the biography of some random dude

 I was lying there tonight, starring at the ceiling, trying to decide what I wanted to write about next. I can be political all day but eventually it gets old. For some reason or another I decided to talk about me. My life and what’s happened in it so far that made me who I am today. So for the next however many entries into this blog I'm going to talk about just that. My life experiences, the good, the bad, and the indifferent. As much as my memory can remember and as biased as I can be. Some entries will be shorter and cover a lot of time while others may cover brief moments but are very important to me so I may ramble, even more so in situations like this were I am writing at ungodly hours. I’m going to try to keep it fairly chronological I think but that may change. I’ll try to list dates as often as possible, never use fully names or in some cases not use names at all to protect the guilty. So without further ado the biography of some random dude.

The Early Years

 Honestly I don't remember any real stand out moments during my early years. I remember people, faces and names of school mates, some close friends, and teachers. Many of them probably wouldn't remember me much less recognize me now days. I remember going to a preschool but not much about it. Playing farmer in the dale is about it. 

 In elementary school I was a pretty quiet kid. I would like to say I was fairly well know but I think it was just that kids knew me because my mom ran the PTO. First was Kindergarten with Mrs. Shadwick who always went as Mother Goose for Halloween. Then came Mrs. Lampo I believe, Mrs Bonstead, I can picture the 4th grade teacher in my mind but can't remember a name to save my life (Mrs. Wassom maybe?), and finally Mrs Gallemore. Hard to forget Mrs. G, any field trip that was in walking distance that is how we got there. She always called me out whenever I'd slack off and knew I could be better than I was at everything. I remember C.J. T., Avery G., Bobby B., Robert H., Brett K., Jarrod P., Josh R., Dwayne J., Sheba S., Heather V., Missy N., Brittany H., Craig, Matt, Jimmie, and Jason. I only know where a few of them are today. Funny how that works.

 I remember 3rd or 4th grade when Craig, who I had spent hours playing Mike Tyson Punch Out, had an accident of some kind. I honestly don't think I was ever told the exacts just that it was bad. Getting to see him after he got out of the hospital and it registering just how bad it was.
 Looking back I remember more of the bad than the good and I'm not sure why that is. It's not like there isn't any good but the bad stuff is the clearest in my memory. It's still that way today with more recent events. Maybe it's my brains way of learning from past mistakes, or keeping in mind that life isn't fair. Not that it matters, looking back I wouldn't change a thing. I'm the person I am today because of everything that happened in my life.

A few thoughts

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman has caught my interest as of late. An interesting talk by him.

I recently picked up "KABOOM Embracing the suck in a savage little war" by Matt Gallagher and haven't been able to put it down. Some great insight into the Iraq situation.

Another suggestion is Restrepo a documentary filmed by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington about Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. Army in the Korengal valley. 

Finally "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell.

Our men and women in the armed services have been on my mind a lot lately.
God bless you guys. May you all return home safely.

Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch (a firearms training facility in Arizona ),  is part drill instructor and part stand-up comic.  Here are a few of his observation on tactics, firearms, self defense and life as we know it in the civilized world.
1.) “The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win and cheat if necessary.”
2.) “Don’t forget, incoming fire has the right of way..”
3.) “Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets. You may get killed with your own gun, but he’ll have to beat you to death with it, cause it’s going to be empty.”
4.) “If you’re not shootin’, you should be loadin’. If you’re not loadin’, you should be movin’, if you’re not movin’, someone’s gonna cut your head off and put it on a stick.”
5.) “When you reload in low light encounters, don’t put your flashlight in your back pocket.. If you light yourself up, you’ll look like an angel or the tooth fairy…and you’re gonna be one of ‘em pretty soon.”
6.) “Do something. It may be wrong, but do something.”
7.) “Shoot what’s available, as long as it’s available, until something else becomes available.”
8.) “If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. That’s ridiculous. If you have a gun, what in the hell do you have to be paranoid for.”
9.) “Don’t shoot fast, unless you also shoot good..”
10.) “You can say ‘Stop’ or ‘Alto’ or ‘Arret’ or use any other word you think will work, but I’ve found that a large bore muzzle pointed at someone’s head is pretty much the universal language.”
11.) “You have the rest of your life to solve your problems. How long you live depends on how well you do it.”
12.) “You cannot save the planet but you may be able to save yourself and your family.”
13.) “Thunder Ranch will be here as long as you’ll have us or until someone makes us go away, and either way, it will be exciting.”
14.) The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. 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.
15.)  Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.
16.) If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
17.)  I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy.
18.)  When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away .
19.) A reporter did a human-interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him ‘Why do you carry a 45?’ The Ranger responded, ‘Because they don’t make a 46.’
20.)  An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.
21.) The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. ‘Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?’ ‘No ma’am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle.’
22.) Beware of the man who only has one gun, because he probably knows how to use it very well.

‘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

“Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.” — Thomas Jefferson

Life's Instructions

1. Have a firm handshake.
2. Look people in the eye.
3. Sing in the shower.
4. Own a great stereo system.
5. If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
6. Keep secrets.
7. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
8. Always accept an outstretched hand.
9. Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
10. Whistle.
11. Avoid sarcastic remarks.
12. Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.
13. Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
14. Lend only those books you never care to see again.
15. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.
16. When playing games with children, let them win.
17. Give people a second chance, but not a third.
18. Be romantic.
19. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
20. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
21. Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for our convenience, not the caller's.
22. Be a good loser.
23. Be a good winner.
24. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
25. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
26. Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
27. Keep it simple.
28. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
29. Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
30. Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regrets
31. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did.
32. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
33. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
34. Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
35. Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
36. Begin each day with some of your favorite music.
37. Once in a while, take the scenic route.
38. Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
39. Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
40. Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
41. Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
42. Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
43. Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
44. Become someone's hero.
45. Marry only for love.
46. Count your blessings.
47. Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
48. Wave at the children on a school bus.
49. Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
50. Don't expect life to be fair.

Ted Nugent makes sense

I may update this from time to time but for now Ted Nugent on..
2nd Amendment
Accountability
Government Intervention
Healthcare Bill
Illegal Immigration
Obesity
War 

If  you haven't read it pick up Ted White and Blue The Nugent Manifesto where he touches on all these subjects and more.

Hate crimes, self defense and racism....

Let's start this out by me stating there is a vast difference between a black man and the racial slur we all know. Black men are honest hard working people who aren't looking for a handout, and are a great addition to society. The other how ever is a blight on society, foolish and ignorant, leeching off of welfare or selling drugs on the corner. Each race has them and there is a different slur for each but for now we focus on the African American variant. Recent attacks in Peoria Illinois, West Allis Wisconsin, and possibly even Philadelphia Pennsylvania have been young black people attacking white people. Wouldn't Martin Luther King Jr. be proud? Yes before someone takes offense I'm being facetious. Regardless not once in any of these stories will you see hate crime mentioned but if the roles were reversed I would guarantee Jesse Jackson would be on television talking about how these kids should be brought up on such charges. Now I'm not here to say they what they were or were not. I believe however that if even one of these people took a stand, if one of those people happened to have a conceal and carry permit and proceeded to defend themselves or even if just unarmed they proceeded to fight back Jesse Jackson would still be on camera talking about how it was still the white persons fault. That would not stop me. I would protect myself, my family and friends, even lonely strangers in the same area as myself. One of my favorite quotes from the movie Boondock Saints "Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men." I will not stand by idly while anyone is threatened, even if the numbers are enormous. Too often evil men flourish because no one has the constitution to stand up to them. I'm not condoning violence in fact it should be a last resort, but when push comes to shove stand up for yourself. Dennis Prager makes a good argument for violence being the answer sometimes.

Wisconsin Attack
Illinois Attack

What is a Hero?

I've seen and read to much lately about how "one day everyone will know my name," or "one day I'll be a hero." Webster defines a hero as "a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities" and in this day and age those are few and far between. It also defines a hero as "an object of extreme admiration and devotion". In a day when kids have heroes like Chad Johnson (Ochocinco) and Ryan Dunn I can only help but wonder if the day of the true hero is nearing its end. True hero's don't go looking for recognition.
The most recent that jumps to mind is the story of Salvatore Giunta. In November of last year (2010) Staff Sgt. Giunta received the Medal of Honor. The highest America's commemoration of valor, the first living recipient since 1976. But Giunta did not want to be referred to as a hero stating "“In this job, I am only mediocre. I’m average." "I did what I did because in the scheme of painting the picture of that ambush, that was just my brush stroke. That’s not above and beyond. I didn’t take the biggest brush stroke, and it wasn’t the most important brush stroke. Hearing the Medal of Honor is like a slap in the face."
Or how about Bill White. Mr. White and his family were having dinner at the IHOP in Joplin on May 22nd. The same day a massive EF-5 tornado ripped through town. It was his quick thinking that got everyone out of that IHOP alive. White spotted the tornado and got everyone into the cooler and freezer where everyone inside walked away with minor injuries. Bill Lant was also in IHOP that evening. "I keep telling Bill he's a hero," says Lant. "His daughter told me he doesn't like that"
Perhaps my favorite reference is to Myron Ranney. If you have ever seen the HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers then you may recognize the name. Staff Sergeant Myron "Mike" Ranney served in the 101st Airborne during World War II. In the final episode of Band of Brothers Major Richard Winters quoted from a letter Mike Ranney wrote to him "I cherish the memory of a question my grandson asked me the other day, when he said: 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said, "No. But I served in a company of heroes." How deep is that?
These people , ladies and gentlemen, are real heroes. Real heroes don't one day set out to become heroes. Real heroes aren't in it for the money, titles, or accolades. Real heroes don't think in the heat of the moment "I'm going to do this and be famous". Real heroes are just normal people with the mindset and constitution to do things that need to be done and for no other reason than its the right thing to do.