Sharp and Pointy Things: Kabar Last Ditch Knife

The LDK with its sheath

 At first glance, this little Kabar looks like some what of a novelty, or perhaps even a sophisticated prison shank. The truth is, it's really whatever you want it to be. While its not meant to be a heavy duty cutting tool, it could be utilized as a nifty box cutter at work, a fancy letter opener or quite simply a wickedly pointy compact defensive blade that fits snugly in the 5th pocket of your jeans. It wouldn't necessarily be ideal to filet a fish with but, it still is a handy blade nonetheless for the occasional light, menial task.

But let's face it, this is the Last Ditch Knife. If you can get away with using it at the office without scaring your coworkers, more power to you. But, for the rest of us, it will fill the role of a discreet, concealable, last resort assailant stabber. Something to use when you've exhausted all your other options when faced with imminent harm. It's extremely sharp, very pointy and with a few stabs or slashes your average bad guy will be getting out of your personal space really quickly.

Where you can conceal it is only limited by your imagination. It could be a neck knife, in your wallet, or even your shoes. In its sheath, its about the size of a credit card, so that allows for a myriad of storage possibilities. Even in more unconventional carry methods, it fits snugly enough in the sheath to work just about in any conceivable way.

I opted to lace my Kabar up in an old pair of black shoes. It's fairly comfortable, virtually unnoticeable in jeans and I suppose if I had to, I could pass it off as some type of orthopedic insert, or even a trendsetting leave-in shoe horn. Okay, that might be a stretch but still, it's really discreet.

Laced up and ready to go

Truth be told, I would not recommend this little guy to people with big hands. It's just so small that I can't imagine any sort of competent grip could be achieved. I would imagine some paracord could help but regardless, this will be of no use if you will be fumbling around with it and potentially dropping the knife.

Despite the small stature, no one would want to be on the receiving end of this

With that said, I have smaller hands. I can manage a grip on it comfortably a few ways. A simple pistol grip works and there is enough pressure between my index finer, thumb and the knife that I would feel confident wielding it. However, instinctively I almost always put my middle finger through the hole on the handle for an even better grip and added retention. My finger is just thin enough for it to be comfortable and once I make a fist its doubtful I will be losing it. Alternatively, slipping my ring finger in and orienting the blade between my index and middle fingers would result in some painful jabs.

Positioned like a claw for some quick strikes

This Kabar clearly won't be anyone's first line of defense but the name alone should be indicative of that. With numerous ways to stow it away, it does however serve its purpose as a last resort weapon to defend yourself with. Plus, for $15 its easy on the wallet and an interesting addition to your collection.

Happy Birthday: Foo Fighters Self Titled Debut Turns 18

The original line up, circa 1995

This past July marked the 18th year anniversary of the release of the debut Foo Fighters album.

On July 4th 1995 the album first hit stores, which coincidentally is both Independence Day in America and former drummer Will Goldsmith's birthday. As if that wasn't enough to make me feel old, I also owned this album on both CD and cassette.

While it is technically the first Foo Fighters record, in this case it's more like Dave Grohl's solo project, which he wrote and recorded himself and then later recruited Nate Mendel, Will Goldsmith and Pat Smear to tour with him.

The songs were decidedly simplistic, the production was lo-fi but with that said, it had a certain charm that the other records didn't have. Perhaps it was just a young Dave working with complete freedom, no pressure and no expectations from anyone. He obviously didn't set out to try an outdo Nevermind, but instead he wrote a decent set of loose knit songs that proved he was a little more than just a drummer.

Sure, it wasn't a meticulously crafted work of genius, but the album surely demonstrated he learned a thing or two from his previous band. It also hinted of good things to come in the future. 

Eye-gasm: Two Great Drops For Your Dry, Tired Eyes

Systane Ultra

If I had to settle on just one eye drop, this would be it. While it's probably the most expensive, it is by the far the best one I've ever used in every way possible. It eliminates the redness, moisturizes and most notably its longer lasting than virtually everything else I've tried.

The solution feels slightly "thick" compared to your typical eye drop. When applied, it sort of coats your eyes and feels a bit different than the cheaper stuff. It's not unpleasant, and after a few blinks your eyes feel great.

The fact that it lasts so much longer than conventional drops is what really sets if apart. I typically only need to use it a couple times a day, or less. On a particularly bad dry eye day, using something like Tears would require numerous applications during the course of the day. Not the case with Systane Ultra. This stuff works.

Rohto

This unique Japanese eye drop provides good moisture and does an excellent job of removing redness and making your eyes as white as snow. However, its most notable quality is its "cooling kick" that provides relief for tired, strained eyes.

They make a few different drops with varied levels of coolness but be warned, they can be intense for first time users or people who have sensitive eyes. Its always amusing to watch people's first time reaction to using these eye drops, a lot of people say they sting, or are just very cold feeling but generally a few blinks later they admit their eyes feel good. However, a few people I've seen try them just don't like how cool they feel.

Once you get used to the initial sensation of applying them, I think the end result feels really good on tired eyes. Plus, they are pretty fun to share with unsuspecting friends as well.

The 1988-1992 Mazda MX6 GT

Under appreciated in its time: The MX6 GT turbo

When it comes to import sport coupes of the late 80's, there were many notable and innovative cars produced. Despite many endearing qualities the Mazda MX6 GT was often overlooked at a time when many respectable sports cars entered the market.

The MX6 entered the market in 1987, with its release for the 1988 model year. A year later Ford released its take on the MX6 platform, based on its partnership with Mazda. Though, the Ford Probe was mechanically identical to the MX6, it was arguably more popular perhaps due to its less conservative styling and sportier appeal.

Mazda utilized a 4 cylinder 2.2 liter SOHC engine for the cars. Essentially, it was a stroked 2.0 liter engine that also was found in their 4 cylinder trucks of that era. Despite being a torquey, low revving engine it was still fairly peppy inside the fairly light MX6 chassis.

However, to take its performance to the next level Mazda added a turbocharger to its GT model and the result was 145 HP and 190 ft lbs of torque. The rumor was Mazda actually used numbers measured at the wheels, rather than at the crank. Many subsequent owners who measured their wheel horsepower at a dyno found the numbers strikingly close to Mazda's seemingly conservative figures. Many speculated the lowball estimate to keep the focus on the RX7 as their flagship sports coupe of the time.

The MX6 GT did post respectable numbers at the track with a 0 - 60 mph time of a bit over 7 seconds and low to mid 15 second quarter mile times. With its short and torquey power band, the MX6 may have been a handful launching from a dead stop, but from a roll the car truly shined, beating virtually any comparable sport compact of its time. The MX6's mid range power was unmatched.

Despite having a very limited aftermarket selection of parts, people did what they could with this more obscure import. Exhausts were often custom, parts were fabricated, turbos were bolted on from other cars. Many folks were able to achieve well over 200 horsepower with some work on the turbo model but, the most notable improvements were from those who swapped the 2.2 SOHC engine for the European 2.0 DOHC Mazda engine and turbocharged that. It wasn't as readily available as many sought after Honda engines, but some work and ingenuity was just part of the game with these cars. The result was a more linear, higher revving power band that produced around 300 horsepower.

Whether you had an engine swap with all the goodies, a few bolt ons for your GT model, or just a clean base model...half the fun with these cars were answering the simple question of "What kind of car is that?"

George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin: What May Have Happened That Night

The infamous "T" where the confrontation started. Zimmerman stated he walked to the left past the houses to the next street while Trayvon ran down the center and disappeared, only to return a short time later. 

The Zimmerman trial has come and gone yielding a fairly predictable not guilty verdict. With this case there was too little evidence and too much doubt to say with any kind of certainty what happened on Sunday February 26, 2012 on that fateful night in Sanford, Florida. What we do know is that the prosecutors failed to meet their burden of proof and the defense simply established a great deal of reasonable doubt.

While there were no major evidence bombshells during the trial, we had a more streamlined look at the evidence and the major players in the case. A lot of things were not examined, and many parts were inadmissible as well. However, we surely have a better idea of what happened now than say, in the weeks or months directly after the shooting.

With that said, based on my analysis of all the factual evidence in conjunction with the witness statements, I will attempt to piece together what may have happened that night.

As we all know, George Zimmerman was heading north in his Honda Ridgeline up Retreat View Circle on a personal errand as Trayvon Martin was entering the Retreat at Twin Lakes from the northeast via an ungated area between the houses. As Zimmerman reaches he bend, he notices Martin essentially in Frank Taaffe's front yard, a house that was the subject of past police calls regarding suspicious subjects. Of course, it is not known to him that Martin was making his way into the neighborhood, but instead he sees him in the grass and not on the sidewalk in no apparent hurry, perhaps giving the impression that he was "checking out" the house. With Zimmerman driving by at a drastically reduced speed and looking at him, Martin likely takes notice as well.

Based on Martin's demeanor and previous incidents with houses in that area, he feels it might be worth reporting to the police. Martin continues on his path as George continues in front of him pulling off to the right, at the nearby clubhouse. The two probably exchange glances again as Martin walks by the parked Ridgeline. Perhaps the rain picks up at this point, as Trayvon seemingly lingers here to avoid the rain, as described by Rachael Jeantel.

When trying to assemble a cohesive version of events, this part becomes tricky because we don't know two things. First, when Zimmerman made the call and actually connected to Sean Noffke, the dispatcher. Second, we don't know exactly at what point Zimmerman leaves the clubhouse, whether its 10 seconds before he connects, or 30 seconds into the call. There seems to be some indication of driving within the call, but I've long given up on trying to analyze specific sounds in relation to what might be going on. However, I think it might be a fair guess that he observes Martin as he waits to connect to non-emergency, which probably isn't viewed as urgent as 911 and thus has a slight wait time. Trayvon likely goes to an area on the opposite side to wait the rain out and then proceeds to continue down Twin Trees Lane, out of George's sight as he begins the call.

Zimmerman, connected now with non-emergency, leaves the clubhouse and proceeds to drive down the street and parks by the cut through, again noticing Trayvon now by the houses, who in turn notices him and commences the "staring" as stated in the actual call. So its likely he could have been backing out of the clubhouse seconds before he spoke to Noffke, to perhaps the first 30 seconds. I think he initially offers the clubhouse address because that was in fact the last place he observed Trayvon, until he makes the short trip further down the street. When Zimmerman says "he's here now, he was just staring..." it almost seems to imply Martin was not present at the beginning of the call but is now and that he has moved on.

It seems like the reenactment walk through is the most coherent version of events. In later, more tense interrogations he seems to lose focus, perhaps confuse details. Like for example, he seemingly admitted once that Trayvon circled his truck at the clubhouse, when he admitted before it was on Twin Trees Lane. I think he simply misspoke here, perhaps now feeling pressured by the detectives, who went from listening to his story to trying to break his story. Trayvon likely passed him by at the clubhouse, but I don't think he was actually connected with dispatch at the time. I suppose it could have been possible that it in fact it happened there, but that would contradict the reenactment he did the next day and the fact Rachael Jeantel said Martin sought refuge from the rain near the mailboxes at the clubhouse.

With Zimmerman now parked on Twin Trees Lane and Martin nearing the houses, both again aware of each other, I think its important to note both of their mindsets. Both have become increasingly suspicious of each other at this point because of Martin appearing to be checking out houses and likely looking over his shoulder exchanging glances at George. Whether Trayvon was in fact looking at houses, or just nonchalantly strolling close by a house will never be known, but he surely took note of this person watching him in their car, who is now near him again right down the street.

What happens next is described in the non-emergency call. The starring, the hand in the waistband, coming to check him out - there is no denying Martin seemed to consciously approach the truck, perhaps intimidatingly. I tend to take the call at face value, this was happening in real time, well before the fight and at this point Zimmerman had no reason to lie. At times he seems distracted, trying to multitask between speaking to the dispatcher, watch Martin and describing what is going on. The one thing that seemed very telling to me is when George blurts out something to the effect of "How much longer until an officer gets over here?" He seemed to be genuinely uncomfortable with Trayvon in close proximity and wanted police there right away. He may have omitted any notion of circling of the truck here, but there is a sense of dire urgency with this statement. This was also Zimmerman's best chance to confront Martin, but he instead stayed on the phone and kept relaying information to the dispatcher. Another issue that remains in question here is if Trayvon said something as he was right by the truck. George always seemed to make a point in his statements that he didn't know if Martin said something to him here. That seems to imply that there is a possibility he spoke, and Zimmerman just didn't hear him over the rain, windshield wipers, and cell phone conversation. If you listen very closely to the actual police call there is a very brief part here that sounds like another person's voice besides Zimmerman and Noffke. It seems like a quick single word utterance, but it always made me think Trayvon could have very well spoke here.

I think the rationale with approaching the truck was pretty simple. Martin saw the looks he was getting on Retreat View Circle and again on Twin Trees. He went to go "size up" Zimmerman and make it clear that he wasn't scared and to leave him alone. However, by doing that he just ended up looking that much more suspicious to Zimmerman, who unknown to him was on the phone with police reporting his behavior. Trayvon likely felt he got the message across and proceeded to run. I feel the running may have had a dual purpose here, I think he did want to go about business, get home and finish his call with Rachel Jeantel. However, it could have very well been a taunt as well. Running off into the darkness to see again, if this stranger follows.

Zimmerman did just that.

Trayvon's path seemed to be confirmed by both Jeantel and George himself. He ran halfway down the cut through and turned right sprinting past the houses of such witnesses as John Good and Jenna Lauer. Rachel, perhaps inadvertently, states Trayvon managed to get "right by" his dad's house, which means he had to have run basically straight down the dog walk. At this time Zimmerman was on foot at the cut thru, maybe by the dog waste receptacle, attempting to get his flashlight to work and still conversing on the phone with Noffke. Rachel makes note that Trayvon was out of breath, probably due to the fact he ran roughly 100 yards as fast as he could to his house. She also makes some arbitrary comments about Zimmerman being "behind" Trayvon on a few occasions. What I think she was trying to relay, which is based upon what Martin may have correctly/incorrectly described to her, is that the first time he was "behind" him is before he ran when they were on Twin Trees. The latter time would be as he observed Zimmerman on the "T" from his dad's house, maybe due to the larger flashlight working briefly, or seeing the smaller one moving around in the dark.

Regardless of if he got to the house, or near the house. He had to make his way back northward somehow. When Jeantel talks about him speaking "quietly" I don't think its because Trayvon is fatigued, rather he is making his way back to the "T" to figure out why this strange was eying him on Retreat View, Twin Trees and now walking around with a flashlight. Seemingly, he wanted the advantage of not being detected, probably speaking in a low tone, and avoiding the few porch lights that were on that night. While we'll never know if Trayvon returned to demand answers of the stranger following him or if he consciously decided to go back and fight, we do know that the most plausible scenario, based on evidence and the time frame, is he returned by his own free will. He wasn't scared and he wasn't concerned with his safety or else his head start would have enabled him to get well out of harm's way. It never seemed logical that an out of shape adult could chase down a slender teen, nor did it make sense that Trayvon simply stayed close enough to the scene to be discovered while hiding by Zimmerman.

Based on Jenna Lauer's testimony, the verbal exchange between the two of them seemed short, making it reasonable to accept George's account here. Martin wanted to know what this guy's problem was and Zimmerman was taken by surprise, now confronted with an uncomfortable situation where he no longer was within the safety of his vehicle. If his reaction to Trayvon's presence was anything like within his truck, I can imagine George's response to his question nothing more than a meek utterance. Reaching into his pocket for his cell phone thereafter could have very well been the catalyst to the fight. Regardless if Martin predetermined if he was going to beat him up, this could have been the point where he made up his mind real quick, if he hadn't already.

The animation depicting the fight provided a visual aid as to how the events unfolded based on witness accounts, including Zimmerman.

One possible scenario to explain why the fight moved away from the "T" is perhaps Trayvon "circling" Zimmerman to prevent him from further walking down the sidewalk. Zimmerman, not walking to turn his back at this point, may have inadvertently backed up away from the "T". By both of them moving roughly 180 degrees counterclockwise and then Martin landing his first blow, the progression of the fight towards the houses seems more logical.

A lot of people contend this when Zimmerman drew his gun, if he hadn't already had is weapon in hand. This seems like just another nonsensical scenario, unsupported by any evidence to portray Zimmerman as guilty. In reality, Martin clearly dominated the fight and had he been able to knock Zimmerman to the ground, mount him and continued pummeling him, you'd think he surely would have at the very least got his hands on the gun, if not completely gained control of it. However, there is nothing to suggest Zimmerman had any advantage here and no matter how you look at it he was obviously assaulted by Trayvon. The fact he was caught off guard so much by that first punch was demonstrated where Zimmerman dropped his secondary light, a mini-flashlight attached to his car keys. It was recovered with the light turned on right off the cut through where Zimmerman was walking to go back to the truck, likely dropped right where he received that initial devastating blow to the nose.

I don't fault for Zimmerman for being able to recollect each exact detail of the fight, or even at times maybe recalling them out of order. His inability to gain any sort of upper hand seems to speak volumes about his lack of fighting skills, which further leads me to think this fight in the dark was mostly a blur to him. I don't necessarily discount Zimmerman's version of events within the fight but I think he felt like had to prove he was going to die that night, so there might have been some embellishment. For instance, I don't doubt Martin may have covered his mouth. I think that may have been more to silence his screams rather than to actually smother him. He undoubtedly managed to damage the back of his head as well but who knows if Martin actually slammed his head onto the sidewalk or if the sheer force of the punches to the head caused George's head to snap back and smack the cement. It was dark, it happened quickly and perception is in the eye of the beholder. However, we do know based on both his and witness John Good's version of events he found himself on his back taking blows to both the front and the back of his head. As Good watched the altercation unfold and the two shift around, he remained steadfast in the fact he witnessed Martin on remaining on top, likely striking downwards and George likely yelling to him for help. Good realized this was a dire situation, went to call 911 and Martin was shot right after.

The prosecutors seemingly accepted the idea Martin was in fact on top during the scuffle, but then attempted to push the idea that Martin may have been standing up when shot, presumably giving up or about to flee when he was shot. Regardless of what may have transpired, Good painted a picture of seeing someone being assaulted. He may have looked away briefly to find a phone and call 911 and in that short time he heard the gun and saw Martin dead, but that is such a small window of time that it's reasonable to think Zimmerman was still being assaulted when he fired his gun. The jury apparently agreed. Furthermore, the defense's gunshot expert did, too.

While we may never have all the pieces to this puzzle, the witnesses and the evidence helped logically fill in the blanks  and created a reasonable explanation of not only what may have happened that night, but also ruled out many things that did not. Based on all the evidence collected, with respect to our justice system...I think the right verdict was rendered.

An Ode to NOS Energy Drink

Originally NOS was packaged in a "tank like" plastic bottle to resemble actual NOS you'd find in a trunk - The can, however, seems to be most common now.

As an avid caffeine connoisseur, I like a wide variety of drinks but I have always yearned for that perfect, tried and true, go-to drink of choice. For many years that was Red Bull with its admittedly smooth taste. Even though it was one of the better tasting ones on the market, the size to price ratio as well as the mere moderate boost it gave made want to explore other options.

Not that I was a stranger to the other drinks on the market, Monster was often my secondary choice for a sugary energy rush. At times that one left me a little too jittery but more importantly I never really liked the taste. Not that it was terrible, it just had that strangely unfamiliar, almost medicinal taste. Other drinks yielded similar results, good taste and no boost, or good boost and bad taste.

When NOS came along it was a game changer. The taste was good, a sweet citrusy flavor with a smooth finish. It packed well over 200 mg of caffeine per can and kept you going on busy days. It's bang for the buck is hard to beat.

However, just recently I heard that NOS actually lowered their caffeine content, perhaps from FDA pressure from around 260 to 160 mg per can. Old stock is probably floating around but from what I understand all the drinks produced from this point on will have the drastically reduced caffeine content. Which is kind of a shame because NOS is essentially liquid Adderall. Still love the drink and will continue to enjoy it, even if the boost suffers a bit.

Goodbye WFNX

Gone but not forgotten 1983 - 2012

In perhaps the most telling sign that I've been away from the Boston area for far too long, I just recently discovered that one of my favorite radio stations is no more. Luckily the WFNX app, kept the music going for many years after leaving the area. Nonetheless, it leaves a void that will be tough to fill, even in age of genius music apps and automated playlists. Which in turn brings music to a new level, but as a side effect can be troubling to traditional niche stations that don't conform to Top 40 guidelines. Namely in the fact that despite Pandora's intuition, it still lacks the human touch of regular radio.

Sadly, WFNX ended its traditional broadcast and brief subsequent internet stream. Truly a huge loss for the Boston alternative scene as this station was influential and gave many new artists a chance, such as playing Nirvana's Nevermind in its entirety in August of 1991.

While the familiar name is gone, WFNX has essentially rebranded as the streaming Boston.com internet station, RadioBDC - which I can only hope stays true to its roots and lives on in its new format.

The Offspring - Days Go By

After 20+ years of music the Offspring take a moment to look to the past for inspiration for the future.

Admittedly, my liking of the Offspring has declined sharply over the past ten years. This would of course explain why I am about a year late checking out Days Go By. With their last effort, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, the band seemed uninspired and unsure of what direction to take, resulting in a fairly mediocre, loose knit collection of songs that even by their current standards was kind of bland.

Not to say that this record is on par with anything from their golden years but collectively its probably their most solid effort since 2000's Conspiracy Of One. There is some semblance of the signature sound we all know and love, but not without some caveats, to which, by now, we are all expecting anyway.

In typical post 90s Offspring fashion you get the good (The Future Is Now) the bad (I Wanna Secret Family...) and the ugly. (Cruisin' California...) However, despite following their typical formulaic musical directions the album ends up flowing as well as you could expect for the Offspring at this point in their career.

Days Go By starts promising with the first two tracks but quickly hits a bump with the album's title track which seemingly acts as the band's answer to the Foo Fighters song Times Like These. It fits well with the conceptual self reflective theme of the album, but its aforementioned musical similarity is pretty off putting.

Just as you are about to write the album off, it regains its momentum with Turning Into You and Hurting As One, which has a bit of that vintage Offspring sound, almost like something they would have recorded around Ixnay or Americana.

At the half way mark comes the cringe worthy novelty songs we all knew were coming. Cruisin' California, which sounds like a song they wrote for Rebecca Black and then just decided to keep for themselves. OC Guns is almost just as awful and just as forgettable. Of course, the Offspring was gracious enough not to hit us with both of these tracks back to back but instead they serve as book ends for the token ballad-ish song of the album, All I Have Left Is You. Its not terrible, but surely its not Gone Away either, but it marginally beats out past drivel like Kristy Are You Doing Okay?

Next up, either because they are running out of ideas, or simply to add to the nostalgic introspective feel of the record, is a rerecorded version of Dirty Magic from their 1992 album Ignition. I was apprehensive of the idea at first but after a few listens the reworking of the song isn't bad. It is much slicker, a bit less raw but it serves as an interesting touch, and in fairness it could have very well replaced a potentially bad new song or conversely they could have just butchered it. But they didn't.

I Wanna Secret Family (With You) ends up serving as a more low key novelty song but falls short of being anything memorable. While you get a sense it could have almost been a decent song, it just doesn't hold up with the albums better tracks. The Offspring can do tongue-in-cheek songs well at times, but in this case it seems like they put little effort in to it.

The album does wrap things up on a better note, Dividing By Zero again takes us back to a more familiar sound scape and Slim Pickens... despite being a more of a guilty pleasure, is an effective closer.

With the band getting older, they definitely acknowledge the passing of time and reflecting upon past endeavors with this album. While I know its frivolous to hold my breath for another Smash or even Ixnay it was refreshing to hear a conscious effort to somewhat revisit their past.

What Jose Baez Thinks of the Zimmerman/Martin Case & Other Misc. Thoughts

Will George be spending more time in a prison suit? Doubt it.

With the trial of George Zimmerman almost here, I've been writing a lot about the case but I feel like I need to preface my thoughts with a quick disclaimer.

Based on the available evidence, witness statements and Florida law I do not think there is a sufficient basis for a murder change for Zimmerman. Do I think he has a valid self defense claim? Most likely. Do I think he is telling 100% of the truth? Probably not. However, that is just speculation on my part because in order to be a liar you must have proof of lies and minor inconsistencies within a story he's told at several different times is not sufficient for me. For instance, him recalling Martin approaching him from the darkness, or the bushes, the fences or simply from behind...that doesn't strike me as an inconsistency because we don't know if he is remembering things differently, or speculating or if it was simply somewhere in the darkness, by the bushes, where the fence is from behind. The human memory is not a DVR and can be imperfect in respects to accuracy and sequence of events.

One thing is for sure, I never really bought into the media narrative of the case. Too many loose ends, too much speculation, and it all seemed agenda driven. Very early in the case we were supposed to believe Zimmerman was a crazed racist and Trayvon was a scared little boy. But what facts were we basing that on? Why were we not supposed to take things at face value and assume Zimmerman thought Martin was suspicious and called police while keeping an eye on him. Why would a scared kid walk up to the "creepy" guy in the truck with his hand in his waistband? Its questions like that in correlation to the uncertainty of the fight and lack of evidence that made me second guess the narrative of the media.

Conversely, its hard to understand why Zimmerman would avoid confronting Martin from the get go, and later at his truck but instead call the police and later proceed to unjustifiably kill him when police were just minutes away and for all he knew, a dozen witnesses watching. Seems like a risky move, unless of course, you've run out of options.

The downplaying of Zimmerman's injuries have been a trend from beginning here as well. First it was omitting the notion that there was any fight at all. Then, attempting to analyze grainy police station video from the night of the shooting to try and point out there were no injuries. Once the injuries came to light, it turned into talk of how the lacerations weren't that bad and his nose looked fine and he didn't bleed that much. There was no shortage of internet doctors trying to play off his injuries like they were shaving nicks. Luckily here in the real world there is no legal preponderance as to how much you have to bleed before you can defend yourself in many jurisdictions.

As far as trying to establish an exact timeline of what happened from the moment Zimmerman connected with the non emergency number, I've abandoned it because there are too many variables and generally Zimmerman is not precise enough in his recollection of it to do so with any certainty. Did he initially dial the number on Retreat View Circle immediately after seeing Martin at the bend cutting into the complex? Did he pull over to the clubhouse and initiate the call and started to drive onto Twin Trees as soon as he connected? Did he connect and stay at the clubhouse for a period of time? Without knowing any of that I don't think any sort of accurate timeline can be created. I think we can establish some sort of idea of what happened, but that's about it.

The more important timeline, I believe, starts when Trayvon runs. We can start to piece together roughly what time he runs, where he runs to and the fact he alludes Zimmerman. We can also get an idea when GZ ends his call, and also based on Trayvon's phone records and subsequent 911 calls when the fight intensified and when the shot was fired. While it doesn't prove how things happened one way or another, its a much more useful focus than trying to account for every single footstep that lead them to behind the townhouses, when we have a rough idea of how they got there.

Ultimately, I think the prosecutors will have the same problem the Sanford police had. There is simply a lack of evidence overall with the case to prove any wrongdoing by George Zimmerman. While he may have made some poor decisions that night, nothing he did prior to the confrontation was illegal per say. As for the actual fight, we have no more knowledge of what happened now than we did a year ago. The events remain murky, but as it stands we have no evidence to dispute his claim, and even some of the evidence tends to bolster his narrative.

Prominent Florida lawyer Jose Baez recently commented on the case as well.

"The state is going to have a hard time refuting the claim of self defense- that's where the case can easily be won by the defense," Baez said. "The state not only has to put forward their evidence, they have to exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence and do so beyond a reasonable doubt - I don't think they can."

So there you go. The state already has to overcome the fact they have no proof George continued pursuit and no evidence he started the fight, yet they must prove its murder beyond a reasonable doubt. On a side note, I almost wonder if state prosecutors realized from day one that had insufficient evidence in the case to even win a manslaughter charge, which has a much lower legal threshold of proof.  By putting forth a charge of manslaughter and winning, people will think he got off too lightly. By losing, they will look incompetent and unwilling to charge him suitable. With murder, they can at least look like they are attempting to bring him to justice, even if they lack crucial evidence to do so. If they lose they can just shrug it off, say they tried their best and write it off as another great injustice.

Regardless of the outcome, the overwhelming lack of evidence remains. The prosecutors have a long, uphill battle ahead, without a doubt.

10 Ways To Save Money at the Pharmacy

So many generics, so little time.

Prescriptions can be expensive but the average consumer can cut their costs a bit with a little knowledge. Lets take a look at 10 money saving tips for the pharmacy that anyone can benefit from.

1)  Use this free card to save money on prescriptions!

A discount card is handy even if you have insurance because not all medications are covered. Things like vitamins and cough/cough products may not be covered by regular insurance. Although many of these cards tout huge savings of 50-90%, realistically it might be more along the lines of 20% or so depending on the exact card. Many are readily available online or you can simply ask at the pharmacy as they may have them as well. Obviously they are even more valuable if you have no insurance. One caveat that the card typically fails to mention is they cannot be used with regular prescription insurance.

2) Use branded medications as a last resort.

Your doctor may have failed to mention he prescribed you a brand only medication such as Nexium. You are shocked when you find out it is a $60 copay for 30 capsules. Don't fret because you have options. The pharmacy can likely call and get it switched to a similar generic. In this case omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole are all viable alternatives that will likely work the same at a fraction of the price. In many instances there will be similar generics even if the drug is branded. However, in some cases there really are no close drugs. It is always a good idea to try generics first and if you fail several generic medications to use a brand drug as last resort.

3) Ask for coupons.

The one upside of branded drugs is the manufacturers usually distribute coupons to doctors and pharmacies. So in some scenarios that $60 Nexium might turn out to be a deal. Let's say the pharmacy has a coupon for that drug where they pay the first $50 of your copay and you pay the rest. That would knock the Nexium from $60 to $10 a month. Just be careful and read the fine print of the coupon as lot of them aren't always a great deal, but depending on your insurance many of them can be.

4) See if 90 day supplies save money.

Many commercial insurance companies now give price breaks for 3 month supplies. For instance, a 1 month supply of a generic might be $10, whereas a 3 month supply might be $20. Most pharmacies can verify this for you.

5) Shop around.

Your medical insurance may have a preferred list of doctors to use. Your prescription coverage may have preferred pharmacies as well. For instance a $15 monthly copay at Rite Aid might be only $5 at Walgreens because your insurance considers it a preferred pharmacy.

6) Double check OTC recommendations with your pharmacist.

Doctors will recommend OTC medications from time to time for patients but they can sometimes be expensive. Mucinex for example can be pricey, usually a larger box will run you well over $20. You get the convenience of twice daily dosing but you sure do pay for it. A pharmacist, on the other hand, could recommend you something like generic Robitussin with the same active ingredients, that will help with cough/mucus. You may have to take it much more frequently but a $6 bottle can be much more cost effective for people on limited budgets who don't necessarily want to spend $20+ on a more expensive treatment.

7) Cut costs by cutting tablets.

Back when drugs popular drugs like Lipitor had no generic people loved the effectiveness of the drug but hated the price. So doctors started to write prescriptions for higher doses of Lipitor and using a half tablet daily. Typically the lower quantity of tablets meant for a lower copay. So if you were intended to get 20 mg of Lipitor daily a doctor could write a script for 40 mg take 1/2 tablet daily quantity of 15 for a 30 day supply. In one instance I remember a patient and doctor took that idea a bit farther (not to mention bordering on unethical and fraudulent) and the Dr. simply wrote him a script for Lipitor 80 mg Use As Directed quantity of 30 pills. Obviously he was half-ing the tablets, effectively getting a 60 day supply out of 30 pills, because he would get it refilled every other month.

8)  Outsmart flat fee generic copays.

A lot of older generics are very cheap and still widely used. Sometimes the actual cost of the drug might be less than your copay. In other words you may have a flat fee generic copay where regardless of the cost, your copay would be, say, $10. Lets say that you have a dental appointment and you are prescribed 1 single Ativan tablet to help you relax before the procedure. Your flat fee copay is $10 for that single tablet, when the cost is considerable lower. Remember the discount card I mentioned before? Use that instead of your regular insurance and beat that pesky flat fee.

9) Transfer Pharmacies.

A lot of retail pharmacies, from time to time, will offer a gift card for people who transfer their prescriptions from another pharmacy to theirs. So in theory you could like your existing pharmacy, but transfer a script to another establishment for a month just to get a $25 gift card, and then simply have it transferred back. Unfortunately this is not as common as it used to be, but occasionally pharmacies do still offer transfer incentives.

10) Just be healthy.

Remember, the best way to save money at a pharmacy is to not have to go to one at all. Diet and lifestyle are huge contributing factors, make healthy choices for yourself and avoid being on a dozen medications when you are 50 years old.

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38: Up Close and Personal Protection

A modern twist on an old classic.

I initially picked this gun up for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted an "all purpose" revolver for at home and on the go that is a suitable defense caliber. One that is small enough to conceal, but not necessarily something tiny. Also, I wanted something with a laser for no practical purpose whatsoever. Its just a cool bonus, and once I tire of it I still have a functional weapon. I didn't really want to simply add on a laser to an existing firearm, though that always remains a possibility but I just figured I could kill two birds with one stone with a factory laser equipped revolver. Not the most practical choice but hey, you only live once.

The Bodyguard .38 isn't really an ideal primary defense weapon, it has its pros and cons. But it does have enough merit to make a worthy addition to your collection, under the right circumstances. Ultimately, its going to be a love it or hate gun for most folks but for some it could definitely fit the bill.

If you are a die hard S&W purist, you will likely hate it for being configured in a decidedly non-S&W fashion. Its like driving an automatic for your whole life and then attempting to drive a stick. Shooting it will feel awkward and likely a turn off, but in fairness I think is more or less S&W's attempt to cater to the younger concealed carry market. Traditionalists will likely go back to their own tried and true models.

However, I was fairly new to revolvers so I didn't have to retrain myself or really adapt to a new shooting style. Obviously there is some guilt with not going with a more traditional choice for a first S&W revolver, but in the future I'd say there is a pretty good chance of adding another to the collection.

Shooting the BG proves to be bearable, but not something you will be spending hours at the range with. Its small, light, the kick is expected but it didn't come across as bad as I anticipated. This was with standard ammo, I would wager +P or the defensive stuff would be snappy to say the least.

Obviously given the nature of the gun, it doesn't excel at long range shots. Not to say a seasoned shooter couldn't effectively land some far shots, but in average hands you quickly realize its an up close and personal means of protection. Not something you are going to bring to a gun fight, but best described as a belly gun. Something that will immobilize an assailant that is too close for comfort or simply in tight quarters inside ones house. Not to say its by any means perfect for those applications but in many situations it will do its job.

The laser is essentially a novelty. Its not terribly accurate out of the box but is easily calibrated and once dialed in it was definitely allowing me to tighten up my groupings. However, the side mounting is decidedly awkward, as is turning it on and off. It still fun to mess with, but not ever something I'd use when the shit hits the fan.

Overall, its not a bad piece if you understand its application and its limitations. While its not my absolute favorite gun, I've developed a soft spot for it and still carry it occasionally. Sure, better guns exist but at its price point it serves its purpose pretty well.

George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin Case: Time Line of Events

The Crime Scene

Pictured here is the area of Twin Lakes where the shooting occurred. In the northwest corner is roughly where Zimmerman is said to have parked his Honda on Twin Trees Lane after he made his way westbound from the clubhouse, still on the phone with the non emergency dispatcher. He describes getting out of his vehicle here after Trayvon approached him and then ran off.  The red X denotes where police reported Trayvon's body was found. 

 In the reenactment, Zimmerman recalls Martin cutting between the houses as he ran off. He effectively lost sight of him for the rest of his call with the dispatcher. His exact path is unknown. We know Zimmerman had no visual on him, so its unclear if he may have gone straight down the path or simply cut the corner and ducked out of sight in the darkness, perhaps behind a fence by a house. George seems to describe him coming from the eastern side, rather than the western side where the body was found.

 Zimmerman admittedly went straight down the cut thru, in hopes of getting an address to relay to police or perhaps getting a glimpse of Martin making his way to the back gate, where he seemed to think he was running to. George seemingly has no idea where Trayvon is according to the last two minutes of his police call. He ends the call and shortly after begins walking westward back to his vehicle. 

 George ends his call at 7:13:40 pm. We know very little about what happens at this point, but its likely the confrontation didn't occur until two minutes or so later. Its unknown what exactly each person did for this few minutes but its clear neither went particularly far. However, if Martin ran at around 7:11 and they didn't cross paths until around 7:15 it remains to be seen why he ended up north by the T, when he seemed to be running south. Zimmerman claims he was on the cut thru the entire time but its unclear what he did in the 2 minutes or so after his police call. Did he simply linger around the Retreat View Circle side trying to get his flashlight to work? We simply don't know, but for both people a lot of time seemed to pass without a lot of movement.

Timeline of Events

6:29 pm - Martin leaves 711

Trayvon Martin left the 711 store at about 6:30 pm that night, and possibly arrived back at Twin Lakes around 7 pm. However, the walk back home under normal circumstances would have took less time than that so whether he simply took his time while talking on the phone, or perhaps went somewhere other than straight home, we'll likely never know.

6:54 pm - DeeDee calls Trayvon

"DeeDee", often described as Trayvon's girlfriend calls at this time, presumably as he is making his way back to Twin Lakes.  Later in her interviews with the state attorney, she mentions he initially sought refuge from the rain at an overhang by a "mail shed", presumably by the clubhouse. She goes on to say the phone then hung up, and upon making contact again Trayvon mentions a man is watching him and be begins walking.

7:09:34 pm - George Zimmerman begins his non emergency call

At this time Zimmerman connects with a non emergency police number to report Trayvon as a suspicious person who appears to be closely looking at some of the houses in the area. He later elaborates he first sees Martin cutting into the community from the northwest corner, in an area that is not gated between houses.

7:11:41 pm - Trayvon runs

Zimmerman, presumably parked on Twin Trees now, describes Martin as approaching his vehicle "to check him out" with "his hand in his waistband". Based on his demeanor, Trayvon does appear to be close and then runs off. Still on the phone with non emergency, Zimmerman exits his car under the impression Martin is headed for the back gate.

7:12 pm (approx.) - DeeDee reconnects with Trayvon

The previous phone call starting at 6:54 disconnects, and the two reconnect quickly again. DeeDee later says Trayvon briefly lost the man and tells him to run to his dad's house.

7:12:11 - "He ran"

George once again reiterates that Trayvon has run, and goes on to say he has no idea where he is. He is still on foot at this point, and later describes making his way on the cut thru onto Retreat View Circle.

7:13:40 pm - George hangs up

Zimmerman ends his non emergency call and he agrees to have police call him back and meet with him when they arrive.

7:15:30 pm (approx.) - Zimmerman and Martin cross paths

The first words are spoken around this time and the fight erupts quickly after. By Zimmerman's account, he is making his way back to his vehicle on the cut thru when Trayvon appears from the darkness and asks what he is problem is. George replies he has no problem to which Martin replies "You do now" and punches him in the face, knocking him down.

DeeDee is a bit more vague in her account. She doesn't really go into detail as to the context in which they met but seemingly once the two were close enough to each other Trayvon first asks "Why are you following me?" to which George says "What are you doing around here?"

7:16 pm (approx.) - DeeDee's call ends

DeeDee claims she hears details of the onset of the fight, including the two speaking to each other. She goes on to later say it sounds like Trayvon is pushed, there are sounds indicative of a scuffle and apparently she hears Trayvon say "Get off, get off" faintly. At that point the phone goes dead.

7:16:11 pm - First 911 call comes in

Witness 11 is the first to call 911, describing to the operator an apparent fight in progress. This is the call that goes on to capture both the screams and the gunshot.

7:16:41 pm - Second 911 call

Witness 3 is the next caller to report the events unfolding. Though, not as close to the fight as witness 11, the gunshot is still faintly heard on this call as well.

7:16:56 pm - Gunshot

A single shot is fired, prompting several more 911 calls.

7:17 pm (approx.) - First police officer arrives

Around this time the first responding officer, Timothy Smith arrives at Twin Lakes and proceeds to make his way to the crime scene. 

7:19 pm - Zimmerman's injuries captured on iPhone

Witness 13, another close resident, apparently makes contact with George before Officer Smith arrives. He speaks briefly to George and proceeds to take three pictures with his iPhone: a flashlight, Trayvon's body and the infamous photo of the bloodied back of Zimmerman's head.

7:19:30 pm (approx.) - Police make contact

At this point, Officer Smith makes contact with George, removes his weapon and begins to sort out what happened.

7:23 pm and onward -

EMTs arrive and attempt CPR on Martin. He is later pronounced dead at around 7:30 pm. George is subsequently taken into custody and transported to the police station. A crime scene is officially in effect and technicians arrive shortly after to process the evidence.

The Walking Dead Seasons 1 - 3 Revisited

So many classic moments from season one, such as the hospital scene.

Yet another season of Walking Dead has come to a close and while we have quite some time until season four, there is now ample time to look back upon the series while the anticipation builds for next chapter of the story.

With my Sunday nights suddenly feeling empty, I figured why not revisit all the past episodes and try to get a more fluid, concise feel for the story again and perhaps pick up on a few things I have missed along the way.

Without further ado, a quick break down and some thoughts from seasons passed.

Season 1

Any time I go back and watch S1 I am instantly reminded why this is my favorite season. The movie-like cinematography, the fluid pace, the abrupt transition from everyday life to dealing with hordes of the undead. Everything just flowed so seamlessly in this season, perhaps due the bigger budget, fewer episodes. Regardless, it came off a lot more like a mini-series than a TV show, nothing short of epic. The scene with Daryl discovering his brother has cut his own hand off to escape the handcuffs on the roof always gives me chills, and the accompanying music made it one of the most unforgettable TWD scenes ever.

With only a few minor flat spots in the story arch, this season should essentially serve as blueprint to future curators of the show.

Season 2

Initially, I hated the first half and loved the second half. Upon first view the pacing seem too slow, certain story arcs seemed to drag out, and the character drama to zombie killing ratio was severely disproportionate. However, future viewings have proved to be more forgiving. I still like how the plot moved quicker in part 2, but despite some shortcomings, and part 1 of this season did have some merit. Though, I still tend to think Sophia going MIA was stretched a bit far. Nonetheless, it still felt cohesive and necessary in the end.

Season 3

What I liked about this season was the fact they seemed more vested in creating a more fluid storyline. Things moved quicker and the attention to action was much more present. The interesting catalyst here seemed to be not only are the walkers dangerous, but people's desperation to survive at any cost is equally as dangerous. One of the areas it seemed to lack in was sheer "Oh, shit!" moments, just that spark that the tail end of season two had. Learning that we all turn when we die, Rick killing Shane, a massive horde of zombies approaching the barn. Not that season three didn't have its merit, just the major developments didn't seem quite as captivating but they are both really close in terms of enjoyment otherwise.

Of course, season three will likely get another watching in the near future and as always my thoughts are subject to change. Regardless, all the seasons have been great thus far and hopefully the next season will be on par with the others.

George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin Case: Timelines, Screams and Reasonable Doubt

Thus far, most people have reached their own verdict based on emotion alone.

On Sunday February 26, 2012 at roughly 7:09 pm, George Zimmerman places a call to a non emergency police line in which he reports Trayvon Martin as a suspicious person. Several minutes prior, he first observed Martin between some houses on the outskirts of gated community. It aroused his suspicions due to the fact it was raining and Martin appeared to be looking around the houses in the dark, aimlessly, in no hurry to get out of the rain. Zimmerman, now pulled over at the community's clubhouse continues to watch Trayvon.

In the course of the 4 minute and 7 second police call he describes Martin, his mannerisms and where he is headed. Zimmerman also maintains view in his car, driving more than 100 yards from the clubhouse on Retreat View Circle to Twin Trees Lane. He parks for a second time there while still on the phone with the police dispatcher. Suddenly, the focus of the call shifts from Zimmerman giving distracted directions where to find him - to the fact Martin just approached his vehicle and then inexplicably ran off out of sight.

At roughly 7:14 pm, Zimmerman is now on foot, yards away from his parked truck on a dog walk that serves as a cut through to the adjacent street, in the backyard area between the rows of adjoined houses. Around this time he ends his call, Martin has vanished and he now proceeds to walk westbound back to his truck, expecting to meet up with police shortly.

Exactly what happens in the next few minutes is unknown. A violent encounter occurs between the two people, 911 calls begin pouring in regarding the fight, one call capturing numerous screams from the scuffle and also the fatal gunshot, moments before police arrive on scene at 7:17 pm. The first responding officer finds a bloodied Zimmerman near an unresponsive Martin, laying face down with a single gunshot wound to the chest, a bit more than 50 yards from where he first starting running.

Over the past year, many new revelations have come to light. Some important, some irrelevant. However, what hasn't changed is the lack of insight as to what happened in the minutes after Zimmerman got off the phone with police. By all accounts, both had ample time to get to their implied destinations (Zimmerman, back to his truck; Martin back to his house or out of the immediate area) but neither of them did, and neither seemed to go very far despite fast movements on both sides. Interestingly, Martin's 'girlfriend' alluded to him being out of breath, but also that he was "not going to run". Zimmerman also seemed to engage in some sort of quick sprint, but appeared to stop when the dispatcher told him following the suspect wasn't necessary. The question is why neither party achieved any sort of distance on one another.

Seemingly, without any major evidence as to who started the altercation, the prosecution has focused again on its contention that the screams on the 911 call were in fact from Trayvon. They have also procured a few audio expects who side with them to back their claims up. However, this seems to be a shaky point. The FBI's analysis came up inconclusive as they felt the quality was too poor and there were too many other variables to reach any sort of conclusion. Other experts conceded the screams might be from both Martin and Zimmerman as well.

Mark O'Mara could theoretically bring in his his own "experts" as well and simply turn this into a duel of audiologists. However, that takes time and money, something the defense doesn't have so likely his route will be to try and have the judge rule to exclude this from court proceedings.

However, given the facts, one has to ask, for what reason would Martin be screaming? Clearly, Martin was on the better end of the fight. Zimmerman, not so much with the fractured, bloody, swollen nose and lacerations, bruises, scrapes etc. Aside from the single gunshot, Martin was virtually unscathed with just a minor cut on his knuckle. Couple that with the closest eyewitness adamant that he was on top of Zimmerman, is there really a plausible situation where he'd be screaming?

Sure, many people out there would like to think Zimmerman was prowling around with his gun drawn and racking the slide, but realistically with no evidence to support that, what scenario would fit Martin being the screamer? Besides, who in their right mind would, unarmed, attempt to attack someone with a gun? Even in a situation like that, how could Martin have such an upper hand in the fight and not manage to get his hands (or at least a fingerprint) on the weapon?

As stated before, the fight was relatively brief, Zimmerman clearly took a beating. I just don't see a possibility that, while doling out this beating, Martin decided to start screaming at the top of his lungs for 30 plus seconds. Or conversely, I can't imagine Zimmerman somehow gaining control and then perhaps waving his gun around for that long, causing Martin to scream, calling attention to fact that he is now out of harm's way and about to commit murder.

And let's not forget the fact that Trayvon's own father initially denied it was him screaming upon first hearing the recording. To me, that is way more damning than some random expert claiming he hears all sorts of weird utterances from Zimmerman and somehow matches the screams to Martin without any type of reasonable exemplar from him to base his "opinion" on.

With this case, people are favoring their emotions over any sort of legal basis here. We are forgetting we are missing the most vital pieces to the puzzle - any solid evidence as to who started the fight. All that we're left with is two sides of a story, one we'll never hear and one that presents a case of self defense that has yet to be conclusively disproved. That, my friends, is called reasonable doubt. 

The Manhunt for the Boston Bombers: Your Rights vs. The Safety of Others

Apparently, some people are more concerned with their personal rights being intact. The people pictured here were more concerned with having both their legs intact.

With any tragedy, you get an array of reactions. The Boston bombing was no different. In wake of what happened, many people decided to shift the focus from the death of several people and the grave injuries of hundreds of others to fit their own agenda here.

Namely with the chief complaint the Boston PD and others were violating people's rights left and right by going door to door in Watertown, MA. After all the 4th Amendment protects us from this, right? Or is that pesky Patriot Act totally destroying all of our rights, forcing us to have to open our doors when a potential terrorist might be hiding out on our property.

I suspect no one is Watertown, nor in any Boston suburb was concerned with their rights being violated that day. Their concern was bring the sole surviving suspect to justice. One of the two people who may have maimed or killed one of their friends, neighbors, or loved ones. Perhaps by putting their agendas aside for a brief moment allowing a quick peek of their backyard gave them a sense of safety, maybe even relief if they knew the house cleared before them by SWAT was a family member, or a friend. I mean, whats more important in a situation like this, your rights or knowing that your mother across the street has not had her legs blown off or been shot to death?

The fact is, we knew very little about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. We knew he was capable of making/detonating bombs with intent of harming a large number of people. We knew him and his brother were capable of killing a cop, and critically inuring another. They were capable of carjackings, police shootouts, throwing around improvised explosives at authorities.

There seemed to be no general consensus on his condition after the shootout that left his brother dead and him fleeing alone in the stolen SUV. Afterall, he did abandon it on foot and still elude police. So how passive and sensitive should we be when trying to apprehend people like this?

Are we that self righteous and paranoid to think authorities were doing this for anything less than to try and spare more deaths and bring the suspect to justice?

For the armchair patriots of the world, apparently our own personal rights selfishly take precedence over the innocent lives of others. Because of course, tyranny starts with illegal searches and the next thing you know they are going to take everyone's guns away.

In the meantime, I'd be interested to hear of any residents of the greater Boston area - namely ones that experienced any type of loss, whether they knew someone who was killed, or someone that will never walk again - who were genuinely upset at the fact door to door searches took place. Anyone? Didn't think so.

Sharp and Pointy Things: Smith & Wesson Border Guard Knives

The BG 2 shown with a serrated tanto blade.

Got a hankering for something beefier than your average pocket knife? On a budget? The Smith & Wesson Border Guard line might be for you. Let's take a look at how they shape up.

Make no mistakes, the BG is one hefty EDC blade. Fully opened it spans nearly 10 inches, with the blade being a little over 4 inches. It looks heavy, and it is. The weight of the knife is closing on nearly half a pound. It carries comfortably in most cases, but it depends on your attire. Jeans are no problem, but in say, a pair of lighter fabric shorts it can feel like you are toting a brick around in your pocket.

While its a good choice for not only your pocket, it's not a bad knife to have in the car either. With the integrated seat belt cutter, you have an extra edge just in case. It might not be my first choice for a seat belt but for more mundane tasks, like cutting wires or string, it works well. Another bonus is the glass breaker on the butt of the handle. I haven't yet tested it, but with the weight of the knife it looks pretty capable.

My first experience was S&W knives was with the popular Border Guard 2. I got mine from Amazon, and once it arrived it was love at first slice. I opted for the serrated tanto, though its available with or without serrations and in both tanto and drop point styles. Its a beast of a knife and not for every carry occasion, but for the price its tough to beat. Sharp out of the box and a lifetime warranty.

With my BG 2 I actually tried out the warranty once the locking mechanism on the blade started to fail. Perhaps I was too hard on it, maybe I got a lemon. Regardless, the lock was bad and eventually I broke down and decided to give it a shot.

S&W knives are made by Taylor Brands, who also make Schrade knives as well as a few others. Under their warranty they will basically replace anything that would be considered a defect. The catch is they request you ship it to their repair department in Tennessee and pay a $7 processing fee.

I first inquired about the process via email. A few days went by with no response so I ended up just calling them. They explained it to me over the phone, so without any further delay I shipped them the broken knife. A couple days later I checked my email again and Taylor Brands actually offered to waive the $7 processing fee for me, but by then it was probably almost at their facility. Nice gesture, regardless.

About 12 days later I called them back to check the status of the repair. The lady I spoke with was really nice, and informed me they would just replace my knife with a Border Guard 4. She went on to tell me it should be arriving in the mail "Today probably but no later than tomorrow". Like she said it was in my mailbox later that day.

The BG 4 shows a slight make over of the handle.

The Border Guard 4 retains the same basic design, but makes a few changes. Namely the handle is the biggest difference. Gone are the finger grooves of the BG2, in favor of a more subtle arch. There is a more pronounced divot where your fingers rest, making it much less likely for them to slip onto the edge of the blade. Conversely, the BG2 had a spot like that where your thumb sits, the newer one is just the opposite.

The gritty sandpaper like grip covers a bit less space on the BG4. While it doesn't take away from the overall grip that much, the aluminum handle can be a bit slick in spots. For pocket carry this might be a good thing, though. The grip is so gritty many have commented that it started wearing down on the inside of their jeans. Either way, I preferred the grip of the BG2, but the newer model is no slouch either.

The glass breaker and the seat belt cutter are largely the same. I did notice they are both angled a bit differently but I noticed they were no better or no worse to be honest.

The blade of the knife is a bit smaller on the BG4, from about 4.4 inches to 4 inches overall. The 4 came noticeably sharper though, and the tanto tip almost seemed pointier than I remember. Overall, the newer model was a worthy replacement.

The good: Affordable, good warranty. Decently sharp.

The bad: Might be too hefty for some, at least for everyday carry.

The ugly: 1 knife failed, 1 knife works. Not sure if its a fluke or poor quality control.

All things considered, its a great blade for around $20. They stand by their warranty, and its affordable enough to have a few on hand. Give them a shot.

Forgotten Albums of the 2000s: King James Version by Harvey Danger

They still want to publish zines and Rage Against Machines...just with some different instrumentals this time.

Harvey Danger pretty much were destined to be one hit wonders. Flagpole Sitta was just such a catchy, infectious song and one that was nearly impossible to follow. Not that the rest of the album was bad, but nothing else on it was in the same vein as that track. Their next single/video was forgettable, and thus began their fade into 90s alt-rock obscurity.

King James Version was a redemption of sorts. The problem was, no one paid attention long enough to hear it. While the first album was more a dabble in light grunge, the sophomore release was much more mature, concise and overall felt like more of a finished product. A lot of the tracks on the first record felt rushed, incomplete, written just as filler.

With King James, the music grows up. The lyrics are clever. Admittedly, its a lot less rock but the sound is basically what Harvey Danger adapted for the rest of their short career.

Unfortunately the album had a lot of set backs. It sat in limbo during record label mergers. The band lost their momentum with a lukewarm second single from the last album. The world wanted another Flagpole Sitta, and Harvey Danger wasn't interested. They matured and expanded their sound and continued to make catchy songs, just in a different package.

WTF Arm and Hammer?!

For all I know, these came out of Satan's asshole.

I like Tide laundry detergent. It smells nice and never fails to get my clothes clean. The downside is that its the most expensive stuff out there. Hoping to find a reasonably priced alternative to Tide, I ended up buying these packs from Arm and Hammer. I've used A&H products before, but never these little packs that apparently (judging by the packaging) turn your dirty clothes into a fresh scented tidal wave of bling.

By the first wash I should have known this product was shit, and tossed it in the trash. I threw a pack in and started a load, however the thing just didn't want to dissolve. 10 minutes go by...no suds. 20 minutes go by....still no suds. Finally about 45 minutes into an hour long cycle I finally start seeing some soap in my front loader. By this time though, it was done with all the wash cycles and starting the final spin. The detergent seemed to have fully rinsed at the end, but the clothes still smelled dingy, just with a light scent to it. Like if someone unleashed a horrible fart and sprayed a miniscule amount of air freshener. You still have that lingering aroma of ass, but just with a touch of potpourri with it.

I went on to do a few more washes with the same results. I finished up my work clothes, casual clothes, towels and called it quits, unimpressed and quite annoyed at myself for not getting the Tide Pods. Actually, anything would have outperformed the Arm and Hammer. Like taking a wash board outside in the rain with a bar of Irish Spring would have probably yielded better results.

The worst part was still to come, though.

On the first day of wearing these "freshly" laundered clothes, I noticed a slight itch on my face at work. Much to my annoyance, it persisted for the latter half of the day.

Day two. Slightly flushed face, a bit of redness on my forehead. Itching has spread down to my chin and neck. Looks like I broke out in hives, or had slight windburn from skiing. Definitely anticipating a doctor visit at this point.

Day three. Entire face is red, warm, itchy. Slight bumps on various parts of my face. Rash has spread to small patches on both my biceps and forearms. They itch like hell, too.

The first clinic I went to, didn't even want to mess with it. The nurse practitioner insisted I was going to need a steroid shot in the ass or my eyes were going to swell shut. Instead of just giving me around of oral steroids, she was nice enough to take my vitals and refer me to an urgent care about 40 minutes away. I concluded these mini-clinics do virtually nothing, and unless I get a really bad paper cut I doubt I'm going to make another trip.

Once I finally saw a real doctor, he diagnosed it as contact dermatitis, likely from thoroughly patting my face, arms off with a towel washed in the worthless Crystal packs. I was in a hurry for work the first day, so I quickly patted off and just wrapped myself up in the towel to dry off as I got ready. Food, poison ivy were all ruled out. There is really nothing else it could have been besides the Arm and Hammer.

My upper arm actually got the least of it but, I won't post a picture of my face in case you are eating.

Needless to say, I will be using Tide exclusively for the rest of my life. Even the cheapest detergent commercially available to the public did not do anything like this to my skin. Tide might be expensive, but when you factor in the costs of doctor visits and prescriptions I'll be avoiding, the cost per load isn't so bad.

Do yourself a favor and stay away from these little nuggets of misery.