Attack of the Tube-Socks!

So, this first note is a stub place holder that I've delayed posting for several days -- the idea entails how war/hunting/violence technologies will propagate regardless of legislation. People may get weaker and lamer, but the need for survival continues on.

While partaking in a luxurious cab ride from Manhattan to JFK in Queens last Sunday, I saw an interesting thing on the side of the highway. There was a young man break-dancing and whipping around something that looked like a bolo. The simplest of bolos is comprised of two balls connected by a cord. Well, this one was more interesting---it was a pair of tube socks tied at the center with some kind of weights on either end of the length of sock.This kid was whipping the home-made bolo around like no-ones business, and judging from his speed and movement I have faith that he could do some damage with his home-made-implement.

All ran thru my head, while I pondered how my blades were packed away in my luggage safe from the TSA. This kid with some socks and two small weights can damage a man or even thwart and errant dog. Remarkable! And he looks hip and cool while dancing! Urban creativity at it's finest! Regardless of how many of our weapons they take away, human ingenuity will prevail. After all, necessity is the mother of invention.

British Knife Amnesty - Oh Come on!

I recall reading about the Brits making the carry of knives illegal, punishable by something along the lines of a four-year prison sentence. However, I have yet to understand how banning kitchen knives make the streets safer. Perhaps someone can enlighten me? If I am not mistaken, a rusty screwdriver can make fair amount of trouble---perhaps it looks less menacing than a serrated kitchen knife, but punture wounds and tetnus scare me much more than a Ron-Co never-dull blade!

I am mildly amused by the fact that during the period of the amnesty, the brits experienced a stabbing spree of almost 100 knife attacks! If I were British, I would feel safer already!

Look carefully into the photo - there are some steak knifes in it.
"I'll shank you, but only after I carve my beef Wellington...."

Scotland Yard is investigating a horrific apple peeling!
God Save the Queen!

I can envision a time when the almighty spork is banned as well, and a sad day that will be when they pry the ti-spork from my cold, dead hands....and I was only trying to eat some organic Wheetabix!

INTERFACE OF GUN/KNIFE/EMPTY HAND AKA Die Less Often Promo

Consistency Across Categories is a DogBrothers theme, and this new video from the duo of Marc Denny & Gabe Suarez is an excellent example of the hybrid approach current bleeding edge combatives instructors are taking with respect to personal threat management.

Here's the trailer, and yours truly can be seen in several of the mock skirmishes!

Idea: The ingrained initial threat response should be identical regardless of how the opponent(s) is armed. Furthermore, it should remain identical whether or not the responder is armed or not. ie. Neutralize the threat, create an opportunity, THEN escalate your response with a weapon.

I came to fully appreciate this as I tried an experiment: the threat was 6-7 feet away. He had blades. I moved to the side giving me an extra three feet. All seemed well as I reached for my trainer gun. Man w. blade was now 4 feet away. I was wearing workout pants. The gun slipped down my pants. The blade was now in my face, I was falling backwards no gun, no knife, no defense, No Hope. The next time around, I dealt with the threat rather than attempting to escalate force via weapon, and I fared much better. Tueller's law strikes again. If you are a LEO or function in some form of high risk physical security threat model, I HIGHLY recommend doing significant amounts ECQ hand to hand training.

One interesting point of note, the video mentions the most critical component of the seminar: dog-catcher concept/technique. However you will not see it within the promo-video. They have keep you in suspense (and get you to buy the video somehow).

The two days of training captured in this video were quite interesting, and a worthwhile experience. This techniques are especially useful IF you need a crash course in ECQ combat.

From my personal experience, there are NO arts and crafts in this seminar, just purely operational threat management techniques. From my viewing of the promo, I believe it is safe to say that the video captured the spirit of the class: Train Hard, Train Smart, and Die less Often.

Blades in California - Some Penal code references

In the past two days, I have had several discussions with both local California civilians and LEO's regarding blade laws and restrictions. There seems to be some confusion as to what we as citizens can carry and utilize in our daily lives. Joe-Six pack seems to think that carrying a pocketknife over a certain length put's one in dubious legal straights, and some LEO's who are unfamiliar w. their penal code are of the same mentality. This notion of blade length seems to be a myth - and here are excerpts of the applicable California Penal code to disprove the myth!

FYI: (I am not a lawyer and do not claim to be the fountain-head of legal wisdom within the Republic of California!)

PENAL CODE SECTION 12020-12040

(24) As used in this section, a "dirk" or "dagger" means a knife
or other instrument with or without a handguard that is capable of
ready use as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury
or death. A nonlocking folding knife, a folding knife that is not
prohibited by Section 653k, or a pocketknife is capable of ready use
as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury or death
only if the blade of the knife is exposed and locked into position.

(d) Knives carried in sheaths which are worn openly suspended from
the waist of the wearer are not concealed within the meaning of this
section.

653k. Every person who possesses in the passenger's or driver's
area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the
public, carries upon his or her person, and every person who sells,
offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives to any
other person a switchblade knife having a blade two or more inches in
length is guilty of a misdemeanor.
For the purposes of this section, "switchblade knife" means a
knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a
spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other
similar type knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more
inches in length and which can be released automatically by a flick
of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other
mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by
any type of mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not
include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure
applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to
the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism
that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade,
or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.
For purposes of this section, "passenger's or driver's area" means
that part of a motor vehicle which is designed to carry the driver
and passengers, including any interior compartment or space therein.

In sum, you can carry any size pocket knife you like, so long as you are not brandishing it - the interpretation of brandishing will of course depend on how the officer interprets the event! Apparently, once can carry ANY size fixed blade, as long the blade is housed in an exposed sheath. You legally carry your Strider SMF, and just because it "looks" scary, tactical AND has a thumbstud does not mean you are breaking the law. Your Microtech on the other hand will place you in questionable waters...
Lastly, this goes out to the nay-sayers: You CAN carry your HAK, so long as it not concealed!