Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2019 i SkillSet

We all know that knowledge is power, and that knowledge is what allows us to get things done. As we approach the end of 2019, I am feeling the need to step back to see what has been accomplished. I have to say that I am incredibly proud of every issue of Skillset we have put out this year—our crew has worked overtime to bring you the best of the Alpha Lifestyle. However, as I look in the mirror, I wonder if I have actually done enough to improve myself. Does your editorial director practice what he preaches? Therefore, to really put my money where my mouth is, I have challenged our assistant editor, Ben Tirpak, and myself to learn four new skillsets before 2020 ends. These will not be…

Let’s be honest—all of us have the one co-worker, ex or friend who can’t freaking adult and we are amazed that they have made it this far in life. True, none of us really have our shit together, but you should probably try not to “Uncle Eddie” your way through life after the age of 30. Here are my top eight adult fails: 1. Using GoFundMe to pay for a boob job, luxury vacation or child support. This is a great site to raise money for a real crisis in life, such as covering medical bills, funeral expenses, loss of property in a fire, etc. It is not to be used so that a random classmate from high school who was unlucky enough to accept your Facebook friend request can…

You hear the train coming down the tracks. Desperately, you look around to see if anyone is watching before breaking out of the tree line. The coast is clear, but the train is starting to pick up speed, so it’s now or never. Luckily, one of the boxcar doors is open and you’re able to hop in before the train reaches its max stride. About an hour later, at the next stop, you are woken by one of the train conductors looking for stowaways trying to get that free ride. After a bit of negotiation, you are able to barter with the man. You offer him a nickel for a free train ride—but not just any nickel—it is a nickel that you have carved into a work of art. He…

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, or so says Neil Sedaka, but what does he know? That 80-year-old has been married to the same woman since 1962. Paul Simon offers an instructional “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which suggests only one and that’s to “slip out the back, Jack.” But Sedaka and Simon won’t be there to help you when your girlfriend informs you that if you want to hang out with your friends, she’s going to have to snip off your peas and carrot and feed them to her purse poodle. Um, if the person who is supposed to love you is threatening unreasonable bodily harm, then you may have let this relationship slip into a version of Stockholm Syndrome without even knowing it. So, how did you…

“...SUDDENLY, SAND BLASTED THROUGH EVERY CREVICE OF THE HELO, AND THE CREW BEGAN TO RUN TO THE COCKPIT.” TIMOTHY M. GIBSON AND I GREW UP IN A SMALL SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN CALLED MERRIMACK. TIM HAD AN AMAZING FAMILY THAT WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE, AND HE WAS NO DIFFERENT. WHEN HE CAME AROUND, THE ROOM LIT UP, AND PEOPLE GRAVITATED TOWARD HIM FOR MULTIPLE REASONS. HE WAS FUNNY, SMART, GREAT TO TALK TO, AND IT DIDN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR SOCIAL STATUS WAS. MERRIMACK IS A VERY CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY, AND WHEN WE PLAYED SPORTS TOGETHER, OUR PARENTS USUALLY COACHED THE TEAMS OR RAN THE CONCESSION STAND. WE ALL ATE DINNER AT EACH OTHER’S HOMES, AND WE ALWAYS FELT OUR COMMUNITY WAS ONE BIG FAMILY. AS TIME WENT ON, WE EVENTUALLY…

We heard them before saw them, the sound of popping popcorn hitting the side of a kettle. When we did see them, they looked like laser beams zipping past us from the Earth below. Our pilot turned the UH-1D heavily to the right in order to evade the tracers FMLN guerrillas had sent our way into the late afternoon sky. Earlier in the day, members of the Salvadoran Air Force’s elite PRAL, or Patrulla de Reconocimiento de Alcance Largo (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol), commanded by Captain Gustavo Adolfo Perdomo, had been dropped in by chopper. Other commandos came by truck convoy with the prisoner, who had bargained for his life weeks earlier with a supposedly hidden cache of weapons and ammunition. Well known throughout the local CIA and U.S. Army…

If Monopoly wasn’t a staple of your childhood, you probably grew up in communist Russia, where owning a game fit for capitalist pigs would earn you a one-way musk ox ride to the Gulag. Staying up all night as a kid, bleary-eyed and high on Jolt Cola, Suzy-Q’s and sleeves of Pringles made for great memories around the Monopoly board. However, now you are an adult. You’ve got a real job because you have to pay real taxes and real rent. And like real life, Monopoly seems to drone on forever, but it is not supposed to be a monotonous slog. It was designed to last less than two hours, and although there are no hard-and-fast rules for success, there are principles and concepts that will increase your chances of…

There is nothing better than day drinking at your favorite public event. Whether it’s a big-league ball game or that gay pride parade you “accidentally” stumbled upon, adding a little booze to the mix usually makes a good time even better. The problem most of us encounter is the damn commercial markup. That’s right, our forefathers who fought to end prohibition would be rolling over in their graves if they knew we were paying $18 for a can of Michelob Ultra. So, we have found five foolproof hidden flasks that will not only save you money, but will win you friends as well. I mean, who doesn’t like a person with free liquor? 1 THE GLASK: THE ORIGINAL GLOVE FLASK ($35.99) This little gem is a must-have for any hardball…

They go by many names—gokudō, bōryokudan, ninkyō dantai and even the simple identification of gangster, but the most well-known name for this infamous Japan-based, organized crime syndicate is the Yakuza. Notorious for a strict code of conduct, the Yakuza are often stereotypically identified as being heavily tattooed and engaging in ritual. This is true for some groups and individual members, although these practices may be set aside by others. However, what is without question is their complex organizational structure and diverse operations, including illegal gambling, pornography, smuggling, racketeering and their cold and brutal acts of violence upon those who do not cooperate with them. What often muddles their reputation for criminal activities is their operation of legal businesses throughout Japan and the world. The media have reported the Yakuza assisting…

Surveys reveal that well over a third of Americans believe in the existence of ghosts—not just the afterlife or spiritual teachings—but actual ghosts, like the ones in movies such as Poltergeist or TV shows like Ghost Hunters. Whether you are a skeptic or a true believer, here are a few ideas to increase your paranormal prowess, take your ghost hunting hobby to the next level or just have some phantasmagorical fun with your friends! Spirit Box PSB11 The Spirit Box PSB11 has been featured on numerous paranormal TV shows being used to facilitate truly remarkable EVPs for some of the world’s top ghost hunting and paranormal investigative teams. The white noise and fast scanning of the Spirit Box’s radio frequencies is believed to provide the energy and transmission that spirits…

AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATOR RANSOM OLDS FIRST BROUGHT HIS ONE-CYLINDER PIRATE TO ORMOND BEACH, 20 MILES NORTH OF DAYTONA, FLORIDA, IN APRIL 1902. HE WAS THERE TO TEST HIS CREATION FOR DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE. CATCHING WORD OF OLDS’ ENDEAVORS, AUTOMOTIVE VISIONARY ALEXANDER WINTON SHOWED UP WITH HIS BULLET AND RACED IT ALONG THE SAME STRETCH OF BEACH. IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, ALL MANNER OF MEN AND THEIR VEHICLES CAME TO FLORIDA TO TRY THEIR HANDS AT BREAKING SPEED RECORDS. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF SPEED WEEK. ALTHOUGH THESE FORERUNNERS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE RACING INDUSTRY HADN’T YET HEARD THE NAME BILL FRANCE OR OF DRIVING LEGENDS RICHARD PETTY, BOBBY ALLISON OR CALE YARBOROUGH, THEIR EFFORTS PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION FOR A NEW KIND OF RACING. THEY WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR THE MEN…

If you are reading this magazine, I assume that you are a responsible, law-abiding citizen, a patriot and a survivalist. You pay your taxes and do right by your family, like you’re supposed to do. You might also fall into the category of people who don’t plan on going to jail, ever. Not even to visit someone. Keep in mind, however, that those unpaid parking tickets can turn into a suspended license and a warrant before you know it, or you may choose to drive home one night after having one too many drinks with the crew. Even things that seem trivial at the time can land you in jail, and when that happens, what you do from the moment of your arrest onward will have some impact on your…

If there is one thing dictators and despots are enduringly adept at, it’s the art of inflicting painful, humiliating deaths on their subjects. Their list of sadistic execution methods is longer than a Cheesecake Factory menu. Water, fire, rats, pointy sticks or ferocious wild animals—the morbid ingenuity of rogue-state executioners is horrifying and spans centuries. Roman emperor Nero (A.D. 54 to 68) popularized the Roman candle. The condemned were tied to stakes, covered in flammable pitch and set ablaze, beginning at the feet. Apparently, victims were used as outdoor lighting at Nero’s palaces. More recently, in Chile, General Pinochet (1973-1990) would reportedly insert live rats—or spiders—into the recalcitrant body via the rectum or vagina. Victims would be torn apart or bitten from the inside. Plying his ghastly trade in Uganda…

This peppery, spicy beef jerky is sure to excite your taste buds and have you and your friends itching for more. Be careful, though, since once such an amazing-tasting jerky is made, you will find yourself hounded by your friends and family for more and more. If you aren’t ready for that kind of attention and badgering to make more, don’t share any and keep it all for yourself! You have been forewarned … The garlic and kick from the freshly cracked black pepper really make this recipe a powerhouse of flavor. Start with a beef eye of round sliced a quarter-inch thick with the grain of the meat for a chewy jerky, or slice it against the grain for a more tender bite. Mix the marinade in a Ziploc…

We all love to bitch and moan about how the TSA handles passenger security. It seems as if you can’t turn on the TV without seeing another lawsuit filed for screener mistreatment of passengers. But have you every wondered why they have to be so anal while they’re working their checkpoints? (Pun probably intended, but wouldn’t you have a chip on your shoulder too after your eighth cavity search of the red-eye shift?) Well, to quote a now-defunct mid-90s metal band (X-Cops), “It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.” So, let’s give the men and women who work to keep the skies of our great country safe their due by listing the top-10 craziest items ever confiscated by the TSA. 10. An inert tank round 9. Freddy…

In the times before your great, great, great grandparents were conceived, there were mighty orange robed fighters. These bald masters lived as warrior monks and resided in caves, trees and little wooden temples. In between extreme physical conditioning sessions of kicking each other in the balls and shoving sharp spears into each other’s throats, these martial masters spent their time studying animal and insect fights. They observed for endless hours as the animal kingdom taught them the most ruthless and savage ways of killing for survival. Yes, sometimes the animals were just assholes that killed each other because they could, but as the readers of Skillset will agree, the bloodshed was fun and well worth the learning experience. After studying creature after creature and vicious fight after vicious fight, the…

Test your knowledge of self-defense law with this quiz! In the following three scenarios, place yourself in the shoes of someone who was brought to trial for an actual shooting they claimed was in self-defense. Use your knowledge of the law and the information provided to decide whether or not the shooting in each situation was justified before checking the answer key to see how the actual shooter fared in court. (Please note that laws pertaining to self-defense vary from state to state and that this article is for entertainment purposes only and nothing in it should be construed as legal advice.) WHAT CONSTITUTES “SELF-DEFENSE”? While the legal issues surrounding defending oneself with a gun can be complex, Findlaw.com notes that citizens are generally within their rights to protect themselves…

BRIAN MARVIN served in the United States Army for 20 years with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan while attached to the 160th SOAR(A). In his off-time, Brian coached high school wrestling and decided it was time to get himself back into competition. Jiu-jitsu and submission grappling was the natural next step for a wrestler. After years of training and honing his skillset, Brian became a Brazilian jui-jitsu coach for the 5th SFG(A). He received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. in 2011, retired from the Army in 2015 and opened Renzo Gracie Jui-Jitsu in Houston, Texas. His accomplishments while serving his country are honorable, but his support of fellow veterans with the We Defy Foundation make him a man you should know. SS: Tell us about competition and…

“BULLY: A BLUSTERING, BROWBEATING PERSON; ESPECIALLY ONE WHO IS HABITUALLY CRUEL, INSULTING OR THREATENING TO OTHERS WHO ARE WEAKER, SMALLER OR IN SOME WAY VULNERABLE.” That is how Merriam-Webster describes the kind of person that almost everyone is exposed to at some point in life (and, as well, the type of person bullies prey upon). Bullies, it seems, may be appear in any of the categories we often use to define people in society: gender, generation, socioeconomic classification, race, etc. In fact, bullies exist within all of these categories. So, if bullies, in some form or another, have always been around and exist throughout all stages of life, why is the information about bullies and those they bully riddled with so much bullshit? A Google search of “How to deal…