My blog and it's Facebook page hit 2 milestones

It truly humbles me that this blog and its Facebook Page hit 2 milestones. My deepest gratitude to you, the readers of this blog and to the Facebook users!! THANK YOU!!! Here are 2 links that gives you a flavor of this blog ... the "Stickgrappler Experience" if you will: Popular/Favorite Posts Projects I've slowed down to a snail's crawl in 2015 and 2016 and my deepest apologies on that. 2017 is picking up steam again though!...

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The Universe is speaking to me! Time to reread Trevanian's "Shibumi"!!

Click for full/larger resolution The Universe is speaking to me! I read Trevanian's "Shibumi" in the early 1980's as a teenager. Fast forward to October 24, 2014 - Keanu Reeve's "John Wick" showed a guard reading Shibumi. Fast forward yet again to USA Network's "Shooter" season 1 episode 2 which aired November 22, 2016 and Ryan Phillippe as Bob Lee Swagger, a former Marine sniper, was going through a trunk that belonged to his deceased...

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Chow Yun-fat - Hard Boiled - 辣手神探 (1992) (Full movie)

Please click for larger image Posting Hard Boiled movie in honor of Chow Yun-fat's 62nd birthday! Enjoy!! Synopsis Hard Boiled (Chinese: 辣手神探; pinyin: Làshǒu shéntàn) is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner (Bowie Lam)...

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The 19 Rules of Jason Bourne

In Robert Ludlum's Bourne series, we learn some of Jason Bourne's tradecraft rules. "Tradecraft" is the favored term over the older term "spycraft". For your consideration, some rules/aspects of tradecraft can be used for the common man's self-defense. After all, a spy/secret agent, like the samurai of old, live with the possibility of death daily. They needed some rules of thumb for their survival. Hope these help! You are not helpless....

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The 40 Moscow Rules

The "Moscow Rules" were developed by the CIA and named after Moscow which was a dangerous place to be during the Cold War. One may think of them like “Rules of Engagement” for spies, although it could also serve as guidelines or rules of thumb for one's self-defense. If you haven't any Rules of Engagement for yourself, start thinking of them now and not while you are in the Moment of Truth as the 'fit hits the shan'! Hope these help in your...

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Stingray #08/S01E08: "That Terrible Swift Sword" (May 13, 1986)

Posted this episode to mirror the airdate from 31 years ago on this date of May 13, 1986 ... the first episode of the new TV series, Stingray, aired. Series Background "Ray" is a shadowy character with a mysterious 'secret agent' past. People in trouble often come to him for help, since he has a lot of important and powerful contacts. He refuses to be paid for his services; however, those seeking his assistance must promise him...

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Yagyu Munenori's "Heihō kadensho" translation (aka The Book of Family Traditions)

371 years ago in 1646, on this date, Yagyu Munenori passed away. He was one of Japan's greatest swordsmen and was teaching the Shogun's son, Tokugawa Hidetada. Circa 1632, Munenori finished writing his treatise on his swordsmanship  called "Heihō kadensho", which translates to "A Hereditary Book on the Art of War" or "The Book of Family Traditions". Posting a translation in memory of Yagyu Munenori. I found this online sometime...

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