Economics and Investing:

Why We Won’t See An Oil Price Rebound Yet

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Barack Obama’s policies for 6 years have brought NEITHER peace nor prosperity. PERIOD!

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Medicare and Social Security Tabs Coming Due – Good article, but I have seen credible folks saying the numbers on unfunded liabilities in the 200+ trillion dollar range.

David Stockman: Audit The Fed——And Shackle It, Too

Low Oil Price Won’t Spur Global Growth Says Moody’s

Shifting Goal Posts on Employment Signals Slower Fed Rate Hikes – Of course they are going to move the goal post; that is all they have been doing. They know it’s fraudulent data, and they know they can’t really raise rates.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Central Florida leaders to vote on pay-per-mile study. – T.P.

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From the local TV news out of Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, February. 10th: Major shipping company pulls out of Portland

I’m sure you’ve all seen those shipping containers attached to semi-trucks with the words “Hanjin” written on ’em. Well, Hanjin is one of the biggest sea shipping companies in the world; cargo ships are absolutely loaded down with those shipping containers stacked high on ’em as they pull into port.

Well, Hanjin announced yesterday that they will no longer pull into port in Portland, OR. No big deal, right? WRONG!!! We get 75% of everything we use shipped into Oregon via Hanjin shipping. First off all, this means the loss of hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs in the Portland, OR area. Secondly, it will mean that almost everything we purchase will have to be brought into Oregon (and probably parts of Washington, Idaho, and N. California, too) via trucks from the Seattle, WA area, which means delays and higher prices.

So, prepare to pay a lot more for just about everything you buy. Walmart’s prices will most assuredly go up, as they get much of their stuff from China. As I said, this will probably affect not just Oregon but Idaho, Washington, and N. California as well as the entire country, since trucks will have to deliver products unloaded from Hanjin hundreds if not thousands of more miles, adding to the overall cost of things.

I’m just glad that NObama has been telling us how much better the economy is. Without him telling us, we wouldn’t know how great things are going, huh? – Pat Cascio, SurvivalBlog Product Review Editor Emeritus.

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Russia Warns Military Aid To Ukraine From The U.S. Will Result In ‘All Out War’

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Brazilians hoard water, prepare for possible drastic rationing. – JBG

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From the Wranglerstar vlog: Breaking Out The Big Gun

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“What we have in life that we can count on is who we are and where we come from, she thought absently. For better or worse, that is what we have to sustain us in our endevors, to buttress us in our darker moments, and to remind us of our identity. Without those things, we are adrift.” ? Terry Brooks, A Knight of the Word

Notes for Wednesday – February 11, 2015

February 11th is the birthday of the late Burt Blumert (born February 11, 1929 in New York City, died March 30, 2009). He once owned Camino Coin Company (as did Dr. Ron Paul). JWR was a Camino Coin Company customer, starting back in the late 1980s, and can remember Burt personally helping him dolly out his first purchase of 100-ounce Englehard bars. That was back when they cost just $580 each. Those were the days!

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Rural Revolution has gone online with their Country Living Series of illustrated E-Booklets on country ways. From moving to the country, canning, and obligations as a refugee, they have some awsome resources!

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Who doesn’t like a little something extra when they make a purchase? Ready Made Resources will throw in a case of Rice and Chicken and a second case of Spaghetti and Meat Sauce when you purchase their most popular Mountain House Food system.

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Don’t forget Camping Survival’s Mountain House Sale going on now ’til February 14th. It would be a good time to replenish your stock!

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Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a 340 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. *Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 57 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Pulling the Trigger, When They Don’t, and After the Action, by K.B.

Are you prepared to take a life, and are you prepared to deal with the consequences? The answer is not as clear as you might think, but there are three very important concepts to understand that might make answering that question easier. First, in what situation would you take someone’s life? Second, how do you respond to someone not firing or freezing up during a firefight? Third, are you prepared to deal with the mental trauma associated with taking someone’s life? These are very real issues that need to be addressed, and this article attempts to show how to deal with and prepare for each one.

Pulling the Trigger

It is important that before a SHTF scenario begins, you, your family, or group decide and agree when to take someone’s life. This concept is often referred to as the rules of engagement (ROE). Everyone needs to be on the same page on what the ROE is and why it is that way. For example, disaster strikes, and you need to bug-out in your vehicle. The streets are packed with other people trying to get out, and finding a gas station that has gas is a near impossibility. Many of you should be thinking, “That’s okay; I have my own gas to fill up my vehicle.” That’s a great thing, but what happens when your vehicle runs low and needs to be refueled. If you think people are going to watch you drive by with smiles while they are stranded, then you need to be brought back to reality. People will ask, plea, demand, and potentially steal what you have. At what point do you draw your weapon and defend what is yours? Are you and all members of your family or group willing to take someone’s life over gas– the absence of which will leave you stranded just like everyone else. If you cannot definitively answer this, then you may want to work on your own rules of engagement. You don’t want a plan such as “Well, I would just pull out my gun and threaten them. After that, if they don’t leave me alone, I’ll shoot them.” The problem with this is that desperate people don’t always heed warnings, and this is America. You can bet that you aren’t the only one with a gun. The last thing you want to do is start a firefight. Finally, if you do end up defending yourself or supplies by killing the offender, their family or others may see it differently. Remember, just because you have a gun, killing someone has consequences regardless of the justifications. People will always spin the story to make you look like the bad guy, and they don’t care about truth or facts. If you are not careful, you can end up fighting an entire mob of angry and desperate people. If and when you must use lethal force, make sure you have a plan– one that includes on what, in your mind, warrants the use of force in the first place and a plan on how to leave the area quickly. Responding to situations like the one described above effectively is extremely difficult and requires much training. Do not be the person who only knows how to use their weapon; be the person who knows when and how to use their weapon. Practicing these situations can help you potentially deal with them. Ask family and friends to role play with you, and have them be an agitated survivor. Introduce hidden weapons and more people as you gain practice. You will learn valuable techniques and experience that will help you deal with unruly people. It is imperative that after each situation you role play, go over what could have gone better or been done better, and learn from your mistakes. This simple training activity will save you a lot of trouble and possibly your life.

When They Don’t

Now that you have role played your situations, what happens if someone doesn’t pull the trigger when they should? It is a fact that the action of deliberately taking another life, especially at close range, is difficult for most people. If you ever want to know why this is true, you should read Dave Grossman’s books On Killing or On Combat. Even if you aren’t interested in the human psyche of killing, you need to be aware that you or a member of your group may not be able to pull the trigger when that crucial moment comes. You might think that there is no way you would hesitate, but for those of us who have been in those situations, more often than not, someone doesn’t do their job. This is why having battle-tested soldiers is such a force multiplier for the military, because the nerves experienced in the first few engagements are so overwhelming it makes doing a job very difficult. It is important to understand that you, or a member of your group, will freeze or make a bad decision during their first combat encounter, especially if no one in your group has been under fire before. While it’s frustrating and potentially deadly, knowing what to do when it happens is extremely important and lifesaving. The most typical reaction for someone to have if they experience direct fire, and they don’t seek cover and return fire, is to “freeze up”. When someone freezes, they enter a state of shock, bunker down behind something, and either do nothing or cry. The most important thing to do is to get that person to fire his/her weapon. Because of the state of shock, speaking or screaming usually doesn’t help. It takes firm physical contact, such as shaking, hitting, or kicking them, or throwing something at them to snap them back into reality. Once you have their attention, it’s extremely important you give them a clear and simple order, such as “fire your weapon” or “reload”, and that’s it. Berating, name calling, or screaming at them will only cause them to lock up more. The goal with giving them a simple task is to get their mind back into game, allowing the brain to realize the situation and remember the training. If they remain frozen and refuse to budge, leave them and finish the fight. It won’t do any good if you are taken out trying to get someone to return fire. Once the action is over and you return to a place of safety, how you treat and speak to the person who froze will play a major impact on whether or not they will become a functioning fighter capable of being trusted. While every instinct in your body will want to strangle, degrade, and scream at the one person who couldn’t fight, that’s exactly what not to do. This can be especially hard if someone was injured or killed because they weren’t able to cover their sector or preform a critical task, but you need to remind the person who froze or coward behind something the entire fight that they have worth and you need them to do their job. Remind them that this one instance doesn’t make them a coward; it makes them a human being. Then, all you need to do is treat that person with respect and dignity. Demand that everyone else in the group does as well, because nothing can cause a person to enter depression or worse, commit suicide, like alienation from peers. Treating someone this way, and not as a black sheep, is better because most likely they know they screwed up. They hate themselves too, and truthfully no one really knows how they are going to react to a situation like that until it happens.

After the Action

What happens after your first contact– after you, your family, or a group member takes someone’s life for the first time? The experience of killing someone is very different for each person, but for most it is very traumatic. This is the reason no one should ask a veteran “have you ever killed anyone”. For most, it isn’t a good experience that warrants a casual conversation. However, being able to talk about these experiences is important to help start the healing process. Otherwise, if left to brew and internalize what happened, depression, paranoia, or manic behavior are very real possibilities. We’re talking here about a SHTF scenario, where there are no counselors, no psychiatrists, no chaplains, and no priests to talk to. There certainly isn’t going to be an abundant supply of antidepressant medication going around. You, or somebody in your group, needs to be that person to talk to. It is important that you talk about the event, not to glorify it or condemn it, but to understand that it isn’t something that defines you. People need to know and be reassured that they are more than just a killer; they still have value, and life goes on. Remember that in today’s society soldiers returning home from deployment and officers involved in shootings are mandated or strongly encouraged to attend group or individual counseling. In a societal collapse those things are nonexistent, and it is up to you to make an environment conducive to healing those mental wounds. The healing will take time, especially in a stressful situation such as when in a SHTF scenario, but as a leader of your family or group, you are responsible for everyone’s mental welfare as well as their physical well being.

Be aware of your situation, and always train for the unexpected and hard decisions. Know that killing someone isn’t easy, and people do not always have what it takes to do it. Know how to speak and treat people when they make mistakes, and know how to talk about traumatic events that are bound to happen. Know that depression and suicide will be rampant in a SHTF scenario, and it takes time and dedication to safe guard ourselves and our group members. Know that in the end, all we have is each other.

Letter Re: Revocable Trusts

Hugh,

I am an attorney. I believe in trusts and have prepared many. A trust will not prevent estate taxes, but it can help keep them low. However, remember that you have to be rich to worry about taxes anyway. A well-drafted Will can do the same tax planning that a trust can do. The benefits of a trust are:

  1. Privacy. (You might need to give it to the title insurance company or the investment company, but it won’t be available to anyone who is just being nosy, as a Will filed at the Courthouse would be.)
  2. No probate. (There’s that privacy issue again and with an extra layer, BUT you have to have made the effort to transfer ownership to the trust or you will have to have a probate just to create the trust. Well, you’ll be dead, but your family will have to go to Court.)

If you are wealthy enough to have tax issues and you elect a do-it-yourself trust, you were penny wise and pound foolish. Consult a good estate planning attorney and CPA. I’m not sure an Internet trust will do what you need. There are as many issues that need to be addressed in estate planning as there are members of your family. I have seen some trusts done even by attorneys that were “scary”. Don’t leave a mess for your family; know what you are doing or don’t do it. Also, a trust can have any name– the Paper Lantern Trust, the Yellow Brick Road trust, etc. It doesn’t have to be the Bob and Betty Brown trust. I highly recommend trusts (I have one), but please… do your homework and don’t just grab the first thing you find. – NW Lawyer

Economics and Investing:

Silver and Gold Truth Versus Fiat Lies. – C.G.

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The world economy stands on the brink of a second credit crisis, China is imploding, interbank lending begin to seize up, the debt markets fall over, Europe on edge and TRILLION$$ in currency derivatives at risk

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Tomorrow Greece Decides: Europe… Or Russia

How Fast Would Contagion Spread If Greece Exits The Eurozone

Video: ‘Less Chocolate In a Bar, Price Stays The Same: Pure Deflation?’ Dr. Pippa Malmgren – Great video.

Video: The Central Bank Manipulation Trade – Rick Santelli

Odds ‘n Sods:

If you go for a multi-fuel, never burn wood and coal at the same time. Even kiln-dried wood has some moisture in it, and it releases that moisture when it burns. Choosing The Right Solid Fuel Stove. – H.L.

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French Government Declares Independence From Free Speech: Broad Internet Take-Down Powers Now In Place – H.L.

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Onslaught of California Storms Fails to Provide Critical Relief for Reservoirs, Farmers. – M.F.

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TSA Demands Internal Passport for Domestic Travel. InfoWars easily goes over the top most of the time, but on this topic I think they’re correct. – P.S.

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Alabama chief justice orders state judges to defy feds on gay marriage. – T.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Cancer gave me an understanding of the point of all this. To survive. Most of our lives it is easy but for the moments when it becomes difficult, when accident or sickness or sadness strikes, it’s just about remembering one thing. You must simply survive.” ? Shaun Hick

Notes for Tuesday – February 10, 2015

February 10th is the birthday of Zvi Zvika Greengold (born 1952), a Centurion tank commander who was one of Israel’s most notable heroes of the Yom Kippur War. He was awarded the Medal of Valor.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a 340 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. *Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 57 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Security Screens, Security Film, and Security Bars, by D.E.

A large percentage of preppers plan on bugging in and weathering any possible TEOTWAWKI situation in our existing homes. While this plan provides the ability to stockpile lots of food, water, and gear (including weapons and ammo of choice) for the long term, it does not prevent one or more intruders from coming with superior numbers or fire power, penetrating our defenses, and taking all of that great stuff from us. We rely on the strength of our home, and we don’t realize or want to acknowledge that local building codes are not providing for castle strength. Modern homes are built to keep heat and cool air inside the home rather than to prevent someone from breaking down the door or coming through the window.

I know the plan; home defense is what our guns are for, right? What if I could tell you a way to stop a thief or a home invasion without ever having to fire your weapon? What if the window or door the intruders were attempting to penetrate could not be forced, pried, cut, or beaten through? Products that make this scenario a reality do exist, and they are used all over the world every day.

I have listed several ways to make your property more secure below. Obviously keeping a sentry awake all night is the best practice, but the products in this article could definitely allow one person to monitor a much larger area than would be possible when only implementing standard doors and windows. The increased tools and time needed to penetrate security screens, security films, and bars make noise and provide reaction time that would otherwise not be possible.

Stainless Steel Window Screens and Security Doors

Stainless steel security screens are available from multiple sources and can be placed over windows, and stainless steel security doors can be purchased that make it extremely difficult for unwanted intruders to penetrate your home defenses.

For instance, in Australia gun ownership is much less prevalent than in America. It’s difficult to own a gun, and very few people are armed. The weather is hot, and crime in some places is a real problem, so they have another way to deal with criminals. Stainless steel security screens that cover existing windows allow homeowners to sleep with their windows open and still be safe from home invasion and theft. The same screens protect their doors and make it impossible for an intruder without the right tools, time, and lots of noise to break through.

Security screens are used widely in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, but very few Americans even know what they are or what they are able to do to fortify their property. I’m most familiar with Crimsafe security screens, but there are several national companies that sell similar products.

TAPCO, Invisalign, and Crimsafe all make screens that can be installed to ramp up your home defenses significantly. Manufacturers vary about do-it-yourself installation, and not all manufacturers have dealer networks in all corners of the USA. Depending on where you live (DIY or professional installation) and the type of opening you have to secure these screens can make it all but impossible to have forced entry on your property without your knowledge.

Security Film

While not as strong or as sure a barrier as security screens, security film is an excellent deterrent to forced entry. Amazon.com sells many versions of security films at great prices when buying in bulk. I prefer the 3M security film in 12 mil, but many different films are available for ease of installation and a great variety of tint and thickness.

It’s very important to cover the entire window surface with film and follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly. You should make every effort to get all the bubbles out, to make the film invisible. While a window or glass door with film can be broken through in time and with tools, it will prove to be loud and will definitely slow down a potential attacker. I would strongly consider having security film professionally installed, if you have more than three or four windows to protect. Most large and medium-sized cities have more than one choice for professional installation of security films.

Security film is able to withstand direct assault from a blunt instrument like a bat or board easily. Penetration with sharp objects like a knife are possible but difficult and would likely result in injury to the perpetrator.

While this is a project that can be done as a DIY project, it can get expensive unless you do it correctly the first time.

Security Bars

Large to mid-sized cities have multiple dealers for security bars. These products can be decorative and are certainly effective deterrents to forced entry. The bars are, however, only as strong as the structure they are secured to, and unless a door is made with bars for a security purpose it will only be marginally successful. Just screwing bars on a standard storm door is not an effective security barrier.

Many security bars are attractive and professional dealers know how to install these products to maximize their effectiveness. I recommend security bars in applications where the architecture of the structure allows them to be used to affix the bars to structure on the outside of the home. Also, the look of the structure will determine if bars are a viable solution. Examples of security bar companies are Mr. Goodbar and Window Burglar Bars.

Another type of bar window and door security is one that can definitely be done as a DIY project. This method of securing an entry point is not as attractive as the others mentioned in this article, but it can be just as effective. The materials needed can be purchased from your local big box retailer, such as Lowes or Home Depot. All you need are some 3 ½” screws, washers that are 1″ in diameter, ½” threaded pipe, and some three-way pipe connectors. Purchase the pipe in lengths that will cover your window at its longest point. Screw in the three-way connectors to each end and affix it to the structure of the building with the long screws. Leave no more than an eight-inch gap between the bars, and you should prevent anyone from being able to penetrate completely into the structure. Obviously this would work well in an out building, garage, or barn but probably not in your home since your wife would likely object to the way this would look immediately.

Aesthetics

The least noticeable of the options above is the security film. A potential bad guy would never know that the security film was even installed, until they tried to penetrate the glass. Once they tried to break the glass, however, it would be quickly apparent that while the glass will break, they still could not penetrate inside the structure.

The security screens look like a normal window screen or screen door. They cannot, however, be cut, beaten, pried, or penetrated using standard burglar tools. Upon attacking the screen, the intruder would know immediately that the screen was not a standard window screen or door. Security screens also cut down the amount of light entering the structure, which cuts back on cooling costs.

All of the security bars described above would be visible from outside the window and may prevent the window from even being broken, since it should be apparent that the intruder cannot penetrate inside.

Most likely the wife or girlfriend would prefer the security film first, then the security screens, and bars of some type probably come in last place.

Cost

All cost estimates below are based on a 34” x 34” window. The lowest cost is not surprisingly the least attractive– the do-it-yourself bars. The DIY bars cost less than $100, and since this is a DIY job no installation costs would be incurred.

Security film would run between $75 and $150 per window for the film; installation would be extra, if a professional performed the work on this.

Security bars vary greatly in cost, depending on the design and metal content of the bars. Normally, the cost would vary between $200 and $500 dollars with extra cost of $75 per window required for professional installation.

Stainless steel security screens would be between $400 and $500, if professionally installed, and approximately $75 can be taken off that cost, if you install them yourself.

As a security screen dealer, I have seen all of these products used with various degrees of success. One type of barrier is not always the best for every application. In some instances, I have suggested window security films instead of screens. In all instances, an early warning system, such as an alarm system or even a low-tech solution like a dog, should be used whenever possible. There are many good ways to improve your home’s defenses. Just be open to all the possibilities, and let your budget, common sense, and availability of local professionals help you make your decision.

A combination of several security measures is always best, and I always like to see cameras, long deadbolts, and long screws in door hinges as well as the products outlined above. Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas to think about and use in making your homes defenses more effective.

Letter Re: What Happens When A Spouse Dies?

Hugh,

I’m responsing to the article “What Happens When A Spouse Dies?” by JEH. The author failed to mention getting a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) to distribute your assets. When a person contacts a lawyer for their will, they ought to ask if the lawyer knows how to prepare an RLT. Each state has different requirements for an RLT, but basically the RLTs are all the same. The RLT allows your assets to be distributed to your heirs TAX FREE and without having to go through probate. It’s a simple document that works along side your will (and in some cases in lieu of a will). The RLT is revocable in case your living situation changes (divorce, death of an heir, or simply if you just change your mind). Your assets must be transferred into the trust, which is kind of a pain, but the results of the RLT are worth the effort. You can go online and print out a boilerplate RLT and fill the blanks in yourself, and this document, when witnessed, is just as legal as one produced by a lawyer. I STRONGLY suggest that everyone with any assets puts those assets into an RLT. You won’t be sorry. – M.C.

Safari Club International Convention Roundup

I recently attended the Safari Club International (SCI) convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite the OTT crass glitziness of Vegas, I greatly enjoyed the convention and met some great subject matter experts who kindly shared some details about terrain, climate hydrology, fauna, and flora of a region of Africa that will be featured in my next novel.

While the African “Big Five” guides predominated, one thing that surprised me was the number of exhibitors at the show who hailed from The American Redoubt. I’m sure that there were others, since the convention floor was enormous and I just zoomed through walking it, but I did meet the folks from:

  • Caribou Creek Log Homes of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. They build traditional round log and Appalachian Dovetail log homes, as well as custom timber farm homes.
  • Brockman’s Rifles of Gooding, Idaho. They make innovative, lightweight folding stock bolt action rifles with integral bipods an free-floating barrels on both M700 and Kimber actions.
  • Schnee’s of Bozeman, Montana. They have a full line of outdoor clothing, packs, and boots– nearly all of them American-made.
  • Horse Creek Outfitters of Challis, Idaho. They guide hunts in Southeastern Idaho.
  • Proof Research of Columbia Falls, Montana. They build custom, bolt actions with carbon fiber-wrapped stainless steel barrels, in stocks that include both carbon fiber and Kevlar.
  • Gary Neese’s Outdoor World of Hamilton, Montana. They make a fantastic, patented, hunting jacket with a hidden daypack, removable pocket panels for both rifle cartridges and shotshells, plus sleeves that accordion-fold up so that the jacket becomes a vest. The jacket also has a clever hidden deployable optic orange vest in the back, to meet Fish and Game regulations and for emergency signaling use. I bought one right on the spot.
  • Mountain Riflery of Pocatello, Idaho. They make gorgeous big game hunting rifles on custom M70 controlled feed style actions with Oberndorf-style release floorplates. Most of their rifles are in California English Walnut stocks with amazing checkering and fitting.
  • Rand’s Custom Hats of Billings, Montana.
  • Holland’s Shooter Supply of Powers, Oregon. Darrell Holland is famous for his EDMed muzzle brakes, and he also runs a premier long range shooting school. His school is known for small class sizes and even individual instruction. He also recently started producing a very highly-rated American-made survival firestarter, under the trade name Lightning Strike.

All in all, the SCI convention was a hoot. I got to meet and talk with both NRA President Wayne LaPierre and veteran screenwriter and filmmaker John Milius. Just seeing all of the great taxidermy pieces was worth the price of admission. – JWR