Thursday, October 03, 2013

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!

5 comments:

Shredderr said...

Michael,
Can't wait to see the new season of TBD. I use to watch them by myself, but both my wife and oldest daughter started watching them with me, so now it's a "family show". Glad to see you're going to use the motorcycle incident in a future show.

Anonymous said...

Walter E. Williams is also the one that we should all look to for a refresher-course on economics and getting back to the basics there too. As with the gun abolitionists, the liberal approach to economics is actually the opposite of what actually needs to be done. They will never accept the truth that more guns equal less crime and more freedom means more prosperity.

I read everything that this fine American has written and am hungry for more! Often, my local Marxist Newspaper fails to pre-read the editorials that Mr. Williams has written and they actually print them. Then, an avalanche of Socialists write in denouncing everything that he has said. I just shake my head and wonder where we're headed as a society.

Life Member

kmitch200 said...

my dream — was to build a "gold standard" show on self-defense

You definitely did that. Congrats!

Dear Outdoor Channel,
I can already order AMC's Breaking Bad complete 18 blu-ray disc series due for release 11/26 and the show just ended.
How about throwing us gunnies a bone?

Unknown said...

I was selected by TSA for a personal search on the way to Africa. I had a money belt. The little Gestapo guy had a fit. I WAS HIDING SOMETHING! I missed my connection.

nj larry said...

Read from John Lott this morning that the guys who orchestrated the Colorado recalls are doing it a third time. Now its Evie Hudak. Gotta laugh at how "shocked" the left and anti's are these recalls.

http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2013/10/new-recall-effort-in-colorado-against.html