I don’t frequently post online about fighting and techniques, but I feel I should correct an article about Italian rapier making the rounds. While well intentioned, it provides poor advice regarding parries. Specifically, it shows parries performed by keeping the point on target and moving the arm to the inside or outside, a standard practice in ( Read more... )

I, Herr Lucas vom Schnecke, Leftenant of the worthy and honorable Company of St. Jude, in anticipatory celebration of the 31st anniversary of my knighting and the 60th anniversary of my birth, do issue the following challenge.

I would face at least 60 opponents in unarmored combat over the next several months. As I do not wish to hamper or limit ( Read more... )

I was recently involved with a discussion on FB about applying historical fighting techniques to SCA combat, in particular Cut and Thrust combat. I will bypass all the obvious rationales concerning historical re-enactment, the SCA mission statement, and so on, and will only discuss the pragmatic reasons for following the teachings of historical ( Read more... )

I have been saying this for ages.....

Tax the Super Rich now or face a revolution
Commentary: A ‘Super-Rich Delusion’ is leading us to ruin

By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) - Yes, tax the Super Rich. Tax them now. Before the other 99% rise up, trigger a new American Revolution, a meltdown and the Great Depression 2 ( Read more... )

Sometimes you have to make it simple to illustrate a point. I stole this article from the Rude Pundit.

A True Tale of the Corruption of Campaign Finance Laws:
Sometimes, you have to use a small story, a parable, if you will, in order to explain the big picture. The corrupt state of our contemporary politics is such an enormous, overwhelming issue. ( Read more... )