Shame on us and US

http://www.wnd.com/2014/10/source-secret-deal-could-doom-160000-to-isis/

I don't know of any time I have been so ashamed of our country than I am right now. Not ashamed of the people but the governance. 

As ISIS closed in on Kobani I said to Barbara how is it possible we have not, or cannot stop this threat? You cannot surround a town with an army of thousands of terrorists and NOT know who to strafe and bomb! You can not apply precision bombing with such a broad target. We and the Turks purposely waited until the terrorists were entangled within the civilian population and made it "impossible for us to do anything." I am no Clausewitz but by God I can figure this much out. Where are the dead bodies? Has anyone seen any dead enemy bodies on TV? Anyone who lived though Vietnam will remember the nightly news body count of dead VC. Often highly inflated, the count showed we were winning. The news now focuses on our enemy winning and us whining. The only dead we are seeing are the people we are supposed to be protecting. Where are the renowned blue helmeted UN Peace-Keepers? (they're waiting to be called in to quell American civil uprisings) Where are Obama's "Coalition troops?" There is no coalition, but there is most certainly a cabal. What has been done to defend Christians, little to nothing. This the most brutal and barbaric horde sine the Mongols, the Goths, or the Huns, are we to wait until the last head is cut off and them make peace with them and call them our ally? Wait and see.

The Kurds were about the only people in the region worth saving, but they sit on oil rich lands. Think about the connection between Putin, OIL, Turkey, Obama's sanctions, Vlad's threats to shut off OIL to Europe, OIL, and keep mulling it over and one begins to wonder about all of the stagecraft and theater going on between Vlad and Barrack. The Kurds are the ones to pay the price. Remember "Once I am re-elected I will have more flexibility." BHO. Remember who we chose to arm with weapons first given to Libyan rebels and then smuggled to Syrian rebels ie ISIS. Such political machinations would make Machiavelli smile. Michelle Obama said, after her incompetent and corrupt husband was elected, "this is the first time in my life I have been proud of the US." Well Michelle this is the first time in my life I have been ashamed of my country. I suppose I ought to get used to it.

A refreshing night

Friday night for the first time in several years I taught a knife class! A man I work with, and his twenty something year old son, came to our dojo for their first lesson. It was great! I had not realized how much I miss teaching this stuff. I teach industrial compressor an engine maintenance and theory for a living but it is not very rewarding. The theory of edged weapons is much more esoteric than the theory of gas engines. Knife fighting dwells in the realms of the indefinable: time, space, deception, and rhythm. My two new students were expecting something far different than what we discussed and practiced. They expected something more Erroll Flynn with wild blades flashing. Even good silver-screen knife fighters like Steven Segal can mislead aspiring students because it is the flashy moves that the camera prefers. Big moves are easier for the viewer to pick-up. Indeed, in the beginning we do teach large moves to develop fluidity. As the student progresses we work to tighten up their flow patterns without tightening up their movements. Any body parts extended “outside the box” become targets of opportunity for your attacker. To enhance their learning I brought a range bag full of knives from small Pakal style daggers to a Keating Crossada and about everything in between. We discussed the merits and disadvantages of each style and how they affected your movements. We also discussed the impression that certain knives make on non-knife people, or jurors and judges. They were both like sponges and absorbed everything I threw at them. There is so much more to the Art than people realize but they went away with a good foundation. I am already looking forward to the next session in two weeks. Now if only I have one of these classes every week I might find life more rewarding.

Spartan Blades Dagger

Spartan Blades: It seems like every time I think I am finished reviewing knives a new one comes along. This dagger is one that I could not exclude. On my Fairbairn-Sykes website I challenge knifemakers, custom or factory, to produce a knife to equal the WW-II Case V-42. None of the modern replicas comes close to the quality of the originals. I believe that challenge has been met in a collaborative effort by Spartan Blades owners who produce the collaborative version of the V-14 dagger, designed by Les George. Every knife produced is made in America of American-sourced materials. The two founders of the company, Curtiss Lovito and Mark Carey, are both retired Special Forces guys and super conscientious about the quality of their products and service. Les George of Corpus Christi, TX has become very well known for his rugged custom folders and also his custom version of the V-14 and other fixed blade knives. Les is a USMC veteran. As soon as I saw a photo of the V-14 dagger I was on the internet emailing Les and Spartan Blades. Unfortunately the first run of knives was already sold. Les contacted Curtis at Spartan Blades, they called me and within about 2 weeks I had one on its way to me in my choice of handle and blade colors. I had been one of the very early dealers for Spartan Blades, and while their products are second to none, my business acumen is less than stellar. I sold a few very quickly and then life changed and I closed our E-Store. Spartan Blades continued to grow and broaden their product line. Their success is well earned and I am happy to see their success in such a flooded market. Now I challenge you, the reader, to look at this knife and not reach for your credit card to immediately put in an order. SPARTAN BLADES USA 625 S.E. Service Road Southern Pines, NC 28387 910-757-0035