Wing's Daily News

The Fire Break…

“Why do I always seem to get myself into these situations”, is what I say to myself every single time that I try something new or challenging. Last Monday I did a “fire board break” demonstration. What is a fire break? Essentially you take pine boards light them on fire then break them using some type of karate strike. Click here to watch the demonstration. The day before the demonstration I lit some boards on fire to access the burn rate of the wood and accelerant(charcoal lighter fluid). During the controlled test burn the wood would not catch on fire. The lighter fluid would pool on the wood, burn for a few seconds then go out. This led me to believe that I’d have to time the break perfectly. I’d need to break the wood just before the accelerant burned itself out but after it was still pooled on the surface of the wood. The live break went perfectly and because it went perfectly it looks easy.

As I stood in front of the spectators I was quite afraid. I was not afraid of setting myself on fire (a distinct possibility) rather I was afraid of failing and embarrassing myself in front of a group of people. Any number of things could have gone wrong with the break including; the burning accelerant splashing onto my arm, torso or face, I could miss the stack of wood and drive my hand straight into the top of the cement block that supported the wood, the wood not catching on fire (you can’t do a fire break without fire), I could miscalculate the physics of the strike and not break all of the burning boards or over compensate and drive my hand through the wood straight into the ground. This is the day of instant YouTube video. There was a distinct possibility that one of the spectators could have shot video of me with their phone as I dance around in a circle with my hair on fire…as I screamed “just don’t sit their, pour some water on my head!”. Can you imagine that video all over Facebook and YouTube?

My new favorite quote is “There is no plan B, failure is not an option”. That was the attitude I had as I set the boards on fire. Ironically I had some difficulty lighting the accelerant. Once the wood did catch on fire it began to burn slowly. If you watch the video you can see me walk out of frame. I was going to get some more lighter fluid to increase the burn rate. As I turned back towards the stack I could see that the wood was engulfed in flame! I had not anticipated the entire stack catching on fire and burning aggressively. What was I to do…not go through with the break? “There is no plan B, failure is not an option”. I cleared my mind, focused and did the break. Fate was smiling on me that day and things went well. I did not break my hand or set myself on fire!

Why was this break important to me? The challenge was not doing the break. The challenge was overcoming fear, trepidation and insecurity. Playing it safe feels good, that is why 90% of most people do it. Leaving your comfort well that’s a whole other paint job indeed.

In our society athletes and movie stars seem to get most of the societal accolades. Americans love to fawn over celebrities. We live in a culture that celebrates physical horsepower more than cerebral horsepower. At my daughters graduation from N.Y.U last Friday a very prominent Doctor was given one of N.Y.U’s most prestigious awards. Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez was the recipient of the Strusser Award. Dr. Rodriguez graduated from NYU College of Dentistry in 1992. He also earned a BS degree in neurobiology from the University of Florida AND a Medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia  He completed postgraduate training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Montefiore Medical Center…the list of his academic achievements is quite extensive and I’m only listing a few of them.

I was honored to have my picture taken with Dr. Rodriguez…a true intellectual giant.

In March of 2012 Dr. Rodriguez led a team of four surgeons and over 150 nurses, residents , anesthesiologists and support staff at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore in an unprecedented, 36 hour, total facial transplantation of a man whose face had been shattered by a shotgun blast. Dr Rodriguez spoke briefly at the commencement ceremony and described the facial and dental reconstruction they did that day. They had practiced the surgery beforehand and were confident that it would be a success. The patient was told that he could die during the surgery or in fact look even worse when the procedure was done. The surgery was a success of course. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to be in surgery for 36 hours straight and not just any surgery…an experimental surgery. During his commencement speech Dr. Rodriguez said that “there was no plan B…failure was not a option.” I really admire that all or nothing winner take all attitude that Dr. Rodriquez had going into the surgery…that my friends is what I call F****** Swag! Dr. Rodriquez was not about to test himself in an athletic contest like a football game or boxing match. A human beings health, well being and indeed life depended on the ability of Dr. Rodriquez and his surgical team to perform at 100%  for 36 hours straight, nothing less…

I respect and admire Dr. Rodriquez for continually pushing his personal boundaries by furthering his education. He’s a dentist, MD and plastic surgeon! I’ve written extensively about the importance of leaving your comfort zone. You achieve nothing by playing it safe. I’m not sure “comfort zone” is a phrase that even exists in the universe of Dr. Rodriguez.

This is a picture of the patient Dr. Rodriquez performed the surgery on..pretty amazing stuff I’d say. Click here for more information about the surgery.

I’m not sure why, but I seem to put myself into situations that I’m very uncomfortable in. I always seem to want to leave my comfort zone. Being the best at something does not stimulate me because once you are the best there is no where else to go. Being awful at something then becoming the best through sheer grit and determination is what really motivates and stimulates me. Becoming the best can become an emotional prison because you become enveloped within the safe boundaries of your success. I am willing to suffer failure and embarrassment in order to challenge and improve myself.

I’ve rappelled this 150′ cliff dozens of times and every single time I’m still scared.

Every single time that I climb I’m afraid…very afraid of dying. As I’ve written in the past I climb solo, should anything go wrong well…that’s that. Next winter I will push my personal comfort zone even further by solo ice climbing. I’m learning to become a grappling referee.  Being a referee is incredibly stressful. Regardless of what you do there is always someone who is pissed off or unsatisfied with your officiating decision. If you make a mistake as a referee the consequence can be rather unpleasant. Click here to see a video of a board breaking demonstration I did recently. I’ll hip you to something, this was the first live board breaking demo I’ve done in 15 years. In fact I’d had never done those types of breaks in my life. I decided to try it for the first time in front of a group of parents and kids.  Some people like to play it safe. I guess that is O.K. I believe however that you can never improve and grow unless you are willing to risk the consequences of failure.

Sure mom…it’s perfectly O.K. to walk out on the ice and argue with the ref!

I’ve seen some disturbing adult human behavior as a grappling referee. I’ve seen coaches, competitors and parents go crazy and begin to vehemently argue with a referee when they don’t agree with his call. I simply don’t understand why people think they have the God given right to argue with an authority figure. If a person is at a sporting event and begins to argue with a referee or other official, is that behavior not indicative of that person’s world view? Essentially what I’m getting at is if a person thinks that they can argue with a grappling, little league, soccer referee etc… then they most likely believe that they can argue with any figure of authority. Even more disturbing is when a coach or parent carries on like an ass in front of their children or students. Acting politely and respectfully is a learned behavior. I’ve seen some competitors, parents and coaches come up to a referee after the match (which their child/student just lost because of an officiating decision) and respectfully ask the referee to explain his decision. No histrionics or vulgar display of emotion. The coach politely asks the referee to explain why a specific call was made, shakes the referees hand thanks him and walks away. The entire time the athlete child is watching this and is imprinting his coaches behavior. I’d speculate that this child will grow up and in turn treat authority figures with respect because that is how he saw the adults in his life act.

On the other hand are the coaches and parents that act like absolute maniacs that can barely contain their rage when they don’t agree with an officiating decision. I saw a referee stop a match when a kid was caught in an armbar from hell. The kid refused to tap out (most kids will never ever tap out, so the referee has to be extra diligent), the referee jumps in and saves the kid from getting his arm broken. Guess what happened? If you guessed that the kids dad went absolutely insane…you are correct. As the dad is carrying on like an ass and frothing at the mouth his kid is watching the entire time. What lesson did that child learn by watching his dad’s behavior? He learned that it is acceptable and moreover appropriate to  disrespect authority and lose self control when you don’t get what you want.

I’m 52 years old. As a child I was taught to respect authority. I remember my grandma telling me to always respect policemen. To this day that is a value that I have. In fact as I was driving home from Saturdays grappling event I was driving ehhh a bit fast  to say the least and got pulled over by a state trooper. Here is how the conversation went:

The police officer comes up to my passenger side window and taps on it. I roll down the window:

Me: Good evening officer

State trooper: Good evening sir. May I have your license and registration?

Me: (I already had my documentation in hand) Here they are sir.

State trooper: Where are you coming from?

Me: I’m coming from a grappling event in Connecticut officer.

State trooper: Where are you going?

Me: I’m going home sir.

State trooper: I pulled you over because you were driving a bit fast.

Me: Yes sir I know.

Some polite conversation takes place between us and the State trooper goes back to his car to run my license and plates. He comes back and issues me a warning not a ticket. Why did I get a warning and not a ticket for driving 25 mph over the speed limit? Who knows but I’d like to think it was because I treated the trooper with the professional courtesy and respect that he deserves. I made no excuses accepted and admitted that I was speeding and most importantly did not act like an ass.

It was reported in the news yesterday that a soccer referee died after being punched in the head by a teen player who received a yellow card. I mean really, why did that kid think he had the right to express his opinion violently and aggressively? Who did he learn that aberrant behavior from? As a consequence of his out of control behavior a man has died….over a  soccer game. Children will behave the way they are taught by the authority figures in their lives. They will also behave the way they see people that they admire like coaches and star athletes acting. Everybody hates on Tim Tebow. I ask you is it so wrong to be clean cut and quote scripture and be a good role model for kids? 

President Obama has talked himself into a corner.

The “Red Line” has been crossed.

It seems that nearly everyone in the world knows that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons on its own people. President Obama said that if the government of Bashar-al-Assad used chemical weapons a “Red Line would be crossed”. Well Mr. President the red line has been crossed, what do you intend to do? America is in the process of ending two wars, are we about to start another? I think not. I’m beginning to believe that President Obama is a technocrat and his administration is a cabal of intelligentsia that understand the minutiae of foreign doctrine theory but may perhaps lack to conviction to “walk the walk”. Granted President Obama “Zero Dark 30′d” bin Laden’s ass but attacking Syria…well that’s a whole other paint job.

You see the conundrum President Obama faces is that Syria is the strongest ally of our arch nemesis Iran. Is Iran going to sit by idly while the U.S. launches an attack on Syria? I think not. Attacking Syria is not going to be as simple as dropping a few laser guided bombs on Syrian military installations. The possibility of Iran become involved is significant. Should Iran come into play will Israel become involved? Do you understand the dynamics of the conundrum our President now finds himself in? By attacking Syria the U.S. could start a conflagration that could envelop the entire Middle East.

If you want to leave a comment please do so. However be respectful. You may not like or agree with our President, however he is exactly that…our President. If we don’t show respect for the office of the President why should tin pot dictators like Assad and that chubby little nut with the odd haircut in North Korea?

Did our government intelligence agencies namely the FBI and CIA drop the ball investigating Tamerlan Tsarnaev? It’s widely known that the Russian government contacted the FBI and CIA regarding the “radicalization” of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. I can’t imagine the sheer volume of ”tips” that our government gets regarding militants, radicals and just plain nuts that are intent on causing mayhem in America. Can we thoroughly investigate every single intelligence tip that comes in? Maybe, maybe not. What is fact however is that Tamerlan and his brother flew low enough under law enforcement radar to commit the marathon bombing.

Here is what I believe:

• While in Chechnya Tamerlan was recruited and co-opted by a militant Islamic agent. He received training or “guidance”  on how to make I.E.D.’s (homemade bombs) while abroad. 
• Tsarnaev must have been in contact with a “handler” in the United States for further logistical support, specifically the planning, implementation and execution of the marathon bombing.

Do I believe that there is an Al-Qaeda network in the Boston area? No. I suspect that there is a militant agent(s) in the area that advised Tsarnaev. Where were the bombs assembled? Where were the bombs tested at? Who did the marathon route intelligence? It is being reported that 19 year old bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a pot smoking partier. I don’t think he  could have pulled off an attack of this magnitude without expert help. Did his brother Tamerlan possess such expert skills? Prior to becoming a terrorist Tamerlan was a boxer. Where did Tamerlan learn bomb making skills? He learned them from the Internet? I highly doubt it. Google how to make a bomb. Then go out and buy all of the components and assemble the bomb without blowing yourself up. Transport the assembled bombs to your intended target without them prematurely exploding. Plant the bombs and leave the scene without being seen. Cloak and dagger stuff like this is easily done on T.V. but in real life I’m not so sure it’s that easy. I’ll go way way out on a limb on this one…did the Tsarnaev brothers get assistance from Iranian intelligence agents? That statement is tenuous at best but the implications are pretty scary.

Suspect number 2

Back when I was a kid news and news reporting was exactly that. Legends like Walter Cronkite and Edward R Murrow were actual journalists and reporters unlike the ratings driven talking heads that “report” the news today. One thing that upset me a bit was the continual use of the word “crude” to describe the bombs used in the terror attack at the marathon. Crude by whose definition? The problem with making a homemade bomb is they tend to explode while you are assembling them or don’t detonate when intended to or don’t detonate at all. Try making one in your basement and let me know how that works out for you. Nearly every major news organization was falling all over themselves on Tuesday reporting that an arrest was made. That story proved to be absolutely false. Does the editorial process and fact checking exist anymore? When the story began to lose traction the media then began to drag out and interview witness after witness that had nothing new of substance to add to the story other than more layers of descriptive verbiage about carnage, death and destruction. Are there any actual investigative journalists that can try to piece together leads, interview witnesses and cultivate and develop an actual news story?

The latest is that the two terrorists, one who has been killed in a shootout with police may have been from or connected to Chechnya. If so do some research on Chechnya. It’s a hotbed of terrorism. In fact in 2004 a group of Chechen rebels took over 1,000 people hostage at Beslan, North Ossetia (an autonomous republic in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation). The result was a massacre resulting in the death of over 300 people. If these two terrorists are indeed from a Chechen separatist group and have brought their war to our shores, that is very bad news indeed for the Chechen separatists are a hardcore terror group that plays for keeps.

The Unabomber

Ted Kaczynski might be a name that some of you remember. If not does the moniker of “Unabomber” jog your memory? Ted Kaczynski aka the unabomber is a highly educated and intelligent (he has a PhD in mathematics) man that went on a 17 year spree mailing bombs to people and companies. During that  17 year period (1978-1995) he mailed 16 homemade letter bombs that killed three people and injured 23. It took nearly two decades for the Unabomber to be caught. In fact perhaps the only reason he was brought to justice is he wrote a long and rambling “manifesto” that the New York Times published. If memory serves, Kaczynski’s brother recognized the style of writing in the “manifesto” and turned him in.

The “Marathon Bomber” set off two bombs last Monday and already experts are predicting that the bomber(s) is going to be brought quickly to justice. America is a much more heavily surveillanced society today than it was in 1978. Perhaps the Marathon Bomber will we be caught quickly….perhaps like the unabomber case, it will take a very long time to catch the “Marathon Bomber”.

I find it interesting that no foreign terrorist group such as Al-Qaeda has taken responsibility for Monday’s bombing. Is the Marathon Bomber a homegrown terrorist? If so why was a public place jammed with people attacked and not a federal building or institution? Is the Marathon Bomber a lone wolf like the Unabomber was? The news is now reporting that the bombs were made from pressure cookers. If find it a bit odd that nobody noticed someone carrying around a giant black backpack stuffed with a pressure cooker. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer but even my lumbering intellect understands that although a pressure cooker is not as big as a cement mixer it ain’t exactly the size of a packet of peanuts. How does one plant a damn pressure cooker bomb, two pressure cooker bombs in fact  and clear the blast zone without being seen by anyone? Who is the mysterious person that was photographed walking on the

Is this photo even real? If so who is it?

roof at the site of the explosion just before the bomb went off? Whoever is behind this heinous act is obviously no fool. Do you remember the imbecile that attempted to set off bombs in his sneakers on an airplane in 2008 with matches? The Marathon bomber planned, implemented and executed his (their) act of terror methodically with catastrophic results unlike the buffoonish amateur sneaker bomber. The math of the Marathon bombing simply does not add up. Experts are also reporting that these pressure cooker bombs are crude. I can’t imagine that hunkering down in some dark dank basement under the glow of a single light bulb assembling pressure cooker bombs without blowing yourself up is the easiest thing to do. I don’t think that these bombs were crude. It obviously took a level of skill to build them. How many of you have a difficult time lighting a charcoal barbecue?  Can you imagine how difficult it must be to build pressure cooker bombs? Those bombs were not simple or crude.

We need to accept the fact that if nobody takes responsibility for turning the Boston marathon into a war zone, it might be quite some time before anyone is caught.

Unless you live under a rock you’ve heard of the horrible terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. I’m listening to the news as I write this and many of the talking heads are trying to put a positive spin on the tragedy by saying that “America is a great country and we will overcome this.” The reality is that we live in an increasingly dangerous and violent world. From mentally disturbed maniacs shooting up movie theaters and schools to domestic and foreign terrorists that want to cause mayhem and destruction in our society, America has become a dangerous place to live.

Welcome to the new Israel. People that live in Israel have been living under such a violent dynamic since the birth of their nation. In Israel bombs explode at cafes and bus stations and rockets are shot into Jewish settlements on a regular basis. Acts of terrorism are only going to become more common in the United States. Any disenfranchised nut or individual intent on causing death and destruction can walk into a mall and shoot the place up or plant and detonate crude but incredibly powerful anti personnel bombs such as exploded at the Boston Marathon.

I am remiss to wax pessimistic but our nation will not be able to stop individuals intent on murdering American citizens, that is the price of living in a free and open society.

You read this one and decide. In case you don’t want to follow the link, i’ll give you the cliff note encapsulation. A cop in Florida, a Sergeant in fact, went to a shooting range with two other cops. During the course of target practice Sergeant Ron King pulled out a couple of Trayvon Martin paper targets and asked his pals if they wanted to shoot at them. I mean seriously? I mean really F*****G seriously? Hello…earth to Sgt. King…what were you thinking? Well it seems Sgt. King’s department did not share King’s humor regarding the Trayvon Martin targets and fired his dumb ass.

What boggles my mind is not that a police officer would even be in possession of a Trayvon Martin target, rather how did Sgt. King mange to get as far in life as he has with an apparently impaired and under developed vestigial brain?