Nah. Not that hard, really. And so what if you do look like one? Staying aware of your surroundings and potential threats is hardly paranoia.

So what if he was? And he is not the founder, as far as I know. That distinction should probably be given to John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern, though Nash was surely a major contributor to it.

I like this: "Situation awareness is the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future." – Micah Endsley

One situation where I almost always see people with their heads in the clouds – yet one where they should be especially alert – is at an ATM. If there was ever fertile ground for a "situation" to develop ... they're either talking on the cell phone, or absent-mindedly digging through their wallet/purse for their ATM card, or doing both. Certainly not mindful of who else is around, either in plain sight or lurking around the corner.

A recipe for trouble.

Dan

Big Al, you da man!

I admit, I've only visited this site a few times. From what I've read so far, you folks are of a different cut of cloth than what I'm use to. Other than Big Al's post, most of what I have read seems to come from fantasy land. (Sorry...I really do not mean any disrespect)
Have you any idea how long it takes even a young, well conditioned, person to become effecient in "fighting" of any style? Years!
Remember this, the first rule of gunfighting is to BRING A GUN! All the Bruce Lee postering in the world won't stop some tuberculated druggie from capping your butt. Same with a blade. Carrying one and knowing how to USE one are two different things.
I certainly agree with many of you regarding situational awareness and avoidance. Good advice there.

People shouldn't forget it takes a time to become a good shooter too. If you're inexperienced, visit the range. If you are planning on carrying a knife, train knife fighting. If you want to defend yourself unarmed, train martial arts...et al.

Having a gun does you no good if you can't hit a worthwhile target.

This applies to everything of course, even things as 'mundane' as driving or starting a camp fire.

even if you couldn't shoot the wall of a barn from the inside, if the guy in front of you has a knife, tazer, stun gun, etc. and you pull out a 9mm, which one of you do you think is gonna back down first?

"...which one of you do you think is gonna back down first?..."


That might depend on the range, plus the training or guts of the BG. If up close, if you don't pull and shoot immediately, the BG might just do what is necessary to take your 9 away from you. And you can guess what happens next...

Agree. Don't ever think that the simple threat of a gun will stop someone. If you pull a gun, you better be ready, willing and able to use. Instantly.

Which martial art do you think is best for defending oneself? I've always wanted to try aikido.

I would suggest that you consider one of the lesser known, but more effective disciplines, Krav Maga. It was developed by the Israelis, having been started in the ghettos of Europe before and during World War II. It is a take no quarter discipline, devoted to "neutralizing" the opponent. Check out the summary at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga.

Bruce Lee had a classic line in one of his movies: "the art of fighting without fighting" where he got the BG onto a small boat and just let out line.

But whatever you use, gun, knife, hand to hand, if you are going to start, you best be ready to finish.

Many years ago, there was a security guard in Waikiki who carried concealed. I do not think he was licensed to do so. When a bunch of young punks came by, he whipped it out. He was not prepared to use it. The took it away from him and beat the bejezuz out of him.

Sometimes having something can give you a false sense of security. I think he should have just called the police. I coined a phrase a number of years ago goes like this: "ego gets in the way of common sense." Sometimes having a weapon or training in the more aggressive martial arts can inflate the ego, thus reducing common sense.