Monday, October 1, 2018

CWP, 1 October 2018 Anno Domini

Greetings Sheepdogs,
     I am trying to get a few people together for a
Defensive Training International
Instructor Program
(Taught by John Farnam.) in the Nashville, TN area in 2019 A.D.
The course description is about 3/4ths down this web page,
http://defense-training.com/training-courses/
If you would like to attend in 2019 or know anyone who would,
please let me know.

***** Mindset *****

Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam

[With apologies to Clive Staples Lewis]
     You don't have a soul.  You are your soul. 
You have a body.  You are not your body.  Consider
Helen Keller or Stephan Hawking.
     You have tools.  Your tools do not define you. 
They may say something about your taste or what you
can afford.  But, that really is insignificant.
The surgeon is not known by his scalpel.
He has no favorite scalpel. He has a skill,
any scalpel will do. (I have seen a tracheotomy
preformed with a steak knife grabbed off a
dinner table.)  Similarly, you should concentrate
on honing your skill, any pistol will do. 
A person will become comfortable with anything
he practices. Sentimental or personal preferences
have no place in combat preparation.  You may not
have a pistol, any knife will do. What is the
best way to hold a knife? The way you are holding
it in the fight. Don’t change grips. Don’t throw
your knife. Lead with the knife, as a fencer,
with your other hand covering your carotid
arteries in your neck (Thanks to Sensei Cat
Fitzgerald). You may not have a knife, a pen will do.
You may not have any weapon, your hands will do.
Concentrate the strength of two of your hands
against one of the enemy's hands or one of his fingers,
and continue to twist; don’t stop when something
breaks. Stomp on his foot over the arch (not the
toes, as he may be wearing steel toed shoes),
the small bones in the foot are easily broken.
Gouge his eyes, if the enemy is wearing glasses
or goggles, gouge up and under the glasses.
A blood choke will incapacitate a person in
8 seconds (often much less than 8 seconds).
(An air choke is ineffective because a person
can hold his breath for a minute or more.)
If you don't know what I'm talking about, ASK!
Keep fighting. As long as you maintain a combat
mindset, you can win.
     If you think you are better off submitting,
you are statistically wrong. May I invite your
attention to “More Guns, Less Crime” by John R. Lott Jr.,
ISBN: 978-0226493640;
and you would be doing the criminal’s next
victim a grave disservice.
     In the May 2011 issue of the American Rifleman
on page 83, Criminology Professor Gary Kleck of
Florida State University concluded from a study of
National Crime Victimization Survey data that
“Robbery and assault victims who used a gun to
resist were less likely to be attacked or to
suffer an injury than those who used any other
method of self-protection or those who did not
resist at all.”

Position Before Submission – The BJJ Approach To Combat
http://www.iacombatives.com/2018/08/24/position-before-submission-the-bjj-approach-to-combat/
Excerpt: 
Position before submission.  Essentially what this means is
to have good positional dominance and control before
thinking about the finish. That keeps you conscious, mobile,
and in the fight, and allows you to go to the correct
ending move without risking yourself losing.

     We carry to protect our loved ones and our community.
Family resources spent on your training are to protect your
family.  When my children turned 14 I took them to Front
Sight for a 4-day Defensive Handgun class. When they were
old enough to carry, I bought them pistols expecting them
to protect me (and their loved ones).

Five NEVERs of Self-Defense
http://weaponsman.com/?p=17511

     “The familiar clause, ‘It's better to be lucky than good’
is the most ridiculous homily ever uttered!
In any competitive endeavor, you have to be damned good,
before ‘luck’ can be of any use to you at all.”
-- International Grand Master Garry Kasparov

     "You have to be lucky to win, and the more your practice,
the luckier you get." -- Col. Lones Wigger (1937 - 2017),
a friend and mentor

Force!
http://defense-training.com/2018/force/
Excerpt:
     “Shoot, when you have no choice!
Don’t, when you have other choices that are reasonably safe.
     When you have no choice except to shoot,
who cares if it’s ‘legal?’
     When you don’t need to shoot,
who cares if it would have been ‘legal?’ ”
-- Frieling
The foregoing quotation, from a celebrated lawyer,
represents his inevitable answer to the naive question:
“Can/should I shoot someone if they ....?”

Nobody Cares!
http://defense-training.com/2018/nobody-cares/

The “long game” of self defense
http://www.grantcunningham.com/2018/09/the-long-game-of-self-defense/

     We are alive today because our ancestors lived long enough to procreate.
We are of the social and economic status that we are because of the decisions
of our ancestors.  Never break the chain.

"Time unwinds.
Love's a state of mind."
-- Fleetwood Mac (Rhiannon)

Situational Awareness
http://privateerpublications.com/situational-awareness/
Excerpts:
     All self-defense instructors I have spoken to agree
that a confident, alert demeanor will discourage most
opportunistic criminals from choosing you as a target.
If they do, you should have some warning and be able to
take evasive action.
. . .
     "When you’ve got an instinct or a feeling something’s
wrong, don’t simply dismiss it, check it out. It could be
something. That’s what I’ve learned: to always trust your
instincts on something like that. . . . "
-- John Long

     “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is
the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing,
and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
-- President Theodore Roosevelt (NRA Life Member)
[This is also taught at Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.]

How do you win a gunfight? Don’t be there.
-–John Farnam

***** Enemy Mindset *****

They Are Not You: The Mindset of Hate
https://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/article/they-are-not-you-the-mindset-of-hate/

They Are Not You: Preconceptions as Deadly Misconceptions
https://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/article/they-are-not-you-preconceptions-as-deadly-misconceptions/
Excerpt: 
"Behavior and demeanor often reveal true purposes;
looks seldom do the same."

Complacency kills.

***** Safety *****

     Failure to obey safety rules gets people killed.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/state-police-corporal-faces-charges-in-shooting-death-of-state/article_337d872b-5f91-5a2a-9199-206358a4d3dc.html
     So, the next time someone violates a safety rule,
tell them.  They may take offense and tell you to fuck off. 
But, you will be doing the right thing, and perhaps saving a
life (maybe yours).

     Failure to watch what you're doing when holstering causes
injuries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrJMQupYxaw
     Holster carefully and gently.  Check to be sure nothing is caught
in your holster.

     Check for friendlies down range.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=42&v=HUzTIKAbI3k

Penetration Testing And Using A Car As Cover Part 1&2
http://looserounds.com/2018/08/23/penetration-testing-and-using-a-car-as-cover-part-12/
     The authors did the experiments and give you the data.

***** Training *****

    “When you aren’t skilled and confident,
you get scared and you over react.”
-- Greg Ellifritz

     Gunsite is teaching the 250 Pistol Class
https://www.gunsite.com/classes/nashville-250-pistol-class/
four times a year at the Royal Range in Nashville, TN
https://www.royalrangeusa.com/
December 3, 2018 - December 7, 2018
March 4, 2019 - March 8, 2019
June 3, 2019 - June 7, 2019
September 2, 2019 - September 6, 2019
December 2, 2019 - December 6, 2019

Body language and threat recognition
http://www.backwoodshome.com/body-language-and-threat-recognition/

Marc MacYoung, September 1, 2014 (Facebook posting)
     Rule number one about teaching self-defense:
Do NOT teach anything that will get your students killed.
     Rule number two:
Do NOT teach anything that will get your students put in prison.
     Rule number three:
No matter how much they want to learn other stuff,
focus on rules one and two.

Wilson Combat's Going Tactical with Mike Seeklander (12 episodes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4idEuv4A5n4&index=2&list=PLFJTW6YkjgiS4wK2WdG2ONgvgIVFSbWuG&t=12s
     Nice techniques.  Pay attention to the details.
In some of the episodes, he's using a pistol with a compensator,
which blows gasses upward.  This is going to throw burning powder
into you face when shooting from a close contact position.  So,
you should never use a pistol with a compensator for self defense.
     Mr. Seeklander talks about using a short barreled rifle. 
This weapon requires special licensing.  There is another
alternative, bullpups.  Moving the receiver back to the butt
plate gives you a short rifle with a rifle length barrel.
     Lead with your eyes.  Eyes, Muzzle, Trigger.  Drive your
gun with your feet.  Good techniques.

In Pursuit of Better Practice (an Interview with Claude Werner)
https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/in-pursuit-of-better-practice
Excerpt:
Training is not an event: it is a journey.

     As an intelligence analyst, it is my job to filter information
for you.  I read a lot of stuff and filter out the rubbish, and
present what I believe to be useful information to you in this
blog.  However, I feel compelled to mention the fact that a
firearms instructor is teaching unsighted fire at
non-close-contact ranges (20 feet).  I believe unsighted fire
at ranges where you could use your sights is wrong. 
You have a duty to fire accurately, because every miss is
damaging property and injuring bystanders, maybe killing them. 
In order to shoot accurately, you must use your sights. 
You must correctly align your front and rear sights. 
You must focus on the front sight (hard focus,
see the serrations and the scratches on the front sight).
     Unsighted fire is intentional negligence. 

Fit Enough to Fight
https://www.t-nation.com/training/fit-enough-to-fight
     A few years ago, I got stabbed in the thigh. 
It didn't hurt.  I carried on.  Training does work. 
You too can get this effect.

     Using pistol matches for training: 
     Move slowly enough to see the edge of your target before it sees you.
(If you are racing to win the game and run past a target without
seeing it,  it shot you and you lose.)  And shooting the edge when it
comes into view.  Don't wait till you have a center of mass shot. 
Because by then the enemy has a center of mass shot on you.
     Don't muzzle the no shoot targets.  (Pointing a gun at someone
without justification is aggravated assault.)
     Stay back away from corners.  (There is a bad guy hiding behind
every corner.  Always a good assumption.)
     Stay back away from walls.  (Bullets don't ricochet off
walls the way light reflects off a mirror.)
     Don't game the scenario.

The Essential Guide to Banjo Jamming
https://fingerstylebanjo.com/jamming/
     Yes, this relates directly to your self defense training. 
Every combat situation is you playing a song you don't already
know.  Do you see the beauty? the elegance?

5 Things to Master for Weak-Side Shooting
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2018/9/18/5-things-to-master-for-weak-side-shooting/

Shoot Straight: Breaking Out of the Square Range Rut
https://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/breaking-square-range-rut/

ADVICE TO THE FIGHT-FOCUSED GUN STUDENT
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/09/advice-to-the-fight-focused-gun-student.html
Excerpt:
     The lack of physical fitness in the gun world is shameful and
embarrassing and indicative of a culture of self-gratification and
a lack of self-discipline. One is unfit because one chooses a
lifestyle that gets [one] there.
     It is not about gun SPORT. Any martial science that is turned
into a sport loses a great deal of [its] martial value.
See Olympic fencing.
     When you come to class, please come prepared.
. . . do not show up to an advanced level class when you have not
been to a basic level class.

"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock

***** Tactics *****

". . . personal defense is a lifestyle, not a hobby."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson

MINDSET AND LIFE
http://looserounds.com/2018/08/20/mindset-and-life/
Excerpt:
"Manage the Clock. Most criminals stay up late and
sleep late, too. If you have unavoidable business
in their precincts, do it at seven o’clock in the
morning when they’re down for the count, not at
midnight when they’re just warming up."

Tatiana Whitlock demos some options when you have to fight with family around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQq7ao6vsH8

     Never fire warning shots!
http://lawofselfdefense.com/law_case/williams-v-state-2018-ga-lexis-584-ga-supreme-court-2018/
     As Andrew Branca explains in this case, the firing of a
single warning shot resulted in a felony murder conviction
and life sentence.  Which was upheld by the Georgia Supreme
Court upon appeal.
     The defendant didn't shoot at anyone.  He didn't hurt anyone. 
He fired a warning shot, which was deemed aggravated assault (a felony)
by the jury (the finders of the facts).  And because someone died
during the felony, he was convicted of felony murder.
     Acts of criminal stupidity are very expensive. 
Never fire warning shots!

Contact Distance Shooting . . . Rescuing a Friend or Family Member
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/contact-distance-shooting-rescuing-a-friend-or-family-member#comments
     Ralph Mroz, in his Close Quarter Combat with pistol course,
teaches to lock up with your partner or the enemy, and then
attempt a contact shot from the side of the neck down into
the torso of the enemy.  (That's why you need to take a close quarter combat
class.)

Stepping to the Side While Drawing
http://privateerpublications.com/stepping-side-drawing/
Excerpt:
"The situation dictates what you do. So practice different options."
-- Dean Thompson

BREACH OR BYPASS - ARMOR SOLUTIONS
http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2018/09/breach-or-bypass-armor-solutions.html
Excerpt:
The face . . . the face . . . nothing but the face.

Only those who risk going too far can
possibly find out how far one can go.
-- T.S. Elliot

***** Techniques *****

Don't go to stupid places. 
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
-- John Farnam

How gauche
https://www.corneredcat.com/how-gauche/
     Bad habits result in injury and death. 
The subject formed the bad habit because he
didn't know any better, because he did not
invest in competent expert training.
He didn't know what he didn't know.

Potty Training
https://www.corneredcat.com/potty-training/

Craig Douglas of Shivworks talks about how to manage a strangers aproach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwCtu79iMDs

Overlooked Training Tactics – Blade Deployment | JTT
https://www.breachbangclear.com/overlooked-training-tactics-blade-deployment/
     Greg Ellifritz doesn't like the author’s
“thumb on the spine” knife grip.  But, having
been a fencer for many years, I do.  Being
able to push the cutting edge of your blade
with your thumb is what saber fencers do. 

Carrying Crossdraw: Don't
https://www.integratedskillsgroup.com/blog/crossdraw

     Carry your concealed pistol in a high quality
inside the waistband holster (no retention devices)
on a high quality belt (stiff) on your firing side
at the point of your hip.  Anything else is wrong,
for many reasons.  For details, ask me for a copy
of my book "Defensive Pistol" and read the section
on holsters.  You can contact me at Jon_Low@yahoo.com

Why it’s time to ditch small of back carry
https://www.guns.com/2018/08/30/its-time-to-ditch-small-of-back-carry-and-this-is-why/
     Going to the ground in a fight is common. 
If you fall on your back (voluntarily or involuntarily)
you risk spinal injury.  Even if you go to your back
correctly as taught in martial arts classes, such as
Aikido.
     In a seated position, unless you are on a stool
without a back rest, any kind of back rest encumbers
your presentation from your holster.

These Mistakes Make Your Pistol Red Dot Sight Deadweight
https://guerrillaapproach.com/pistol-rds/
     Head up!  Not tilted.  Your inner ear is in your
head.  If you tilt your head, you destroy your inner
ear balance.  (Not tilted forward.  Not tilted to the
side.  Not tilted at all!)
     Shoulders down and relaxed.  Tense muscles are
slow muscles.  Relaxed muscles are quick. 
     Lean forward from the hips, not the waist. 
Arch your back.  Throw your chest out.  Don't slouch!
     If you practice this in the mirror, you will
immediately see your mistakes and automatically
correct them.  Mirrors don't lie.  Without mirror
practice, you will tell yourself all kinds of
ridiculous lies and believe them.  It's true. 
I've been coaching for decades.  I've seen it in
children and adults.  You're probably not practicing
at an Olympic Training Center, so you don't have
videos of yourself to analyze.  But, mirrors work. 
That's why dance studios have mirrors on the walls.
Even if someone is recording you on their phone,
it's not immediate feedback.  The mirror is
immediate feedback.

Single-Handed Shooting: Why Practice It?
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/9/4/single-handed-shooting-why-practice-it/

Pistol Trigger Control Tips (but it works for rifle too)
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/9/4/pistol-trigger-control-tips/
Excerpt: 
     “It takes a lot of self discipline to watch your sights
drifting ever so slightly. Your natural inclination is to
try and wait until your sight picture is perfect and then
squeeze off your shot, but that never works,” said Hemphill.
     This is truth.  It never works.  So, if you are doing
this, you are wrong (and always will be, you can't make
such a technique work).  Smoothly continuously increase
pressure on your trigger to achieve a surprise trigger break. 
[If you don't believe the surprise break will work for you,
you need to fix your attitude.  If you think you can
intentionally fire the shot when you want to, and get
accurate shots, you are wrong.  You are human. 
Therefore, you have an autonomic nervous system.  Your
autonomic nervous system responses to your intentional
shot will defeat you every time.  That's how God designed
your autonomic nervous system.  For good natural purpose. 
Shooting is not a natural thing, as throwing a rock is.  So,
you have to defeat your autonomic nervous system to
get good shots.  That's just truth.  It's not good or bad.
That's just the way the human brain works.]

Paper Cutter Choke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=96&v=6sOChetcV_M

Pistol Whip: When You Should Use a Handgun as an Impact Weapon
https://www.ballisticmag.com/2018/08/29/pistol-whip-technique-impact-weapon/
     This article advocates pistol punching under certain
circumstances.
     You must keep your trigger finger in the register position. 
A finger in the trigger guard will eventually get broken when
the pistol rotates.
     In close quarter combat training, we cut the trigger
guards off of the plastic dummy pistols to avoid breaking
fingers.  (Now, the pistols won't holster properly, but
it's a trade off.)

Friendly fire is never friendly
https://www.strategosintl.com/blog/2018/9/13/friendly-fire-is-never-friendly
Excerpts: 
     Our best advice is to draw your weapon only until the threat is mitigated,
then immediately holster it.
. . .
     Law enforcement wants to see your empty hands raised in the air.
. . .
     If your weapon is drawn while you scream “I am a good guy!” then
confusion, chaos and tragedy are likely outcomes.

     John Farnam apparently does not like the chamber check
taught at Front Sight (and by others).
     "Up until now, Glock’s legal department recommended against
forward slide serrations, and anything else that would temp
fingers and hands to get near the muzzle. Apparently, they were
overruled this time, in an attempt to attract non-serious
shooters and others who own guns for non-serious purposes.
     I think the legal department was, and is, right!
     During reloading and stoppage-reduction, hands should not
go forward of the ejection port, nor is there any legitimate
reason for hands to be there.
     Who grab slides forward of the ejection port invariably
drape fingers over the muzzle!
     Not smart, and not necessary!"
Source:
http://defense-training.com/2018/g45/

“The fast and/or emphatic reholster is an
awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard

***** Gear *****

“Arms are permissible, when there is no hope except in arms.”
-- Niccolo Machiavelli

What’s a Holster For?
https://www.corneredcat.com/whats-a-holster-for/
Excerpt:
     ". . . Carrying the gun on your belt is not
equivalent experience to actually using the
holster for its intended function."
-- attribution not given in the article

Downloadable targets
https://www.slytactraining.com/learning-center/fundamental-targets

Tips On Buying Used Handguns
https://survivalblog.com/tips-buying-used-handguns-pat-cascio/

The Best .38 Special Defensive Ammunition (and other stuff)
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-best-38-special-defensive-ammunition

Reducing White Space For Better Accuracy
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/9/4/reducing-white-space-for-better-accuracy/

Friends Don’t Let Friends Open Carry
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/friends-dont-let-friends-open-carry

***** Instructors *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."

Developing an Emergency Response Plan for the Training Environment
https://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/article/developing-emergency-response-plan-training-environment/

"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch

***** Pedagogy *****

     If you are helping someone and expecting
something in return, you are doing
business, not kindness.

Cognitive Load: How Does This Affect our Shot Process?
https://primaryandsecondary.com/cognitive-load-how-does-this-affect-our-shot-process/
     When teaching your students, be careful not to
cause a cognitive overload.
     Teach your students how to avoid cognitive overload
in self-defense situations.
     You are teaching correctly if your students teach
their friends and relatives in such a way so as to
avoid cognitive overload.

***** Education *****

Dirty Little Secrets
https://www.corneredcat.com/dirty-little-secrets/
Excerpt (paraphrased):
". . . women will more often need to defend
themselves from people they [know]."

     When I was military police (I always make the distinction
so the LEO's won't point out that I was never a "sworn officer".),
anytime anyone was injured, we would always find and question
the spouse (boyfriend, significant other, etc.), even if the
victim swore it wasn't him (especially if the victim were dead). 
Because, it was almost always him. 
     Let me share a letter with you --

Dear Mothers, Sisters and Daughters,
     May I invite your attention to the article,
"Human Predators: Four Features and Four Phases of Assault"
http://www.kristinprentissott.com/human-predators-four-features-and-four-phases-of-assault/
    If you pay attention, you can avoid the attack.
    Never submit to attack.  Statistically speaking, you
have a much better chance to avoid getting hurt if you
fight back with an explosive counter attack.  To submit
does the criminal's next victim a grave disservice.
    You must immediately tell the police.
You must sign the complaint.  You must testify.
    You may be wondering why claims of sexual assault are
viewed skeptically by law enforcement.  Let me explain.
    Every time we answer a domestic and find the guy beating
the gal, we arrest the guy.  We ask the gal to sign the
complaint.  Sometimes she refuses to.  If she does sign it,
at trial she says that he did not attack her, and sometimes
that the cops caused the fight.
    Every time we answer a domestic and find the guy not
beating the gal, the gal will claim that the guy was beating
her and she will use magic words such as "he was choking me".
Which under Tennessee law forces us to arrest the guy.
The magistrate always warns the gal that if she is lying,
she will be prosecuted for filing a false report.  At trial,
she will not show up, or if she does show up, she will say
that he had not attacked her.
    Statistically speaking, half of all rape complaints are
false.  This is true in the Armed Forces and civilian worlds.
(We don't mean insufficient evidence to prosecute.  We
mean the complaint is false.)
    Greg Ellifritz tells of a domestic he responded to.
The guy had shot the gal in the head.  The bullet entered
her forehead, split the two lobes of her brain, and exited
the back of her skull.  She did not die.  She did not lose
consciousness.  Greg interviewed her immediately after
the shooting.  She refused to press charges, because she
loved him and she knew he loved her.
    Yes, there really are such people.  (You've probably
never met such persons, because your parents protected
you from such social circles.)  If you practice such
stupidity, your children will learn it from you.
    If he hits you, you must immediately leave and break
off the relationship.  Because if you don't, he now knows
that hitting you is an acceptable part of your relationship.
Domestic abuse always escalates until the victim is dead
or the victim decides to leave.
Sincerely,
(a conglomeration of magistrates, law enforcement
officers, and firearms instructors)

Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, Inc. newsletter,
https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/september-2018-front-page

"Veni, vidi, Deus vicit".
(I came, I saw, God conquered.)
-- King Jan Sobieski of Poland, September 11th, 1683 A.D.
The Polish Warrior King Jan Sobieski defeated the Moors at the gates of Vienna.
     Compare to Julius Ceasar (correctly pronounced in Latin
it's euphonic), "Veni.  Vidi. Vici." (I came.  I saw.  I conquered.)
[For those who have not studied Latin, the "V" is pronounced
as an English speaker would pronounce a "W".]

Rack, Rack. Who’s There? Shotgun Myths, Misconceptions, and Truths
https://www.swatmag.com/article/rack-rack-whos-shotgun-myths-misconceptions-truths/
     Brownells sells an excellent recoil absorbing stock.
[I couldn't find the one that I bought on the Brownells web site. 
I guess they don't sell it anymore.  But, here is one example,
https://www.brownells.com/shotgun-parts/stock-forend-parts/buttstocks/mossberg-500-knoxx-specops-geniii-buttstock-prod103578.aspx
]
I installed it on my (then)girlfriend's Mossberg and she was
able to shoot it happily.

     Concerning self defense insurance --
If the policy only reimburses you if you are acquitted,
the insurance company has a huge financial incentive
to ensure you are convicted.  One would politely call
that a conflict of interest.  That's the problem with
the NRA Carry Guard policy and others of that ilk.
     You want a policy that pays your attorney up front,
because legitimate attorneys insist on payment up front,
because they know you will lose all incentive to pay
them once you have been acquitted (or convicted). 
     You also want a policy that will pay to bail you
out of jail.  Spending time in jail exposes you to rape,
sodomy, battery resulting in permanent debilitating
injury, infection with nasty diseases, etc. 
     Spending time in jail disqualifies you from
donating blood, for good reason.  Just as male homosexual
intercourse disqualifies you from donating blood. 
In matters of life and death, there is no room for
political correctness.
     You also want a policy that will get you competent
expert witnesses to testify for you. 
     One of the fringe benefits of taking a class from
Massad Ayoob (and others), is that he will testify for you
in the event you are prosecuted.  I consider it my duty
as an instructor to testify for my students.
     I would consider
Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, Inc.
https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/
as I am familiar with several of the board members.

Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States 2018
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3233904

How a Botched Study Fooled the World About the U.S. Share of Mass Public Shootings:
U.S. Rate is Lower than Global Average
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3238736

Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017
     Tom Givens comment on the report --
 You do realize these numbers are total bull, right?
This is a voluntary reporting system. Of 14,000 police
agencies in the US, about a third don't report info
to the UCR. In my metro area, for instance, the metro
population is 3,083,660. The UCR only lists the crimes
from 4 cities in that metro area, with a total
population of 847,095. That means the crimes affecting
the other 2,236,565 residents were not counted. My town,
for instance, is in that metro area. We had 5 homicides
and almost 200 Aggravated Assaults, but they are not
included in the UCR. This means the violent crime
totals for the US in the UCR are grossly under-reported.

HANDGUN WOUNDING FACTORS AND EFFECTIVENESS
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/fbi-hwfe.pdf
Excerpt:
     Choosing a bullet because of relatively shallow penetration
will seriously compromise weapon effectiveness, and needlessly
endanger the lives of the law enforcement officers using it.
No law enforcement officer has lost his life because a bullet
over penetrated his adversary, and virtually none have ever been
sued for hitting an innocent bystander through an adversary.
On the other hand, tragically large numbers of officers have
been killed because their bullets did not penetrate deeply enough.
. . .
     Those who disparage science and laboratory methods are either
too short sighted or too bound by preconceived (or perhaps proprietary)
notions to see the truth. The labs and scientists do not offer sure
things. They offer a means of indexing the damage done by a bullet,
understanding of the mechanics of damage caused by bullets and the
actual effects on the body, and the basis for making an informed
choice based on objective criteria and significant statistics.
. . .
     Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound.
The much discussed "shock" of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down"
power is a myth. The critical element is penetration. The bullet must
pass through the large, blood bearing organs and be of sufficient
diameter to promote rapid bleeding. Penetration less than 12 inches
is too little, and, in the words of two of the participants in the
1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get
you killed."  Given desirable and reliable penetration, the only way
to increase bullet effectiveness is to increase the severity of the
wound by increasing the size of hole made by the bullet. Any bullet
which will not penetrate through vital organs from less than optimal
angles is not acceptable. Of those that will penetrate, the edge is
always with the bigger bullet. 

     [What is the logical conclusion?  Shoot a copper jacketed
round nose bullet (for maximum penetration) in .45 caliber
(for maximum hole size).  -- Jon Low]

The Science of CQB, Gunfighting, and Not Getting Shot
https://www.tierthreetactical.com/the-science-of-cqb-gunfighting-and-not-getting-shot/

***** News, Legal, Philosophical, and Political stuff *****

Civil War happens when the victimized are armed.
Genocide happens when they are not!
-- A.E. Samaan

My paraphrase of Andrew Branca's report on 
State v. Scott 2018 South Carolina --
     South Carolina man standing on the porch of his house (curtilege)
[I used to teach the South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit course.]
shot at a group of people in multiple cars who were shooting at his
house in an attempt to kill his daughter who had retreated into his
house.  His bullet kills one of the people in the cars.  State attorney
charges him with murder.  He claims self defense.  The trial judge
grants him immunity from prosecution based on self defense.  State
attorney appeals.  Appellate court affirms the trial court decision
granting immunity.  State attorney appeals.  Supreme court affirms
appellate court decision to affirm trial court decision granting
immunity.  Huge legal fees?  Not in this case.  Defendant had a public
defender all the way to the Supreme court.  Yeah, South Carolina!
http://lawofselfdefense.com/law_case/state-v-scott-2018-s-c-lexis-105-sc-supreme-court-2018/
     You think this would happen in Florida?  Massad Ayoob is still
waiting for reimbursement from Florida for a case he testified in
as an expert witness.  Florida is supposed to reimburse the defense
costs if the defendant is acquitted. 

“You get to have your own opinion, but not your own facts!”
http://defense-training.com/2018/you-get-to-have-your-own-opinion-but-not-your-own-facts/

NRA’s List of Anti-Gunners
http://www.2acheck.com/the-boycott-list/nras-list-of-antis/
     Because it's not on the NRA-ILA web site anymore.

France is proposing to give all local cops guns
https://qz.com/1386042/france-is-proposing-to-give-all-local-cops-guns/

Crime Wave United Kingdom:
Govt Moves to Stop Knife Sales as Blade Crime Hits 7-Year High
https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/09/15/govt-restrict-knife-sales-blade-crime/
     Contrast with the state of Tennessee in the U.S.A. where
there is no such thing as an illegal knife.  Yes, you can
walk into Wal Mart and buy a fully automatic knife (switch blade).
You can also mail order such.  No age limit.  No ID required. 
     In the UK, they don't understand freedom.  No knife sales to
individuals.  No whittling.  No carving.  No shaving.  Going
to have to wax.

Few tyrants argue for 'slavery of the masses.'
Instead, they argue for the power to
'protect people from themselves.'
-- AE Samaan

***** Survival Tips *****

"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House

69 Timeless Travel Tips and Tricks | After 4+ Years On the Road
https://www.nomadichustle.com/timeless-travel-tips/
     Tip number 4 really works.  During Operation Iraqi Freedom,
some bad guys approached a local to gather intel on me.  The
local was a guy who worked with me at the Royal Saudi Air
Force Base in Riyadh.  He told the enemy terrorists to leave me
alone.  So, they did.  (At least until the attacks on May 11th
2003.)  [Ya, there's a lot more to the story.]  I had talked to him. 
I had found out that his son was studying computer science.  So, I
gave him a copy of "The C++ Programming Language"
by Bjarne Stroustrup for his son.
     Make friends.  You never know when it will save your life.

Pat McNamara Offers 2 Unique Takes on the ‘Bug Out Bag’
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2018/09/pat-mcnamara-bug-out-bag/

***** Basics *****

"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses." 
-- Tom Givens

Guns of ISG: Why the Handgun?
https://www.integratedskillsgroup.com/blog/guns-of-isg-handgun

"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN

***** Miscellany *****

"Militum semper memento"
(Always remember the soldiers.)
 
3D Animation Showing How IWI Tavor X95 Rifle Works
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/09/21/3d-animation-showing-how-iwi-tavor-x95-rifle-works/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=ZMjrI-55fYw

     This morning I was sitting in McDonalds eating
breakfast, when I heard a little girl asking her
mother for a Happy Meal.  She could pronounce it
correctly.  She knew exactly what it was.  I've
worked for McDonalds (flipping burgers and mopping
the floors in high school).  I've done statistical research
for McDonalds.  All I could think was that all that money
spent on research, marketing, advertising, etc.
worked.  McDonalds got that little girl to eagerly
ask her mother for a Happy Meal.  It wasn't an
accident.  It wasn't incidental.  It was planned,
executed, and achieved.
     If you live in our society, and have a craving
for something, it is almost certain that that craving
is the fruition of a well financed marketing plan.
     Yes, it works in the firearms industry.  Yes,
it works in the self defense training industry.

     For the latest version (it changes almost daily)
of my lesson plans for my NRA Defensive Pistol course,
send me an email.  Jon_Low@yahoo.com

Cheers,
Jon