer"
by Stephen Willeford
When the shooting starts, you should be thinking, "Here I am Lord."
Train. Train often.
"If you know where you're going when you die, you can be bold."
---
"Crisis & Hostage Negotiations" by Deborah McMahon
Causes:
1. Domestic conflict
2. Warrant service (any schmuck can serve papers at anytime, including during church service)
3. Mental health crisis
Steps:
Introduce yourself. Focus. Pay attention.
Engage in active listening. Express concern.
Show empathy. Let them tell their story.
Establish rapport. Posture upright and relaxed. Seek connection. Establish trust.
Influence the other person. Document event. (You're taking notes, so the other guy
knows you're not going to forget anything. You're showing you care.)
Change their behavior.
Note what triggers him. What is he angry about, as opposed to what he says
he is angry about. See other solutions.
Never lie. Never promise anything you can't deliver on.
---
"InforSec" (information security) by George Carey
Never plug a USB device into your computer. He showed us recharging cables,
thumb drives, and all kinds of other devices that would inject malicious payloads
into your computer system / network. It was enough to plug them in. You didn't
have to do anything. The computer automatically recognizes USB devices and
attempts to connect to them. That is part of the protocol.
He showed us hidden cameras that transmit via WiFi, radio, etc. They can
be hidden in a Kleenex box with a pin hole in the side. They can be hidden in
a hook for hanging a coat.
He showed us a cellular enabled charging cable. You think you're charging
your phone, but the circuitry in the charging cable is sucking everything out of
your phone.
He showed us a keystroke injection drive.
He showed us O.MG Cables that have WiFi radios in the head, available
from Hack5.org.
Juice Jacking. Plug into a charging port at a public place like an airport
and your device is jacked. Also rental cars. Any charging port, anywhere.
USB Data Blocker. There are 4 pins on the USB connection. 1 and 4
are for charging / power. 2 and 3 are for data. So these devices block pins
2 and 3, and only allow for charging.
USB Kill. Devices that physically damage the victim device. Yes, as
a matter of fact, there are software commands that you can send to a CPU
or a hard drive that will cause the device to physically destroy itself.
So what can you do? Turn off the computer. Clear your desk and lock it.
Secure digital files. Lock desk and office.
Use VPN.
Use a good password. If you can't remember it, it is not good.
If you have to write it down, it is not good.
Use figure tracing.
Never loan your phone to anyone.
[George went deep into technical stuff, Signals Intelligence, Tempest, etc.
and spy stuff which I neglect to write here. -- Jon Low]
If you're into gear, there is Research Electronics International in Cookville, TN.
---
"Child Protection" by Matt Epenshade and Jeff Dalrymple
It is your duty to identify when something isn't right.
1. Governance (the policies of your organization must be written, robust, and enforced)
2. Screening (background checks at least every 2 years, spend the money to do real
background checks, the cheap ones won't show sex crimes committed in other states)
3. Training (mandatory, repeating on a regular basis)
4. Operations (well defined protocols, well defined responsibilities, etc.)
5. Response (everyone should know what to do in the event of an incident, and do it
immediately)
Recognize, resist, report.
Be proactive to prevent trauma.
More info and forms at
ECAP.net
---
"Case Study: Training, Mindset & Faith" by Ali Perez
Officer Perez a first person account of a law enforcement combat incident
as a Sheriff's Deputy.
Get your weapon, make it hot, and get to work. (If you're telling yourself,
"This can't be happening.", "This is just a prank.", "I can't believe this is happening.",
"Why would anyone attack us?", you're wasting time and allowing children to be
murdered.)
---
"Protector's Mindset" by Steven Bucci
Concerning the "Protector's Mindset" -- Seek it, build it, live it.
We need to be like the Secret Service, not the military. Meaning we need to keep
a low profile and not scare people.
Make an assessment of the facilities and the security personnel. Educate the
leaders. Educate the flock. Discuss threats. Explain normalcy bias.
You can't do your duty while attending the church service. If you think you can,
you're wrong. It is physically impossible. Your attention must be on the surrounding
environment, not your hymnal, not your program, not the sermon.
1. Preventive actions, watch social media. The crazies will tell you that they are
coming; they can't help themselves. The dedicated criminal / terrorist won't. So,
it's up to your intel unit to identify them and interdict them.
2. Access control. If you can, have only one entrance. You can have lots of exits.
Have a security team member posted at the entrance. You must interdict in the
parking lot. Letting the bad guy get into the building is too late. Once the bad guy
is in the building, you're going to suffer a high casualty count.
3. Lock down and evacuation procedures. They should be written down, well defined,
and practiced. Otherwise, they are useless. The documents in a file that no one ever
looks at are completely useless.
4. Response team actions. Everyone on the security team should know exactly
what to do. Never leave your post. The smoke bomb is a distraction to pull you
away from your post. Be disciplined. Stay at your post.
Works for everyone, Foundational.
---
"Integrity Based Leadership" by Vernon Chinn (Sheriff, retired)
Does the applicant answer the question? Look for baggage. Is the applicant
transparent? Does the applicant practice avoidance in responding to questions?
Besides the team leader, you need internal leaders. A leader for whoever
is on duty right now. Etc.
You need lots of people on the security team, so the members don't get
burnt out.
Maintain a roster. Update it often. Who is on duty.
Watch the pairing. Some people don't get along.
Maintain a low key and friendly, vigilant demeanor.
Watch the creep factor. If you're creeping people out, you're wrong.
Prepare and practice your schemes of maneuver.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray.
---
"West Freeway Church of Christ" by Jack and Jayma Wilson
Each person on the security team had 350 hours of training. 18 persons on
the security team.
Bad guy fired 3 times. Difficult to see or hear in the video. The third shot
was aimed at the pastor who had ducked. The 9 pellets of buckshot were in
the wall behind where the pastor was standing.
Magnetic locks and card readers on all doors.
Bad guy fired 12 gauge. shotgun (in this order): slug, buckshot, buckshot.
The tube magazine had 7 more rounds of mini cartridges. There were 3
more rounds in the bad guy's pocket.
You must be able to present from the holster to low ready, to high ready.
Let your wife buy her own gun. Your hand isn't the same size as hers.
What you feel is comfortable is not what is comfortable for her.
There are no safe havens. (To think so, is WRONG!)
The pastor knew the situation (years of threat from the bad guy) and
never told the security team. COMMUNICATE!!
Police arrived 2 minutes after the 911 call. Police entered the building
4 minutes after arrival. Everything was done long before the police arrived.
That is reality. Plan for it. If your plan is to call 911 and wait, you're going
to have a lot of dead bodies. Your plan must include immediate response
by armed persons on the scene.
There were zero civil law suits.
The grand jury return no bill.
Jack Wilson's total legal costs were zero, as Texas Law Shield
(U.S. Law Shield) covered everything.
---
"State of the Endeavor FBSN [Faith Based Security Network]" by Carl Chinn
We must be Ready, Willing, and Able.
If you're not training, you're saying it won't happen here.
We cannot serve better than we live.
We are ambassadors of Christ.
---
"Wokeism: The Moral Assault" by Kevin McGary
Protect your mindset.
Marxism is demonic.
---
"Weapon Retention and Disarming" by Roger Moore
<See me [Jon Low] and I will show you the techniques.>
If you don't train and practice safe gun handling, you will touch
your trigger inappropriately. It's called "trigger verification". Practice
keeping your trigger finger in the register position so you don't do this.
Trained response vs. spontaneous response.
Of the police officers killed, 20% are killed with their own gun.
During police academy training, 100% of the bad guys are able
to get the gun from the police officer.
If the bad guy has grabbed your gun, it is your responsibility to
control your gun, to allow your buddy to move in and do a contact
shot to the bad guy. You never want to be shooting at two guys
fighting for a gun. Way too much movement.
Draw to low ready so you can see his hands.
Please read,
" “Engineering Resilience” Into Split-Second Shoot/No Shoot Decisions:
The Effect of Muzzle-Position" by Paul L. Taylor
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344460210_Engineering_Resilience_Into_Split-Second_ShootNo_Shoot_Decisions_The_Effect_of_Muzzle-Position
You can request a copy of the paper from the author. You don't have to pay
for it at one of the journal web sites.
---
"Child Protection Operations" by Ron Lugo
Crime does not discriminate.
Policy for children's ministry, vetting, interview, background checks, training.
Laws, mandatory reporting.
AED [automated external defibrillator], first aid kit, training.
2nd Timothy 2: 2
Hebrews 6: 10
Matthew 19: 14
---
"Church Focused Study of the Active Shooter Threat" by Ed Monk
The intended victims must fight back.
There will be a victim every 10 seconds. [So, if your plan is to call 911 and
wait for the professionals to handle the situation, you're a damn fool. Consider
the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.] Your plan must include armed
persons at the scene immediately shooting the bad guy.
You must have security personnel in the parking lot. If you let the bad guy
get into the building, you lose. All church attacks start in the parking lot.
Having armed security in the parking lot works 100% of the time.
You are doing God's work.
100% of victims were unarmed. So be armed.
You must stop the attack in 30 seconds.
Armed citizens have never shot the wrong person. [On the other hand, cops have.]
What the government teaches is WRONG! The correct protocol is
1. Fight
2. Flee
3. Barricade
There is an annual SRO (School Resource Officer) conference that you
might want to attend.
https://www.nasro.org/conference-landing-pages/conference-landing-page/conference-information/
https://srocongress.com/
As well as many state SRO conferences.
https://www.fasro.net/conference23.html
---
"Case Study: West Nickle Mines" by Doug Burig
Stay on the job. Don't go home to think about it.
Make sure your organization has a media policy. Are you going to talk to the media?
Is someone from your organization going to talk to the media?
Make sure you have mental health service set up for all of the people involved.
Read the report,
"Averting Targeted School Violence" by the U.S. Secret Service
https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2021-03/USSS%20Averting%20Targeted%20School%20Violence.2021.03.pdf
---
"Steps to Radicalization" by Matt Epenshade
Search blogging.
Alienation, catalyst, route to radicalization, action.
Community with pastoral staff.
Don't let your church become a Rotary Club with a choir.
---
"Case Study: New Life Church Attack [12/9/2007]" by Carl Chinn
Jean Assam was the good gal who stopped the attack.
There were no law suits.
Have a threat intel program in church.
Learn and practice radio calls and radio discipline.
Do exterior patrols.
Do tactical training.
Do trauma training.
Prepare for scene saturation. The police from all over will converge and
block all the roads, preventing the ambulances from getting injured to the hospitals.
Security team should have visible IDs.
Have a legal defense plan.
Whatever you have on you will be all you have. So train and practice with
what you carry. You're not going to have time to go to your car to get your rifle.
Be physically and spiritually prepared.
Be Ready, Willing, and Able.
---
"Practical Conflict De-escalation" by John Riley
Proverbs 15: 1
A gentle response diffuses anger.
Treat the bad guy with dignity and respect.
ACE
A - Appearance, facial expression, body language, posture, smile
C - Communicate, tone of voice
E - Eye contact, engagement, reflective listening
James 1: 19
Take long slow deep breaths. Keep control of your emotions.
Job 29: 24
Don't talk down to the bad guy. Don't talk to the bad guy like he's stupid.
Don't talk like they are scared of you.
Don't use trigger words such as "Shut up." or "Calm down."
Heb 12: 14
Make every effort.
Proverbs 21: 23
Keep quiet and let them vent.
Be careful not to be offended, frustrated, or impatient. If you feel yourself
losing control of yourself, disengage and let someone else take over, perhaps
someone on the pastoral staff.
Whatever you do, don't shoot him, kick him in the head, and then scream
at him; as the church security member in Mississippi did last month.
If one of the other security team members says Q-Tip to you, disengage
from the bad guy. Q-Tip means "Don't take it personally." Remain calm and
pass the bad guy off to another.
---
"Case Study: 1st ISIS Attack on U.S. Soil" by Greg Stevens
Garland, TX; 3 May 2015. Besides the two terrorists that Stevens killed,
three others were convicted as co-conspirators. [Government entities like to
say that it was a lone wolf attack. But they never are. -- Jon Low]
You must maintain a training mindset. Because your training is what will be
displayed when you act. Stevens' motorcycle unit had training once a month.
[How often to do you train? -- Jon Low]
Pay attention. Be on the job. No cell phone texting. No watching videos.
Remain vigilant.
Don't ignore feelings.
It's not a prank. IT'S REAL AND HAPPENING NOW! The other security
guard couldn't believe the bad guys were really shooting at him. And so never
reacted properly. Whereas Stevens upon seeing the bad guys exit the car with
guns, immediately started shooting them.
Mental preparation. Situational awareness.
Take the fight to the enemy. ATTACK! There is no advantage to taking
cover or waiting or retreating. Stevens drew his pistol and advanced.
Firearms proficiency. You either got it or you don't. So you must have
years of training and practice before the event. Start NOW!
Understand the value of training. Understand that your firearms skill is
a perishable skill. Practice must be regular and recent.
---
"Security - A Layered Approach" by Vaughn Baker
Body language indicators.
Prevail, not survive.
Self-offense, not self-defense.
Prevent bad guy from seeing. Block windows and door windows.
Layer:
1. Outer grounds
2. Building
3. Rooms
Actions:
1. Get out.
2. Lock out. Techniques to block door - Human bridge, Mechanical bridge,
belay.
3. Take out. Throw things, swing things, stab with things.
---
"Question and Answer Panel" by Kurt Owen, Mike Harvill, John Riley,
Kevin McGary, David Dixon
Causes of violence at church:
Child custody disputes.
Medical problems.
Mental health problems.
Take care of medical problems first.
If you get one of those trans types (guy in a girl's bathroom), clear everyone
out. Don't go in after him. Wait for him to come out. Create every tactical
advantage. Trans persons have been responsible for the last 4 mass shootings.
Your security team must have standards. And you must enforce the standards.
Otherwise, you can't kick anyone off the team. And that's a real problem.
Shooting the wrong person because of a judgement error or incompetence in
marksmanship. You should have a qualification test at least twice a year.
Have group meetings, so they feel connected. Have a Bible study so they
understand that the security team is a ministry and that security of the church
is Biblical (scriptures cited in first entry above). Background check every
member at least every two years, because things happen.
---
‟Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice.”
-- Claude Werner
*************************************************************************
----- Practice (how to get competent at that task) -----
“Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans.”
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
‶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
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Intervention ***** ***** *****
Suggestions on how to deal with the incident that you failed to avoid.
Table of contents:
Strategy
Tactics
Techniques
*************************************************************************
----- Strategy (deciding on the end state and how to achieve it,
which tactics to use, which includes walking away) -----
How do you win a gunfight?
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
Logistics is a part of strategy. If you can't feed yourself / your troops, you can't fight.
"News and Snark" by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2023/08/news-and-snark.html
Excerpt:
When Marxists take control:
"The Army Can't Feed Its Soldiers Stationed at Texas' Ft. Cavazos—
And That's Not the Only Problem There." In case you weren't aware,
Ft. Cavazos is the Marxist name for Ft. Hood.
---
The Military Times reported that the sprawling base had only two of its
10 major dining options open every day for junior enlisted personnel. [This
has been going on for several months at this writing. -- Jon Low] While
the hot Texas summer rolled through central Texas, the base wasn’t able to
provide its men and women in uniform with convenient dining, leaving thousands
to spend an hour on the road traveling to and from a dining hall just to eat.
Although many enlisted have cars, many do not. Those who do not have
a private car or could carpool with mates were left to find transportation via shuttle.
Shuttles were available. Just one problem – that information wasn’t generally
known to hungry soldiers. Many of the enlisted interviewed by The Military Times
were not aware of the shuttle service. . . .
---
If the New Army can't do logistics on its home base in friendly territory,
how are they going to fare when in unfriendly territory?
Cited article,
"The Army Can't Feed Its Soldiers Stationed at Texas' Ft. Cavazos—
And That's Not the Only Problem There" by Jim Thompson
https://redstate.com/jimthompson/2023/08/09/the-army-cant-feed-its-soldiers-stationed-at-texas-ft-cavazos-and-thats-isnt-the-only-problem-there-n790138
Which in turn cites this article,
"Fort Cavazos Soldiers Have Been Without Proper Access to Food for Months"
by Steve Beynon
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/08/08/fort-cavazos-soldiers-have-been-without-proper-access-food-months.html
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=576702650781020&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=497694285348524&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
Amazing the stuff that leaks out.
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=347478877036733&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
"You win gunfights by not getting shot."
-- John Holschen
*************************************************************************
----- Tactics (maneuver and fire in support of your strategy) -----
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
"Pistol vs. Active Shooter With Body Armor And A Rifle?
Myths & Facts" by Mike (Ox) Ochsner
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/pistol-vs-active-shooter-with-a-rifle-myths-facts/
Excerpt:
"One of the purposes of a center-mass shot on a moving attacker is to slow
down the head. Shooting an active shooter wearing a vest center mass may
allow you to follow up with a head shot, if necessary."
[Body armor, other than that used by artillery men, stops at the bottom of the
rib cage. So the abdominal section and hips are available for targeting. -- Jon Low]
“Fortuitous outcomes reinforce poor tactics.”
-- Chuck Haggard
"RUNNING THE RABBIT vs PUSHING THE THREAT,
COMPARING TWO CORNER FED CQB TACTICS"
by Orion Training Group, LLC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFPWS6w4rk
Hat tip to Joe Gaines.
Orion Training Group, LLC
https://www.youtube.com/@oriontraininggroupllc2782
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, and Escape
"Arizona Detective Face Off With Armed Suspect Rapidly
Firing a Fully Automatic Gun in Wild Shootout"
by PoliceActivity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCsC9DBO200
When I was in boot camp, we fired the M-16 full auto (no 3 round bursts back then)
to learn that full auto fire is uncontrollable. None of us ever wanted to fire full auto in
combat, because we knew from experience that it was a total waste of ammo.
Reloading, shooting, and driving; all at the same time. Bravo!
"Car Jacking" by Tim Larkin
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle-carjacking/
She took a long time to realize that she was being attacked. That's why she
got shot by the carjackers.
This won't happen to you, because you are paying attention, and as soon as
a car blocks your path, you are driving around it. Or, shifting into reverse and
driving away. That's why you must practice driving backwards.
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
*************************************************************************
----- Techniques (ways to execute a given task in support of your tactics,
especially when disabled or under stress) -----
"Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
"Empty chamber carriers are the flat Earthers of the gun world."
-- Mark Crary
"Cop Talk The “Hand on Gun” Ready Position" by Massad Ayoob
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/cop-talk-the-hand-on-gun-ready-position/
"Reactive vs. Predictive Shooting" by Steve Tarani
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/reactive-vs-predictive-shooting/
Hey, the author uses the term "dark voodoo", not me. I guess this is something
to experiment with, if you are at a level of proficiency that would allow you to.
Remember, all the guys cited are speaking from a position of decades of experience
and extremely high levels of proficiency.
Notice the picture of sight alignment, about ⅓ down the web page. There is no
space / light around the front sight post in the rear sight notch. The rear sight needs
to be machined out by at least 2 hundredth of an inch (1 hundredth on each side).
Otherwise, the shooter will find his rounds scattering horizontally. This is common.
If you have factory installed iron sights, you probably need to do this. If you have
long arms, you probably need to do this. If your night vision doesn't allow you to
see the front sight clearly with light on both sides, you need to do this.
"Recoil Management For Fast Double Taps" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/recoil-management-for-fast-double-taps/
The vice grip, pushing with the firing side hand and pulling with the support side
hand was taught at Front Sight back in 1996 (probably in 1995, but I wasn't there).
That's why Jeff Cooper and his disciples taught the Weaver position (Chapman
version of the Weaver position). It's really hard to get that push-pull tension with
an isosceles position.
View the third video, about half way down the web page.
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle/
Immediately stop the enemy with disabling injury. If you have any other goal,
you are WRONG!
Misdirection.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/de8uhIYRodA
Do you see how you can use this? Do you see how you can use this technique to
get your pistol out of your holster without your enemy noticing? You're not looking
for a fair fight. It would be best to shoot the enemy before he recognized a threat.
"Ring through finger"
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ToIpsWN2GM
Your hands are much faster than the enemy can see. Lots of examples that you
can learn in any intro psychology class. Or stage magic class. But, you have to
practice. Do you see how you can use this to defeat the enemy?
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Postvention ***** ***** *****
Suggestions on how to treat your wounds; avoid prosecution, conviction, and prison time.
Table of contents:
Aftermath
Survival, Medical, etc.
*************************************************************************
----- Aftermath (You must be alive to have these problems: criminal and civil liability.) -----
In the right hand column, click on the link labeled "Self Defense Insurance".
Or, the direct link is,
http://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/self-defense-insurance.html
Read this before you buy insurance. You need to make an informed decision.
The various policies are drastically different.
"You need to read the fine print." -- Massad Ayoob
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him,
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
In the right hand column of this web page, click on "Never Talk To The Police"
or use the direct address
https://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/never-talk-to-police.html
“Your understanding and consent are not required
for someone to take your life, kill your loved ones,
and destroy all you hold dear.”
-- William Aprill
----- Survival, Medical, etc. -----
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House
"If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit.
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained.
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Education, History, etc. ***** ***** *****
Table of contents:
Legal
Instruction
Gear
*************************************************************************
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
"Something to consider about 'gun violence' statistics." by Nick J. Freitas
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4t0-hz-rsQ0
“ ‘Civil rights’ used to be about treating everyone the same.
But today, some are so used to special treatment that equal
treatment is considered ‘discrimination!’ ”
-- Thomas Sowell
"Uninhabitable!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/uninhabitable/
“No society has ever thrived, because it had a large and growing
class of parasites, living off those who produce.”
-- Thomas Sowell
The vast majority of defensive gun uses don't end in bloodshed.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4wpvng4bs1o
All kinds of interesting stuff at the Tactical Wire blog.
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/archives
Every week has its feature article at the end of the web page.
"Weekend Knowledge Dump- August 11, 2023" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/weekend-knowledge-dump-august-11-2023
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
***** ***** ***** Legal ***** ***** *****
"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
Michael Clement of the Garza Law Firm says that in Tennessee there are no
pre-trial self-defense immunity hearings. The only thing one can do is ask for a
stay on civil law suits until the criminal trial is finished.
"The Essential Second Amendment" by The Heritage Foundation
https://secured.heritage.org/essential-second-amendment-ebook/
FREE eBook
"Court Blocks Hawaii’s Concealed Carry Restrictions, Quotes 2ALC Amicus in Ruling"
https://www.2alc.org/hawaii
This is significant, because what happens in the Federal Courts affects all of the
United States. Courts in other jurisdictions cite cases in other jurisdiction, even if
they are not binding on the court in question. Notice that the Federal District Court
Judge is an Obama appointee (more important is the Hawaii Senator who was in
office at the time). This is what happens when persons get life time judicial
appointments. They are no longer beholden to the President who appointed them.
The Founding Fathers were brilliant.
"Law of Self Defense" book (free of charge, just pay shipping so you don't have to
drive to Colorado to pick it up)
https://bit.ly/losdpmax
"The 5 Elements of Self Defense" by Andrew Branca (free of charge)
lawofselfdefense.com/elements/
"Escalation Of Force And Self-Defense" by Marty Hayes
https://gundigest.com/handguns/personal-defense/escalation-of-force
Excerpt:
". . . you don’t get to decide what’s reasonable—that’s the role of the jury."
"Man Shoots Back at Car Thieves, Now Faces Life In Prison!" by Andrew Branca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwaiWl-P6Y
Excerpt:
"Pursuing thieves puts you in legal and physical jeopardy."
"Things To Consider
What's on your hip isn't as important as what's inside your head."
by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/things-to-consider/
Excerpt:
"Controlling your emotions is a great defensive tool."
"Why YOU SHOULD Shoot Competitively" by Armed and Styled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl3gcT2SVy8
You need training because:
You don't know what you don't know.
Much of what you know is false.
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
"14 Defensive Handgun Carry Commandments From Ken Campbell"
https://www.athlonoutdoors.com/article/defensive-handgun-carry-tips/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
Excerpt:
". . . rotate your carry ammo at least once per year."
"It has become en vogue for some trainers to ask students to stand
downrange during live fire so that they “know what it’s like” for bullets
to whiz by them. If you are asked to do that, pack your pistol and
walk/run off the range."
“The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more
important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is
supplemental.” -- Steinbeck
---
Ken Campbell mentions, but doesn't explain in detail. So I will.
The pistol fits your hand, if when the barrel is in line with the bones of your
forearm and the web between your thumb and index finger are up tight
against the tang of the pistol, and your thumb is high and laying flat against
the side of the pistol, the tip of your middle finger is pointing back toward
you, not out to the side.
AND when you take the slack out of the trigger, your trigger finger is
pressing the trigger straight to the rear. No vector component of lateral
force.
Yes, as a matter of fact, a competent gunsmith can move the trigger to
fit your index finger length. He may have to replace the trigger. He may
have to do some machining. But making the pistol fit your hand is essential.
If someone tells you that the trigger on your pistol cannot be moved,
he is WRONG! (It might not be worth the cost to move the trigger.
You might be better off using a different pistol. But it can be moved.)
AND you must be able to get all of your fingers from both of your
hands on the grip. If the grip is too short to allow you to get all of your
fingers from both of your hands on the grip, you won't be able to control
the pistol. You might not be able to retain the pistol (the bad guy will
take it from you).
---
Anyone who uses the name of my organization in his text is okay by me.
From an email from Jeff L. Gonzales --
Hello Jonathan,
I love working with students of all skill level. It is immensely rewarding and
challenging to help them achieve their shooting goals. This is more of a guidance
tour than a by the book approach since everyone is a little different. Over the 20+
years of training I've seen a lot, but here are 5 simple tips to building skill.
1. Begin with the end in mind.
2. Define the critical tasks and sub-tasks
3. Move slow, the slower the better
4. Measure every aspect of your performance
5. Be consistent
If you don't know where you want to go, it is hard to know the right path.
What do you want to accomplish, expert level shooter or comfortable with
the basics and everything in between. Rather than aiming (no pun intended)
high, set multiple and realistic goals that are attainable. Stack the goals as a
form of motivation to continue.
If you want to get good at something, you have to understand it at an
intimate level. A single task is made up of several sub-tasks and probably
even micro-tasks. The more granular you go, the more knowledgeable you
become. Without this knowledge you are doomed to what I call "beginner mistakes".
The most important attribute you develop is patience, patience to go slow.
Speed is both a blessing and a curse. If you move so fast, you cannot perform
the sub-tasks to a minimum standard then you are lucky and not skilled.
Your mind wills the body to perform, not the other way around.
Keep detail records of everything. I collect data on just about everything
in our courses. It is time consuming for sure, but so incredibly valuable.
It provides the means to validate your time, talent and treasure. To know if
you are making progress.
Being consistent is probably the hardest tip to perform . . . well consistently.
I have the "talk" with all my private students about what is their honest level
of commitment. I don't care what it is, but it has to be honest. After we peel
the layers away, what they are left with becomes their consistency. And, here is
the big secret . . . consistency builds consistency.
Ponder these tips and stay tuned for more.
JLG
P.S. feel free to share with other like minded folks.
https://tridentconcepts.com/course-calendar/
"How to Improve Yourself Right NOW (and Why)" by Prof. Jordan Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE0u7-SX2hs
You see what you aim at. Be careful what you aim at.
--- Classes ---
"Understanding the Terrain:
An Overview of Brain-Based Tactical Training Design (2 Day Version)"
by Dustin Salomon
https://buildingshooters.com/oct-16-17-seminar-waukesha/
October 16-17, 2023 | Waukesha, Wisconsin
Limited to 24 participants. Details will be provided to those attending.
Cost: $200
Please Note: This is not a shooting or tactics class. This seminar is intended
for an audience of professional firearms and tactics instructors from within
the law enforcement and military communities. Any person without the
prerequisite skill necessary to conduct any live fire exercise safely will be
asked to sit out that event. Any participants who exhibit unsafe / questionable
behavior based solely on the professional judgement of the host(s) and/or
instructor(s) will be asked to leave.
"Instructor Camp: Interleaving"
by Lee Weems
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/instructor-camp-interleaving-tickets-689264688237
Hi You All,
Video simulator training for civilian self-defense. $150 per person.
(Bill Armstrong is doing us a huge favor. The training is usually $150
per hour per person. Which would be $1200 per person.)
9 December 2023
09:00 to 17:00
Mead Hall Range
https://meadhallrange.com/
2181 South Blackberry Drive, McLoud, OK 74851
Instructor: Bill Armstrong
Hotels:
The Grand Hotel and Casino, 5 minutes from range.
https://www.grandresortok.com/
Ask for rate for those taking a class at the Meadhall Range.
~$139
---
Hampton Inn of Shawnee is 15 minute drive from the range.
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/shnokhx-hampton-shawnee/
Ask for rate for those taking a class at the Meadhall Range.
~$123
---
Located approximately one hour east of Will Rogers World Airport
in Pottawatomie County, OK.
It's about a 10 hour drive from Nashville, TN. I'll be driving if you
need a ride.
---
Class outline --
1. Arrival: I would like to do some introductions and ask some questions
of y'all. One of the reasons for this is to find out not only what background
each person has but to find out hobbies and interests so I can, ideally, have a
basis for analogies for different concepts and information that will be more
directed to how each student learns and intakes information.
2. Baseline assessment: I would like to run each of you through some
baseline exercises and drills on the simulator to get an idea of skill level
and reaction/personality types while using a firearm. I can better guide each
person and personalize recommendations that way. We might need to spend
a bit of time here if anything is glaringly in need of addressing from a safety
or skill standpoint but it won't be a ton of time.
3. Scenario work. When I do scenario work you may go through the scenario
once or you may go through it a few times depending on the student actions and
the scenario itself if there are different points to be made. Part of the way I do
scenario work is to make sure that
A. you are being exposed to different situations but also
B. that you are a getting a full picture of possible actions and consequences
in that scenario.
I have a good bit more than one scenario for us to go through. 😊
4. Debrief and questions. We will do a fair bit of this during the process
but I like to make sure that students have a chance to have the downtime
after they have been through this and been able to process it a bit.
---
Onsite capability: Classroom has plenty of space, bathrooms, and a full
kitchen including fridge if you want to bring lunch etc.
[Yes, I think it would be best if everyone brought lunch and munched through
the day. We won't have time for a lunch break. -- Jon Low]
---
Cheers,
Jon
--- End of Classes ---
“Take training from different instructors.
We are all wrong about something.”
-- John Farnam
From an email from Mike Ox --
Eye dominance is one of the most misunderstood aspects of shooting . . . and
your instructor probably tested it wrong, just like their instructor and THEIR
instructor before them. Most use a "triangle test" where shooters make a triangle
with their outstretched hands and then bring the triangle to their face. Supposedly,
the eye that you bring the triangle to is your dominant eye. Ironically, that test
really only works for people who already know which eye is dominant because
one eye is WAY more dominant than the other. Did you know that eye dominance
is sometimes determined by one optic nerve being a SINGLE NEURON shorter
than the other? Did you know that eye dominance can change based on lighting,
color, distance, angles, and what you're holding in your hands? (This means that
dominance can change between when you use the triangle test and have a pistol
in your hands . . . it also means that eye dominance for shooting can change from
day-to-day and throughout the day.) Did you know that covering, patching, or
closing an eye will make it MORE dominant? Did you know that many shooters
appear to not have a dominant eye initially? They have "cyclopean" dominance
that completely invalidates the "triangle" test. So, how DO you know which eye
is your dominant eye for shooting and how do you make it MORE dominant?
I've got a super-simple drill that I want to show you on
"How To Determine Eye Dominance"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrFqhaejG4
Video on how to aim with both eyes open,
https://AutomaticAiming.com
that will help you figure out your dominant eye with a pistol . . . in seconds.
Here's the thing . . . eye dominance really doesn't matter that much for the vast
majority of sports, so most vision specialists and sports vision specialists don't
give it much weight. But archery and shooting are two pursuits where eye
dominance matters . . . and it can matter a lot . . . especially for people who
seem to have shifting or unstable eye dominance.
-- Mike Ox
“The secret of success is this.
Train like it means everything when it means nothing –
so you can fight like it means nothing when it means everything.”
-- Lofty Wiseman
"Those motivated by a desire to improve their
gunfighting skills as opposed to a quest for trophies,
must be willing to bleed ego on the match results
to avoid shedding real blood in combat."
-- Andy Stanford
Report on the Security Operations Summit 2023
(Everything is paraphrased from my notes and memory, and not necessarily
in the order presented. And not necessarily correct, as my dementia is progressing.)
---
"Biblical Basis of Church Security" by Kurt Owen, Connect@KurtOwen.com
2nd Kings 11: 4 - 11
Romans 13
1st Samuel 26: 5 - 16
Nehemiah 4: 7 - 9
Proverbs 23: 3, 27: 12, 14: 16
Mark 3: 7 - 10
John 7: 1
Luke 22: 36
Proverbs 21: 31
1st Timothy 5: 8
Work the aisles (in your church building). Post at the entries. Interdict outside.
Strive for good intel. If you have to engage in conversation with a non-threat,
talk to him without looking at him, keep scanning. You will commit your violence
with love, out of love. Your violence is without hate, it's just the right thing to do.
---
"Engaging The SSFB [Sutherland Springs First Baptist (Church)] Killer"
by Stephen Willeford
When the shooting starts, you should be thinking, "Here I am Lord."
Train. Train often.
"If you know where you're going when you die, you can be bold."
---
"Crisis & Hostage Negotiations" by Deborah McMahon
Causes:
1. Domestic conflict
2. Warrant service (any schmuck can serve papers at anytime, including during church service)
3. Mental health crisis
Steps:
Introduce yourself. Focus. Pay attention.
Engage in active listening. Express concern.
Show empathy. Let them tell their story.
Establish rapport. Posture upright and relaxed. Seek connection. Establish trust.
Influence the other person. Document event. (You're taking notes, so the other guy
knows you're not going to forget anything. You're showing you care.)
Change their behavior.
Note what triggers him. What is he angry about, as opposed to what he says
he is angry about. See other solutions.
Never lie. Never promise anything you can't deliver on.
---
"InforSec" (information security) by George Carey
Never plug a USB device into your computer. He showed us recharging cables,
thumb drives, and all kinds of other devices that would inject malicious payloads
into your computer system / network. It was enough to plug them in. You didn't
have to do anything. The computer automatically recognizes USB devices and
attempts to connect to them. That is part of the protocol.
He showed us hidden cameras that transmit via WiFi, radio, etc. They can
be hidden in a Kleenex box with a pin hole in the side. They can be hidden in
a hook for hanging a coat.
He showed us a cellular enabled charging cable. You think you're charging
your phone, but the circuitry in the charging cable is sucking everything out of
your phone.
He showed us a keystroke injection drive.
He showed us O.MG Cables that have WiFi radios in the head, available
from Hack5.org.
Juice Jacking. Plug into a charging port at a public place like an airport
and your device is jacked. Also rental cars. Any charging port, anywhere.
USB Data Blocker. There are 4 pins on the USB connection. 1 and 4
are for charging / power. 2 and 3 are for data. So these devices block pins
2 and 3, and only allow for charging.
USB Kill. Devices that physically damage the victim device. Yes, as
a matter of fact, there are software commands that you can send to a CPU
or a hard drive that will cause the device to physically destroy itself.
So what can you do? Turn off the computer. Clear your desk and lock it.
Secure digital files. Lock desk and office.
Use VPN.
Use a good password. If you can't remember it, it is not good.
If you have to write it down, it is not good.
Use figure tracing.
Never loan your phone to anyone.
[George went deep into technical stuff, Signals Intelligence, Tempest, etc.
and spy stuff which I neglect to write here. -- Jon Low]
If you're into gear, there is Research Electronics International in Cookville, TN.
---
"Child Protection" by Matt Epenshade and Jeff Dalrymple
It is your duty to identify when something isn't right.
1. Governance (the policies of your organization must be written, robust, and enforced)
2. Screening (background checks at least every 2 years, spend the money to do real
background checks, the cheap ones won't show sex crimes committed in other states)
3. Training (mandatory, repeating on a regular basis)
4. Operations (well defined protocols, well defined responsibilities, etc.)
5. Response (everyone should know what to do in the event of an incident, and do it
immediately)
Recognize, resist, report.
Be proactive to prevent trauma.
More info and forms at
ECAP.net
---
"Case Study: Training, Mindset & Faith" by Ali Perez
Officer Perez a first person account of a law enforcement combat incident
as a Sheriff's Deputy.
Get your weapon, make it hot, and get to work. (If you're telling yourself,
"This can't be happening.", "This is just a prank.", "I can't believe this is happening.",
"Why would anyone attack us?", you're wasting time and allowing children to be
murdered.)
---
"Protector's Mindset" by Steven Bucci
Concerning the "Protector's Mindset" -- Seek it, build it, live it.
We need to be like the Secret Service, not the military. Meaning we need to keep
a low profile and not scare people.
Make an assessment of the facilities and the security personnel. Educate the
leaders. Educate the flock. Discuss threats. Explain normalcy bias.
You can't do your duty while attending the church service. If you think you can,
you're wrong. It is physically impossible. Your attention must be on the surrounding
environment, not your hymnal, not your program, not the sermon.
1. Preventive actions, watch social media. The crazies will tell you that they are
coming; they can't help themselves. The dedicated criminal / terrorist won't. So,
it's up to your intel unit to identify them and interdict them.
2. Access control. If you can, have only one entrance. You can have lots of exits.
Have a security team member posted at the entrance. You must interdict in the
parking lot. Letting the bad guy get into the building is too late. Once the bad guy
is in the building, you're going to suffer a high casualty count.
3. Lock down and evacuation procedures. They should be written down, well defined,
and practiced. Otherwise, they are useless. The documents in a file that no one ever
looks at are completely useless.
4. Response team actions. Everyone on the security team should know exactly
what to do. Never leave your post. The smoke bomb is a distraction to pull you
away from your post. Be disciplined. Stay at your post.
Works for everyone, Foundational.
---
"Integrity Based Leadership" by Vernon Chinn (Sheriff, retired)
Does the applicant answer the question? Look for baggage. Is the applicant
transparent? Does the applicant practice avoidance in responding to questions?
Besides the team leader, you need internal leaders. A leader for whoever
is on duty right now. Etc.
You need lots of people on the security team, so the members don't get
burnt out.
Maintain a roster. Update it often. Who is on duty.
Watch the pairing. Some people don't get along.
Maintain a low key and friendly, vigilant demeanor.
Watch the creep factor. If you're creeping people out, you're wrong.
Prepare and practice your schemes of maneuver.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray.
---
"West Freeway Church of Christ" by Jack and Jayma Wilson
Each person on the security team had 350 hours of training. 18 persons on
the security team.
Bad guy fired 3 times. Difficult to see or hear in the video. The third shot
was aimed at the pastor who had ducked. The 9 pellets of buckshot were in
the wall behind where the pastor was standing.
Magnetic locks and card readers on all doors.
Bad guy fired 12 gauge. shotgun (in this order): slug, buckshot, buckshot.
The tube magazine had 7 more rounds of mini cartridges. There were 3
more rounds in the bad guy's pocket.
You must be able to present from the holster to low ready, to high ready.
Let your wife buy her own gun. Your hand isn't the same size as hers.
What you feel is comfortable is not what is comfortable for her.
There are no safe havens. (To think so, is WRONG!)
The pastor knew the situation (years of threat from the bad guy) and
never told the security team. COMMUNICATE!!
Police arrived 2 minutes after the 911 call. Police entered the building
4 minutes after arrival. Everything was done long before the police arrived.
That is reality. Plan for it. If your plan is to call 911 and wait, you're going
to have a lot of dead bodies. Your plan must include immediate response
by armed persons on the scene.
There were zero civil law suits.
The grand jury return no bill.
Jack Wilson's total legal costs were zero, as Texas Law Shield
(U.S. Law Shield) covered everything.
---
"State of the Endeavor FBSN [Faith Based Security Network]" by Carl Chinn
We must be Ready, Willing, and Able.
If you're not training, you're saying it won't happen here.
We cannot serve better than we live.
We are ambassadors of Christ.
---
"Wokeism: The Moral Assault" by Kevin McGary
Protect your mindset.
Marxism is demonic.
---
"Weapon Retention and Disarming" by Roger Moore
<See me [Jon Low] and I will show you the techniques.>
If you don't train and practice safe gun handling, you will touch
your trigger inappropriately. It's called "trigger verification". Practice
keeping your trigger finger in the register position so you don't do this.
Trained response vs. spontaneous response.
Of the police officers killed, 20% are killed with their own gun.
During police academy training, 100% of the bad guys are able
to get the gun from the police officer.
If the bad guy has grabbed your gun, it is your responsibility to
control your gun, to allow your buddy to move in and do a contact
shot to the bad guy. You never want to be shooting at two guys
fighting for a gun. Way too much movement.
Draw to low ready so you can see his hands.
Please read,
" “Engineering Resilience” Into Split-Second Shoot/No Shoot Decisions:
The Effect of Muzzle-Position" by Paul L. Taylor
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344460210_Engineering_Resilience_Into_Split-Second_ShootNo_Shoot_Decisions_The_Effect_of_Muzzle-Position
You can request a copy of the paper from the author. You don't have to pay
for it at one of the journal web sites.
---
"Child Protection Operations" by Ron Lugo
Crime does not discriminate.
Policy for children's ministry, vetting, interview, background checks, training.
Laws, mandatory reporting.
AED [automated external defibrillator], first aid kit, training.
2nd Timothy 2: 2
Hebrews 6: 10
Matthew 19: 14
---
"Church Focused Study of the Active Shooter Threat" by Ed Monk
The intended victims must fight back.
There will be a victim every 10 seconds. [So, if your plan is to call 911 and
wait for the professionals to handle the situation, you're a damn fool. Consider
the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.] Your plan must include armed
persons at the scene immediately shooting the bad guy.
You must have security personnel in the parking lot. If you let the bad guy
get into the building, you lose. All church attacks start in the parking lot.
Having armed security in the parking lot works 100% of the time.
You are doing God's work.
100% of victims were unarmed. So be armed.
You must stop the attack in 30 seconds.
Armed citizens have never shot the wrong person. [On the other hand, cops have.]
What the government teaches is WRONG! The correct protocol is
1. Fight
2. Flee
3. Barricade
There is an annual SRO (School Resource Officer) conference that you
might want to attend.
https://www.nasro.org/conference-landing-pages/conference-landing-page/conference-information/
https://srocongress.com/
As well as many state SRO conferences.
https://www.fasro.net/conference23.html
---
"Case Study: West Nickle Mines" by Doug Burig
Stay on the job. Don't go home to think about it.
Make sure your organization has a media policy. Are you going to talk to the media?
Is someone from your organization going to talk to the media?
Make sure you have mental health service set up for all of the people involved.
Read the report,
"Averting Targeted School Violence" by the U.S. Secret Service
https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2021-03/USSS%20Averting%20Targeted%20School%20Violence.2021.03.pdf
---
"Steps to Radicalization" by Matt Epenshade
Search blogging.
Alienation, catalyst, route to radicalization, action.
Community with pastoral staff.
Don't let your church become a Rotary Club with a choir.
---
"Case Study: New Life Church Attack [12/9/2007]" by Carl Chinn
Jean Assam was the good gal who stopped the attack.
There were no law suits.
Have a threat intel program in church.
Learn and practice radio calls and radio discipline.
Do exterior patrols.
Do tactical training.
Do trauma training.
Prepare for scene saturation. The police from all over will converge and
block all the roads, preventing the ambulances from getting injured to the hospitals.
Security team should have visible IDs.
Have a legal defense plan.
Whatever you have on you will be all you have. So train and practice with
what you carry. You're not going to have time to go to your car to get your rifle.
Be physically and spiritually prepared.
Be Ready, Willing, and Able.
---
"Practical Conflict De-escalation" by John Riley
Proverbs 15: 1
A gentle response diffuses anger.
Treat the bad guy with dignity and respect.
ACE
A - Appearance, facial expression, body language, posture, smile
C - Communicate, tone of voice
E - Eye contact, engagement, reflective listening
James 1: 19
Take long slow deep breaths. Keep control of your emotions.
Job 29: 24
Don't talk down to the bad guy. Don't talk to the bad guy like he's stupid.
Don't talk like they are scared of you.
Don't use trigger words such as "Shut up." or "Calm down."
Heb 12: 14
Make every effort.
Proverbs 21: 23
Keep quiet and let them vent.
Be careful not to be offended, frustrated, or impatient. If you feel yourself
losing control of yourself, disengage and let someone else take over, perhaps
someone on the pastoral staff.
Whatever you do, don't shoot him, kick him in the head, and then scream
at him; as the church security member in Mississippi did last month.
If one of the other security team members says Q-Tip to you, disengage
from the bad guy. Q-Tip means "Don't take it personally." Remain calm and
pass the bad guy off to another.
---
"Case Study: 1st ISIS Attack on U.S. Soil" by Greg Stevens
Garland, TX; 3 May 2015. Besides the two terrorists that Stevens killed,
three others were convicted as co-conspirators. [Government entities like to
say that it was a lone wolf attack. But they never are. -- Jon Low]
You must maintain a training mindset. Because your training is what will be
displayed when you act. Stevens' motorcycle unit had training once a month.
[How often to do you train? -- Jon Low]
Pay attention. Be on the job. No cell phone texting. No watching videos.
Remain vigilant.
Don't ignore feelings.
It's not a prank. IT'S REAL AND HAPPENING NOW! The other security
guard couldn't believe the bad guys were really shooting at him. And so never
reacted properly. Whereas Stevens upon seeing the bad guys exit the car with
guns, immediately started shooting them.
Mental preparation. Situational awareness.
Take the fight to the enemy. ATTACK! There is no advantage to taking
cover or waiting or retreating. Stevens drew his pistol and advanced.
Firearms proficiency. You either got it or you don't. So you must have
years of training and practice before the event. Start NOW!
Understand the value of training. Understand that your firearms skill is
a perishable skill. Practice must be regular and recent.
---
"Security - A Layered Approach" by Vaughn Baker
Body language indicators.
Prevail, not survive.
Self-offense, not self-defense.
Prevent bad guy from seeing. Block windows and door windows.
Layer:
1. Outer grounds
2. Building
3. Rooms
Actions:
1. Get out.
2. Lock out. Techniques to block door - Human bridge, Mechanical bridge,
belay.
3. Take out. Throw things, swing things, stab with things.
---
"Question and Answer Panel" by Kurt Owen, Mike Harvill, John Riley,
Kevin McGary, David Dixon
Causes of violence at church:
Child custody disputes.
Medical problems.
Mental health problems.
Take care of medical problems first.
If you get one of those trans types (guy in a girl's bathroom), clear everyone
out. Don't go in after him. Wait for him to come out. Create every tactical
advantage. Trans persons have been responsible for the last 4 mass shootings.
Your security team must have standards. And you must enforce the standards.
Otherwise, you can't kick anyone off the team. And that's a real problem.
Shooting the wrong person because of a judgement error or incompetence in
marksmanship. You should have a qualification test at least twice a year.
Have group meetings, so they feel connected. Have a Bible study so they
understand that the security team is a ministry and that security of the church
is Biblical (scriptures cited in first entry above). Background check every
member at least every two years, because things happen.
---
‟Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice.”
-- Claude Werner
*************************************************************************
----- Practice (how to get competent at that task) -----
“Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans.”
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
‶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
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Intervention ***** ***** *****
Suggestions on how to deal with the incident that you failed to avoid.
Table of contents:
Strategy
Tactics
Techniques
*************************************************************************
----- Strategy (deciding on the end state and how to achieve it,
which tactics to use, which includes walking away) -----
How do you win a gunfight?
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
Logistics is a part of strategy. If you can't feed yourself / your troops, you can't fight.
"News and Snark" by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2023/08/news-and-snark.html
Excerpt:
When Marxists take control:
"The Army Can't Feed Its Soldiers Stationed at Texas' Ft. Cavazos—
And That's Not the Only Problem There." In case you weren't aware,
Ft. Cavazos is the Marxist name for Ft. Hood.
---
The Military Times reported that the sprawling base had only two of its
10 major dining options open every day for junior enlisted personnel. [This
has been going on for several months at this writing. -- Jon Low] While
the hot Texas summer rolled through central Texas, the base wasn’t able to
provide its men and women in uniform with convenient dining, leaving thousands
to spend an hour on the road traveling to and from a dining hall just to eat.
Although many enlisted have cars, many do not. Those who do not have
a private car or could carpool with mates were left to find transportation via shuttle.
Shuttles were available. Just one problem – that information wasn’t generally
known to hungry soldiers. Many of the enlisted interviewed by The Military Times
were not aware of the shuttle service. . . .
---
If the New Army can't do logistics on its home base in friendly territory,
how are they going to fare when in unfriendly territory?
Cited article,
"The Army Can't Feed Its Soldiers Stationed at Texas' Ft. Cavazos—
And That's Not the Only Problem There" by Jim Thompson
https://redstate.com/jimthompson/2023/08/09/the-army-cant-feed-its-soldiers-stationed-at-texas-ft-cavazos-and-thats-isnt-the-only-problem-there-n790138
Which in turn cites this article,
"Fort Cavazos Soldiers Have Been Without Proper Access to Food for Months"
by Steve Beynon
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/08/08/fort-cavazos-soldiers-have-been-without-proper-access-food-months.html
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=576702650781020&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=497694285348524&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
Amazing the stuff that leaks out.
The commentary in the right hand column is worth reading.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=347478877036733&set=pb.100053238700252.-2207520000.
"You win gunfights by not getting shot."
-- John Holschen
*************************************************************************
----- Tactics (maneuver and fire in support of your strategy) -----
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
"Pistol vs. Active Shooter With Body Armor And A Rifle?
Myths & Facts" by Mike (Ox) Ochsner
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/pistol-vs-active-shooter-with-a-rifle-myths-facts/
Excerpt:
"One of the purposes of a center-mass shot on a moving attacker is to slow
down the head. Shooting an active shooter wearing a vest center mass may
allow you to follow up with a head shot, if necessary."
[Body armor, other than that used by artillery men, stops at the bottom of the
rib cage. So the abdominal section and hips are available for targeting. -- Jon Low]
“Fortuitous outcomes reinforce poor tactics.”
-- Chuck Haggard
"RUNNING THE RABBIT vs PUSHING THE THREAT,
COMPARING TWO CORNER FED CQB TACTICS"
by Orion Training Group, LLC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFPWS6w4rk
Hat tip to Joe Gaines.
Orion Training Group, LLC
https://www.youtube.com/@oriontraininggroupllc2782
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, and Escape
"Arizona Detective Face Off With Armed Suspect Rapidly
Firing a Fully Automatic Gun in Wild Shootout"
by PoliceActivity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCsC9DBO200
When I was in boot camp, we fired the M-16 full auto (no 3 round bursts back then)
to learn that full auto fire is uncontrollable. None of us ever wanted to fire full auto in
combat, because we knew from experience that it was a total waste of ammo.
Reloading, shooting, and driving; all at the same time. Bravo!
"Car Jacking" by Tim Larkin
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle-carjacking/
She took a long time to realize that she was being attacked. That's why she
got shot by the carjackers.
This won't happen to you, because you are paying attention, and as soon as
a car blocks your path, you are driving around it. Or, shifting into reverse and
driving away. That's why you must practice driving backwards.
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
*************************************************************************
----- Techniques (ways to execute a given task in support of your tactics,
especially when disabled or under stress) -----
"Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
"Empty chamber carriers are the flat Earthers of the gun world."
-- Mark Crary
"Cop Talk The “Hand on Gun” Ready Position" by Massad Ayoob
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/cop-talk-the-hand-on-gun-ready-position/
"Reactive vs. Predictive Shooting" by Steve Tarani
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/reactive-vs-predictive-shooting/
Hey, the author uses the term "dark voodoo", not me. I guess this is something
to experiment with, if you are at a level of proficiency that would allow you to.
Remember, all the guys cited are speaking from a position of decades of experience
and extremely high levels of proficiency.
Notice the picture of sight alignment, about ⅓ down the web page. There is no
space / light around the front sight post in the rear sight notch. The rear sight needs
to be machined out by at least 2 hundredth of an inch (1 hundredth on each side).
Otherwise, the shooter will find his rounds scattering horizontally. This is common.
If you have factory installed iron sights, you probably need to do this. If you have
long arms, you probably need to do this. If your night vision doesn't allow you to
see the front sight clearly with light on both sides, you need to do this.
"Recoil Management For Fast Double Taps" by Mike Ox
https://dryfiretrainingcards.com/blog/recoil-management-for-fast-double-taps/
The vice grip, pushing with the firing side hand and pulling with the support side
hand was taught at Front Sight back in 1996 (probably in 1995, but I wasn't there).
That's why Jeff Cooper and his disciples taught the Weaver position (Chapman
version of the Weaver position). It's really hard to get that push-pull tension with
an isosceles position.
View the third video, about half way down the web page.
https://prot3ct.com/lp/defeating-weapons-webinar-replay-bundle/
Immediately stop the enemy with disabling injury. If you have any other goal,
you are WRONG!
Misdirection.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/de8uhIYRodA
Do you see how you can use this? Do you see how you can use this technique to
get your pistol out of your holster without your enemy noticing? You're not looking
for a fair fight. It would be best to shoot the enemy before he recognized a threat.
"Ring through finger"
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ToIpsWN2GM
Your hands are much faster than the enemy can see. Lots of examples that you
can learn in any intro psychology class. Or stage magic class. But, you have to
practice. Do you see how you can use this to defeat the enemy?
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Postvention ***** ***** *****
Suggestions on how to treat your wounds; avoid prosecution, conviction, and prison time.
Table of contents:
Aftermath
Survival, Medical, etc.
*************************************************************************
----- Aftermath (You must be alive to have these problems: criminal and civil liability.) -----
In the right hand column, click on the link labeled "Self Defense Insurance".
Or, the direct link is,
http://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/self-defense-insurance.html
Read this before you buy insurance. You need to make an informed decision.
The various policies are drastically different.
"You need to read the fine print." -- Massad Ayoob
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him,
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
In the right hand column of this web page, click on "Never Talk To The Police"
or use the direct address
https://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/never-talk-to-police.html
“Your understanding and consent are not required
for someone to take your life, kill your loved ones,
and destroy all you hold dear.”
-- William Aprill
----- Survival, Medical, etc. -----
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House
"If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit.
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained.
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Education, History, etc. ***** ***** *****
Table of contents:
Legal
Instruction
Gear
*************************************************************************
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
"Something to consider about 'gun violence' statistics." by Nick J. Freitas
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4t0-hz-rsQ0
“ ‘Civil rights’ used to be about treating everyone the same.
But today, some are so used to special treatment that equal
treatment is considered ‘discrimination!’ ”
-- Thomas Sowell
"Uninhabitable!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/uninhabitable/
“No society has ever thrived, because it had a large and growing
class of parasites, living off those who produce.”
-- Thomas Sowell
The vast majority of defensive gun uses don't end in bloodshed.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4wpvng4bs1o
All kinds of interesting stuff at the Tactical Wire blog.
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/archives
Every week has its feature article at the end of the web page.
"Weekend Knowledge Dump- August 11, 2023" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/weekend-knowledge-dump-august-11-2023
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
***** ***** ***** Legal ***** ***** *****
"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
Michael Clement of the Garza Law Firm says that in Tennessee there are no
pre-trial self-defense immunity hearings. The only thing one can do is ask for a
stay on civil law suits until the criminal trial is finished.
"The Essential Second Amendment" by The Heritage Foundation
https://secured.heritage.org/essential-second-amendment-ebook/
FREE eBook
"Court Blocks Hawaii’s Concealed Carry Restrictions, Quotes 2ALC Amicus in Ruling"
https://www.2alc.org/hawaii
This is significant, because what happens in the Federal Courts affects all of the
United States. Courts in other jurisdictions cite cases in other jurisdiction, even if
they are not binding on the court in question. Notice that the Federal District Court
Judge is an Obama appointee (more important is the Hawaii Senator who was in
office at the time). This is what happens when persons get life time judicial
appointments. They are no longer beholden to the President who appointed them.
The Founding Fathers were brilliant.
"Law of Self Defense" book (free of charge, just pay shipping so you don't have to
drive to Colorado to pick it up)
https://bit.ly/losdpmax
"The 5 Elements of Self Defense" by Andrew Branca (free of charge)
lawofselfdefense.com/elements/
"Escalation Of Force And Self-Defense" by Marty Hayes
https://gundigest.com/handguns/personal-defense/escalation-of-force
Excerpt:
". . . you don’t get to decide what’s reasonable—that’s the role of the jury."
"Man Shoots Back at Car Thieves, Now Faces Life In Prison!" by Andrew Branca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwaiWl-P6Y
Excerpt:
"Pursuing thieves puts you in legal and physical jeopardy."
[It is important to accept and understand reality so you can adapt to it.]
---
He didn't shoot at car thieves, he shot at persons who were shooting at him.
The attempted car theft is irrelevant.
Solution: Don't live in Aurora (Denver metro area), or any other liberal enclave.
As Massad Ayoob would say, "Yes, it is that simple."
No one (not the police, not the prosecutor, not the judge, not the jury) has any
first hand knowledge of the incident, because none of them were there. You see
the problem? The defendant is white, the "victims" are black. Actually, that does
explain everything. The prosecutor sees huge political advantage by prosecuting
this case.
The cops don't care if your car is stolen. They tell you to call your insurance
company. You don't have insurance on your car, because the insurance payments
in a year will cost more than the car is worth.
Whereas, a rural Tennessee prosecutor would say, "Car thieves got shot and killed
during an attempted car theft? What's the problem?" The Nashville, Knoxville,
or Memphis prosecutor would of course prosecute. Solution? Don't live in cities
controlled by Democrats. Or that have liberal prosecutors (some prosecutor elections
are non-partisan). If the prosecutor is endorsed by Black Lives Matter, you don't
want to live in that jurisdiction.
"Supreme Court Restores Biden’s ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulations In 5-4 Ruling"
by Antonio Pequeño IV
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/08/08/supreme-court-restores-bidens-ghost-gun-regulations-in-5-4-ruling/
The headline is misleading. All this means is that the ATF regulation will be
enforced while the appeal is being heard at the Circuit Court. The District Court
has already ruled that the ATF regulation is beyond the scope of the ATF's jurisdiction,
and so vacated the ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulation.
This is not about guns. This is about Chevron deference.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/chevron_deference
Who gets to interpret the meaning of the law and how to enforce it? The executive
branch (Chevron deference)? The legislature, who wrote the law? Or, the judiciary?
The conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court have been itching for decades to
overturn the Chevron deference precedent.
This is a deep dive.
"BIG Federal Gun Control Law STRUCK DOWN! Supreme Court?
USA v Daniels, 5th Circuit Court of Appeals" by Tom Grieve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxtApiV4Uw
Citation of court decision,
https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/22/22-60596-CR0.pdf
Unfortunately, politics is important.
"At Townhall:
Biden Will Withhold Federal Funding From Schools With Hunting, Archery Programs"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/08/at-townhall-biden-will-withhold-federal-funding-from-schools-with-hunting-archery-programs/
Roll call vote,
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00242.htm
"On the Blaze TV’s Stu Does America:
To Discuss Biden Administration’s Latest Attack on Gun Ownership"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/08/on-the-blaze-tvs-stu-does-america-to-discuss-biden-administrations-latest-attack-on-gun-ownership/
Perhaps you should write to your Senators? It's real easy.
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Please subscribe to John Lott's newsletter to stay informed.
https://crimepreventionresearchcenter.nationbuilder.com/subscribe
Hello Jonathan,
On August 9, 2023, a three-judge Federal Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
reversed the conviction of Patrick Daniels, a habitual marijuana user who at trial
had been found guilty of violating a federal statute making it a felony for unlawful
users of drugs to be in possession of firearms.
Daniels had been found with a pistol and rifle in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Following his conviction Daniels was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison.
This Court of Appeals found in this 3-0 decision that the relevant statute,
§922(g)(3), as applied to Daniels, violated the Second Amendment of the
US Constitution. Accordingly the court reversed his conviction and even dismissed
the indictment against him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qrhgkC2yc8
Stay safe!
--Andrew
Attorney Andrew F. Branca
Law of Self Defense LLC
---
We did the Prohibition experiment, 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It failed, in that it created a huge profit margin for those willing to provide the goods.
So we repealed Prohibition, 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
To repeat the experiment thinking that we will get a different result
is a sure sign of insanity.
All of the drug users and alcoholics would disappear from society if left to the
own devices. What prevents this? The welfare system. The liberals (Republicans
and Democrats) force you, the productive tax payer, to provide medical care,
psychiatric care, and living expenses for those who choose to consume intoxicants.
Federal law requires all health insurance to provide such. That's a 30 day all expense
---
He didn't shoot at car thieves, he shot at persons who were shooting at him.
The attempted car theft is irrelevant.
Solution: Don't live in Aurora (Denver metro area), or any other liberal enclave.
As Massad Ayoob would say, "Yes, it is that simple."
No one (not the police, not the prosecutor, not the judge, not the jury) has any
first hand knowledge of the incident, because none of them were there. You see
the problem? The defendant is white, the "victims" are black. Actually, that does
explain everything. The prosecutor sees huge political advantage by prosecuting
this case.
The cops don't care if your car is stolen. They tell you to call your insurance
company. You don't have insurance on your car, because the insurance payments
in a year will cost more than the car is worth.
Whereas, a rural Tennessee prosecutor would say, "Car thieves got shot and killed
during an attempted car theft? What's the problem?" The Nashville, Knoxville,
or Memphis prosecutor would of course prosecute. Solution? Don't live in cities
controlled by Democrats. Or that have liberal prosecutors (some prosecutor elections
are non-partisan). If the prosecutor is endorsed by Black Lives Matter, you don't
want to live in that jurisdiction.
"Supreme Court Restores Biden’s ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulations In 5-4 Ruling"
by Antonio Pequeño IV
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/08/08/supreme-court-restores-bidens-ghost-gun-regulations-in-5-4-ruling/
The headline is misleading. All this means is that the ATF regulation will be
enforced while the appeal is being heard at the Circuit Court. The District Court
has already ruled that the ATF regulation is beyond the scope of the ATF's jurisdiction,
and so vacated the ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulation.
This is not about guns. This is about Chevron deference.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/chevron_deference
Who gets to interpret the meaning of the law and how to enforce it? The executive
branch (Chevron deference)? The legislature, who wrote the law? Or, the judiciary?
The conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court have been itching for decades to
overturn the Chevron deference precedent.
This is a deep dive.
"BIG Federal Gun Control Law STRUCK DOWN! Supreme Court?
USA v Daniels, 5th Circuit Court of Appeals" by Tom Grieve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxtApiV4Uw
Citation of court decision,
https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/22/22-60596-CR0.pdf
Unfortunately, politics is important.
"At Townhall:
Biden Will Withhold Federal Funding From Schools With Hunting, Archery Programs"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/08/at-townhall-biden-will-withhold-federal-funding-from-schools-with-hunting-archery-programs/
Roll call vote,
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00242.htm
"On the Blaze TV’s Stu Does America:
To Discuss Biden Administration’s Latest Attack on Gun Ownership"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/08/on-the-blaze-tvs-stu-does-america-to-discuss-biden-administrations-latest-attack-on-gun-ownership/
Perhaps you should write to your Senators? It's real easy.
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Please subscribe to John Lott's newsletter to stay informed.
https://crimepreventionresearchcenter.nationbuilder.com/subscribe
Hello Jonathan,
On August 9, 2023, a three-judge Federal Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
reversed the conviction of Patrick Daniels, a habitual marijuana user who at trial
had been found guilty of violating a federal statute making it a felony for unlawful
users of drugs to be in possession of firearms.
Daniels had been found with a pistol and rifle in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Following his conviction Daniels was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison.
This Court of Appeals found in this 3-0 decision that the relevant statute,
§922(g)(3), as applied to Daniels, violated the Second Amendment of the
US Constitution. Accordingly the court reversed his conviction and even dismissed
the indictment against him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qrhgkC2yc8
Stay safe!
--Andrew
Attorney Andrew F. Branca
Law of Self Defense LLC
---
We did the Prohibition experiment, 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It failed, in that it created a huge profit margin for those willing to provide the goods.
So we repealed Prohibition, 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
To repeat the experiment thinking that we will get a different result
is a sure sign of insanity.
All of the drug users and alcoholics would disappear from society if left to the
own devices. What prevents this? The welfare system. The liberals (Republicans
and Democrats) force you, the productive tax payer, to provide medical care,
psychiatric care, and living expenses for those who choose to consume intoxicants.
Federal law requires all health insurance to provide such. That's a 30 day all expense
paid vacation, anytime they want it, as often as they want it, simply by saying,
"I'm addicted. I want to go to rehab." That's why I don't buy such insurance.
-- Jon Low
"Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so."
-- Bertrand Russell
"Thinking is the hardest thing a person can do. That's why so few people do it."
-- Henry Ford
“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 a dishonorable population represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
***** ***** ***** 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
"Does that make sense?" If you are saying things like that, you are wrong.
That is not good public speaking. If you don't know if what you are saying is
making sense to your audience, ask a specific question of the audience in
general and then ask a specific person to give you an answer. If a Hermione
type hasn't already answered.
Make your point and then shut up*. Allow your students to discuss and ask
questions. Don't drone on to hear yourself speak.
God gave you two ears and one mouth with the expectation that you will
actively listen at least twice as much as you talk. You won't be ale to answer
your student's questions unless you understand the question (not what you
think the student's question was, what the student thought the question was,
usually a big difference), and you won't understand the question unless you listen.
Don't fill in the blanks! Ask the student to fill in the blanks.
* Advice from John Farnam. You should read his book, the notes for his classes,
and take his classes. He may even recite poetry to you. (But you've got to be
tuned in and paying attention to understand what he is saying.)
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
----- Andragogy -----
‟An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.”
-- ‶Building Shooters″ by Dustin Salomon
“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.”
-- Robert John Meehan
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Gear ***** ***** *****
*************************************************************************
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
Another excellent reason not to use revolvers.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JiZeCoh2W6s
Manually decocking the hammer on a hammer fired pistol by using your thumb
to retard the hammer is a bad and dangerous idea. You are very close to a negligent
discharge. If your handgun requires you do manually decock by retarding the hammer
with your thumb, the design is suboptimal. DON'T use that handgun. Yes, it is that
simple.
"Guest Shot: Thoughts on Gear, Part I" by Dave Spaulding
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/da32e2a6-cb5a-4064-a9ae-b7ff814f6b5f
"Guest Shot: Thoughts on Gear, Part II" by Dave Spaulding
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/017a8ac1-2db0-4e4e-9aaf-8cb4f1f7ff05
I found this interesting.
"Editor’s Notebook: Springfield Armory Echelon – New Service Pistol"
by Rich Grassi
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/2e6830df-544e-4059-af2e-791ccc577c23
Jason Hanson says, whenever you buy a new pistol, you should also buy
a holster specifically made for that pistol, and lots of extra magazines.
Always buy quality.
"Full Breakdown of Montville PD's SIG P320 Incident and
Response to SIG's Recent Statement" by Smallen Dynamics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ6GUxpzXTI
There are just too many of these incidents, some with video, for them all to
be part of a conspiracy or hoax. There were several law suits in federal courts.
There have been several settlements. But they were just money pay outs
(from insurance companies). Sig has never admitted that anything is wrong
with their P320 pistol and has never agreed to make any changes in the P320
pistol. At least not from any of the news reports that I have read. (We're talking
about uncommanded firing, not firing when dropped.)
"Understanding Lumens & Candela" by Eugene Nielsen
https://spotterup.com/understanding-lumens-candela/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
“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.)
Craft Holsters
https://www.craftholsters.com/
Perry Suspenders
https://www.perrysuspenders.com/
---
Gun Magazine Warehouse
https://gunmagwarehouse.com/
Factory new, Blazer
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets, brass cases,
1000 rounds, $22.86 UPS Ground
Total: $389.80
LAX Ammunition
https://www.laxammo.com/
This is remanufactured ammunition (used brass, all other components are new).
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets,
34¢ per round. 1000 rounds. UPS Ground shipping, $40.55. Tax $34.71.
Total: $409.96.
Target Sports USA
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/
Factory new, New Republic
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets, brass cases,
40¢per round. 1000 rounds.
No shipping cost. Shipping Insurance: $6.20. Tax: $36.99.
Total: $442.99
"The Peacemaker, Conceal Carry, Bulletproof Jacket"
https://bulletproofbodyguard.com/peacemaker-ccw-bulletproof-jacket/
Hat tip to Tim Larkin.
I don't know anything about these jackets, but Tim Larkin recommends them.
Purchasing ammo by the pallet is much cheaper in the long run.
As Greg Ellifritz says (paraphrased), it's nice to have a life time supply.
[Annoyed that the male is staring at her breasts while talking to her.]
Female: Hey, up here! Look me in the eyes when you talk to me.
Male: Sorry, I was looking at your pistol.
Female: [Because she is carrying concealed] You can't see my pistol.
Male: It's a Glock 43. Your blouse is kind of sheer.
Moral of the story: It's hard to flaunt your assets and conceal your pistol
at the same time. Similarly for tight fitting blouses. Though I have seen
pull over blouses that were sheer around the breasts and opaque and frilly
around the midriff. So, I guess it's possible.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A Gravity Karambit?! The Reate EXO-K Full Review" by Melissa Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dKs8jNfaB8
Innovation, yes. But I don't know about having a finger in that ring.
When we teach weapons retention and disarming with pistols, the dummy
guns have the trigger guards removed.
Is weapons retention worth the risk of breaking a finger?
All kinds of strange things happen in combat.
Innovative knife locking mechanism.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gA_yx87VVjQ
"Multi-Pitch Rappelling- Potentially Fatal Errors to Avoid"
by SIET, School for International Expedition Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xb0ajjlTis
Even if you have memorized the protocol, you should have a checklist, and follow it.
All pilots use checklists for take off and landing.
The people in the video are not wearing gloves. I would always wear gloves.
It at first looks like they are doing a double rope pitch, but it is a single rope looped
at the top. So, there is no redundancy. If the rope breaks they fall. There is no second
rope. Which is fine. I just wanted to make sure you understood what was happening.
"School for International Expedition Training"
https://www.youtube.com/@sietschoolforinternational5234/videos
"Introduction to Rope Descending Devices" by Celessence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3lHToJqsmk
"Not all climbing anchors are bomber" by HowNOT2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYPrZXIGRFE
Not perfect double blind experiments, but clearly showing that pulling
straight is much stronger than multi-point anchors. Why? The knot weakens
the material.
Will knot theory predict this?
“Your car is not a holster.”
-- Pat Rogers
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Cryptology ***** ***** *****
"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe,
and preserve order in the world as well as property.
Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of their use."
-- Thomas Paine
[Cryptosystems are considered "arms" by federal law.
ITAR, International Traffic in Arms Regulations]
LLM means Large Language Model. I hate acronyms.
Password tip. There are many unicode characters that password readers will accept.
https://www.rapidtables.com/code/text/unicode-characters.html
You might not be able to type them from your keyboard, but you can cut and paste
them from a note pad or the web page cited above. Using such characters will put
your password beyond the ability of some software to crack, and will definitely
put it outside of a dictionary attack.
On the other hand, that URL that you are going to may look like one you know,
but actually be composed of characters that look like English characters but in fact
are not. A lot of foreign unicode characters look like English characters.
Be aware. Be careful.
"The Best Single Published Page in Coding Theory" by Another Roof
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmx-v4FiP6I
Error detecting codes. E.g. ISBN.
Error correcting codes. E.g. Hamming code, Golay code.
Aren't these tutorials fun?
Elwyn R. Berlekamp (September 6, 1940 - April 9, 2019) spoke to us
at Lockheed Martin when I was in California. He signed my copy of his book
"Algebraic Coding Theory". Ah, fond memories.
I don't know why the narrator speaks of Berlekamp being of Game Theory.
“Your character is what you do when no one is looking.”
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Untangling the beautiful math of KNOTS" by Dr. Trefor Bazett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSgf9mJXn9o
A gentle tutorial into Knot Theory. Do you see how you can use this in your
cryptosystems? This is a branch of topology. Do you remember how we used
topology in our cryptosystems?
"Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have
perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must
believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing
must be attained."
-- Marie Curie
"Computer science has nothing to do with computers or science."
-- Donald Knuth
[Computer science is pure math.]
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VBhvIeCWwvA
I remember reading that "Scientific American" article. My parents subscribed to
the magazine for me when I was a child. Before SA went woke.
What do thinking persons think?
Open source is better than closed source (proprietary), because thousands of eyes
inspect the code, rather than a hand full. Every problem is easy to someone. In a
company or agency where five persons review the code, the probability of one of
them being able to see the problem, much less recognize the problem, much less
solve the problem is zero. In an open source community, because there are thousands
reviewing the code, the probability is one. (It's the light bulb problem. What's
the probability of the light bulb in the lamp on your bed side table burning out
in the next day? Zero. That's why you don't stock light bulbs in your closet.
What's the probability of a light bulb in your high rise building burning out in the
next day? One. That's why your building has a full time maintenance staff.)
It's easy to hide stuff in text, and it draws far less attention than using more
sophisticated methods. Example: anywhere you have a space, you may replace it
with an ASCII character 255, by holding down the Atl-key, typing 255 on the key
pad, and then releasing the Alt-key. There are many non-printable characters in
ASCII and Unicode.
There are many characters that look like ASCII characters that are not. They are
actually Unicode characters from another language that just happen to look like an
ASCII character.
Visible but not obvious is the existence of space characters or other non-printing
characters in numbers not in accord with the manual of style that you and the
recipient are using. At the end of lines of text, they aren't visible.
You don't need data processing software to recover these things. You don't
even need a bit level editor. Just do a find on the text. [Highly effective when
communicating with your kids through a hostile ex-wife. Yes, as a matter of fact,
email existed long before the internet. Some of you may remember the long
silly email addresses we used to have. A lot of them still work. Just because you
get an email saying that your email bounced, doesn't mean your email bounced.
It just means your email generated a response.]
---
"Job applicants are battling AI résumé filters with a hack
‘White fonting’ is used to bypass AI and other tech filters. But is it cheating?"
by Danielle Abril
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/24/white-font-resume-tip-keywords/
Excerpt:
"The concept is simple: Copy a list of relevant keywords or the job description
itself, paste it in a résumé and change the font color to white. The hope is that AI bots
or digital filters in applicant tracking systems read the white text and surface the
résumé for human review. Because keywords are in white, the résumé will look normal
to human reviewers."
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil."
-- Donald Knuth
**** Tangentially important science ****
"The Critical Point is Not the end of the line (VDW Eqn. of State pt. 1)"
by Albert Hung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQazmQ50SZU
"Not Ideal: The Van der Waals equation of state (Part 2)"
by Albert Hung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhVTM0g5GZw
Excerpts:
"All models have limitations. ALL OF THEM. Yes, even that one."
"Models are man-made tools that attempt to simulate reality.
They do not create nor dictate reality." [Keep this in mind when using
models in your cryptosystems. -- Jon Low]
"Albert Hung"
https://www.youtube.com/@alberthung6191/videos
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Intelligence ***** ***** *****
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution
"The secret weapon that sank Russia’s warship" by The Economist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd391Mdw6HI
Complacency kills.
"4 Aug: Genius.
Ukrainians Use NEW TACTIC AND DESTROY 2 RUSSIAN SHIPS |
War in Ukraine Explained" by Reporting from Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpWBsYz9ibQ
Complacency kills.
Sir,
When I was working for SpaWar
(Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center aboard the
Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, South Carolina),
I was deep into GPS (the accurate type). I always thought
that it didn't make sense that the Russians could jam our
GPS on the battle field in Ukraine with high power noise.
Recently, a friend sent me recordings of electro-magnetic
radiation in the space over the Ukrainian-Russian war.
[Recorded by satellites in the vicinity. I assume.]
My analysis of that data leads me to believe that the
interference is from space based transmitters mimicking
the U.S. GPS signals. [This works with humans too.
Set up a audio system to playback into your headphones
with a slight delay. Then try to read a book. Can't do
it, because your echo confuses you. That is what's
going on with GPS mimic. The timing of the GPS
signal is critical. Generally speaking, you've got to
get a good signal from 4 or more satellites to get a
reliable GPS location. How many satellites are within
view of a given point on Earth at any given time?]
I knew that the jamming had to be more sophisticated
than high power noise, because that just wouldn't work.
I have never heard of the Russians deploying the
appropriate type of satellites to do this jamming.
So, I think it is the ChiComs. I vaguely remember
that besides their killer satellites (I remember news
reports of the ChiComs saying that they had successfully
tested their killer satellites and that they claimed
that they could destroy any satellite at will.),
they also deployed a constellation of "communication"
satellites via their Long March rocket project many
years ago (when I was still in Hawaii at Mar For Pac G-2
we studied them).
So, I think it is these ChiCom satellites that are causing
the problems with our GPS in the Ukrainian battle field.
[So maybe when Putin met with Xi, that was part of
what they negotiated. Grain for satellite services. The
timing fits.]
Of course, I've been out since 4 June 2014 and
I have a hard time keeping up with things.
Semper Fidelis,
Spaceman
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
"Xi Jinping replaces leaders of China's elite nuclear force" by Derek Cai & Kelly Ng
https://news.yahoo.com/xi-jinping-replaces-leaders-chinas-053457800.html
Always cite open source. It's inappropriate to know stuff that you should not
have known.
"US Supreme Court Issues Surprise Ruling" by Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So8151UzQl0
Yes, this is a matter of National Security. Those who oppose the pipeline are
effectively opposing the Security of our country. They put their religion of
environmentalism above the warmth of Americans during the winter.
"Coup in Niger: Part of the NATO-Russia War?" by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2023/08/coup-in-niger-part-of-nato-russia-war.html
Notice the map.
Always cite open source. Then you can speculate, submit commentary, express
opinion, etc. Make your point and then shut up.
"Is Barack Obama Gay? &
Amazon’s CREEPY New “Mark of the Beast” Pay System Uses Your PALM |
Ep. 397" by Liz Wheeler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salO1dJu0VU
Do you understand what Elon Musk is doing? At 18:36 in the video.
"To maintain the loyalty of your subordinates, feed them and pay them on time."
-- Sun Tze, "The Art of War"
See the logistics article in the Strategy section above and answer the questions,
"Why couldn't the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division feed its soldiers?"
"At what level of the 1st Cav. Div. structure was this attack executed?"
Can you use this same technique against our enemies? A hungry enemy is not
combat effective. Notice that only junior enlisted were left without food. It is
only the junior enlisted who actually do the work. Officers (executives) make
decisions and issue orders. They don't actually do any work. The senior enlisted
(upper management) supervise the work, but don't actually do any of the work,
even if they know how to do the work. It is only the junior enlisted who actually
do the essential work. They are skilled labor, hard to replace. The officers and
senior enlisted are much easier to replace.
The enemy, in this test of technique, effectively disabled the entire
U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division, while they were at their home base. It would
have been much easier to disable the unit if it had been deployed. Could you do
the same from the comfort and safety of your living room? Someone did.
Mr. Jim Thompson, in the Red State article, states, "There is also a lack of
transparency and accountability and, it appears, a potential coverup."
Well yes, when officers start classifying things to prevent their dissemination,
it is a cover up.
Let me give you a hint to the second question --
When I was in Rag Bag*, there was a Captain who was universally hated by
the enlisted folk, for good reason. So with a little help from his friends, Sgt. Rock
(We all called him that because he was dumber than a rock, no really, he was.
Nice guy, but low IQ.), who worked in battalion admin., set up the Captain's itinerary
for an operation in Japan and neglected to book the connecting flight on the return
trip from Guam to Hawaii (but did things to make it look like the Captain had done
it intentionally, to get an all expense paid vacation in Guam, where everyone knew
the Captain had a girlfriend [because of the rumors that many had spread]). Which
left the Captain stranded in Guam for quite awhile. Which allowed others to do
all kinds of things in the Captain's name (By Direction authority). Upon the
Captain's return, the Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Michael Moss (I name him
because I don't want you to mistakenly think that it was Col. Keane, the previous
CO), wrote the Captain right out of the Corps.
So the attack need not be at a very high level of the hierarchy. A Sergeant (E-5)
in S-1. Could easily have been an E-1 working in Admin., and it's a position not
needing any sort of clearance.
* 1st Radio Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Fleet Marine Force Pacific,
based at Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station in Hawaii. All kinds of strange things
happened in Rag Bag, because it was saturated with high IQ enlisted (because it was
a Signals Intelligence unit) with very high level accesses and mediocre officers,
because all the best officers were in the mainline (Infantry and Artillery, and maybe
Tanks), the path to General.
"Microsoft Signing Key Stolen by Chinese" by Bruce Schneier
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/08/microsoft-signing-key-stolen-by-chinese.html
"China hacked Japan’s sensitive defense networks, officials say
Tokyo has strengthened its defenses after a major cybersecurity breach,
but gaps remain that could slow information-sharing with the Pentagon"
by Ellen Nakashima
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/07/china-japan-hack-pentagon/
"China Hacked Japan’s Military Networks" by Bruce Schneier
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/08/china-hacked-japans-military-networks.html
"China’s hacking of Japan’s defense networks ‘was bad — shockingly bad’ "
Analysis by Tim Starks with research by David DiMolfetta
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/08/chinas-hacking-japans-defense-networks-was-bad-shockingly-bad/
Excerpt:
"Last year, the head of French Cyber Defense Command,
Gen. Aymeric Bonnemaison, told a commission in his country
that he was concerned that the “relatively aggressive”
Cyber Command hunt-forward missions in Europe could lead
to laying the groundwork for espionage."
[Do you understand what the French are saying?]
There is an ancient Arab saying, "Bad smells foretell of bad events." If you go into a
mission with a bunch of guys from other countries, and they all smell bad, best to
leave immediately. Make up any excuse. Don't bother making an excuse. Just leave.
It doesn't pass the smell test. Nothing good comes of anything that doesn't pass
the smell test. Trust your intuition. Yes, it is magic. Any sufficiently advanced
technology will appear to be magic to the ignorant. The human is God's masterpiece
of creation, extremely advanced technology. To ignore it is folly. You're not being
racist. You're not being xenophobic. You're being smart.
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm,
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
*************************************************************************
The femalefriend "deep" cleaned my apartment, now I can't find anything.
As I was walking out of my apartment this morning, I noticed that just about
all of the furniture in my apartment was from the femalefriend. Then I remembered
a friend telling me to be careful when they start buying furniture, as it is a mark
of permanence.
Liberals discover sail ships.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FI1IuvDi4r0
If you like to watch TED talks, consider this,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ka9WBEijhk
I was having Sunday lunch at Bar-B-Cuties restaurant and overheard elderly ladies
(just having come from church) at another table introducing each other and telling
each other how old they were. It was a point of pride that they were still alive,
having avoided venereal diseases in their youth, dying from drunken auto crashes,
and other such risky behaviors.
Just a few minutes earlier I had overheard a conversation of young ladies at another
table with effectively the opposite feelings.
God's will be done, always. God is sovereign. Those who think that they can
control their life span are mistaken.
Why aren't you dead yet? Because God still has a purpose for you. So, do it.
If you don't know what it is, ask Him.
"Watch this Stormtrooper try joining the Fort Worth Police force" by Daily Mail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhmTs0lzku0
The percentage of recruits dropped from police academies due to inability to pass
the pistol qualification is a reflection of the anti-gun sub-culture infesting our society.
Hat tip to "Hypocrisy and Stupidity of Gun Control Advocates" on FaceBook.com
-- Jon Low
"Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so."
-- Bertrand Russell
"Thinking is the hardest thing a person can do. That's why so few people do it."
-- Henry Ford
“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 a dishonorable population represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
***** ***** ***** 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
"Does that make sense?" If you are saying things like that, you are wrong.
That is not good public speaking. If you don't know if what you are saying is
making sense to your audience, ask a specific question of the audience in
general and then ask a specific person to give you an answer. If a Hermione
type hasn't already answered.
Make your point and then shut up*. Allow your students to discuss and ask
questions. Don't drone on to hear yourself speak.
God gave you two ears and one mouth with the expectation that you will
actively listen at least twice as much as you talk. You won't be ale to answer
your student's questions unless you understand the question (not what you
think the student's question was, what the student thought the question was,
usually a big difference), and you won't understand the question unless you listen.
Don't fill in the blanks! Ask the student to fill in the blanks.
* Advice from John Farnam. You should read his book, the notes for his classes,
and take his classes. He may even recite poetry to you. (But you've got to be
tuned in and paying attention to understand what he is saying.)
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
----- Andragogy -----
‟An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.”
-- ‶Building Shooters″ by Dustin Salomon
“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.”
-- Robert John Meehan
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Gear ***** ***** *****
*************************************************************************
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
Another excellent reason not to use revolvers.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JiZeCoh2W6s
Manually decocking the hammer on a hammer fired pistol by using your thumb
to retard the hammer is a bad and dangerous idea. You are very close to a negligent
discharge. If your handgun requires you do manually decock by retarding the hammer
with your thumb, the design is suboptimal. DON'T use that handgun. Yes, it is that
simple.
"Guest Shot: Thoughts on Gear, Part I" by Dave Spaulding
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/da32e2a6-cb5a-4064-a9ae-b7ff814f6b5f
"Guest Shot: Thoughts on Gear, Part II" by Dave Spaulding
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/017a8ac1-2db0-4e4e-9aaf-8cb4f1f7ff05
I found this interesting.
"Editor’s Notebook: Springfield Armory Echelon – New Service Pistol"
by Rich Grassi
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/2e6830df-544e-4059-af2e-791ccc577c23
Jason Hanson says, whenever you buy a new pistol, you should also buy
a holster specifically made for that pistol, and lots of extra magazines.
Always buy quality.
"Full Breakdown of Montville PD's SIG P320 Incident and
Response to SIG's Recent Statement" by Smallen Dynamics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ6GUxpzXTI
There are just too many of these incidents, some with video, for them all to
be part of a conspiracy or hoax. There were several law suits in federal courts.
There have been several settlements. But they were just money pay outs
(from insurance companies). Sig has never admitted that anything is wrong
with their P320 pistol and has never agreed to make any changes in the P320
pistol. At least not from any of the news reports that I have read. (We're talking
about uncommanded firing, not firing when dropped.)
"Understanding Lumens & Candela" by Eugene Nielsen
https://spotterup.com/understanding-lumens-candela/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.
“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.)
Craft Holsters
https://www.craftholsters.com/
Perry Suspenders
https://www.perrysuspenders.com/
---
Gun Magazine Warehouse
https://gunmagwarehouse.com/
Factory new, Blazer
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets, brass cases,
1000 rounds, $22.86 UPS Ground
Total: $389.80
LAX Ammunition
https://www.laxammo.com/
This is remanufactured ammunition (used brass, all other components are new).
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets,
34¢ per round. 1000 rounds. UPS Ground shipping, $40.55. Tax $34.71.
Total: $409.96.
Target Sports USA
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/
Factory new, New Republic
45 ACP with 230 grain copper jacketed round nose bullets, brass cases,
40¢per round. 1000 rounds.
No shipping cost. Shipping Insurance: $6.20. Tax: $36.99.
Total: $442.99
"The Peacemaker, Conceal Carry, Bulletproof Jacket"
https://bulletproofbodyguard.com/peacemaker-ccw-bulletproof-jacket/
Hat tip to Tim Larkin.
I don't know anything about these jackets, but Tim Larkin recommends them.
Purchasing ammo by the pallet is much cheaper in the long run.
As Greg Ellifritz says (paraphrased), it's nice to have a life time supply.
[Annoyed that the male is staring at her breasts while talking to her.]
Female: Hey, up here! Look me in the eyes when you talk to me.
Male: Sorry, I was looking at your pistol.
Female: [Because she is carrying concealed] You can't see my pistol.
Male: It's a Glock 43. Your blouse is kind of sheer.
Moral of the story: It's hard to flaunt your assets and conceal your pistol
at the same time. Similarly for tight fitting blouses. Though I have seen
pull over blouses that were sheer around the breasts and opaque and frilly
around the midriff. So, I guess it's possible.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A Gravity Karambit?! The Reate EXO-K Full Review" by Melissa Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dKs8jNfaB8
Innovation, yes. But I don't know about having a finger in that ring.
When we teach weapons retention and disarming with pistols, the dummy
guns have the trigger guards removed.
Is weapons retention worth the risk of breaking a finger?
All kinds of strange things happen in combat.
Innovative knife locking mechanism.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gA_yx87VVjQ
"Multi-Pitch Rappelling- Potentially Fatal Errors to Avoid"
by SIET, School for International Expedition Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xb0ajjlTis
Even if you have memorized the protocol, you should have a checklist, and follow it.
All pilots use checklists for take off and landing.
The people in the video are not wearing gloves. I would always wear gloves.
It at first looks like they are doing a double rope pitch, but it is a single rope looped
at the top. So, there is no redundancy. If the rope breaks they fall. There is no second
rope. Which is fine. I just wanted to make sure you understood what was happening.
"School for International Expedition Training"
https://www.youtube.com/@sietschoolforinternational5234/videos
"Introduction to Rope Descending Devices" by Celessence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3lHToJqsmk
"Not all climbing anchors are bomber" by HowNOT2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYPrZXIGRFE
Not perfect double blind experiments, but clearly showing that pulling
straight is much stronger than multi-point anchors. Why? The knot weakens
the material.
Will knot theory predict this?
“Your car is not a holster.”
-- Pat Rogers
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Cryptology ***** ***** *****
"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe,
and preserve order in the world as well as property.
Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of their use."
-- Thomas Paine
[Cryptosystems are considered "arms" by federal law.
ITAR, International Traffic in Arms Regulations]
LLM means Large Language Model. I hate acronyms.
Password tip. There are many unicode characters that password readers will accept.
https://www.rapidtables.com/code/text/unicode-characters.html
You might not be able to type them from your keyboard, but you can cut and paste
them from a note pad or the web page cited above. Using such characters will put
your password beyond the ability of some software to crack, and will definitely
put it outside of a dictionary attack.
On the other hand, that URL that you are going to may look like one you know,
but actually be composed of characters that look like English characters but in fact
are not. A lot of foreign unicode characters look like English characters.
Be aware. Be careful.
"The Best Single Published Page in Coding Theory" by Another Roof
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmx-v4FiP6I
Error detecting codes. E.g. ISBN.
Error correcting codes. E.g. Hamming code, Golay code.
Aren't these tutorials fun?
Elwyn R. Berlekamp (September 6, 1940 - April 9, 2019) spoke to us
at Lockheed Martin when I was in California. He signed my copy of his book
"Algebraic Coding Theory". Ah, fond memories.
I don't know why the narrator speaks of Berlekamp being of Game Theory.
“Your character is what you do when no one is looking.”
-- Thomas Jefferson
"Untangling the beautiful math of KNOTS" by Dr. Trefor Bazett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSgf9mJXn9o
A gentle tutorial into Knot Theory. Do you see how you can use this in your
cryptosystems? This is a branch of topology. Do you remember how we used
topology in our cryptosystems?
"Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have
perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must
believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing
must be attained."
-- Marie Curie
"Computer science has nothing to do with computers or science."
-- Donald Knuth
[Computer science is pure math.]
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VBhvIeCWwvA
I remember reading that "Scientific American" article. My parents subscribed to
the magazine for me when I was a child. Before SA went woke.
What do thinking persons think?
Open source is better than closed source (proprietary), because thousands of eyes
inspect the code, rather than a hand full. Every problem is easy to someone. In a
company or agency where five persons review the code, the probability of one of
them being able to see the problem, much less recognize the problem, much less
solve the problem is zero. In an open source community, because there are thousands
reviewing the code, the probability is one. (It's the light bulb problem. What's
the probability of the light bulb in the lamp on your bed side table burning out
in the next day? Zero. That's why you don't stock light bulbs in your closet.
What's the probability of a light bulb in your high rise building burning out in the
next day? One. That's why your building has a full time maintenance staff.)
It's easy to hide stuff in text, and it draws far less attention than using more
sophisticated methods. Example: anywhere you have a space, you may replace it
with an ASCII character 255, by holding down the Atl-key, typing 255 on the key
pad, and then releasing the Alt-key. There are many non-printable characters in
ASCII and Unicode.
There are many characters that look like ASCII characters that are not. They are
actually Unicode characters from another language that just happen to look like an
ASCII character.
Visible but not obvious is the existence of space characters or other non-printing
characters in numbers not in accord with the manual of style that you and the
recipient are using. At the end of lines of text, they aren't visible.
You don't need data processing software to recover these things. You don't
even need a bit level editor. Just do a find on the text. [Highly effective when
communicating with your kids through a hostile ex-wife. Yes, as a matter of fact,
email existed long before the internet. Some of you may remember the long
silly email addresses we used to have. A lot of them still work. Just because you
get an email saying that your email bounced, doesn't mean your email bounced.
It just means your email generated a response.]
---
"Job applicants are battling AI résumé filters with a hack
‘White fonting’ is used to bypass AI and other tech filters. But is it cheating?"
by Danielle Abril
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/24/white-font-resume-tip-keywords/
Excerpt:
"The concept is simple: Copy a list of relevant keywords or the job description
itself, paste it in a résumé and change the font color to white. The hope is that AI bots
or digital filters in applicant tracking systems read the white text and surface the
résumé for human review. Because keywords are in white, the résumé will look normal
to human reviewers."
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil."
-- Donald Knuth
**** Tangentially important science ****
"The Critical Point is Not the end of the line (VDW Eqn. of State pt. 1)"
by Albert Hung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQazmQ50SZU
"Not Ideal: The Van der Waals equation of state (Part 2)"
by Albert Hung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhVTM0g5GZw
Excerpts:
"All models have limitations. ALL OF THEM. Yes, even that one."
"Models are man-made tools that attempt to simulate reality.
They do not create nor dictate reality." [Keep this in mind when using
models in your cryptosystems. -- Jon Low]
"Albert Hung"
https://www.youtube.com/@alberthung6191/videos
*************************************************************************
***** ***** ***** Intelligence ***** ***** *****
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution
"The secret weapon that sank Russia’s warship" by The Economist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd391Mdw6HI
Complacency kills.
"4 Aug: Genius.
Ukrainians Use NEW TACTIC AND DESTROY 2 RUSSIAN SHIPS |
War in Ukraine Explained" by Reporting from Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpWBsYz9ibQ
Complacency kills.
Sir,
When I was working for SpaWar
(Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center aboard the
Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, South Carolina),
I was deep into GPS (the accurate type). I always thought
that it didn't make sense that the Russians could jam our
GPS on the battle field in Ukraine with high power noise.
Recently, a friend sent me recordings of electro-magnetic
radiation in the space over the Ukrainian-Russian war.
[Recorded by satellites in the vicinity. I assume.]
My analysis of that data leads me to believe that the
interference is from space based transmitters mimicking
the U.S. GPS signals. [This works with humans too.
Set up a audio system to playback into your headphones
with a slight delay. Then try to read a book. Can't do
it, because your echo confuses you. That is what's
going on with GPS mimic. The timing of the GPS
signal is critical. Generally speaking, you've got to
get a good signal from 4 or more satellites to get a
reliable GPS location. How many satellites are within
view of a given point on Earth at any given time?]
I knew that the jamming had to be more sophisticated
than high power noise, because that just wouldn't work.
I have never heard of the Russians deploying the
appropriate type of satellites to do this jamming.
So, I think it is the ChiComs. I vaguely remember
that besides their killer satellites (I remember news
reports of the ChiComs saying that they had successfully
tested their killer satellites and that they claimed
that they could destroy any satellite at will.),
they also deployed a constellation of "communication"
satellites via their Long March rocket project many
years ago (when I was still in Hawaii at Mar For Pac G-2
we studied them).
So, I think it is these ChiCom satellites that are causing
the problems with our GPS in the Ukrainian battle field.
[So maybe when Putin met with Xi, that was part of
what they negotiated. Grain for satellite services. The
timing fits.]
Of course, I've been out since 4 June 2014 and
I have a hard time keeping up with things.
Semper Fidelis,
Spaceman
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
"Xi Jinping replaces leaders of China's elite nuclear force" by Derek Cai & Kelly Ng
https://news.yahoo.com/xi-jinping-replaces-leaders-chinas-053457800.html
Always cite open source. It's inappropriate to know stuff that you should not
have known.
"US Supreme Court Issues Surprise Ruling" by Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So8151UzQl0
Yes, this is a matter of National Security. Those who oppose the pipeline are
effectively opposing the Security of our country. They put their religion of
environmentalism above the warmth of Americans during the winter.
"Coup in Niger: Part of the NATO-Russia War?" by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2023/08/coup-in-niger-part-of-nato-russia-war.html
Notice the map.
Always cite open source. Then you can speculate, submit commentary, express
opinion, etc. Make your point and then shut up.
"Is Barack Obama Gay? &
Amazon’s CREEPY New “Mark of the Beast” Pay System Uses Your PALM |
Ep. 397" by Liz Wheeler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salO1dJu0VU
Do you understand what Elon Musk is doing? At 18:36 in the video.
"To maintain the loyalty of your subordinates, feed them and pay them on time."
-- Sun Tze, "The Art of War"
See the logistics article in the Strategy section above and answer the questions,
"Why couldn't the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division feed its soldiers?"
"At what level of the 1st Cav. Div. structure was this attack executed?"
Can you use this same technique against our enemies? A hungry enemy is not
combat effective. Notice that only junior enlisted were left without food. It is
only the junior enlisted who actually do the work. Officers (executives) make
decisions and issue orders. They don't actually do any work. The senior enlisted
(upper management) supervise the work, but don't actually do any of the work,
even if they know how to do the work. It is only the junior enlisted who actually
do the essential work. They are skilled labor, hard to replace. The officers and
senior enlisted are much easier to replace.
The enemy, in this test of technique, effectively disabled the entire
U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division, while they were at their home base. It would
have been much easier to disable the unit if it had been deployed. Could you do
the same from the comfort and safety of your living room? Someone did.
Mr. Jim Thompson, in the Red State article, states, "There is also a lack of
transparency and accountability and, it appears, a potential coverup."
Well yes, when officers start classifying things to prevent their dissemination,
it is a cover up.
Let me give you a hint to the second question --
When I was in Rag Bag*, there was a Captain who was universally hated by
the enlisted folk, for good reason. So with a little help from his friends, Sgt. Rock
(We all called him that because he was dumber than a rock, no really, he was.
Nice guy, but low IQ.), who worked in battalion admin., set up the Captain's itinerary
for an operation in Japan and neglected to book the connecting flight on the return
trip from Guam to Hawaii (but did things to make it look like the Captain had done
it intentionally, to get an all expense paid vacation in Guam, where everyone knew
the Captain had a girlfriend [because of the rumors that many had spread]). Which
left the Captain stranded in Guam for quite awhile. Which allowed others to do
all kinds of things in the Captain's name (By Direction authority). Upon the
Captain's return, the Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Michael Moss (I name him
because I don't want you to mistakenly think that it was Col. Keane, the previous
CO), wrote the Captain right out of the Corps.
So the attack need not be at a very high level of the hierarchy. A Sergeant (E-5)
in S-1. Could easily have been an E-1 working in Admin., and it's a position not
needing any sort of clearance.
* 1st Radio Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Fleet Marine Force Pacific,
based at Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station in Hawaii. All kinds of strange things
happened in Rag Bag, because it was saturated with high IQ enlisted (because it was
a Signals Intelligence unit) with very high level accesses and mediocre officers,
because all the best officers were in the mainline (Infantry and Artillery, and maybe
Tanks), the path to General.
"Microsoft Signing Key Stolen by Chinese" by Bruce Schneier
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/08/microsoft-signing-key-stolen-by-chinese.html
"China hacked Japan’s sensitive defense networks, officials say
Tokyo has strengthened its defenses after a major cybersecurity breach,
but gaps remain that could slow information-sharing with the Pentagon"
by Ellen Nakashima
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/07/china-japan-hack-pentagon/
"China Hacked Japan’s Military Networks" by Bruce Schneier
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/08/china-hacked-japans-military-networks.html
"China’s hacking of Japan’s defense networks ‘was bad — shockingly bad’ "
Analysis by Tim Starks with research by David DiMolfetta
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/08/chinas-hacking-japans-defense-networks-was-bad-shockingly-bad/
Excerpt:
"Last year, the head of French Cyber Defense Command,
Gen. Aymeric Bonnemaison, told a commission in his country
that he was concerned that the “relatively aggressive”
Cyber Command hunt-forward missions in Europe could lead
to laying the groundwork for espionage."
[Do you understand what the French are saying?]
There is an ancient Arab saying, "Bad smells foretell of bad events." If you go into a
mission with a bunch of guys from other countries, and they all smell bad, best to
leave immediately. Make up any excuse. Don't bother making an excuse. Just leave.
It doesn't pass the smell test. Nothing good comes of anything that doesn't pass
the smell test. Trust your intuition. Yes, it is magic. Any sufficiently advanced
technology will appear to be magic to the ignorant. The human is God's masterpiece
of creation, extremely advanced technology. To ignore it is folly. You're not being
racist. You're not being xenophobic. You're being smart.
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm,
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
*************************************************************************
The femalefriend "deep" cleaned my apartment, now I can't find anything.
As I was walking out of my apartment this morning, I noticed that just about
all of the furniture in my apartment was from the femalefriend. Then I remembered
a friend telling me to be careful when they start buying furniture, as it is a mark
of permanence.
Liberals discover sail ships.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FI1IuvDi4r0
If you like to watch TED talks, consider this,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ka9WBEijhk
I was having Sunday lunch at Bar-B-Cuties restaurant and overheard elderly ladies
(just having come from church) at another table introducing each other and telling
each other how old they were. It was a point of pride that they were still alive,
having avoided venereal diseases in their youth, dying from drunken auto crashes,
and other such risky behaviors.
Just a few minutes earlier I had overheard a conversation of young ladies at another
table with effectively the opposite feelings.
God's will be done, always. God is sovereign. Those who think that they can
control their life span are mistaken.
Why aren't you dead yet? Because God still has a purpose for you. So, do it.
If you don't know what it is, ask Him.
"Watch this Stormtrooper try joining the Fort Worth Police force" by Daily Mail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhmTs0lzku0
The percentage of recruits dropped from police academies due to inability to pass
the pistol qualification is a reflection of the anti-gun sub-culture infesting our society.
Hat tip to "Hypocrisy and Stupidity of Gun Control Advocates" on FaceBook.com
MTOA is the Michigan Tactical Officers Association
Johnny Quest, ya I remember watching this cartoon on Saturday mornings.
Hat tip to "Hypocrisy and Stupidity of Gun Control Advocates" on FaceBook.com
There are paid firemen and there are volunteer fire departments. Just as competent,
just as well trained as their full time paid brothers. It's just that they live in areas where
the local government doesn't have the money to fund a full time paid fire department.
So they pay their own way. In my area, they go door to door once a year asking for
donations to support the volunteer fire department. I always give more than their
suggested contribution.
In the policing field, there are active duty, reserve, and . . .
At a recent community meeting with police who patrol our neighborhood, they put out
a sign up sheet. They would "occasionally" send out an email without the recipient's
names or email addresses. The email would mention places where they had reason to
believe there might be a robbery or such (but they didn't have the manpower to stake
out the place, on the off chance that the bad guys attacked). If the recipient were free,
the recipient should respond. They basically wanted you to sit in the restaurant
(for instance), have something to eat, check your email on your computer, keep a low
profile, and interdict if necessary (no, I misunderstood, I meant observe and report).
They told me that they vet the persons on the list. They are looking for retired cops
and licensed armed guards. (Yes, I know that both of these categories contain grossly
incompetent persons. But, they are doing the best they can with what they have.
Remember, all volunteers.)
Nice to hear the police intel unit is doing something constructive. For all I know,
this may be a psychological warfare operation or an information warfare operation.
But still good!
But as a retiree, I often sit in restaurants eating, checking my email, reading a book
(that's the thing with paper pages, not as funny as it may seem, in my last class at
Middle Tennessee State University the textbook was online for download and all
homework was submitted electronically, no books at all), and such. The restaurant
personnel appreciate it. I have never been asked to leave, even when the restaurant
was crowded. The advantage of looking like a poor old man.
This isn't really all that strange. Police, forever, have been enlisting civilians to
make drug buys for them.
One night I'm in a hotel lobby / restaurant, calmly eating and drinking. I notice
a lady that I think I recognize (she had worked for G4S, a security company, since
absorbed by Allied Universal Security). I walk over and introduce myself. She
told me that she did not remember me. I ask her if she got an email from Sgt. X.
She says yes. She tells me that she thought I was a bad guy casing the place.
I didn't think I was that obvious, but I guess not. I ask her if she knew what was
happening. She said she was there to take pictures of a drug deal. She grins at me
and says, I'm the intel, you're the muscle. And neither of us were getting paid.
All volunteer.
"You can’t truly call yourself 'peaceful'
unless you are capable of great violence.
If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful,
you’re harmless. Important distinction."
-- Stef Starkgaryen
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Email: Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Radio: KI4SDN
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