Thought for the day: I attended a one day KM seminar yesterday. No electronics allowed. This is the closest I could find on short notice about the general direction of the class. Expanding your knowledge, no matter whether you agree with the techniques or not, still makes you a better fighter, IMHO.
“Ballistic micro-fights against an armed bad guy. Real fights happen in a compressed environment and are violent. That’s why we train the way we do. Scenario based training is effective training that builds a mental blueprint or the process of myelination”
Not necessarily a comic today. I think this falls under the category of a gift for someone who “has everything”.
Some Kydex everyone can enjoy. The Brewski Bro Beer Holster From Hell-Bent Holsters is available in 19 different colors and fits standard 12 and 16oz cans.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” – H.L. Mencken
The 13-year veteran of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department was out of uniform and off-duty at the time of the shooting, which occurred at around 5:45 p.m. in the 2500 block of West Valley Boulevard at a Jack in the Box restaurant, officials from the LASD said at a news conference Monday night.
The shooting was caught on video, and the victim was inside the restaurant waiting for food, said Capt. Kurt Wegener of the LA County Sheriff’s Department. The shooter entered the restaurant and shot the deputy in the head and walked out, with no one inside the restaurant intervening before the man exited the Jack in the Box, Wegener said.
Of course no one intervened, that would require someone to be armed and be ready to do something. Heaven forbid.
Shooter either fulfilling a hit, initiation for a gang, or just a coincidence that a total psycho shot an LEO? An ambush - yes, but didn’t try to hide identity at all.
Related - was in CA all last week. Panhandlers, homeless, and emotionally disturbed (schizophrenic?) everywhere, particularly Santa Barbara. Saw 2 police in 8 days.
As idaho says, you are your own security detail.
Damn right , brother, especially now. Good job on making it through 8 days in CA. I was in LA only two days last year, thought I was on another planet. No boasting, just fact, I have worked in 23 countries, so, I know what crap is.
Thought for the day: I have a personal connection to the 911 bill. After reading about events on the last two days, I think yesterday’s quote will fit equally well today:
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” – H.L. Mencken
I have written about the important of the flashlight before, however, that is having one in a gunfight. Listed below is an excellent article on how to use flashlights as a personal protection weapon. Outside of the United States or a war zone, you will generally not be carrying a firearm or knife… Europe, Asia, and the Middle East kind of frown on the concept of carrying concealed firearms, and knives are a bitch to fly with. Other than occasionally having the opportunity to buy a knife (don’t try it in London) or stealing your steak knife from the restaurant table, you will be limited to some type of impact weapon. Give the flashlight some thought. The article is long, but worth reading.
My stream light was the only weapon I carried as a bouncer. I never had to use it, but I was glad to have SOMETHING on me if the level of force ever escalated. I had it at-the-ready when I was faced down by three chumps who wanted to fight me, but fortunately I was able to de-escalate verbally.
Who knows how it would have played out if things went south, but I was ready to use that little tube of aluminum to do as much damage as I could.
It was also useful for shooing away drunks. Sober people don’t like 600 lumens on strobe pointed at their face, intoxicated people can’t stand it.
I suppose I’ll go ahead and recommend/review the specific light that’s served me well. It is an older model of the Streamlight ProTac 2L and I think I paid $50 or $60 for it. It now lives in my bedside quick access safe, pictured below to give you a size comparison with a Glock 19.
Pros:
It has three settings that you can cycle through easily with a little practice. High is a very bright beam, I think around 500 or 600 lumens. Low is an adequate beam, perfect for checking IDs or illuminating anything within arms reach. Strobe is strobe. If you don’t know what a bright LED flashlight on strobe is like, buy this light and see how long you can look at it while somebody shines it in your face.
It is thumb-actuated by a button on the “bottom” of the flashlight with a quick tap mode of operation where the light stays on with just a light press of the button and turns off when you let go. You can also press it all the way in to stay on without continually pressing the button with your thumb.
You can also program it to behave differently. You can disable strobe, you can change whether quick tap engages the high beam or low beam, and probably other settings I’ve never messed with.
The size is ideal for easy everyday carry, but it is large and rugged enough to be deployed as a weapon. You can’t use it like a baton, but you can hammer fist it to good effect. This is also a very discrete way to be ready for violence with a weapon in-hand. Nobody is alarmed by a flashlight, and it isn’t even particularly noticeable if you’re hammer-fisting it with your arm at your side or palming it somehow.
Battery life on low beam is also just absurd. Like 25-30 hours or something like that.
Cons:
The clip fell off one night at work and I never found it. My model was a clip-on clip that worked fine for normal use but didn’t hold up to a little bit of roughness at work one night.
Great product overall and it’s probably even better now.
Thanks for the article! I’ve carried a flashlight daily for years, and I’m still amazed at how many of my brothers and sisters don’t. In the middle of a bright sunny day we have to go into dark shitholes for EMS or public service calls.
Streamlight makes nice products, but their pocket clips suck. There are aftermarket options, Darksucks.com makes very nice titanium clips, one I have been using for over a year on a Surefire light, which is a long time for me as I am hard on my lights. The other is the Thrym switchback which is polymer. I just started using one recently, so can’t endorse it yet.
Thought for the day: I got to observe some K9 training yesterday. I believe those dogs are smarter than me. Here something for all the K9 officers/ military/contractors/ out there.
I concur X 10 - discrete way to be prepared. Keep one in my pocket all the damn time. I like “tactical pens” as well, BUT most are way too bulky & noticeable.
There’s an opportunity to excel for designers/manufacturers there.
Last one I bought looks like a weapon, so it defeats its own advertised purpose. May as well have aa neon sign on the thing that reads “I’m a weapon trying to hide.”
In any case, carrying a small light is a great concealable defense!!
Zebra pens are a great option that don’t look “tacticool” but their all stainless steel construction makes them pretty tough. Also being less that $10 for a two pack means if/when you lose one it doesn’t ruin your day.
Sadly, no, I haven’t heard anything from Robert A in about 2.5 years. He seems to have left permanently, along with MapWrap , Fighting Irish, and Sento. Robert A was one of a kind: smart, witty, and always enjoyable to read. It seems that a lot of good ones have moved on and its our loss.
