#NeverAgain - The Practical And Non-Emotional Version

For your Oscar Party chit-chat between commercials.....  Originally posted at the BoomerPreps Facebook page:

The rich, pompous, protected-by-armed-guards Hollywood elites will flap their gums in mock righteous indignation at tonight's award ceremony (which I hope none of you are watching). Their rally cry will be #NeverAgain. Well, I've got some #NeverAgain items to add to your list that will actually stop or minimize the slaughter of our school children.

#NeverAgain will we be lulled into a feel-good false sense of security by putting up "Gun Free Zone" signs in an attempt to stop homicidal maniacs.

#NeverAgain will we put our trust in any bureaucracy to keep us safe. Background checks, visits by the police and tips to federal authorities all get overlooked, time and again. Our safety is our personal responsibility.

#NeverAgain will we make it legal for teachers, administrators or other school employees who have been properly trained and vetted, to be disarmed in the place where we most need them armed.

#NeverAgain will we allow the actions of a homicidal maniac to influence and restrict the access to firearms owned and used safely by millions and millions of law-abiding Americans.

#NeverAgain will we stand silent when the ACTIONS of an individual are ignored, and the blame is placed on the inanimate object he used for mass murder.

#NeverAgain will we allow Political Correctness and Social Engineering of school districts to prevent the arrest, suspension or expulsion of dangerous students from our schools. Your actions have consequences in the real world. Teach them that lesson while they're still young.

Share with your friends.

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Copyright 2018 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Leaches and The Band of Thieves

Holy crap, folks, it's been a while.  I have had so much I've wanted to write about, but life and business keep getting into the way!

So, today, I got my now-annual email from the CPA that does the books for my precious metals store.  Was it full of, "Way to go" or "Fix this now" or "You're right on track" missives for the business?

No.

It was yet another email telling me I've got to, "pay my fair share" of the outstanding debt the asswipes in Sacramento encumbered the state.

Back when the economy crashed in 2008, California decided it was a good idea to extend the unemployment insurance payments.  Normally, you get 26 weeks of payments.  The spendthrifts in Sacramento decided to extend that to 99 week.  Yeah, roughly 2 years of unemployment payments.

Just one little problem:  They didn't have the cash.  No problem!  They just borrowed it from the federal government.  All they had to do was pay it back in a couple of years out of the General Fund, and it's all good!

I know this will shock you to your core, but Sacramento didn't pay its bill.  When Cali decided not to pay it, the burden fell to business owners.  Shocking, right?

Last year, I had to pay an extra lump sum $126 per employee.  This year, it's $145 each.  Merry Christmas to one and all!

There's still an outstanding balance of over $600,000,000 (that's six-hundred-million dollars, boys and girls).   I'm guessing I'll be getting another similar email around Christmas next year, too.

And Sacramento wonders why businesses are fleeing the state....
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My perspective on taxes is quite straight-forward.  And shockingly, it follows the Constitution:

State and local government is responsible for the following:  The legal system, Infrastructure, and public safety  In all of these areas, every single citizen must have equal access to those services.

Legal:  To establish and enforce laws,  to settle disputes between citizens via the courts, and to pass sentencing for criminals.

Infrastructure:  Roads, bridges, water systems, parks, schools, etc. - whatever the state or local citizens want that's not empowered to the Feds.

Public Safety:  Police, fire, medics.  Could also include restaurant inspections (a obscene waste of public monies), business licensing (another huge waste) or anything the state and local citizens say they want.

For the federal government, you get those three things (the military and Naturalization - border control - being added to the Public Safety category), plus they get to ensure the safety of our money (HA HA HA HA HA!) and our foreign policy.  Importantly, the Tenth Amendment is adhered to strongly - if a power wasn't specifically granted to the feds, it's a state power.

It's all pretty clearly laid out in Article 1, sections 8, 9 and 10 of the Constitution.  Go look for yourself.  As unbelievable as it sounds to many Americans, I'm not making this shit up.  Really.
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At all levels of government, nothing else.  Especially charity.  Charity is an individual decision.  It is theft to force me to pay to enrich someone else.  Period.

char·i·tyˈCHerədē/
noun1.
an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.

synonyms:

nonprofit organization, voluntary organization, charitable institution; More

2.
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.

synonyms:

financial assistance, aid, welfare, relief, financial relief; More

Charity at the various government levels is called welfare, public assistance, a hand up, subsidized housing, blah, blah, blah.  The common thread is that money is taken by force from the many, and given to the few.  The concept of equal access is a foreign one with these charity programs.

Why in the hell am I being forced to pay for someone else's life decisions?  If you got pregnant at age 14, why should I pay for the food and housing for you and your child?  If you decided to not pay attention in school and you end up a functional illiterate, why should I pay to give you training when you get older?  Here's a good one:  If you have a multiple birth (triplets, etc.) or give birth to a child with metal or physical problems, why should I pay for their treatment and care?

Just asking these questions gets you labeled as a hater, a bigot and a soul-less monster.  Think of the children!

I call Bullshit!

In every single issue listed above, and any other government hand-out program, there is a private sector solution.  Without exception.  All funded by private money.

It may not be as generous (with our money) as the recipient would like, but they are almost always more effective.  Why?  They can discriminate.  For instance, if you're in a government-funded drug re-hab program, you can go for as long as you want.  In free private programs, you can go for as long as THEY want.  Fall off the wagon, and you're out of luck.

It's called an incentive to perform.  You want free, you're going to have to work for it.

Look at our WIC and similar food programs.  The more kids you spit out, the more money you get.  You have no incentive to act responsibly.  In fact, you're encouraged to do just the opposite.
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Historically, you were responsible for your lot in life.  You could change it if you so desired.  Sometimes you were dealt a shitty hand.  You made the best of it as you could.  Sometimes you succeeded, sometimes you failed.

But you and those around you learned from the experience. 

You saw that there were bad consequences for abusing drugs or alcohol.  You ended up dead or broke if you made the wrong choices. 

You didn't have kids until you could feed, clothe and house them.

You knew that you needed skills or knowledge to get and keep jobs that paid your bills.

The concept of, "living within your means" is a foreign one to so many Americans.  With all of our government, "safety nets" why should you act personally responsible?

Now, get pregnant by choice out of wedlock, you get free food and housing, and an Obama phone to chat up your homies.

Now, spend all of your money on vacations and toys, then claim poverty and get a check and free medical for life.

Now, have the education and skills to flip burgers, and you earn $30,000 a year full time.

There's no accountability for past choices.  Just checks, and food, and housing, and medical.  All the things my stupid ass works for every day.
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The question is, "How do we incent government to shrink itself to Constitutionally limited size?"  It's impossible.  Don't be so naive as to say, "Vote the bums out!"  Been there, done that, no change.

Like any other entity, government's primary urge is to grow.  Unlike private entities, government has no requirement of efficiency.

I know that I'm tilting at windmills here.  It will never change until it collapses.  Instead of planning for ways to increase my cash flow during retirement, I focus on acquiring assets that can't be counted against the "means test" I'm going to be faced with when I decide to draw on Social Security - another "forced purchase" foisted upon us by government.

I didn't agree to be bound by the ever-changing Social Security rules, yet bound I am.  Who would ever agree to make payments into a system where once you start receiving the benefits, you are limited to how much additional income you can earn outside of the payments?  And one where, when you die, your heirs don't get to receive the remaining funds you were forced to "contribute"?

It's for the greater good! they cry.  Bite me.  I don't exist for the greater good.  I exist for me and my family.  I work for me and my family.

Fuck the Greater Good.  They're a bunch of leaches, led by a band of thieves.

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Copyright 2017 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Gold and Silver - Buy or Sell?

If you watch gold spot prices, for most of 2016 - February to October -  they were in a fairly tight band that ran between $1250 to $1350 per ounce.  Silver had a similar tight range as well.

Then in October, all hell broke loose.  Prices took a dump, then made a feeble comeback, and have now been all down.  This final quarter of the year has seen a drop in the neighborhood of $200 per ounce (it's sitting at $1151 as I push these keys).

For the year, things aren't too bad.  For other time frames, ouch!  As of today:

So, is it time to abandon gold, and jump into the hot stock market?  Maybe into some foreign exchange EFTs as there is a VERY realistic chance that interest rates are going to jump up.  Higher rates equals a stronger dollar.

Are ya in or out?  I can tell you, that business at our precious metals (PM) store has been brisk on the bullion side - both buying and selling!  Half think precious metals have peaked, and they want out.  The other half think we've hit bottom, and are squirreling away PMs like, well, squirrels.

JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, I'M NOT AN INVESTMENT COUNSELOR.  WHAT FOLLOWS IS WHAT I'M DOING, AND WHY I'M DOING IT.  I MAY BE WRONG, I MAY BE RIGHT.  YOU NEED TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

I don't buy PMs as an investment, per se.  I buy them as a hedge against a whole bunch of things - to maintain and protect my ability to purchase things - food, energy, shelter - in the future.

This is important to understand:  The price of gold and silver is basically irrelevant to me.  I understand that if gold and silver soar to new heights, my cost of living is likely doing the same - soaring!  The converse is true as well.

I believe that in the short-term future (next couple of years at least), the price of PMs is going to decline.  I believe that the Federal Reserve Bank will indeed raise interest rates multiple times next year, making the dollar stronger.

I believe that Trump will actually do SOME of what he promised during the campaign, and we'll get more jobs created, the economy will come out of its coma, and that too, will make the dollar stronger.

Despite the dollar (Federal Reserve Notes) being a flaming piece of crap (being able to buy 6 cents worth of what it could buy when it was introduced in 1913) , when compared to most other world currencies, it has big, brass balls.  It's absolutely crushing other currencies right now.

When the dollar gets stronger, PMs get weaker.
 
So, despite this belief that PM prices will be declining, every single month, I buy some gold and/or silver.  I only spend money that has no short- or medium-term obligations.  My bills are all paid, I have a nice emergency cushion, and my income earning investments are funded.

Here are 5 reasons I keep buying precious metals.

1.  Maintaining Purchasing Power

I use this example when explaining this concept to new customers to our store:

When I was a kid in 1964, for some reason, I have this memory of being at a Phillips 66 gas station buying gas with my mom, and gas being $0.26 per gallon.  Let's call it a quarter a gallon.

Back then, the quarters were made of 90% silver and 10% other metals.  One silver quarter has about 0.18 of a troy ounce of pure silver in it.

Doing the math, with spot silver today at roughly $16 per ounce:  $16 x 0.18 = $2.88, OR ABOUT THE COST OF A GALLON OF GAS TODAY!  The silver maintained its purchasing power.

So, a dollar in silver quarters would get you about 4 gallons of gas.  If you had kept a paper dollar bill from 1964, today you could get about 0.4 gallons of gas. The fiat paper currency dollar has lost its purchasing power.

Ya get it?  I didn't "make money" by holding the quarter, I simply maintained my purchasing power.  Precious metals are money.  Fiat currencies and bank accounts are representations of money that can be manipulated or confiscated by governments.


2.  Government Demonetization

You heard what India did at the beginning of November, right?  Their two largest bills were "demonetized" - made worthless - over night.  Bam!, the paper money wasn't worth squat.  You had to go into a bank and swap them out for the new and improved versions.

The problem - and the plan - was, they didn't have enough of the new bills available for the swap, so you had to put the money into an account, and get your cash at a later date.

The public reason for the demonetization was the usual bullshit:  terrorism and tax evasion.  Well, the soft-heads in the government didn't patch up all of the loopholes, and the effect on terrorism and tax evasion was precisely ZERO!  

People sold their bills at a discount to money changers.  The money changers shipped massive quantities of the bills to some remote tribes or to farmers - both of which are tax exempt - and the old bills were swapped without any consequence at all, other than screwing the guy on the street for the vig he had to pay to the money changers.  The people were willing to take a hit in the form of a discount to the money changers instead of paying tax to the government.  I love it!

This is a perfect example of why you shouldn't have "all of your eggs in one basket".  You never know what will have value in the future.  I keep "money" in gold and silver, cash, other hard assets, businesses and in trade/barter goods, as well as in retirement plans, savings plans and bank accounts.  If one or more are devalued or confiscated or made illegal, I'm not flat on my ass broke.  I may be hurting for a while until I figure things out, but I won't be broke.

Along the same lines, I've also got skills, and am continually learning more.  As an example, I can turn damned near any sugar source into an alcoholic beverage that you'd enjoy consuming. 

You may be saying, "BFD, Chief!  I can head to The Walmart and get all of the hooch I want!".  Yeah, you can do that now.  But if we were in a situation like they're going through in Venezuela - where the government is so broke it can't release foreign reserve currency so that the largest brewer in the country can make beer, and the brewery closes down!  No mas cerveza, amigo mio!  How valuable would beer, wine or hooch be in that circumstance?

I'm now in the process of learning how to grow food on a larger scale.  This coming season, I'll be starting with 3 raised beds, all 8x4 foot, expanding to 6 beds the following season if things go as planned.  I'll also be putting in a small orchard with fruit trees that thrive here in northern Nevada.

3.  Insolvent Retirement Accounts

This is a biggee.  My wife and I have Social Security accounts, private retirement accounts and 401(k) accounts.  Many of you have similar account, including public pensions for government workers.

Every (and I mean every) government-run retirement system in this country is underfunded.  Many (most?) are flat broke.  Social Security, military pensions, police and fire pension programs, federal, state and local government worker pensions systems simply do not have the cash or assets to pay their retirees what they were promised.

Some of the retirees see the writing on the wall, and are trying to cash out by taking a discounted lump sum payment, and they're being rejected.  Why?  The plans don't have the cash. 

I would GLADLY take a lump sum check from Uncle Sam for the amount of money that was forcibly taken from me for SSI - no interest, just the principle - and I would forgo any and all future payments.  I think many Americans would do the same, because I don't believe I'll ever get back what I put into it, let alone the lost interest I would have accrued on my own.

In fact, I believe in my lifetime, the Social Security Administration will institute some sort of "means testing" whereby they look at my assets and other retirement/savings plans, and determine how much is "fair" for me to live on.

So I make my pile of visible assets as small as possible.  PMs are one of many ways to do this.

4.  I Don't Trust Banks

Having been in the banking industry for 31 years - going from the lowest paid clerk to Executive Vice President - I know that banks have turned into de facto agents for the state and federal governments.  Banks are no longer there to protect your money and privacy.  They are there to do as the federal government tells them.

That is not hyperbole.  There is nothing you can do with your account that can't (or isn't) reported to a government agency.  The government granted itself these powers under the assumption that everyone is a criminal or terrorist.  If the banks disclose to you that they've disclosed your (formerly) private transactions to the government, they have broken federal law... and they're not going to break federal law for little ol' you.

This should make you sick to your stomach.  You are presumed guilty of .... whatever they wish, but you do nothing about it.  Their campaign of, "Only criminals and terrorists have anything to hide from the government," propaganda program has been a success.

As equally important, they are getting very lazy with the security of your accounts.  I don't know if they just don't care, or if they've got so many resources devoted to reporting you to the various agencies, they don't have money left for security.

The SWIFT system - think of it as wire transfers between banks in different countries - has been cracked open like a papier mache piggy bank on numerous occasions in recent months.   The hackers hack a small foreign bank, and use its credentials to get into SWIFT, where the real money lies.

They are successful stealing money 20% of the time!

A US bank getting hit wouldn't directly affect you, as your accounts are covered by the FDIC.  Oh wait... Unless..... the regulators forced a failed bank to pull the "bail in" trigger, and they consider you an unsecured creditor of your bank (which is what you really are), and instead of giving you your money back, they issue you stock in the failed bank.

Try buying bacon with that.


5.  An Economic Hit or Collapse Is Coming

I seriously have no idea when.  Next month, next year, next decade.  I don't know.  I just know that you can't build government programs on borrowings forever.  Eventually, the bills (as in Treasury Bills and notes) must be paid.

The federal government will continue to pay SSI, and pensions, and welfare and all of the other bullshit by either borrowing more money or printing more of it up for as long as it can.  Eventually, they won't be able to borrow any longer, or the hyper-creation of dollars will make them worthless.

I believe that paper currency will go away, maybe within the next 5 to 10 years.  To me, THAT will be the sign that the serious shit is about to hit the fan.  Requiring every single transaction to be recorded electronically (debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, Paypal, etc.) will give government the ability to manage every aspect of your life.

Every deposit into your account will have a known source.  If it's not an approved source, they'll just take it until you can prove you paid the taxes before you received it.  You know, like asset forfeiture works right now, only without the happy face.

Every use will be monitored.  "Mr. Chief Instructor, your expenditures on food are significantly below those of your peer group in your region.  Why is that?  You're not growing your own food without reporting it, are you?  An audit will be conducted and until these allegations have been disproved, there will be a reduction in your monthly food stipend from Socialist Security.  We'll be in touch.  Have a collectivist day!"

In these cases - where the PMs would be illegal - they would be kept buried for my kids or grandkids in the future - like what happened after the 1933 gold grab.  Eventually, sanity would return, the socialist/collectivist machine dismantled, and life might return to normal.

Or they could be used as fishing weights.  Ya never know.....



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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Of Economics And Charity

Been busy.  Sorry.  A friend noted how tanned I was getting.  Told him I was an unpaid Day Laborer for a bastard of a boss!  Will do a couple of posts - shortly, I hope - on our adventures towards self-sufficiency on our new property in Nevada.
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I've been giving a lot of thought to opening a business here in Northern Nevada.  My initial scratch-and-sniff market analysis shows that there could be a viable market for what I'm considering.

And no, it has nothing to do with precious metals or guns.  Shocking, right?!  No, it's a specialty (kind of) food product.  More later if something flies with this.

Anyways, as I was doing some research on others that have been successful with this type of venture, I ran across an article by Doug Casey.  He's a screaming libertarian (my kinda guy) - a self-made millionaire who absolutely HATES government interference in just about anything.

He was writing about charity, and how in most instances, private charity hurts the recipient.  I have long thought this.  Like government subsidies and programs, most private charity takes away the initiative of the recipient to better themselves.

Build a food bank that feeds the poor, and you've taken away their initiative to feed themselves.

Pay for someones college costs based upon their skin color, ethnic origins, sexual preference or anything other than achievement (such as scholastic or athletic excellence), and you've taken away their initiative to excel.

In my book, the only type of charities I even consider are those where some horrible unplanned or unforeseen event occurs.  Helping the parents of a kid born with some debilitating disease or condition, would be one example.  Things where there is no realistic ability of an individual to afford to pay for their circumstances.

Along those same lines, I give to injured veterans groups.  I'm ashamed of our government, and how it shirks its duty to take care of our vets who come back home, well, destroyed.  It's not the vets fault the government signed a contract with each and every one of them, then looked them in the eye and lied.

Being born poor in America is NOT one of those circumstance.  And that means anywhere in America under any economic circumstances  There is a path out, if you choose to take it.  If you don't make the right choice, don't expect me to pay for the world of hurt where you find yourself.

But Chief!  Think about the children!  No, YOU think about YOUR children, and about what YOU'RE going to do to feed and shelter them.

And to teach them about self-reliance and personal accomplishment to boot.

Some day, I'll tell the story of the shit-hole my wife grew up in, and what she did to turn it around.  Out of the 8 kids in her family, half made it, half didn't.  Two of the latter group are dead.  Their standing in life is one-hundred percent because of the choices each individual made while growing up in the exact same circumstances as his or her siblings.

So, getting back to the Doug Casey article, his point was that most large charitable donation are just for the egos of the givers.  Bill Gates and Warren Buffett get to do the cock-strut to show how they're helping a gajillion people live better lives.

In reality, they're taking away the incentive of those people to better themselves and build pride and self-worth through accomplishment.  They're nothing more than a beneficent, elitist socialist leader with a happy face sticker.

Instead, they should be trumpeting their success so that others will follow their example.  Their donation money should instead go towards making their business bigger, and better, so that more and more people can get jobs, learn skills and develop pride for their accomplishments,

And then it dawned on me that I could do the same, only on a smaller scale (to start!).

My initial direction in another business was to design it with no employees.  Use independent contractors to build whatever I couldn't build myself.  This has nothing to do with not liking people.  It has everything to do with government regulation.  Look at someone the wrong way, or not follow some inane regulation to the "T", and you get sued, you get to pay the "aggrieved" employee some money, and you get to pay a fine to one or more government agencies.

While this business model will still happen, the idea of a brick-and-mortar business that hires locally may give me the ability to develop another stream of income AND fulfill my desire to give folks the opportunity to develop life skills and a sense of accomplishment at the same time.

My very first job in high school was washing dishes in an Italian restaurant.  I was taught food preps during slow periods, and was a cook within 6 months, but my most important lesson was about getting an education.  I worked mostly with grown men in the kitchen.  While I'm sure they were making more money per hour than I was, even back in the late 1970's it couldn't have been much to live on.  From that first job, I knew I wanted more, and that I'd need an education to get that.

One of the men I worked with as a cook had a criminal record, but was trying to get going in the right direction.  My dad (a lieutenant in the Sheriff department) had actually gotten him the job at the restaurant.

Being able to do something along those lines holds some interest to me.  First jobs, new beginnings, career advancement as the business grows.

We'll see.  At first glance, it appears as though Nevada offers significantly fewer hurdles to getting a business up and running.  My worry is that since it has to do with food, the state and federal food police could make it economically unfeasible.  I hope I'm wrong.

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One of the businesses that is in my market niche (but outside of my local market!), had a version of this posted on their website.  Amen, brutha!

* You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
* You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
* You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
* You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
* You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
* You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.
* You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.





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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Playin' In The Dirt

This whole, "homesteading" gig is pretty cool.  A TON of work, but very cool.  I get up most mornings knowing I'm going to be physically working my ass off, and I love it.

Right now, I'm in major, "attack the deferred maintenance" list.  The previous home owners, to be blunt, didn't do shit to maintain this property for the past couple of years, at least.  And the way systems and "stuff" were configured, leaves me scratching my head.

For instance, we're in 4-season country.  While not as cold as much of the northern part of the US, our average temperature during the winter is below freezing, and we get into the teens overnight.  We actually have an 18" to 24" frost line, which is a new one for this former Kalifornian!

They installed a sprinkler system for the property - but didn't include a way to winterize the system by blowing out the lines to keep them from freezing over.  To add insult to injury, when the system was installed, they just tee'd it off of the supply line that goes out to the freezeless yard hydrant (these are hydrants that are designed to deliver water to horses/animals during the winter without freezing over).

So, in winter, when I turn off the water for the sprinkler system, I'll also be turning it off for the hydrant.  If I had animals - say, in our horse barn - I'd have to haul the water.

We're looking to add some animals next year, so that will need to be dug up and re-routed next spring.

Done So Far

> Added exterior surveillance system (thanks bro for running the cable)

> Added security system

> Started compost pile

> Cleared 1/4 acre of thorny SOB tumble weeds (1/4 acre to go).  Made a note on the calendar to have county spray next year (previous owners "forgot" to do it this year)

Before

After

> Drilled a half-dozen 3-hole ventilation groups in eves to get air into attic - absolutely NO airflow currently into attic

> Removed pine tree limbs and unknown species limbs from rubbing on roof - really, people?!

>  Pruned 4 of our cottonwood trees of the wild growth on the trunk up to 12 feet.

Before and after

Before and after

And, as you may have guessed from the "after" pictures, I've got a yard full of cottonwood leaves - compost bound....

>  Installed 2, 24 inch risers for septic system access (had to be dug up before each time it was pumped - at a cost of $85 per hole dug)

Before

After

Coming Up

>  Next week - rent a Bobcat, move a yard of gravel from one side of property to another, drag railroad ties piled on one side of property to be used as borders in backyard area, level area for planting beds, lay out first course of planting beds (will be raised beds), scrape final 1/4 acre of tumbleweeds.  Also, hire a tree trimmer to cut back and top a 35 ft cottonwood that is perilously close to back of house.  Terminate a heating duct that was not connected to anything when the previous owners installed a new heater 4 years ago (yes, they'd been warming the crawl space for 4 years).  Get chimney sweep out to clean chimney so we can use the awesome fireplace.

>  Mid-October - (or as soon as cool weather hits the Kalifornia foothills) Harvest and split oak firewood (dried deadwood) from relative's property.  Also, our well system is a bit jiggy.  We commonly get a "wet spot" right at the well head, and have gotten outright pooling one time.  Anyone with ideas, PLEASE CHIME IN. (And, no, the water isn't draining from some other surface area.)  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason when this happens.  Stumped.

>  Late October - have our first legal burn.  Mostly the aforementioned tumble weeds and some tree trimmings.

>  November (or as soon as I can't do stuff outside any more) - get workshop in order (it's just storage now), reorganize prep foods (a total CF after the move), build a Murphy Bed for guests in wife's office

>  January - Prune both apples trees.  Doubt if they've ever been pruned.

>  Early April - if ground not frozen, run sprinkler system out to garden beds.

>  Also on the list - relocate a shed from right in front of our view of the Sierras to side of property (or tear it down and rebuild - which ever is cheaper), re-roof horse barn and turn into storage and saloon (a gamey man-cave of sorts), install new flooring in home (currently 2 different types of tile and the most ugly blue carpet you've ever seen).

Lastly, I've gotten a number of private emails about how I'm doing the "business in California, live in Nevada" gig.  It's working very nicely.  We've been able to hire two new employees and re-jigger the schedule to where me an my business partner have, shall we say, very favorable in-store hours.

When I do have to go in, here's what my commute looks like...

(From my dash-cam.  Sorry for the bug guts on the windshield...)

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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Keeping Your Wits About You

A few years back, I was teaching an Introductory Pistol class at a local gun range and shop.  All of what happened below was going on not more than 20 feet from where me and my 6 students were in class.  Didn't hear a peep!

Normally, the place had two employees present when they were open, but for some reason, the other employee didn't get into work on time.

Shortly after opening the store, some guy comes into the store and starts asking about picking up some pepper spray for his girlfriend.  The employee came out from behind the counter to go over to the pepper spray display which was locked up.

As the employee is unlocking the case - with his back to the "customer" - he gets his head slammed into the wall, and the bad guy tried to pull out the good guy's open carry pistol.   Thankfully, the gun was in a Serpa Retention holster, so the guy couldn't get the gun out.

The good guy - a rather large gentleman - threw an elbow at the bad guy hitting him square in the face.

Here's the point to the story - The bad guy ran out of the store.  The good guy drew his weapon, got sights on the bad guy.... and re-holstered his gun.

Why?  He was no longer being threatened.

This story has a different ending.  In this case, the good guy got free from his ropes, got his pistol, and shot the bad guy.

As he was fleeing.

David Martinez, 38, was shot and killed on Sunday after he turned a Craigslist offer into an attempted armed robbery. His victim, bound inside his own home, managed to untie himself and fire shots as Martinez fled. Martinez, who had a long criminal history, crashed his vehicle and died at the scene.

Now, I'm not going to shed too many tears that this turd-of-a-human is dead.  What I am saddened by is that this victim likely turned himself into a criminal.

In his adrenaline-soaked state of mind, he saw bad guy and shot bad guy.  Even though he was no longer being threatened.

Training and mentally walking through different scenarios would have saved him from this grief.  Keeping his mouth shut after the shooting might have helped as well.  One of the first things the Second Call Defense program stresses is that after you call for 911 help, you call your pre-paid attorney.

Then shut the hell up.

At our precious metals store, we regularly discuss different scenarios where bad guys emerge.  Our response is always greater than the threat presented - including the use of deadly force - but it's not always the expected response.

For instance, if a gun or other deadly weapon is displayed, there is a very good chance you'll be shot before you get a chance to harm us.  If you grab some merchandise and flee, you'll be pursued and likely get your ass kicked, but use of deadly force is unlikely unless our lives are threatened.

Use your head.  Go through scenarios in your mind.  Don't hesitate in defending yourself, but practice identifying situations where the use of deadly force is justified.

And when it isn't.


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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Guns: Is THAT Premeditation?

Simultaneously Posted At BoomerPreps.com


Anyone who owns a gun for self-defense has thought about the repercussions of having to use the gun to protect their life, or the life of another. I can think of few things that would be more of a emotional jolt than taking the life of another human being.

One of the things that would be worse would be my life being taken because I hadn't prepared for the situation.

We preppers plan. We look at the universe of events that could unfold, and we plan for them.

We put more time and effort into our preps for things we believe are more likely to happen, or which may have a significant, debilitating negative impact on our lives - regardless of the likelihood of the event coming to fruition.

Being killed by some random thug is high on the latter list. The places where I live and work aren't over-run with gun-toting, blood thirsty savages roaming the streets.

But dozens of people get mugged and murdered every day of every week here in America. It's a low probability event for you as an individual, but it's a real possibility.

So we plan. We prepare. We get ready.

We practice with our guns at the shooting range.

We buy memberships and insurance that will protect us if we shoot someone in self-defense.

We select ammunition that will most effectively stop the threat, and stop it quickly.

We learn advanced shooting techniques so we are more able to ensure we come out of the encounter alive.

Many people - the anti-gun crowd, much of government and most of the media in particular - will affix a special term to this kind of preparedness: Premeditation.

Why? Because they know it will scare many non-gun owners into thinking that anyone who uses a gun in self-defense is a cold-blooded killer. "Premeditated" is always coupled with "murder".

Let's first look at the definition of "premeditated" from Merriam-Webster online dictionary -

characterized by fully conscious willful intent and a measure of forethought and planning [premeditated murder]

The word-nerds even have it out for us! So, by definition, all prepping is premeditated. Especially when it comes to guns.

And that's a very good thing. We "gun nuts" genuinely want people to act responsibly with their guns. People are harmed when you do otherwise.

What follows is one video and links to two articles about guns - written by lawyers. In Texas.

"We Don't Dial 911"

The point about the signs influencing a jury is well-taken - especially in a "blue state" such as California, New York, etc.

My biggest problem is that you are advertising that you own guns. To me, it would be the same as posting a sign out front saying, "Don't bother robbing my house. My gold and silver are in a burglar-proof safe."

Not a single one of my neighbors knows I own a single gun - or own an ounce of silver. Publicizing your "stuff" is an invitation for trouble.

Carrying a "Statement Card"

A Statement Card is a card you carry around that gives you a "script" to follow if you're ever involved in a self-defense shooting. An excerpt from this article -

Q: I called my attorney here in Denver to ask him, and he said if the prosecutor ever found out I had contacted him before an incident, which I was doing at that moment, it could be interpreted as premeditation.

A: Great question. Having pre-printed cards to that effect do seem a little premeditated, in that each factual situation is different. These are certainly good and accurate things to say, but having them pre-printed on a card seems a little over the top. Additionally, the invocation of your rights should be made verbally in the case of an incident.

Let me be painfully clear: I do not care how "premeditated" it appears to anyone asking me questions about a self-defense shooting. SecondCall Defense has a "script" they suggest you use if you're involved in a shooting, regardless of how innocent you think you may be.

Unless you're a gun law attorney, call 911, follow the script, then call SecondCall Defense. Then prepare yourself to be arrested. You'll have bail money and an attorney in hours.

You may say the most innocent thing, and it can get you convicted. DO NOT risk your freedom (see "7 Shooting Incident Mistakes").

By the way, as the article notes, most police officers are instructed NOT to say anything for 72 hours after they are involved in a shooting. There's a reason for that. Follow their lead.

Does Your Ammo Choice Matter In Court?

Lots of concern out there about being in possession of ammo with, "greater stopping power". This gets back to the whole "premeditated" angle and the blood-thirsty image portrayed by the media and some prosecutors -

Based on comments in the blog, many Cheaper Than Dirt! readers who might be forced to defend themselves with a firearm worry about how the effectiveness of their ammunition may prejudice how they’re viewed by the courts.

Q: From a legal perspective, does it matter what ammunition I use in my handgun?

A: The short answer is, probably not. But for the purposes of this discussion, let me be very clear — we’re talking only about Texas law here. Unfortunately, not every state can be as reasonable as ours. Some ammo may or may not be legal for possession or use in other states, so be sure to check the local laws to make sure what you are carrying is legal.

The bottom line is, get the most effective ammo that is allowed in your state. If they don't allow effective ammo, move. Isn't your life worth that?

In all of my beginner and advanced pistol classes, I teach that you keep shooting until the threat has stopped. Then YOU MUST stop. Crappy ammo ends up with crappy results. And you may be harmed or dead if you're forced (or choose) to use ammo that will not stop your assailant.

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Copyright 2015 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Chokepoint: Coming To A Biz Near You

Have you heard of Operation Chokepoint?  No?  It's this consumer protection cocoon designed to make you safe and sound from all of the bad businesses in your life.

You know, like these -

• Ammunition Sales
• Cable Box De-scramblers
• Coin Dealers
• Credit Card Schemes
• Credit Repair Services
• Dating Services
• Debt Consolidation Scams
• Drug Paraphernalia
• Escort Services
• Firearms Sales
• Fireworks Sales
• Get Rich Products
• Government Grants
• Home-Based Charities
• Life-Time Guarantees
• Life-Time Memberships
• Lottery Sales
• Mailing Lists/Personal Info
• Money Transfer Networks
• On-line Gambling
• Payday Loans
• Pharmaceutical Sales
• Ponzi Schemes
• Pornography
• Pyramid-Type Sales
• Racist Materials
• Surveillance Equipment
• Telemarketing
• Tobacco Sales
• Travel Clubs

Take a look at this video, and see where this bad boy is headed.  I'll wait....



For me - with the businesses I run - the coin dealers and gun-related businesses cause me some concern, obviously.  Back to those in a minute.

Look at some of these others.  Let's see, "Racist Materials".  I'm not a racist, you're probably not either, but isn't it my right to be one, and to buy or sell such materials?  You know, that whole First Amendment, "abridging the freedom of speech" prohibition on government?

Naw, shut 'em down!

Life-time memberships?  Like maybe an NRA Life Member, perhaps?  I'm guessing it wouldn't apply to the NAACP, or Democratic Socialists of America (note:  I'd posit that you can't get a lifetime membership to their youth program, the Young Democratic Socialists of America, 'cause, well, you will get old, right?).

The only one I agree with is the one on Ponzi schemes, but there's no way they're gonna shut down the Social Security Administration.  That's just crazy talk!
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The ones that really matter are the ones that allow an individual to remain independent.  Money and guns being the key components.

What better way to force feed people to use electronic and approved forms of "cash" than to remove competing financial instruments?

Payday loans compete with banks.  Shut 'em down.  Precious metals allow you to hold a part of your personal assets "off the books".  How the hell can Nanny tax you or seize your assets if they don't know what you've got?!

With guns, well, even some of the dyed-in-the-wool liberals still believe the government can't simply ban guns, so you ban what makes them go bang, or the places you can buy them.

All better now.  Liberal nirvana is maintained.

As the video notes, the FDIC has issued statements saying they're backing off.  Yeah, right.

If you believe that, I've got Get Rich Government Grant Escort service to sell you.  ACT NOW and we'll throw in a tobacco store/fireworks shop (it's safe, we promise!).  BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!   Call in the next 17 minutes, and you'll get a Homebased Pornography Dating Service at no extra charge!

Supplies are limited...


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Copyright 2015 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

7 Shooting Incident Mistakes

Recently joint-published on BoomerPreps.com

I'm a big adherent to the right to keep and bear arms. I live that belief every day, without exception. I believe that armed citizens are the best deterrent to armed bad guys. It's simple math: There are more of us than there are of them.

But for us good guys, gun ownership and usage comes with a heavier burden than that imposed upon the bad guys. Being honest citizens, we willingly submit ourselves to the American justice system.

If some bad guy breaks into our home, and we shoot him in self-defense, we don't drag the body into the backyard and bury it along with all of the evidence. No, we call the police, report the incident and subject ourselves and our actions to the scrutiny of the law.

And there's the rub. Voluntarily subjecting ourselves to legal scrutiny. Regardless of the legitimacy of our actions, we can end up being detained, prosecuted and convicted.

To add insult to injury, the cost of defending ourselves against the initial criminal complaint and the subsequent civil complaint can ruin you financially.

Most folks have heard of the case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. I'm not going to go into the specifics of the case - that's for you to do if you wish. SecondCall Defense - an organization that provides, "Complete legal protection for armed self-defense" recently published an article titled, "7 Critical Lessons From America's Most Notorious Gun Owner".

Self-inflicted shooting incident mistakes can land you in prison.

Here is my take on these 7 shooting incident mistakes Zimmerman made (FYI - in a recent article, Zimmerman noted that his cost from the state of Florida alone - for paperwork requests, etc., amounted to more than $360,000) -

Don't Get Out of Your Car

The entirety of the case against Zimmerman was that he "pursued" or "stalked" Martin, not that he was a Neighborhood Watch participant, and was being a good citizen looking out for his community.

Any situation can be twisted in any way.

The lesson from this is to not to put yourself in the position of being perceived to be the aggressor in any way, shape or form. This includes initiating contact with your bad guy.

If you see a bad guy in your backyard, get a gun, load it, disengage the safety, and call the police. Don't do a "sweep" of your backyard and shoot the guy. You were not in imminent threat of physical harm or loss of life while you were in your home and the bad guy was in the backyard - which is the standard for self-defense in most states.

Someone trespassing on your property is not legal grounds for lethal defense in most states. Like it or not, that's the law. Think before you act.

How will it look when you're on trial for murder and the family of the "good boy, with such a bright future, who had his life tragically extinguished" is weeping in the gallery as you testify?

Don't Rely On Cheap Equipment

I guess Zimmerman fumbled with a cheap flashlight. I don't recall that being an issue.

The point is well taken, though. When your life is on the line, don't expect junk to perform like premium equipment.

Don't Take Your Eyes Off The Threat

Amen to that!

An aggressor is always looking for a point of vulnerability or a moment of weakness. You averting your eyes from the potential threat - even for a second - is the opening they're looking for.

Arm yourself (but don't brandish your weapon) back up, keep moving, locate cover, but NEVER lose eye contact with your aggressor.

Zimmerman erred by allowing Martin to sucker punch him from behind - and this mistake could have easily cost Zimmerman his life.

A related "rule" is to not allow your aggressor to enter your personal "safety zone". If they are within arm's length, you've made a huge mistake allowing them in that close.

Educate yourself regarding your "reactionary gap" - sufficient distance for you to be able to stop injury or to save your life. Seriously, this is something your need to consider and incorporate into your self-defense plans.

Don't Assume Police Are Your Friends

As a law abiding citizen, the police are not your enemy, but you certainly should not assume they're your friends. They're doing a job.

They are investigating a death or serious injury, and you're the one who is unharmed, and has a gun in his hand.

Obviously, that is the goal of self-defense, but someone is dead or injured, and the police gather evidence for the county prosecutors. They gather ALL evidence, including physical evidence at the scene and statements made by any witnesses and by you.

That takes us to the next rule -

Don't Forget To Assert Your Fifth Amendment Right

Other than calling the police to report the shooting, and to request medical service for the bad guy, you need to keep quiet. It doesn't matter how justified the shooting may have been.

It is incredibly easy to say something that can be twisted and shredded - and used against you - at your trial.

Think about how "pumped" you would be after a shooting: An unknown assailant entered your home, threatened your life and forced you to defend yourself. Your heart will be pumping a mile-a-minute, and the adrenaline will be gushing into your bloodstream.

As a result of recent court cases, you are now required to verbally assert your fifth amendment right to silence. They can actually use a simple refusal to speak as an admission of guilt against you in court!

"Officer, I refuse to answer based upon my fifth amendment rights under the United States Constitution."

Once you do this, you must expect to be arrested. Get this in your head right now! Do not speak with anyone until you have spoken with an attorney that specializes in self-defense.

Don't Give Interviews Without Your Attorney

Do you see a theme here?

We non-attorneys have little knowledge of what can be damning self-incrimination. We cannot be compelled to make a statement, but if we voluntarily do so - say to reporters and cameras - our recorded statements can be used against us.

If you fall for the, "If you're not guilty, you should have no problem speaking with the police," garbage, you are sadly misinformed and naive.

This is doubly so in anti-gun states such as California, New York, Massachusetts, etc. Prosecutors in those states want to make examples of gun owners. It's as simple as that.

Don't help them ruin your life.

Don't Be Surprised If A Civil Suit Comes Next

It's the American Way, right? Everyone looks to make another buck.

I've never understood how this works, though. You've got a guy like OJ Simpson who is found not guilty (BTW, I think he was guilty as all hell, but I wasn't on the jury). The Brown family was then able to successfully sue him in civil court and win damages.

How can that be? Not guilty in one court, and guilty in another - all concerning the same incident.

I'd bet top dollar that the police officer in Ferguson will be facing a similar civil trial. It's going to be huge dollars.

Plain and simple, you have to assume it will happen if you're involved in a self-defense shooting.

Yes, SecondCall offers protection for this - up to Unlimited spending for your defense.

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I can think of few things more horrible than taking the life of another human being - even the life of a dirt-bag threatening my life. It's unsettling, to say the least.

But if it comes down to the life of a good guy versus the life of a bad guy, I will not hesitate to exercise my right to self-defense. Not ever.

But you MUST think out your various responses to various situations. In my precious metals shop, we discuss - on a regular basis - how we will react to different types of aggression and threat.

My wife and I do the same for our home.

Plan, anticipate, train. Then do it all over again. And again.

Chief Instructor is an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor. He is a recruiter for the SecondCall Defense membership program. He proudly, and unapologetically supports both organizations. He receives compensation if you take a firearms instruction class from his company, or if you purchase a membership from SecondCall Defense through this website (please do so!).
 
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Copyright 2014 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

The Vegas Shooting

By now, most of America has heard of the shooting of two Las Vegas police officers -

(CNN) -- A Las Vegas couple who gunned down two police officers and a civilian before killing themselves apparently looked at law enforcement as oppressors, a sheriff's department official said Monday.

Among the clues: a "Don't Tread on Me" flag and a Nazi swastika the couple placed on one of the police officers they ambushed Sunday at a pizza restaurant. They also pinned onto the officer's body a note saying something to the effect of "this is the beginning of the revolution," Second Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters.

"We believe that they equate government and law enforcement ... with Nazis," McMahill said. "In other words, they believe law enforcement is the oppressor."

 I think this Sheriff hit the nail on the head.  I think it's part of a trend, and one that's going to continue.

And if you own guns, I believe this is going to impact you directly.

Back in 2013 I wrote this ("Losing Trust and Respect") -

But, there is some push back.  And, I predict, if the police and bureaucrats don't start policing themselves, I believe hell is going to rain down on their heads.  The push back will become more common, more covert and more aggressive.

It is already happening on a sporadic basis.  The recent shooting at LAX was by a guy pissed off at TSA tactics.  There was just some guy in Arkansas that was caught blowing up electrical transmission lines.  Christopher Dorner - the former LA cop - went off on a killing spree because he felt the system was being stacked against him.

This government 'superiority complex' is out of control.

In this case, the perceived or actual oppressor was the police.  It may be the EPA, the BLM, the TSA - any government agency that runs rough-shod over citizens with no checks-and-balances or realistic opportunity for "redress of grievances."

People are going to take justice into their own hands.

The power to stop this is 100% within the power of these government agencies.

Saying "officer safety" is of paramount importance falls on deaf ears.  I care about my family.  My rights.  My property.

If the only way you are able to do your job is by abusing the people you're charged with protecting or serving, then you shouldn't be in that job.

A little more brains and a little less brawn is in order.

When a GA Sheriff basically says, "Eh, tough shit.  The officers made a mistake," when they blow up the face and chest of a baby in a bassinet with a flash-bang grenade, people lose empathy for the police.  If fact, they get pissed off.

And many are getting pissed off enough to do something about it.

How in God's name does it seem like a good idea to deploy an armored personnel carrier, 7 officers decked out in full assault garb, all carrying fully-automatic assault weapons, grenades, smoke bombs and who knows what else - to arrest a drug dealer, all on the word of a confidential informant?!

Are you serious? Not some drug kingpin.  Not some guy holed up in a fortified, machine gun protected fortress. 

But a street-level meth dealer.

But they won't change.  Why?  Because of human nature. 

If you've got a bunch of toys, you want to play with them.  If you dress up these "elite" units, they want to go to the dance once in a while.

But we all know nothing will change.  In fact, it will get worse.  If, as I predicted, people start shooting back,  sabotaging government facilities and assets, and in general, making life unpleasant for TPTB, the police and government officials will only clamp down even tighter.  We'll have more restrictions, more intrusions, more checkpoints, more abuse.  This will bring more retribution.

It will be a vicious, vicious circle.

I still believe this.  The myriad CONUS-based government agencies that have purchased over a billion hollow-point rounds of ammo didn't buy them for target practice. 

They believe the abuse/retribution/abuse/retribution cycle will happen, as well.


Accept The Challenge

And this is where non-criminal gun owners need to pay attention.  We're next.

These Vegas shooters draped a Gadsden flag and a swastika over the officers.  The Gadsden is probably the most common icon that the media associates with TEA partiers and gun owners.

The male shooter had a lengthy but largely trivial police record.  It won't be portrayed that way by the Talking Heads on TV, or the breathless Bloomberg gun-grabber bloggers.  This dude will be painted to be the second coming of Charles Manson.

Guns + Gadsden + swastika + criminal record will all be melded together as further proof that all gun lovers and TEA partiers are nothing more than blood thirsty anarchists looking to overthrow the government.

The first step will be in coming for the "gun and ammo" hoards.  Remember, to the compliant media and the uneducated public, a Mark III pistol and a 10/22 rifle with a "value box" of 500 rounds is considered a hoard.

The shooters in Vegas had 200 rounds with them, in what was called, "a small arsenal".  I guess what I bring with me to practice at the range would be considered a national security event.  Same goes for most of the folks that frequent most public ranges.

We've got a big target on our chests with lots of red laser dots dancing about.  Government, media, and the gun-grabbers all have us lit up like a Christmas tree.

So, other than the guns you carry every day, and those that you use for home defense, everything else needs to find a new place to stay.  It's simple math:  Don't have everything you own all in one place.

This is good practice anyways, but is virtually a requirement now.

Stock up on the down low.  Fill or build that hoard, but do it with cash only.  No debit or credit cards, no checks, no Paypal.  Nothing but cash.

Same goes for reloading supplies if you partake in that activity.

In general, stay off the ridgeline.  Don't make yourself an easy target.



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Copyright 2014 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Unpredictable Violence

Low Probability/High Impact Events

In our Emergency Preparedness course, we talk about disaster events that are very unlikely to happen, but if they do occur, the consequences can be devastating.

An extreme example would be a meteor screaming out of the heavens and landing on your house.  There is little you can to to prevent it, It's very unlikely to happen, but would be horrible should it occur.

There are a number of events that are much more likely to occur - although still unlikely - yet most people give them almost no thought. Like the meteor example above, there may be little we can do to stop the disaster from happening, but there ARE things we can do to minimize the negative impact.

Do you remember the rioting in LA after the first Rodney King verdict?  It was essentially spontaneous.  As soon as the verdict was known, the lid came off, and the violence escalated.  If you were in the wrong place when it started, you were in immediate, life-threatening danger.

Staying out of LA on the day a verdict was to be presented would have been a prudent decision.  You have no idea how it will turn out, and some people might not like it.

The same goes with Super Bowl winners, NBA Championships and World Series final games.  People get crazy when big events happen, and that craziness often leads to violence.

Don't tempt fate.  Stay away.

But what if you're caught totally off-guard and find yourself in the middle of a threatening situation?  Here are some ideas:

Assume the police are overwhelmed.  At the very minimum, it will take several minutes for them to arrive.  A lot of bad things can happen in 5 minutes.  You are now 100% responsible for your own well-being until they arrive, or until you can get to a safer location.

If you're in a car, stay in it and lock all doors and windows.  Drive out of the area as quickly as possible.  If your tires are slashed, don't stop.  Drive on the rims if need be.  Escape and evasion are your priorities.  Exit the car, and you're likely to become a victim.

If you're on the street, get inside as quickly as possible.  If you're able, pick an office building before you pick a retail store, as stores are more likely to be targeted by looters.  Move to the back of the building if possible.  Try not to go to upper floors - if a fire is started, you may be trapped.

Arm yourself.  If you have a firearm, defensive spray or stunning device, have it ready and prepare yourself mentally to use it in self-defense.  If these aren't accessible, grab whatever is available.

ALWAYS look for a chance to get to safety.

Never let your guard down.



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Copyright 2014 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com