Innholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2021 i SkillSet

Before you get into this amazing issue of Skillset, let’s take a second to reflect a bit. Exactly one year ago, our country was upside down. Riots filled the streets of most major cities, and a lot of the population was afraid to talk to their neighbors for fear of risking their health. The gloom and doom ran strong on all news outlets, and if you asked a normal citizen, I bet many thought the end was near. Now that the tear gas has cleared and the masks have officially come off, it seems like we might have overreacted a bit. Do I blame society? Of course not. We have been trained to believe our trusted nightly news anchors, and when they say the sky is falling, you had better…

There is no doubt that Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins was a bad, bad man. This South Carolina serial killer claimed to have killed more than 110 people, many of whom were children. But were there warning signals, or did this redneck Charles Manson blend into society like so many killers of the past? Considering that most of his hitchhiking prey were picked up in a purple hearse with a skeleton hanging from the rearview mirror and a bumper sticker that read, “We haul anything, living or dead,” let’s just say that situational awareness wasn’t a big thing back in the 1970s.…

1. INFANTRY SLED: When advancing with armored vehicles in battle, it makes sense for troops to stay low and to follow the armor. So, in World War II, the British military created a giant infantry sled that was towed by tanks. The soldiers literally lay on their backs in individual, man-sized sled compartments and were towed by the tank in front of them. Apparently, the British army actually used this tactic in Italy. 2. PIGEON-GUIDED MISSILES: During World War II, prototypes were created for what was essentially a glider loaded with explosives and piloted by actual pigeons. The nosecone contained birds, which were to be trained to recognize the target and to peck in specific directions to hold it in the center of the screen. There is little information on…

THE MINDSET OF THE GRAY MAN “Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back from bumps in the road as well as failures, you should focus on emphasizing the positive.”— Jean Chatzky The “gray man” creates, nourishes and maintains a polytropic (able to take many courses of action, adaptable) personality. This personality responds to external stimuli as necessary in the pursuit of a single goal: moving undetected. Likewise, the gray man survives worst-case scenarios by trusting his mindset, attitude and skills. Far from being an enigmatic concept that is beyond the reach of most, becoming a gray man actually has a lot to do with personal improvement. The following 32 gray man skills can help you to blend into and move through…

1 SUICIDAL TENDENCIES AUTOGRAPHED SKATEBOARD DECK “All I wanted was a Pepsi!” If you remember that ’80s war cry, then you will appreciate this limited-edition, Dogtown Skates Suicidal reissue deck! Back in 1983, pro skateboarder Lance Mountain drew this graphic outside a Suicidal Tendencies show, and it was immediately adopted by the band. Signed by lead singer Mike Muir and Lance himself, this deck is ultra-rare because there are only 130 in existence, and this happens to be the artist’s proof! (Notice the “A.P.” on the bottom.) We would literally be “Institutionalized” if we sold it, but if you are curious, this probably hovers around the $500-$750 price point. 2 BLACKSIDE CUSTOMS SILICA BRONZE YO-YO Blackside Customs has combined the old-school, retro lines of your favorite childhood toy and matched…

The young members of the Werewolves were not the only youth that captured Hitler’s interest. He also created the Hitler Youth, which enlisted boys between the ages of 10 and 18 to join his movement and to become the future of the Third Reich. By 1935, nearly 60% of German boys had joined the group. In 1936, it was expected that all German Aryan boys should become members, and by 1939, that number had jumped to a staggering 82% of all male German youth. After these boys joined, they couldn’t unjoin easily. It essentially became an inescapable organization, and those members who failed to comply with its demands were threatened with criminal prosecution or worse. These threats were directed toward the parents and families of the reluctant children as well.…

Few things are as recognizable worldwide as the profile of the AK-47. Despite being relatively sloppy and inaccurate, the AK has been used in more conflicts and has killed more people than any other weapon design on earth since its creation in 1947. Gangsters, child soldiers, legitimate militaries, mass shooters, recreational shooters and everyone in between have used this weapon system—often to devastating effect. The AK and its variants are now produced on every continent except Antarctica, and you would be hard pressed to find an armed conflict within the last 50 years where at least one side hasn’t been toting AK-47s. Given that many assault rifles with superior performance have been made since the advent of the AK, we are left to wonder how it is possible that this…

With over 300 million people living in the United States, there are bound to be some freak occurrences, but these weird causes of death are a lot more common than you probably imagined. Everyone knows the two things that come for us all; hopefully, these people had better luck avoiding taxes. 1. FALLING OUT OF BED: Falling out of bed kills about 450 people a year, usually from head or neck injuries. (Maybe we should start making adult-sized cribs? Anyone want to go into business with me?) 2. LAWN MOWER FATALITIES: Lawn mowers kill about 90 people a year. We’re not sure exactly how this goes down, but you can imagine it is probably pretty grizzly. Think about this the next time you want to pass out drunk on the…

What happens when you are an hour into that flight to Hawaii and the guy next to you croaks? Do you turn the plane around? Hell, no! I said we are going to Hawaii! Anyway, Singapore Airlines has come up with a way of stowing a cadaver so that you can get back to enjoying that free in-flight movie. This mega-airline has introduced a “corpse cupboard” to stash that stiff, so your flight doesn’t end up looking like Weekend at Bernie’s IV . (Believe it or not, there actually have been three of these movies made so far.)…

Does the post-COVID job hunt have you down and out? Well, look no farther than your trash can. A Swedish man named Curt Degerman decided that he didn’t want a traditional 9-to-5 job, so he spent his life collecting and recycling cans throughout his city. Then, at night, he spent hours studying at the library and eventually became an expert on the stock market. At the time of his death, Degerman was worth well over $1 million. Another sweet victory for capitalism!…

Every great movie starts with a great villain. Every Sherlock Holmes has a Professor Moriarty, every Luke Skywalker has a Darth Vader, and every group of teenagers hanging out at a lake in the 1980s has a supernatural juggernaut in a hockey mask out to kill every one of them. But, with a few exceptions, the villain can’t just be “chaotically evil.” The best antagonists think that their evil schemes are justified, that their worldviews are right, and that, most importantly, they are the good guys. The Soviet Union was none of these things, but it sure wanted the world to think it was. For a long time, much of the world lived in fear of the menace of the USSR. Fortunately for the silver screen, it was long enough…

The Scout motto “Be prepared” certainly applies to preppers and survivalists. From jugs of water and canned food to “bug-out bags” loaded with necessities, a good survivalist is ready for a few days without power or even a zombie apocalypse. And without a doubt, Hollywood has depicted countless fictional natural and manmade disasters and dystopian futures in films like Earthquake, Blade Runnerand Escape from New York, but truth is stranger than fiction—and often just as destructive. A quick survey of top real-world catastrophes may trump anything a screenwriter could dream up. Here’s a look at six actual disasters and dystopias that may have you searching for that survival kit. 1. NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE On April 26, 1986, Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine,…

The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes once said, “You see, but you do not observe.” And you know what? He was absolutely correct regarding most people, and this can cause myriad problems for those uninformed about the skill of reading a person’s body language. There are numerous silent clues that a person can relay without uttering a single word, and deciphering these can be advantageous in numerous scenarios. From avoiding a sucker punch to successfully negotiating a business deal to understanding if your new love interest is actually “into” you, the benefits of body language interpretation are almost endless. However, like most anything else in life, reading a person’s body language takes time, practice and a well-honed mind. Nevertheless, with the tips of observation below, you can start your journey toward…

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR/DETECTIVE These professionals question suspects and witnesses to crimes to determine if they are telling the truth, lying, confused or merely unreliable. Additionally, they often have to judge the body language of suspects to assess if they are ready to become violent. SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER Children and young adults with special needs may not always be able to say directly what they want, think or feel, but special educators are trained to read these students’ nonverbal cues and body language. This allows these teachers to help those who can’t communicate clearly to learn and to have better lives. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR Similar to a special education teacher, these professionals use cues from their clients’ body language to assist them in managing or resolving the psychological issues they face. INTERPRETER…

The American West of the 19th century became world famous for its lawless, rugged nature. Although civilization and infrastructure were on their way, these did not come all at once, and people were left largely to fend for themselves. Most Americans lived on just a few dollars a day in the Old West, and given the violent nature of things, proficiency with a gun was useful enough to earn you a good living. Gunslingers were either outlaws or lawmen, and surprisingly, often both or somewhere in between. Whether you view these legendary gunslingers as heroes or just plain killers, they occupy a unique place in American history. While there were many, many more, this list takes a look at three of the most prolific, best known and deadliest gunslingers in…

Hitler and the Nazi Party looked to the occult, the supernatural and the mystical when it came to their philosophy of war or making their next strategic move. However, there are some theories about this subject that border on the absurd. Here are a few of the most outrageous. A Possessed Hitler: Some believed that Hitler was possessed by a demon. This was thought to be true based on a passage Hitler himself underlined in a copy of a book titled Magic: History, Theory and Practice. It read, “He who does not carry demonic seeds within him will never give birth to a new world.” Mind-Controlling Führer: The theory that Hitler had the power of mind control came about from his inspiring speeches to large crowds of followers in Germany…

Every law enforcement officer knows that some days are nice and easy and others are a complete train wreck. Officer Alan Horujko of the Ohio State University Police, unfortunately, encountered one of the worst days on duty imaginable nearly five years ago. Sometimes bad things happen with very little advance warning, and hopefully in those moments, officers’ training will allow them to achieve the best possible outcomes. Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing Officer Horujko’s presentation on what he experienced. At the presentation, Horujko was awarded for his actions and bravery during the Nov. 28, 2016, attack at Ohio State University. Horujko explained that on that particular day of the week he normally works the evening shift, but he agreed to work a day shift for one of his…

Before you work on your body language interpretation skills, you need to learn how to make great observations, and these tips can set you on the right path. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS No matter what your brain or your heart may tell you, don’t trust them. They can be misleading. However, you can trust your instincts. Human instincts about judging the trustworthiness and intentions of others have adapted over countless generations to notice things that “don’t feel right.” Trust your instincts; they won’t steer you wrong. ASK INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS If you ask the right questions, many things become clearer, and you can then make wiser judgments. Direct, simple questions with definitive answers always help you to reach better end results more quickly. DITCH ALL DISTRACTIONS You can’t concentrate if you are…

We have all at one time or another wondered if we could get away with something immoral, illegal or otherwise dishonest. However, there are typically multiple aspects to making it out of such situations scot-free. In addition, people are often tempted to do wrong in situations that catch them by surprise. And when they do give in to that temptation to engage in misconduct, it is not uncommonly without the greatest amount of forethought. So, rather than planning the greatest heist of all time and getting away with it completely, all too often shit goes sideways, and then the covering of one’s tracks becomes a necessity. First, let it be known that we here at Skillset value the truth above all, but we also realize just how complicated life gets…

Master Sgt. Davey Lind is no stranger to the above definition. This Reconnaissance Marine has endured some of the toughest training the military has to offer and has lived up to the lesser-known, internal motto of the Recon community: “Suffer in silence.” Everyone hears about the pain and agony a Recondo goes through, but these men are silent professionals, and mission always comes before self. But what happens to these warriors when the battles are over? Some scars never heal, and in the case of Lind, war can permanently change a man. The most desirable trait of a special operations Marine is his ability to rise above the doubt that suffocates most people’s minds to find instead another way to win. This is exactly what Lind has done. Realizing that…