Snug in the Bunker...

...and it's beautiful with the aspen in full color...I'll try to grab a picture later today. Per yesterday's commenters, you will DEFINITELY see the NYC motorcycle attack next season on THE BEST DEFENSE, assuming of course that TBD is renewed for another season. We had some spectators while we were filming scenarios earlier this week, and they were amazed at how much goes into the TBD scenarios, both in debate and production resources.

As we were explaining to one of our role-players, who's an active LEO, any of the TBD team — me, Janich, Seeklander, Hayes, producer Matt Shults and DP Brandon Green — can contribute scenarios, and any member of the team can veto a scenario. Most of our scenarios come from real crimes, but there are exceptions, Next season, for example, we have a scenario based on an incident that actually happened to a much younger Mike Seeklander and a scenario built on a training exercise refined at the Firearms Academy of Seattle.

We analyze, basically deconstruct, the crimes we use, then build the scenarios from the ground up. All of us have a pretty wide range of contacts in the training community and law enforcement, and we're not shy about asking for help on constructing scenarios.

I think the system works well. Today on Fox I saw an attack that took place on a bus, which looked uncannily like the "Bus Attack" we filmed Monday for TBD (except, of course, for the "better-" and "best-" case response). The victim in the real bus attack used pepper spray on the attacker, which failed to produce the results he anticipated...funny, but that's EXACTLY the scenario we filmed Sunday night!

I was riding to the airport with Mike Janich, and he and I were talking about how proud we are of this body of work. Janich was the first person I called when I got the green light for TBD (on the floor of the NRA Show many years ago). I told him that my goal — or maybe, more appropriately, my dream — was to build a "gold standard" show on self-defense, a show that hopefully would become a leading light for trainers and for people looking for training. I think we've done that.

BTW, at Janich's recommendation I bought a Fred Perrin-designed Shark neck knife made by Boker. After you see next season's TBD knife training segments, you'll buy one, too.

There's an interesting column in the Richmond Times-Herald from a George Mason University professor, Walter E. Williams, that notes when guns were readily available at the local hardware store or through the mail without background checks, filling out forms, anything, the country wasn't nearly as violent:

Customs, traditions, moral values and rules of etiquette, not just laws and government regulations, are what make for a civilized society, not restraints on inanimate objects. These behavioral norms — transmitted by example, word of mouth and religious teachings — represent a body of wisdom distilled through ages of experience, trial and error, and looking at what works. The benefit of having customs, traditions and moral values as a means of regulating behavior is that people behave themselves even if nobody’s watching. In other words, it’s morality that is society’s first line of defense against uncivilized behavior.

Gosh, what a novel idea!

There's a new 2A news website run by the folks at Townhall.com, with veteran gun blogger/columnist Bob Owens in charge — BearingArms, and it's definitely worth a visit. They note today that the Civilian Marksmanship Program has opened a custom shop for vintage US military firearms. National Match Garands, anyone?

If you're looking to build an AR, now's a great time since the price bubble has popped popped popped and prices are sinking toward the basement. I suggest visiting AR15 News, where they're putting up new on great deals practically on a daily basis. Another great resource for the builder is AR15 Parts Finder.

I note that my good friends at Wilderness Tactical are running an October Special on their famous Instructor Belts...you know how much I recommend these guys. My 1 3/4 inch Instructor Belt was standard kit for Africa, as it is pretty much every day. I also didn't realize they made a Money Belt version...I will definitely be added a money belt to my kit!

And just briefly, I've talked about the Africa hunting kit, but to answer a couple of emails, but clothing-wise, I pretty much wore what I wear a lot — 5.11 long-sleeved shirts, REI cargo shorts, the aforementioned Wilderness Tactical belt, Lowa Zephyr desert boots (which I can't recommend highly enough...sticks great on rock, sturdy enough tread for gravel/rocky trails as well as sand, cool and QUIET!), and plain old boring Woolrich hiking socks. Add a Grenadier safari hat and a pair of boring Ray Bans, and you're good to go!