A WARSKYL Riddle

Question: What's the difference between a 16-year-old girl and an 89-year-old woman?

I'm thinking about a  couple of specific cases. The teen I have in mind was a runaway savagely murdered in an abandoned house. The elderly woman lived in her own home where an intruder broke in.

A young, spry teenager is dead. A woman of nearly ninety is alive.

What made the difference? A .22 caliber handgun.

Read the stories here:


Elderly Iowa Woman

Kayla Wood's Murderer Sentenced

Brutal Science, Vulnerability of the Trachea

Continued from "Brutal Science: Modified Judo Chop & Ear Slap"

WARNING: Use the method depicted below ONLY in the gravest extreme -- to save your life or the life of another.

Firearms in Church

A couple of months ago, several people in our church got together & negotiated a nice discount on a  class leading to a concealed weapons permit. (I got sick that week, so I could not attend the class.)

:-(

My point is that several people who attend my church now have their CCW permits, in addition to two or three others who already had theirs. I don't know how many of these folks actually carry in church. I hope they all do.

Carrying in church is the subject of an article by Joel McDurmon entitled "Bring Your Pieces to Church" Sunday.

Here's how the article begins:

Imagine the following scenario: At church this Sunday, while reviewing the list of announcements and upcoming events for your church, your pastor added, “Oh, and don’t forget: on Sundays we have our regular target practice. Make sure to bring your rifles. Make sure to bring your pieces to church.” 

Absurd, right? Not so. It used to be the American way.

I hope that piques (not peaks, please) your curiosity to read the whole article. I know that some of you won't, so I want to quote a vitally important paragraph from it.

Today Christians are so brainwashed and affected by progressive propaganda that we have an uneasy feeling even broaching the subject of guns. Constant liberalism in the media and years of government-school indoctrination have eroded the foundations of liberty in this nation. Today Christians think themselves conservative when they back everything the military does. Conservatives think that to oppose the military is to be a leftist. They have no idea that 1) the tradition of imperialistic war grows out of liberal, not conservative, ideology, and 2) the Bible forbids nations to have standing armies or stockpile offensive weapons. The Bible calls for national defense through an armed populace and militia upon necessity. A standing army is an affront to God. But for some reason, alleged conservative politicians easily persuade Christian voters that the next military maneuver is of necessity an expression of conservative values, and the Christians cheer.

 It is true that many who call themselves Christians support any and every military adventure set forth by the power elite with the same mindless enthusiasm I've seen in middle-agers for their high school football teams. (My barber once told me about a local magistrate who actually threatened to send someone over to "teach a lesson" to a man who criticized his town's high school team -- insane!)

There is a long list of sins from which America in general and the Church in particular need to repent. Two of them are:

1)Remaining unarmed as individual Christian citizens in the face of imminent threats to our peace and security;
2) Supporting a military establishment that has enforced tyranny at home and abroad.

A Call to Corporate Repentance, 2

Continued from "A Call to Corporate Repentance"

I have posted a video at my Access To Destiny blog:

Defiance in the Face of Judgment

My Quark AA2 Tactical Flashlight

The other night, the dog was yelping because she had her dew claw caught in something. I went out to see what was up, and I took my new Quark AA2 Tactical Flashlight with me.

Chardonnay, our dog, was a little skittish, and I needed both hands to free her, so I held the light in my mouth & disengaged the dog's paw from an old chain. The light was set on "Moonlight" (lowest setting -- 0.2 lumens), which was plenty of light for that kind of task.

Speaking of light levels, this flashlight has 5 levels of brightness plus three "flash" modes. The light's hot spot has not dark spots or shadowy rings, and the there is a generous spill.

I like the fit & finish of the Quark AA2, and both the flashlight its holster give the appearance of quality construction that will last. At $59, I think it stacks up well against torches that cost a lot more.

I will carry this flashlight as a utility light & also as a self-defense adjunct.

You can see a detailed critique of the AA2 here .

The 4Sevens instructional video on operating the light is here.

If you decide to order one of these lights, please note that shipping is included in the price, and you can enter the following coupon code (I think it's still valid) for a few dollars off: cpf8

Christian Martialist, Secure Your Heart

I'm not talking about the physical pump in your chest -- as important as that may be. I'm talking about the very core of your being, your soul.

To the Christian Martialist, purity of heart & character is even more vital than skills and weapons. That's why I wrote this post about Sir Galahad
.
As readers of this blog, my Christian Martialist brothers are also plugged into the worldwide web with all its potential for information and inspiration as well as temptation. And the temptation can be great.

None of us is immune to fleshly lust. One of the sad testimonies to that fact is the number of pastors who have become addicted to online pornography.

My own defenses are twofold. My computer is in our study at home, and I maintain an open-door policy for my wife & my youngest daughter, who still lives at home. This ensures that I do not put anything up on the screen that I would be ashamed for them to see.

The open-door policy, however, is just a check on the weakness of my flesh. The main bastion of my moral safety is that, by God's grace, I have purposed in my heart to eschew the evils of pornography. If you are to maintain  pure heart and a clean conscience, you must do the same.

Not only that, but you must safeguard your home, as well. I found this article (by a concerned Christian activist) helpful to that end:
Teenagers, Pornography & the Internet

Brutal Science, Modified Judo Chop & Ear Slap

Continued from "Brutal Science: Adrenaline"

Here's another clip taken from "Fighting Back", an episode in the National Geographic Series Fight Science.

It gives an interesting variation on the Judo Chop that some will find helpful at very close ranges. It reminds me of using a sledge hammer and a wedge to split a log.

The ear slap is a variation of the Combat Slap. Very simple & also very effective. 

Notice that both of these strikes involve gross motor skills, so you will still be able to perform them under adrenaline stress.

Violent Veggie Humor

Fresh fruits & vegetables are good for your health. So is a good laugh. A natural combo.

 Images borrowed from Mercola site

Call Me Madam, 4

Continued from "Call Me Madam, 3"

The story so far: I have journeyed to the mountain lair of the Master of Combat Arts (Ancient and Modern) in order to find the place of love and marriage in the life of a warrior. I have told the master the story of how I met my own wife, and the master now speaks.

"It's a charming story, Clodhopper. What's the point?"

"Well, Master, I love my wife . . ."

"Good."

". . . and I wouldn't trade her for anything . . . "

"Also good."

". . . but sometimes I wonder if I might not be a better, more devoted and more efficient warrior if I were single."

"Sometimes I wonder about you. You made two good points and then followed them up with an utterly stupid conclusion. Clodhopper, whom do you serve?"

"Why, Jesus, the Anointed King, of course."

"And what mighty Warrior is the Captain of Lord's hosts."

"Again, Jesus."

"And on behalf of whom does the Warrior King do battle?"

"Uh . . . His Church?"

"Yes! And what figure does he use to characterize His Church in Ephesians 5?"

Silence as I desperately try to remember what's in that chapter. Then the master speaks, as if to a very slow child.

"Come, Clodhopper, it starts with a 'B' . . . [pause] . . . rhymes with 'hide'."

"Oh. Bride?"

"Indeed, the Church is our King's bride. Do you think having a bride detracts from His prowess as a warrior?'

"No . . . ."

"And do you think you're somehow better than the King, that you should not follow His example?"

To be continued

Brutal Science: Adrenaline

Continued from "Brutal Science"

The "Fighting Back" episode of the National Geographic Channel's Fight Science series contains some background information on adrenaline.

 For more specific means of controlling and channeling your adrenaline, see my e-book on the subject in Gravelbelly's Combat Prep Pack.

Health, Youth & Fitness, 2

In December of 2009 I was doing 350+ push-ups three times a week. The problem was that I was waking up the next morning with my neck & upper back a wreck. It often took me an hour or more to work the kinks out to the point where I could function.

My lower back was affecting my ability to take my daily walks. As I walked, the muscles in the sacrum and lumbar regions would progressively tighten until each step became painful.

I've had back issues for years, and in recent years I've tried a number of methods to help cope. Back exercises, stretching, hanging by my hands from the upper rungs of a ladder -- anything to put things right. In spite of those efforts, I gave up on doing push-ups in December, and I was losing my motivation to take walks.

Then, in February, my wife made an appointment for me to see a chiropractor. I have been going to him three times a week since then, and I'm seeing steady progress in my mobility and freedom from pain.

As my structural integrity improves, I will need less frequent sessions. In the meantime, my walking is now pain free (most of the time), and I'm back to doing push-ups.

Last Saturday, I did five sets of 25 reps, & 1 set of 20 reps. I also find that I can now get lower in the "down" half of the push-up: an increased range of motion as a result of structural corrections.

My goal is 500 push-ups by the end of this year. Next year, I want to concentrate on Indian (some call them "Hindu" push-ups. Maybe the following year, I'll be able to do some vertical push-ups -- something I haven't done since I was about 19 yrs. old.

I do push-ups three days a week, and on the alternate three days, I do some of John E. Peterson's DVR and DSR exercises, as found in his book Pushing Yourself to Power: The Ultimate Guide to Total Body Transformation

Even though I'm doing fewer push-ups, I would have to say that my general level of health and fitness is better now than it was a year ago. For this, I am thankful to the Lord that, in His providence He led me to a modality of treatment that has made a huge difference in my physical capabilities.

I may inflict one more installment of this series on my readers to assess the state of my skills.

Defending against a Knife Attack, 8

Continued from "Defending against a knife Attack, 7"

As you may (or may not) recall, this series began in answer to a query by Valiant for Truth about a carry knife for self defense. One of my major objectives has been to point out that for legal as well as for practical reasons, knives do not make the best weapons for defending against a knife attack.

Nevertheless, I'm sure there are still those who want to carry a knife for defensive purposes. Following Valiant for Truth's specs (folding knife with pocket clip & one-hand opening), I can think of one knives that I would recommend within those limitations.

That knife is the Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Tactical Knife (Review Here). I do not own this knife -- if I were going to stake my life on a combat knife, I would choose a double-edged fixed blade. However, it gets high marks from those who do own one.

Among the Gerber's pluses are that it's a liner-lock, which allows you to close it with one hand. Also, Rex Applegate designed the blade as an adaptation of the Fairbairn-Sykes combat knife.

So, IF you're going to pin your survival of a knife attack on a knife, you could do a lot worse than the Applegate-Fairbairn Tactical.

Health, Youth & Fitness

Last year in April, I wrote a post entitled "Swords, Sorcery and Warrior Health". In that article, I discussed the fact that I had recently embarked upon a program of weekly juice fasts.

I have continued the practice for the past year, and I'm ready to post my results. But first, I will recap the details of my juice fasts.

The Program

The fast lasts for 72 hours (3 days) each week. 5 or 6 times during the year various contingencies caused me to shorten the fast to 2 days, and I think that on one occasion I fasted for only one day.

My usual habit is to eat lunch on Tuesday and then take in nothing but liquids in the form of juice or water (and a cup of green or white tea each morning) until lunchtime Friday, when I break my fast.

Okay, okay! I admit that I also have a grapefruit in the evenings, which pretty well eliminates hunger pangs.

For several months, I used pure juices (100% juice, no high fructose corn syrup, sugar or other sweeteners added) which we purchased from the store. Then a few months ago, someone gave us a juicer.

Now my lunch on Wednesdays & Thursdays consists of juiced cabbage, carrots, celery and apples -- also, broccoli, tomatoes & other fruits & veggies when available.

When I'm not fasting, I still try to limit my intake of refined sugar, potatoes & white-flour products to one day a week (Saturday). Also, Friday is my high-protein day: usually hamburgers & tuna.

The Results (So Far)

Over the past 12 months, my fat loss has been very slow, but also steady. People that saw me from week to week did not notice the weight loss, but people who saw me much less frequently did.

My brother noticed a difference each of the four or so times he saw me in 2009. And last week, my wife & I saw a lady we had not seen in over a year. Her immediate reaction was, "Mr. Mutton! You've lost a LOT of weight."

I'm still significantly overweight & far from being taunted with epithets like, "Hey, Skinny, your ribs are showing," but I'm now able to again wear shirts I haven't worn in years.

A year of regular fasting has also produced some other benefits.

One is a big reduction in joint pain, especially the knees. The weight loss may have reduced the stress on the knees, but fasting does give the body a chance to repair itself, so I think that's a factor, too.

Speaking of healing, my shin splint problem is now all but gone. Because of that, since December, I have been getting back into the habit of daily walks (on weekdays), which is another positive contributor to general health.

Another benefit of my fasts is that I now feel good more often and for longer periods. I attribute this to the detoxification effects of juice fasting.

Some weeks, during my fast I have felt almost flu-like symptoms as my body released and eliminated toxins that had built up and been stored in my liver and adipose tissue. I welcomed the head-achy, feverish feelings (along with a thick coat on my tongue) because I knew that my body was ridding itself of poisons.

 To expedite the detox process, I often take a product called "Detoxilean" on Wednesdays & Thursdays. Detoxilean is a blend of herbal substances that cleanse the liver.

Also, on Wed, Thur, & Fri mornings, I drink about 10 oz. of prune juice (100% juice purchased from the store). I actually like the stuff, and it helps to cleanse the colon.

There's another vaunted benefit of the fasting process that's unseen, but still hopefully taking place. A severe limitation of calorie intake is supposed to trigger a gene that regulates production of telomerase, the enzyme that repairs and restores the teleomeres (tail ends of the DNA helix).

According to the telomere theory of aging, every time a cell reproduces, its DNA loses a tiny portion of its telomere. When the telomere is gone, the cell can no longer reproduce, and it dies.

Thus, your life span is limited by your cells' ability to repair and restore telomeres. I'll know more about how successful this approach is in about 20 years, D.V.

That's about it for the report on my juice fast, but since I did not publish an annual assessment of fitness and training in January, I want to continue with those topics next week (I hope). If you want to know more about the benefits of a juice fast, click on the link at the beginning of this post & watch the video.

Brutal Science

The National Geographic Channel has an interesting and profitable series called Fight Science. One of the programs in that series -- entitled "Fighting Back" -- deals with the anatomical and physiological aspects of self defense.

I have put a clip from the show below. Of course you should only aim to damage someone's eyesight under the gravest threat.

I do not recommend that you practice this on another human being.  Rig up a dummy to practice full force.If you do decide to practice this with a partner, do so at your own risk, and -- I hope -- in very slow motion and with very light contact. 





HELP!! Do any of you know what I can do to stop some sleazeball who is putting porno ads in Chinese in the comments section of some WARSKYL posts? It is becoming quite time-consuming to go through & delete them by hand.