Remember the words of Voltaire who said "anyone who can convince you of absurdities can get you to commit atrocities."Av Jeff Westfall

The Pulahans arose from a specific cauldron of local grievances, traditional values, and foreign interference that so often gives rise to millennial movements.Av Jeff Westfall

The story of the Pulahan War is a sad tale of exploitation visited on the poorest of the poor Filipinos, leading them down the rabbit hole of fanaticism.Av Jeff Westfall

The stories of these six regiments extend beyond the war in the Philippines.Av Jeff Westfall

"I want to tell you that we are not bandits as the Americans have accused. but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, the Philippines!"Av Jeff Westfall

On May 6,1903, Makario Sakay proclaimed himself El Presidente Supremo of the "Tagolog Republic of the Philippines."Av Jeff Westfall

The very idea of arming Filipinos and turning them loose in the countryside was utterly abhorrent to the American military brass.Av Jeff Westfall

"These people are right and we are wrong...terribly wrong!"Av Jeff Westfall

I hold Waller's actions in Samar as reprehensible, as egregious abuses of his constitutional privileges as a a military commander.Av Jeff Westfall

In the meantime, General Smith's combined Brigade was following his orders to turn Samar into a "howling wilderness."Av Jeff Westfall

As the now infamous town of Balangiga burned behind him, Capt. Bookmiller famously quoted the book of Hosea: "They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind!"Av Jeff Westfall

No matter what you call it, the event at Balangiga was the worst defeat of American troops since the Battle of the Little Big Horn!Av Jeff Westfall

Funston, four other Americans, and a renegade Spaniard would pose as POWs in the "custody" of a group of Macabebe Scouts in captured Insurrecto uniforms.Av Jeff Westfall

"To see nine men, the officers in their drawers and the privates naked, cross such a stream by such means, and drive off an entrenched force not less than ten times their number, in broad daylight, where their number must soon become known, is something not soon to be forgotten!"Av Jeff Westfall

I find the story of David Fagen fascinating. We seldom rationally depict such figures in history.Av Jeff Westfall

The leaders of the Philippine independence movement had tremendous admiration for the American founding fathers and the government they wrought!Av Jeff Westfall

The depth and breadth, the sheer comprehensiveness of Filipino martial technology stands as a shining example, a tribute to defiance in the face of tyranny and oppression!Av Jeff Westfall

But it turns out that the Filipino people didn't WANT themselves and their property to be the property of the United States!Av Jeff Westfall

On June 12, 1898, the Filipino rebels officially declared independence from Spain, in a document that, ironically, in light of what was to come, drew elements from the American Declaration of Independence.Av Jeff Westfall

Pershing was an instructor at West Point when the war broke out, and quickly sought to rejoin his old unit, the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry.Av Jeff Westfall

In order to get to Santiago, his troops would need to get past the fortified San Juan Heights on its outskirts, which loomed across their path like a fortified roadblock.Av Jeff Westfall

The history of the world in the upcoming decade would have played out quite differently if Teddy Roosevelt had perished on that hot June day in the Cuban jungle!Av Jeff Westfall

If there's one thing that can be learned from human history, it's that there is no crisis so bad that it cannot be made worse by our tendency to engage in over-emotional, "monkeys in shoes" behavior!Av Jeff Westfall

When you picture a scene from the old west in which the cavalry comes charging to the rescue, in reality at least ten percent of the time those "boys in blue"...were black!Av Jeff Westfall

The epic story of the relationship between the USA and the Philippines started in war a little over a century ago.Av Jeff Westfall

Despite the fact that ethical jiujitsu players shouldn't SEEK to render their opponent unconscious, it's not at all uncommon for unintended "choke-outs" to occur.Av Jeff Westfall

It's almost like taking out an opponent with Mr. Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch!Av Jeff Westfall

The myth that chimpanzees are 3 to 5 times stronger than humans stems from a poorly done study that was done nearly a century ago.Av Jeff Westfall

The Roman practice of pitting humans against animals in the arena not only slaked the blood-lust of cheering crowds, it also appealed to the human obsession with hierarchical organization; in particular seeking evidence to help answer who and what would defeat who and what in combat.Av Jeff Westfall

How deeply frightening must if have been to people who had no idea that they lived on a giant sphere spinning in space as it also orbits around the sun, spinning on an axis that is tilted relative to the plane of its orbit in such a way that in the temperate latitudes the year is divided between seasons of darkness and of light.…

So, of course, before the science was more thoroughly understood the supplement industry promptly built the bandwagon and then enthusiastically jumped on it; producing, selling, and heavily advertising antioxidant supplements.Av Jeff Westfall

If you would like to be "that person" who always seems to have a thoughtful, logical point of view in any discussion, who doesn't easily fall prey to scams and pseudo-science, who doesn't allow the primitive parts of his brain direct his actions; learning the basics of Scientific Skepticism is a great way to start!…

I had been forced to endure the presence of bullies for much of my young life; I would be damned if I was going to add to macho martial culture by producing martial arts bullies through my teaching!Av Jeff Westfall

When I contemplate what a dark place my mind was inhabiting prior to Dave's visit, it's perfectly possible that he saved my life that night.Av Jeff Westfall

The study of the martial arts lies precisely at the intersection of the worlds of survival and self-expression.Av Jeff Westfall

When sparring is done badly it's at the very least a poor use of training time, is probably very frightening, dangerous as hell, and really painful to watch.Av Jeff Westfall

If such a student leaves the academy before being "certified" by his instructor, and then starts his own academy many people will label him as "illegitimate." A martial arts "bastard," if you will.Av Jeff Westfall

Here's a thought...Is it a stretch to substitute the word "competent" for the word "authentic" when referring to a martial artist?Av Jeff Westfall

Did I mention that I have new shoulders?Av Jeff Westfall

In a preliterate world if you wanted to remember something you had to do just that, REMEMBER it!Av Jeff Westfall

There is a significant fraction of humanity that really wants magic to be real, and will perform impressive mental gymnastics of rationalization and confirmation bias in order to satisfy that desire.Av Jeff Westfall

Please keep in mind that these are the words of a fictional character, not mine.Av Jeff Westfall

If you run a martial arts academy, keep in mind that it's more productive to think in terms of business and science instead of the kind of personal politics that is a tired artifact left over from our heritage as dominance hierarchy primates,Av Jeff Westfall

Many budding martial artists pay only enough attention to their opponents to know where they are, and maybe if they are trying to do something right this second that you, as their adversary, don't want them to do.Av Jeff Westfall

My fascination, indeed my QUEST, is to hit the sweet spot in this equation as many times as possible from now until I die.Av Jeff Westfall

If one more "twenty-something" says to me that "age is just a number" or "you're as young as you feel" I'm going to hit them with my cane!Av Jeff Westfall

Isn't it ironic that exercising a lot can make you weaker?Av Jeff Westfall

Most of us are aware of the martial arts movie trope of the hero or villain who is supremely, indeed magically aware of his surroundings at all times.Av Jeff Westfall

Is it possible to become too detail-oriented? It can be if it causes you to lose sight of the bigger picture.Av Jeff Westfall

While the natural weapons of your body like your fists, shins, elbows, and knees can be quite formidable; without the brain to run things they are only parts to memorize for an anatomy test.Av Jeff Westfall