Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

OFF TOPIC: Our President: The Race

Not long ago my brother paid us a visit and during that time the discussion came up about our presidents. In that discussion he mentioned leadership, it was missing from our presidents. During this race with all the hoopla going on I got to thinking about presidential leadership.

Leadership to my mind and especially in regard to our president is a critical trait that I believe is solely missing and has been missing for a while now. When I think of leadership I think of the military. In my mind that means to be president I feel the candidate must have military experience. 

Not just any military experience but the kind of experience we have seen in presidents past like John F. Kennedy. I don’t mean spending a minimal amount of time uder reserved status going through boot, then spending one weekend a month and a couple of weekends a year but a minimum of two years military time out in the bush working with your brothers and especially in this time experience in combat. No where else can you achieve a level of leadership where you and your brothers lives depend on the team and its leaders. In this zone when a leader fails, people die and that type of experience translates to a better presidential leader.

A leader is one who is respected, experienced and inspires not just one person, a group or a particular social or racial type but everyone regardless of race, creed, color, political affiliations or belief system. A true leader is such that all others, “Want to follow them; want to do what they feel is right and just and moral and best for everyone, not just a particular separate group personal emotional need. It is about us, as in U.S., because to lead and to follow means we put aside our individual needs for the needs of the many, the U. S. 

Leadership is not about what one can get or to achieve some egoistic status driven personal goal, it is about leading everyone toward a better life and toward the achievement of goals for all of U.S.. So far I have not seen one candidate who fills this bill, not one. 

We have lost our way and those who choose to sit in leadership labeled roles (I say labeled because although a leadership role those who take those seats in our times are not leaders) don’t lead, don’t inspire and are not leading us but achieving personal goals leaving U.S. as mere vehicles to self-gratifying economic and personal ego stroking goals. 

I had hopes with President Obama but so far I have not seen anything that says, “Leader.” This is not just about leadership in the office of the President but also in other government leadership roles such as Congress and the Senate. I also see a drop in leadership in the Supreme Court but that one is harder to assess. 

Our constitution is about these government agencies leading U.S. to what we once had, toward respect and admiration by the entire world. We have lost the worlds respect, they simply laugh at us and our mindless efforts toward individualism over U.S., as a team, a tribe, a clan as an U.S. over a ME and Others with others being less human then ME. We are turning into a ME tribe and as nature and history prove, a tribe that is individual over U.S. or united as one for a common purpose of, “Survival,” means like many great tribes of our past dooms us. 

In closing, I believe to truly return to our greatness as a nation we must return to thinking about U.S. and putting individual emotional ego seeking instant gratifications aside and thinking how we as a unified U.S. can return to and gain back our own respect for ourselves as a nation and gain back our respect for our leaders then the world can once again respect and admire the U.S.. We can once again not only lead ourselves but lead, set the tone of leadership, the world. Instead of resisting U.S. they can look to us to inspire their own leadership and efforts to gain more and greater tribe like cohesive progress that embraces peace and respect for everyone regardless of race, creed, religion, and belief systems. 


I still hope that we in the U.S. can see and return to a U.S. that leads all toward progress and prosper and enlightenment. In this election process I still cannot see anyone who will lead, follow or get the hell out of the way of those who will lead, inspire and change us back to the U.S. 
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