[Milu]

Good Lord, No!
Yours is actually a very acute observation as it's only based on posts! I just happen to appreciate the stylish and the functional together. This in everything. I am almost a non cook, but I have Le creuset pans, I no longer work much on my cars but I use snap-on spanners, my favourite handguns are a Sig210 and a Detonics Scoremaster etc etc. Most of my friends would describe me as a label junkie, paying more for a designer label in all things, I actually see it as a guarantee of the quality of what I am buying, I'm indifferent to the status side of it - NO FUNNY COMMENTS FROM ISABO PLEASE!

I've never been to Oregon, but I'm shocked it's become an overpopulated people's republic., its not what I imagined (too many westerns as a kid I suppose) I feel the whole world is changing and my own ideals and values are no longer appropriate, it's one of the reasons I went to live mostly in Italy, it's just a little bit behind in the downward spiral, but it's catching up fast.

Hype in knife catalogues! I think they are hilarious sometimes! Shaving sharp - as you say gillette - one rarely wants a shaving edge on a working blade! And combat knives and "tactical" folders - don't get me started on the merits of desktop combat knives that would do more harm to the user than an enemy, my choice of combat knife would be the Gurkha khukri. This is the only edged weapon that intimidates me on sight! I think it is the shark of the knife world - it has reached a point in its evolution that it is totally fit for purpose and any change is superfluous!