Having written well over two hundred articles in the past two years for this blog and elsewhere I looked back through this catalog recently in an effort to deduce what I consider “the best,” or at least what I would rank as my better contributions to the knowledge base of self-defense, firearms, and Second Amendment... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Facing Violence by Rory Miller
One of the best books I have ever read on human conflict is Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected by Rory Miller. I read this quite some years ago, actually, though this is the first time I am reviewing it. Rory Miller, a very experienced ex-corrections officer, offers an excellent overview of human predator types,... Continue Reading →
Lambs and Tigers
Tiger Tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? …. Did he who made the Lamb make thee? -William Blake Human beings encompass much of nature’s behavior and certain individuals are far more lamb than tiger, and vice versa. I am of the... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Left of Bang by Jason A. Riley and Patrick Van Horne
Several years ago I read Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps' Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life. The authors detail the Combat Hunter program approach to identifying threats in the environment. The idea behind the term “left of bang” is that this material focuses on what happens before the “bang.” The desired result... Continue Reading →
AAR: Unthinkable with Dr. William Aprill
In his timeless work The Art of War ancient author Sun Tzu wrote “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy... Continue Reading →
Of Chainsaws and Guns – Dangerous Tools and Independence
Like perhaps some of you who read this, I was privileged to be raised by a father who was a real man, and still is despite his now advanced age. Sadly, there are far fewer of them in this generation, but we still have some, thank God. As part of being raised by a man... Continue Reading →
Ten Suggested Books for the Concealed Carrier
There is no lack of books on the market that pertain to self-defense. A lot of this material is excellent, but much of it is junk. My advice is to read as much of this material as possible, but certainly aim to weed out the nonsense. As an enthusiast of this discipline I have read... Continue Reading →
The Synagogue Shooting: A Reminder to be One of Gideon’s 300
There appears to be one thing most faiths share in common: the failure to plan for self-defense within the house of worship. The synagogue attack in Pennsylvania, which claimed 11 innocent lives, is the most recent testament to that. My intention is not to blame the victims here; the fault lies only with the sicko... Continue Reading →
Fitness: The Mindset Benefits of Exercise
Exercise is of extreme importance for all people. As is the agenda of this blog we look at the world of self-defense and personal protection. From that perspective exercise is an integral component to your ability to fight and defend yourself. This, of course, is just one of the many life benefits to exercise, but... Continue Reading →
Why You Should Hunt
Jeff Cooper once opined that he could not understand how some people could be shooters but not hunters, and conversely, some were hunters but not shooters. For Cooper, the founding father of our modern approach to self-defense, hunting and shooting were intrinsically linked. I am of a newer generation of gunmen than the late, great,... Continue Reading →