Spyderco

Ah, Spyderco.

I finally have an EDC (every day carry) knife that I am proud of: the Spyderco Rescue Jr. in 78mm. It arrived yesterday in the mail from Oregon Knife Shop in less than a week. Thanks dudes!

I proudly strapped it to my belt this morning, whipping it out later in the day to cut some thick zip ties and 1/4 in. cardboard. It went through this crud like hot butter. It was as if the knife said, "C'mon. Did you really think I couldn't cut that?" Later I took it to some hard plastic, and the knife handled it flawlessly.

Frankly, this is the best damn knife I have ever owned.

The contours of the blade fit my hand like it was personally made for me. Remarkable. There is a tangible quality to the steel, which makes you instantly realize, "Oooo. This is a different kind of knife." The edge is wicked, and Spyderco's trademark "O" hole in the blade makes it super easy to flip this bad boy open. I was a little skeptical about that at first, but not any more. No sir. In a word, this thing is sweet.

Before purchasing, I was looking for a relatively low-cost quality folding knife for some time. I didn't want to pay more than 100 dollars for a blade that's going to see a lot of action. But I also didn't want to spend too little money and get a piece of junk. My homies on GlockTalk recommend Spyderco for both of these reasons, and I noticed the company has quite a devoted following by the number of endorsements.

That said, I decided to go with the Spyderco Rescue Jr. after reading this article over at Modern Combative Systems. Mr. George Matheis, who runs the company, is a real warrior and has some great things to say about self-defense and self-awareness. As of yet, I can't say I've gone wrong in taking his advice.(Be sure to check out his post on the "Bag of Evil."

So yah. I've got a new knife and am really happy with it. It's pretty bad ass. I like orange, so I picked orange. 'Nuff said.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

24, Season 2: Right on Target

I know I've been posting a lot recently, but that's what happens when I have a lot to say and am sitting in front of a keyboard.

We just finished Season 2 of "24," and it totally kicked ass. I mean it was tight and superb. No Terri Bauer (thank heavens), which makes for a way better season.

The whole season was awesome, but I particularly like it when Jack draws his gun on regular citizens to threaten them and emphasize his point. For example, he is rushing the corral dude into the hospital, and the hospital staff starts shouting, "Sir you can't bring him in here like that!!! We are calling the police!!!" Jack draws his pistol points at the lady and screams: "Ma'am I AM THE POLICE NOW OPEN THAT DOOR!"

Awesome.

The second incident is when he and Sherri Palmer hijack an SUV after crashing in the aquaduct. Jack points his gun at the guy, demanding he hand over his keys. Once he does it, he says "Thank you" sincerely. I love it.

I am looking forward to Season 3. I can't wait. I also don't want to wait to save up enough money to purchase an HK MSG90A1, pictured above. How cool would that be?

One of these days. Maybe.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog

Bumper Sticker

Today I saw a left over bumper sticker from the election on someone's truck, which sums it all up for me in terms of my politcal feelings then and now: "Elect McCain or were really screwed!"

I couldn't have said it better myself.

This is no exaggeration. Barack Obama is intentionally bankrupting our nation with the largest, most reckless budget in world history. Over the next 10 years we are going to be in the hole trillions of dollars each year and no one will be there to buy our debt. Meanwhile our many enemies--Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, the drug cartels, etc.--are plotting our downfall.

The writing is on the wall. We are screwed. And there is no way out of this that I can think of unless we elect a new, fiscally responsible Congress that is less interested in hope and change and more concerned about the health and safety for our nation, interested enough to turn back the clock on Barack's reckless spending.

I know there are closet libs out there who tune in every now and then to my blog. If what I am saying offends you--that Obama is intentionally bankrupting our nation--what other conclusion can you draw when he has even said himself that his own deficit spending is unsustainable? I mean, this is jack-assery at its' finest. Either he dumb, or he is a committed, outrageous ideologue. Take your pick. Either way, the long term future of our country doesn't look good.

Which brings me to the second subject of this post. Prepping. What would you do today if you knew that in 5-7 years we would be heading towards a serious depression, a time when our currency is going to be worthless? Right now, this is an important question to ask yourself, because if we are unable to halt the Alinsky era of 'hope and change' we are screwed beyond imagining. It's not just the spending. It's also our enemies. They are real, insane, and want millions of us dead. And Obama is too busy trying to remake our society in his own image to pay any attention to them.

I also want to say that there is a lot of panic going on out there. Guns are selling like wildfire, and ammo is scarce. Have you seen the adds for seeds for "crisis gardens?" It's crazy. People are afraid of what Obama is doing to our nation, what he isn't doing for it, and what our enemies are preparing to do to us.

Where the hell is Jack Bauer when you need him? Oh, I forgot. The administration is undermining it's own intelligence service. Nevermind.

So ask yourself the question. I am not saying give up the political fight and build a bunker. I am saying we need to be ready if the political fight is not decisively won. What happens now in our country will seriously direct its future for the next 50-60 years. Frankly, I don't want to spend that time wishing for the good old days.

Peace Yos. Over and out,

--Nick-Dog

Marques de Borba at 30

I finally opened it. After about 8 years of me aging it personally, I took the advice of Parker, the famous wine connossuier, and gave it a try. The results were phenomonal, delectable, and exceeding all expectations.

Back in 2001, I dissipated my income on expensive wines, cigars, and other luxuries. I should have purchased firearms too, but that's another story.

Anyway, the best wine I got into at the time was a cabernet from an up and coming vineyard out of Southern Portugal, called, "Marques de Borba." All in all, I purchased about 7-8 bottles, enjoying most of them after hours with friends and a cigar while working at RMA. Yeah, it was a while ago.

The wine was rated in the 90s (out of a possible 100) by Parker of the Wine Spectator. He's famous for his nose and capacity to remember wines by name that he tasted 10 years ago. He recommended that the Borba wine would age to perfection in 8-10 years. My bottle was a 1999, so into the liquor cupboard it went.

I have carried this bottle with me everywhere I've lived and been, wondering always when my mind wandered to it, about how it would taste come de-corking time, dreaming that it would either be excellent beyond belief or that it would suck because the cork had failed, pure and simple. Fortunately, the experience has been the former.

After 10 years, the Marques de Borba has incredible depth and, if chilled, unfathomable vibrance. The wines velvety texture reveals prominent notes of blackberry with noticeable hints of cardamom. The result is a potion that fosters serious, deep contemplation at the merest sip.

I cannot extol the virtues of Borba enough. The right time to imbibe ended up being the occasion of my 30th birthday, by far one of the coolest gifts I've given myself over the years for my birthday.

Now I need to find a wine to age for my 40th b-day. Peace out homies. Don't drink and drive.

--Nick-Dog

"Some" ads...

I just added a whole bunch of ads to the Update, consisting of all my favorite gear. Everything I've posted is either stuff I own, have owned (and want back), or will own.

I will never recommend or post something that I think is a piece of shit. You have my word.

As you know, I love talking about my favorite stuff. Considering Amazon sells everything short of the guillotine, you can bet that if I find something cool and it gets mentioned on the blog, or I just think to add something, there will be a new link.

Patronize, if you will, by clicking on the link and I, obviously, benefit financially from your interest should you decide to make a purchase.

One excellent feature on Amazon is the myriad of customer reviews. If it's sold on Amazon, chances are it's been reviewed. It's a good place to check on something, even if you are buying in a regular store, before making a purchase.

So, if you are looking for something for your better half or for yourself, you will likely find something cool in the ads. If nothing else, it'll get the wheels turning.

Peace out, yo's. I hope you enjoy the new sche..., I mean, "feature."

--Nick-Dog

G17 on duty, from one of my favorite scenes in Season 1

Season 1

Season One of "24" is in the can. Not as good as I was expecting, and definitely not as tight. After watching "Heroes," I was hoping for something that would deliver in the same vein. However, the are two very seperate shows with highly different stories to tell.

Overall, Season 1 gets a B from me. Jack Bauer is awesome, hands down. Palmer became better and better as the show went on. Terri drove me nuts the whole time--she looks like she should be out driving a Suburu with an Obama sticker. Milo was cool, but I don't think he'll be back.

The show's weaknesses did not come from poor acting, but poor writing. Jack would have never married Terri in real life. She was/is a total basketcase, something that George states in the final episode. The characters do stupid things that seemed out of line with their presented personality. Most notably, Terri walking CTU at the end in search of you know who. No way. There are other moments like this in the story, and they strike me as gratuitous fancies of the writers, not objectively probable or likely scenarios.

That brings me to my second main criticism of the show. While everything on TV is intended to be emotionally manipulative to the viewer, the story bends over backwards to accomplish this to the detraction of the narrative. The whole twist of the second mole we find out in the end feels so gratuitous and lame, inconsistant with the rest of the story. Broken relationship on top of broken relationship the whole time, with twists on trust, meant to keep the viewer in suspense. One has the impression that the script writers are unformed hedonists, eating potato chips and reading filth, while laughing at you as they go along, writing, in hopes that they bring you back for another hour. There is little trust in the power of the overall narrative, or the sense of redemption that makes a story powerful.

No, Season One should have stayed on a stricter course and just told the story, instead of trying to destroy each character personally as much as possible throughout. Life only has so many nail-biters per day.

All that aside, I tolerated these defects to watch Jack unleash some lead. I'll continue eventually with the story, I think, but I hope that it's a much more mature in the script the next go around.
Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

Filthy Materialist

There are only 3 good things about Northern Virginia--Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and the NRA.
The rest, barring a few aikido schools, I could do without.

Clare and I visited the first two today, and purchased enough of our staple items from those stores for a couple of months and then some.

I am more of a Trader Joe's fan than a Whole Foods fan these days, because Trader Joes is a way better deal. $2.50 for bath gel, $3.29 for wine, $1.69 for the best salsa, etc. Their prices are stellar. Whole Foods is THE Food Shrine of Food Shrines bar none, but the wallet can only handle so much. Their produce is the best, and their knock off brand, 365, knocks it out of the park more often than not. Still, the main reason we go to Whole Foods is their Olive Oil, Baguette, and Cheese. And the occasional canoli, of course.

Rod Dreher opines in "Crunchy Cons" that he feels like the only conservative in the whole damn store in places like Whole Foods (just look at all the Obamaphile bumperstickers in the parking lot) but argues that it is a conservative virtue to support organic food and sustainable agriculture. In Genesis--a book the liberal statist so often happily forsakes--one of the first commandments given to man is to cultivate the Earth. No matter how it's packaged, whether a countryfried market or shiny retail food store, man's destiny is that never far away from the ground. We can't forget that.

That being said, I choose my battles and visit said food shrines selectively. I go on occasion. Because afterwards, I always feel the need to detox myself from the taint of Fairfax and the liberal oracles of gluttony.

But a case of Charles Shaw is worth it.

Peace Out,

--Nick-Dog