Happy New Year to the readers of my blog!
May 2018 bring Health, Happiness and Wealth to you and your loved ones!
I had 258 total posts in 2017... coming off of burnout, I started off slow and picked up steam in October with the Inktober project in which I draw a picture a day, in November, looking to post 50,000 words for the month inspired by NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month), and then December, archiving the books and DVDs of Paladin Press' website as they shut down their business after 47 years of operation.
I will tally up and present to you the Top 10 Popular Posts of 2017, Top 10 Most Shared Posts, My 10 Favorite Posts, as well as an update on the All-Time Popular Posts.
OK, are you ready? Let's get it on!
(EDIT: *red-faced with embarassment* My sincerest apologies, my header pic says 25 posts, however, my lists below is only Top 10. Sorry for the mixup)
Top 10 Popular Posts of 2017
(in descending order)
10. The 19 Rules of Jason Bourne
A Jason Bourne fan compiled a list of ROE (Rules of Engagement) that Bourne operates from from the first 3 books written by Robert Ludlum.
9. The 40 Moscow Rules
The CIA formulated some tradecraft/spycraft rules for their field operatives
8. Summary of The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene
Robert Greene compiled 33 Strategies of War from sources such as Sun Tzu's Art of War and Carl Von Clausewitz's On War and published a bestseller.
7. Mark Tripp's Combat Judo basic course
Archived Mark Tripp's, a Judo/Combatives instructor, Combat Judo syllabus/curriculum.
6. 14 GIFs of Gracie Jiujitsu's United Airlines Arm Drag Defenses
The news of United Airlines dragging a passenger forcibly against his will off of a flight went viral. I've made some animated GIFs of the Gracies teaching a few defenses vs the arm drag.
5. The 36 Stratagems (三十六計/三十六计) - ancient Chinese military classic
The 36 Stratagems is similar to #8's most popular post of 2017, the 33 Strategies of War.
4. John Styers By Carl Cestari
Profile and explanation of John Styers combatives teachings written by the late Carl Cestari.
3. The Four Basic Truths of Violent Assault by Rory A Miller
An excerpt from Rory Miller's ground-breaking book,"Meditations on Violence", on the realities of dojo training and real-world self-defense.
2. Top 8 Bruce Lee Kicks in The Way of the Dragon (1972)
As tribute to Bruce Lee on what would've been his 77th birthday, I made animated GIFs of his kicks from The Way of the Dragon aka The Return of the Dragon.
and the #1 most popular post of 2017:
1. The founders of Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do - crazy coincidence or conspiracy?
This post's popularity surprised me! It's mind-boggling the coincidences between the founders of Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do ... or is it a conspiracy?
Top 10 Most Shared Posts of 2017
(in descending order - no surprise there are 6 repeats from the above list)
10. GIF/Video of Gilligan's Island S01E31: "Diogenes, Won't You Please Go Home?" (May 1, 1965)
52 years after the episode aired on TV, I posted an animated GIF set of the Judo used in a Gilligan's Island episode.
9. Top 8 Bruce Lee Kicks in The Way of the Dragon (1972)
8. The founders of Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do - crazy coincidence or conspiracy?
7. Exposing "Exposure" (aka "High Art" (1991) - A look at the knifework - Part I
When you ask a martial artist who trains knifework what their favorite movie depicting knifework is, they would almost always say "Exposure". Made 3 animated GIF sets from that movie with the first set being the most popular.
6. Chow Yun-fat - Hard Boiled - 辣手神探 (1992) (Full movie)
In honor of Chow Yun-fat's birthday, I posted the full movie "Hard Boiled", one of his most popular collaborations with director John Woo.
5. The Universe is speaking to me! Time to reread Trevanian's "Shibumi"!!
You know how some things happen to you and how you think it's more than a coincidence? You think that the Universe is speaking to you? Yeah, that's what happened to me with "Shibumi".
4. My blog and it's Facebook page hit 2 milestones
Am deeply humbled that both my blog and its Facebook page reached 2 milestones that I didn't expect to attain.
3. 14 GIFs of Gracie Jiujitsu's United Airlines Arm Drag Defenses
2. The 36 Stratagems (三十六計/三十六计) - ancient Chinese military classic
and the #1 most shared post of 2017 (mental drumroll please :):
1. The 19 Rules of Jason Bourne
My 11 Favorite Posts of 2017
(i.e., posts not part of the Top 10 most popular or most shared, in ascending order)
1. Seven Signposts along my Sojourn of Septillion Steps ...
I reflect on my journey in Life, Self-Defense and the Martial Arts. Taking realistic self-assessment periodically is key in one's growth. Self-deception is one of the worst deceptions. Be honest with oneself.
2. Color Codes, Environmental/Situational Awareness on NYC's Canal Street
I recount a story that happened to me in which the Color Codes and Awareness were prevalent factors.
3. SCAM ALERT: Deliveries and Social Engineering
A self-defense story about a friend highlighting social engineering being used and how easy it is to elicit intel.
4. Inktober Day #19 - Beware the hidden knife!
One of 31 pictures I drew in October for the Inktober project. This post has some key information IMO for one's self-defense.
5. A few aspects of self-defense training by Badger Johnson
My good buddy Badger wrote quite a few essays on various aspects of the martial arts, training, self-defense, etc. and with his gracious consent, I've archived them to my blog. I admire his discipline, anlaytical mind and critical thinking. Here is one favorite from 2017.
6. Some lessons to be learned from the Mandalay Bay mass shooting by Terry Trahan
My friend Terry Trahan is one of a handful of friends that has changed my view on "self-defense"... this post is a great example on why I've expanded my definition of self-defense from just martial arts moves vs muggers to a broader definition to include trauma care and survival.
7. Exposing "Exposure" (aka "High Art" (1991) - A look at the knifework - Part III
This animated GIF set highlights one of the core training methods in the Filipino martial arts - familiarizing the student with the angles of attack.
8. 8 GIFs of Kneepicks aka Knee taps
I enjoy making animated GIFs. One reason is that it allows me to analyze a specific technique. I made a GIF set focusing on the 'knee-pick'.
9. Yagyu Munenori's "Heihō kadensho" translation (aka The Book of Family Traditions)
Yagyu Munenori, a contemporary of Miyamoto Musashi's, wrote a treatise/manual on his family's swordsmanship style.
10. THE WISDOM OF ... Mr. Miyagi
On the anniversary of beloved Pat Morita's passing, I compiled a list of quotes from Karate Kid I as tribute.
11. Happy ThanksGIFing/Thanksgiving! (2017 edition)
I love making animated GIFs, this post contains some other GIF sets I've made. Enjoy!
2017 is over, here are an updated rankings of the All-Time Popular posts:
10. I'm going to post Paul Vunak's Top 50 Combat Secrets
9. MOVIES: Once Upon a Time In China 1 (Full movie)
8. Shoulder Crank GIFs from Jon Jones X Glover Teixeira - UFC 172
7. Happy ThanksGIFing/Thanksgiving! (2014 edition)
6. Steven Seagal - Fire Down Below (1997) (Full movie)
5. LINKS: Integrated Close Combat Forum (ICCF)
4. SELF-DEFENSE: Southnarc (aka Craig Douglas) - Managing Unknown Contacts
3. LINKS: Battlefield forum aka Close-Combat forum
2. Phil Simms - World's Greatest Knifethrower!! (Elementary S03E03 GIF Set)
1. SUBMISSIONS: Fashioning your own sticks from Rattan by Army Maguire
OK, there you have it! Hope you enjoy revisiting some of the most popular & shared and my favorite posts of 2017, as well as the all-time popular posts!
Please allow me to close out this blog with the following from Goran Persson:
“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.”
CHEERS!
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