Add more Bond to your lifestyle portfolio

Let's say you've got the wine and the women and the wardrobe like Bond. What else can get you there?

It's more than just martinis and girls, in the James Bond lifestyle - if you want to get closer to living it. It's guns too. Remember, we're talking Bond's lifestyle, not Bono's. So if you want to get closer to walking the walk, instead of just talking the talk, you have to become familiar with guns.

Legally, of course.

Now Mr. Bond, it has a lot to do with what state you live in with respect to whether or not you can carry the PPK without breaking the LAW. How do you find out what the law is in your state? Go to this website for State firearms laws: http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/

Next, after knowing what you can and can't do in your home state, how do you select a firearm? For a good list of possible choices, try this Handgun directory:http://firearms.handgunsmag.com/

Of course, you should learn all safety procedures and take whatever firearms courses may be available in your area, and never, never, never point the damn thing at anybody unless you have to shoot them, and that means you are either preserving yourself from imminent death or serious bodily harm, or a loved one from the same risk.

Do not ever think a firearm is a toy, a prop, or anything but a machine that causes death or grave physical injury. And even if you can carry a concealed weapon in your state, remember, PPK. Prepared, Professional, Knowledgeable. (That means you with respect to weapon use and safety).

Okay, now, if you want to be more like Bond, you also have to have some knowledge about the intelligence game and how its played, and who plays it. The real deal. A good place to bone up on the real world Bond stuff is American Military University, where you can obtain an on-line degree in all sorts of cool stuff, including Intelligence. Here's the website: http://www.amu.apus.edu/index.htm

While you're at it, a real worthwhile organization to join is the Association for Intelligence Officers. I joined this way back in the seventies, after my stint as an electronic spook with the National Security Agency, but now regular Joes (and Jameses) can become associate members for $50 a year. You get some great publications, access to discounts at various places, and you support a worthwhile organization keeping America informed about the need for a strong intelligence service. Get access to details at: http://afio.com/

Bond seems to know his way around no matter where in the world he is. You should too. For more than you'd ever care to know about every country in the world, try the CIA World Factbook which comes out annually. Go to: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/

Now, if you really want to become an intelligence professional, (which has very little to do with being Bond), you can check out the notices for intelligence careers at: http://www.intelligencecareers.com/homerooms/index.cfm

Maybe you'd rather just get better at doing the Cryptoquote in your newspaper. Want to learn some basic code breaking? Try out this Army Field Manual on Cryptanalysis: http://www.umich.edu/~umich/fm-34-40-2/#pdf

It's always good to talk about current intelligence issues when you are being Bond, and a great place to be informed on what's happening in intelligence land is: http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/index.html

While you're at it, why not pay a virtual visit to the world's spy agencies by checking out the ton of intelligence links at: http://www.loyola.edu/dept/politics/intel.html

Want to catch up on emerging security issues online. Try out these magazines containing cool topics in security: http://www.securitymagazine.com/
and http://www.securitymanagement.com/

If you are interested in how to protect the world against the Blofelds and Dr. No's check out this US Army Manual on Counterintelligence Operations at: http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm34-60/

These sites just scratch the surface of what's available out there for would be Bonds. The point is if you are serious about "being" James Bond, you should at least have some tangential involvement in Intelligence-either as a student, a professional, or a person aware of at least what's going on in the arena.

It will make you a great deal more interesting at cocktail parties when your fellow travelers are shaken and stirred by your insightful conversation. (Just play it cool, like Bond, and don't spill all the popcorn before the movie starts).

© 2008 W. Adam Mandelbaum Esq. - justiceneversleeps.net

Author of The Born Again Bachelor's Bible - Great tips for divorced or divorcing men
Member Association For Intelligence Officers
Former operative at NSA
Present New York Attorney