Eleventh Day of Christmas Western

Here is a Christmas episode of Have Gun, Will Travel.

If you are among those who celebrate our Lord's advent, blessings on your household.

From the Barber's Chair: Dry Fire Fun

I think I have previously told you that my barber is the only person I know who a) suffered a finger sprain from over training at dry firing, and b) considered it a prime opportunity to practice weak-hand dry firing.

If he sends me anything on the topic of dry firing, I figure it's worthwhile. He sent me the link to this video, and let me tell you it's worthwhile.

Martial Artist Uses Mind to Control Blood Pressure

Keith Pascal is a martial artist who lives in the Pacific Northwest and puts out an e-letter called Martial Arts Mastery. Although we've never met, we've corresponded a little, and he's not one given to exaggerating his abilities . . .  he's good enough that he doesn't have to. That's why his article about using his mind to control his blood pressure interested me.

He introduced the concept this way:

I wanted to see if I could control my blood pressure with my mind. Could I lower the reading with some simple thoughts?

I have always known that the mind is a powerful instrument. In the 1980s, I had perfected the ability to think my hands warm….

So, in the same vein as my mental hand warmer, I created some visual images to facilitate the lowering of the blood pressure.

You can read his whole article HERE.

King Alfred's War Song

Alfred, King of Wessex, A.D. 871-899, used the Bible as a basis for some of his codification of English law. Tradition ascribes the war song below to him.

When the enemy comes in a’roarin’ like a flood,
Coveting the kingdom and hungering for blood,
The Lord will raise a standard up and lead His people on, 
The Lord of Hosts will go before defeating every foe;
Defeating every foe.

For the Lord is our defense, Jesus defend us,
For the Lord is our defense, Jesu defend.

Some men trust in chariots, some trust in the horse,
But we will depend upon the Name of Christ our Lord,
The Lord has made my hands to war and my fingers to fight.
The Lord lays low our enemies, but He raises us upright;
He raises us upright.

For the Lord is our defense, Jesus defend us,
For the Lord is our defense, Jesu defend.

A thousand fall on my left hand, ten thousand to the right,
But He will defend us from the arrow in the night.
Protect us from the terrors of the teeth of the devourer,
Embue us with Your Spirit, Lord, emcompass us with power;
Encompass us with power.

For the Lord is our defense, Jesus defend us,
For the Lord is our defense, Jesu defend

Improvised Weapons Demo by Vladimir Vasiliev

In the video below, you will see Vladimir Vasiliev at a Sistema  seminar. He demonstrates various improvised weapons against a knife wielding attacker.

At the burning bush, the Lord asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?" (Exodus 4:2) You do not wield the rod of Moses, but you can and should fight with whatever you find at hand, if your cause falls within the parameters of God's Law-Word.

Free Burma Rangers in the Middle East

Two years ago today, I published a post about the Free Burma Rangers, a group dedicated to the security and safety of the persecuted ethnic minority groups in Miyanmar (Burma). David Eubank, their leader has expanded their work beyond the borders of Burma into Africa and the Middle East.

The video below details their activity in Mosul, earlier this year. An incredible sheepdog ministry.

A Suggestion to Improve LEO Performance

I have previously dealt with the topic of "Sheepdogs and Wolves in Uniform," but today, I want to make a couple of suggestions that will help to improve law enforcement officer (LEO) self-control. 

Police in wrong house. Happens too often. Police overly aggressive. Happens too often.

Some people on FB are crying to abolish the police. Probably not happening any time soon. May I suggest a couple of measures that might go a long way toward avoiding incidents like this?

1) Start testing police routinely for steroid use, randomly as well as on an incident basis. A lot of LEOs want to pump themselves up to deal with potential physical confrontations, but steroids can alter mood and personality resulting in 'roid rage. A drugged police force is not the answer to drug use on the streets.

2) I'm seeing way too many videos where the LEO skips from verbal command to lethal force. This has to come from either clouded judgment due to steroid use (see #1, above) or lack of training in the spectrum of force. Officers should receive extensive training in Verbal Judo or something like it to deescalate confrontations. They need frequent scenario-based training to refresh those skills and the physical skills needed when a situation does unavoidably escalate.