Two Gun Stories We Can Learn From. And Suspect Gets Shot While Trying To Take The Officer's Gun

 

Two Gun Stories We Can Learn From

by Joshua Gillem on  

This stock photo has nothing to do with the post.

Sometimes we see news stories that highlight what not to do when you're a gun owner or carrier of a concealed gun. It's always a delight, or not depending on your outlook on life, when two stories fly across my desk on the same day.

Please know that whenever I cover stories like this it's not my intent to sound snarky or to poke fun at the people involved, though that does sometimes happen because I'm a naturally snarky person. My goal with these types of articles is to teach you (and me) what not to do with our guns.

These stories serve as a reminder of sorts to say, don't be stupid. And I think we can all use reminders from time to time.

** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) ** Los Lunas, New Mexico — On November 19, 2020, at approximately 8:32 a.m., a New Mexico State Police Officer observed a grey Chrysler 200 passenger vehicle with an Indiana license plate and rear end damage traveling north at a speed of 93 mph on Manzano Expressway in Los Lunas, NM. The posted speed limit in that area is 45 mph. Support Police Activity Donate to PoliceActivity: https://www.patreon.com/PoliceActivity

Let's get started:

Shooting a fleeing suspected burglar —

I'm fairly certain we've said on more than one occasion that shooting at a guy who is just stealing your property (when there is no threat to life), even though it is a crime, is a no-go situation in most instances. This story out of Yakima, Washington shows us why.

The Yakima County prosecutor, Joe Brusic, is looking into the recent shooting of a burglary suspect, as he fled. The 24 year old male received a gunshot to the back of the head while fleeing in a vehicle, after burglarizing a building.

The suspected burglar told the County Sheriff's Deputies that the property owners opened fire as he drove the vehicle around them, and that he was subsequently hit in the head. It has been reported that other shots hit other parts of the vehicle.

While Brusic wouldn't comment on if the property owners will be facing criminal charges, he is investigating the matter further, even though the suspect told deputies he didn't personally intend to press charges.

Brusic said:

To use potentially deadly force to keep someone from stealing property or obtain property back is always a serious matter.

Deputies found a lot of the stolen property to include two trucks, a plasma cutter, and two welders. Some of the property was found at the suspect's residence after the deputies arrested him on unrelated charges that same evening.

The spokesman for the Yakima County Sheriff said this regarding the use of force:

Human life is more important than the property. Reasonable force can be used to protect property — deadly force can be used to protect people. Defending yourself is your right, but it comes with rules, rights and obligations.

I've covered this topic before in this article here, and can say that I've been told by firearm attorneys that it is generally seen as a bad thing to protect property with deadly force and that it should only be used to protect life when life is being threatened.

We don't know if charges will be pressed by the prosecutor, but it doesn't seem to be off the table. Finally, the phrase “when in doubt, whip it out” does not apply to the use of a firearm to stop a burglary in progress.

The correct course of action here would likely have been to call the police, report the stolen goods, and then wait. Does that suck? Yeah, but so does spending some time in jail if they find you guilty.

Source.

Negligence in Public:

We see negligent discharges a lot. Sadly. But that's not the entire point with this story as we'll see. The story takes place in Atlanta, GA and shows that a man was in a mall and “accidentally” fired his gun while adjusting himself (it doesn't say if he was adjusting the gun or something else, but I believe that to be the case).

Nobody was hurt during this incident and the premature discharger fled the scene and has not been identified as of this writing.

Before I get to the point I'm trying to make, let me first say that you should always use a proper holster and that adjusting yourself can be a cause for disaster if you're not using one. Furthermore, adjusting yourself is never a good thing because you may give away the fact that you're carrying a gun to begin with.

All bad stuff.

The point I want to make is that witnesses reportedly told police that the shooting happened after a dispute. This dispute was later found to be untrue by the police, but we need to keep in mind that witnesses never have the full story, and regularly make things up even if they don't mean to.

This is one of the reasons why we always need to line our ducks up in a row and make sure we're squared away. Now, the chances that this clown was illegally carrying a gun are high, but the point remains that any incident concerning a firearm is likely to have mixed reports and signals from those around us.

And of course, there is also always the chance that someone is going to lie to make you look bad for discharging your gun, even if you had reason to do so (for example, your life was in danger).

Source.

Conclusion:

These “what not to do” stories are important case studies for those of us who take carrying a gun seriously. Our main goal with the dissection of these stories, is to learn from them.

It's important to remember that we should only engage someone if human life is threatened because the jurisdiction you're in may not see your property as important as you do.

Also, put your gun in a holster, don't adjust it once it's there, and remember that bystanders almost never see things the way you do and will often give a false report of the circumstances as they happened.

Leave your thoughts on this in the comments below.

About Joshua Gillem

Josh is a lifelong practitioner and student of the gun. He grew up shooting/hunting with his dad, and was given his first gun, a 12 gauge shotgun, when just a small boy. After high school, he joined the Marines where his love for firearms blossomed as he qualified with an M16A2, an M9, and a 240G. Josh has been writing about firearms and tactics for several years, owns the blog Gunners Den, is a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, and believes that each individual person has the right to self-defense by any means necessary. Currently residing in gun-friendly NC, he carries a concealed gun on a daily basis, even in his own house.

View all posts by Joshua Gillem →

The Rock Almighty Devotional, Praise, and Worship with August Burns Red and The Natural World - God's Creation

 

The Natural World - God's Creation

• Author Donald Yates

From childhood I have marveled at my Lord’s creation. The order of it all . . . its’ many secrets . . . its’ evolving nature . . . the beauty of the seasons . . . its’ ability to renew and provide . . . how fascinating it is. As I grew older I became more intuned to the reality of the natural world, through spiritual revelation. My senses became more acute and I could see things others seemed to overlook. Yes the blindness of man aggravates me but not to the point of exclusion.

Now, I duly understand the relationship Native Americans had with God’s creation. At one with all, all with one, the creation blends into a single harmony. Each particle, each segment, each event of the creation interlinks with other particles, segments and events like a chain of unbreakable links. All is relevant within God’s creation. Each action perpetuates another action because all things interact each with the other.

The older I get the more my perceptions change, everything is becoming more intensely radiant, colors are sharper and brighter, sounds are crisper with higher resonance, the sky has become a soothing blue canapé overhead, and the black night sky now sparkles with diamonds. I have became aware of an underlying presence that is the essence of nature. At first, the creation itself seemed to beckon me like the Siren’s song of mythology. In my clouded state, I thought it was the spirit of the natural world calling me, whispering promises, and embracing me alone as it soothed my soul and enveloped my being . . . Like a lover calls out to his hearts desire. Then an evidence of an underlying spiritual presence crept into my mind, I became overwhelmed with excitement at the possibilities. The very core of my being was challenged and then stirred as I envisioned the world as a spiritual manifestation . . . as I became an integral part of it. Now I crave release from the material world so I may yield in reverence and surrender to this calling of fulfillment in His love. My soul pants on, in passionate delight as the running deer thirst for water. A thirst, nourished yet never fulfilled, intense yet soothing, content yet always seeking, pleasing yet forever striving, and most of all yielding yet ferocious. I seek that which penetrates the heart and justifies the soul in a unique union of spirit. My God, My God, where art thou who wrings my heart of love and admiration. Who brings my soul into fulfillment as His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

I truly experienced the essence of God as I looked solely into his divine face. I felt the assurance of His presence as I sat, silently in the desolation of the Desert – I was enthralled at the sound of Him in a bubbly stream after a springtime rain as it cascaded down the mountain slopes. I heard His gentle call in the whispering rustle of leaves as He touched my face, invisible, yet present, when He passed by as a soft breeze . . . He gracefully danced past in a colorful autumn forest. It was the mighty murmuring of a turbulent river flowing toward the sea that brought my senses to mind, moreover, He was there, as I gazed over the deep blue green lakes and the warmth of a seashore’s crystal white sands. Yes, I see Him even now as I observe God in the depths of a night sky as the stars sparkle in His magnificence, it is then that my soul melts in His presence. I can’t help but feel His being there in the warmth of the day’s sun. Yes, He gently caresses my cheek and touches me and whispers to my soul calling me to submit to His embracing of my senses. And one day, most of all, he was there in the face of our newborn son and in the sparkle of his mother’s eyes. I am justly blessed as I stand immersed in God’ presence because He is both the creator as well as the creation. I feel like a fish in the sea, God is as the water, everywhere, and His loving wonderful embrace of hope captivates me . . . at every moment.

Romans 1: 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:19-20

One warm summer night many years ago, I ran into God as I walked along a lonely dark beach, in Baja California. My mother had passed away a couple of weeks earlier and I had left a job as a produce grower. I had fallen into a deep depression and hope had seemingly left me as I began to contemplate the end. In the deep silence of the night as the sea lapped gently at the beach, and the stars sparkled brightly in a black sky it was then that I began to understand the true meaning of life. The encounter was not a thundering episode of Hollywood proportions, there was no lightning from the sky and the earth did not shake. A bush did not burn or the sea did not part. It was like a gentle yet forceful presence and subtle caress. I felt a warm gentle breeze pass and then, there it was, a presence, unseen, silent, but like the breeze it embraced my total being. Like air or electricity; you know they are there even though you don’t see them. Spirit; like wind, gravity and electricity, can only be known by its effects. When a breeze blows, you can see the leaves move on the tree, or the dust moving, but you don’t see the wind. Electricity is the same, you see the effects, a light bulb burning, a motor running, a fan spinning, but you can’t see the electricity. Both of these things and many others, are the unknowns to man. When spirit moves it’s like being coddled in your mother’s arms, you have a feeling of warmth and security inside. It is the unseen things of God that control our environment and the Universe. Isn’t it after all, the unseen God that is the mystery we all seek?

A feeling of affection, encouragement and peacefulness come over me that I awaken to each morning and will continue throughout my years. He grows in intensity within me, and I feel more privileged and blessed with each passing day.

The sun rises and the sun sets each day because there is an assurance that he will be the same today as He was yesterday and he will be tomorrow. The Lord is faithful and true and because of that, I know He will always be there, by my side, in thick and thin, even when I make a fool out of myself and do less than I should. He comforts my soul and in hard times, reminds me of what’s to come. I have total confidence that there will be order in the universe and I, am part of it.

He surrounds me with His arms and His bliss is with me at every moment, as He always will be. When I fuss and fret at nothing, He tells me to be quiet and as patient as Christ was and is even now.

I believe I am a reasonable person, and like most men, I think by reason and logic. Accepted reason and logic suggests that the world reality is experienced through the senses while all events must be rational and explainable. Yet, rational is sometimes obscure and only a perception in the minds eye. The fact is, humans are give to illusion and protected from knowing the entire truths contained within the creation. We, as humans could not comprehend all that is, so we are only given very, very small bits and pieces for our own sanities sake. We accept half-truths and fallacies and design our lives around them because we can’t handle the truth.

Man must be removed from the material into spiritual before being subjected to celestial reasoning and understanding. There is simply no reference for spiritual in a rational material mind, that’s why faith becomes the strength key to belief.

I began to understand that the correlation between material and spiritual worlds does not have a place in logic because material is observed experience and explainable to the material senses (science) while spirit is a conception within a material-reasoning mind, without logical explanation. Spiritual simply does not fit in the tangible physics realism of the world. The problem with this hypothesis is, man has an inborn double standard. Man physically experiences the realism of the material world while sensing the loftiness of a spiritual realm. A part of the mind conveys an awareness of that which is not seen but can be understood only though a prepared mind in faith as its’ certainty. If faith and certainty did not exist, man would not have the capability of awareness and expression with conviction. For those who are not of the faith, do not understand it, it’s like science fiction. Being of the faith is "Believing God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, man’s indwelling spirit, and Jesus as your one and only personal savior from the transgressions of the world."

John 3:14 ‘And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up, 15 that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during, 16 for God did so love the world, that His Son—the only begotten—He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. 17 For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him; 18 he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

For years I was prompted to stop and write of the many underlain, untold things of God. I put it off, procrastinated, and made excuses; now that my time is running short, guess what, the nudging is getting stronger. I can’t put it off any longer. God has His way, and if you don’t comply, He will badger you until you do. You can’t run, Jonah tried and got swallowed up by a whale then spit out on shore to continue his mission. There is nowhere to hide so I offer this to my Lord, as He would have it be. He makes the words flow like rain to a barren and thirsty land and floods the mind to run-on as water to the sea. He grips my heart and stirs His spirit within me. I am consumed with fear of His mighty power yet, drawn to Him by His complete love for me. I pray it is His will that someone will benefit from our effort.

Donald Yates is an accomplished public speaker, Theologian and writer who lives in East Tennessee with his wife of forty-six years, one granddaughter and their three doxies. To learn more, visit

Born To Die

 

Born To Die

• Author Onyekachukwu Ukeje

You may want to give this a moment’s thought: everyone is born to live but only Jesus Christ was born to die. It was God’s will for Him. And that was because of you and me. ‘We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all….Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.’ - Isaiah 53:6 and 10(NIV). ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ - John 3:16(NIV). (Continued below.............)

(.....Continued.....)I tell people that what made God leave his throne, become man to die on the cross, and channel the best of resources in heaven and earth, using every possible means available and creating more, to further the good news of salvation for mankind must be very serious and should never be taken lightly. That’s the reason we celebrate Christmas. Christ birth was not just another birth of another human being. It was the day God brought into the world His son through whose death He would put an end to sin and its consequences over mankind, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ - Romans 6:23(NIV). Whatever can be called death in your life Christ has paid for that you may truly live a victorious life, having victory over sin, sickness, poverty, failure, destruction and any thing that stands contrary to eternal life which God purposed for you from the very beginning. He wants the best for you. That was why he gave His best (Jesus Christ) to die in your place so that you are not eternally lost. And assuming He paid the price of His life for the all mankind and it remained just you He is willing to go through the same ordeal again just for you. That’s the extent of His love for you.

Also the birth of Jesus is the day God brought into the world His Son through whose resurrection from the dead the rest of mankind could have eternal life if they would just truly believe and behave accordingly. Now is the time to believe because this is the hour of salvation. The time is coming when it will be too late and nobody can do anything about it, not even God Himself because it will be the hour of judgment. God has done all He can do for you and is doing what remains in this hour of salvation for you to be saved. Do not turn down this so great a salvation for you would be the one losing, for what shall it profit a man to lose his soul. Remember He is a righteous judge.

If you want to take advantage of this hour of salvation and be saved from sin and destruction pray this prayer of salvation: Lord Jesus I come to You this day. I thank You for bringing Your word my way this day. I acknowledge and confess my sins to You. I recognize that God raised You from the dead that I might have life. Have mercy on me. Lord Jesus I welcome you into my life today. I confess You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for having mercy on me. Thank You for saving me today from sin, from destruction and from all works of Satan. I am now a child of God. Thank You Lord.

LOVE NOTE

If you have prayed that prayer from the bottom of your heart, believing that God raised Jesus from the dead you are now a child of God. And now that you are saved there are few things you must do to grow in God.

1. You must read your bible and pray to God every day in the name of Jesus. The book Joshua 1:8 says not to let the word of God depart out of our mouth but to meditate on it always so that we may carefully do all God requires of us to be successful and prosperous 2. You must worship with other believers in a bible believing church or assembly. Hebrews 10:25 says ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.’- (NIV), and 3. As the opportunity comes on share the good news of this new life with someone and as they are willing lead them to Christ.

Enjoy your life in Christ now that you are a new creation in Him - 2 Corinthians 5:17.

● Onyekachukwu Ukeje is an itinerant preacher based in Enugu, Nigeria and can be reached through e-mail: onyekachukwu_ukeje@yahoo.co.uk. For more articles and ebook(s) by this writer please visit http://www.faithwriters.com, 

Sarah Kilburn Lacrosse Recruitment Highlight Video - Class of 2021 Presented on US Sports Net By Game Planner Pro!

 Sarah Kilburn Class of 2021 (#13)

Watertown High School Lake Effect Storm Elite Different Road Patriots

 

Presented on US Sports Net by Game Planner Pro!
Enter Code USSports to save 10% off the annual subscription.  For Football Coaches, By Football Coaches Learn More...

Triphasic Lacrosse Training Manual

by Matthew Van Dyke

Description

All performance coaches have one ultimate desire, to create the ultimate athlete. One that is powerful, yet resilient according to the physical demands of lacrosse. The Triphasic Lacrosse Training Manual was created to allow optimal performance to be achieved in the sport of lacrosse from a physical preparation standpoint. Lacrosse, due to its fast-paced and physical gameplay, requires all competitors to achieve a high-level of proficiency in many skills. The authors have taken the physical requirements of lacrosse and broken them into six “physical performance qualities”. These six qualities cover each of the energy systems within every person, and also three qualities aimed at improving force levels. In order to display the physical proficiency required by a lacrosse athlete, each of these six physical qualities must be appropriately trained. The Triphasic Lacrosse Training Manual not only incorporates these six qualities in training, but also includes many other training principles. These other principles, which must all be considered in a successful lacrosse training program, include quality versus capacity training, injury prevention, specifically glute functioning through the introduction of the newly developed “glute layering system”, multi-dimensional training, and specific energy system and biomechanical training required in lacrosse. The Block Training, Modified Undulated Training, High-Quality, and Triphasic Muscle Action Training Models are all described fully and are demonstrated in the importance of an athlete to maximize their rate of force development (RFD), which is one of the most important skills a lacrosse player can demonstrate. RFD is critical in lacrosse as it is not necessarily the strongest athlete that comes out on top, but the one who is capable of applying the greatest amount of force in the short amount of time available. Book this course.....

The Coach

Matthew Van Dyke

Associate Director of Sport Performance at the University of Denver

Matt Van Dyke

Matt Van Dyke is the Associate Director of Sports Performance at the University of Denver where he is responsible for designing and implementing performance training for men’s lacrosse, alpine ski, volleyball, and swimming.

Prior to his position with Denver, Matt was the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Minnesota. Matt completed his Graduate Assistantship at St. Cloud State University, where he earned his Masters of Science in exercise physiology and nutrition in 2015.

Matt completed internships with Iowa State and the University of Minnesota under Yancy McKnight and Cal Dietz, respectively.

Matt most recently released the Triphasic Lacrosse Training Manual, presented at the 2015 CSCCa National Conference on Advanced Triphasic Training Methods, while also writing for his professional website vandykestrength.com.

Matt is certified by the CSCCa (SCCC). He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in exercise science from Iowa State University in 2012. Book this course today!

The Ten Body Building Pitfalls Presented on US Sports Net by Beast Sports!

 

The Ten Body Building Pitfalls

• Author Daniel Green

One of the cardinal errors a bodybuilder can make is to rely for their physical improvement entirely on a routine of weight training or other progressive resistance exercises. Some routines will undoubtedly be more effective than others, but there is no one schedule that will bring sensational, unending gains. And like any other endeavour, bodybuilding has its pitfalls, and you must attempt to avoid them at all costs.

It is very difficult to overwork the muscles of a trained athlete, but very easy indeed to drive the nervous system too hard. Clinical and laboratory experiments indicate that the muscles themselves can withstand phenomenal demands. But when a bodybuilder continues an exercise until they cannot perform another repetition, runs the risk, especially if this is done for a prolonged period. Of causing an injury, or at least a breakdown. It is the nervous system rather that then muscle fibre which is unable to cope. According to physiologists, the first to fatigue in the neuro-muscular system are the motor cells in the brain, next come the nerve end-plates, and in the third place, the muscle fibres themselves. The nerve itself is almost unfatigable. As a result of repeated consecutive muscular contractions, chemical changes occur at the nerve ending which make the transmission of the nerve impulse increasingly difficult, so that the brain has to provide a stronger stimulus via its motor cells to keep the repetitions going.

Forcing oneself in an exercise on a regular or prolonged basis past reasonable fatigue to exhaustion is therefore very expensive in nervous energy and can, shut your insulin production down. It is quite evident that the best bodybuilding gains are made by those who either limit their all-out training to infrequent intervals or drive themselves just far enough, but not too far. (Continued below....)

Do You Have The Beast Mindset? Do you say to yourself, “No one will outwork me. I'll do whatever it takes day in and day out to push myself to succeed."

We come from humble beginnings but we work tirelessly so our products will exceed your expectations. When you purchase our products, you support a home-grown and family owned company that has powered through the good times, persevered through the bad, and has remained true to our purpose for 25 years.

Because what matters to you matters to us. Your fitness goals and satisfaction matters. The details matter. YOU MATTER.” #GETBEAST

(....Continued....)Are, especially if you are young beginning bodybuilding, getting adequate food for your muscle to grow? Often, the younger you are, with so much energy to burn with high metabolism, can burn fuel at an unbelievable rate. To make matters worse, many of these fellows actually miss breakfast. How can you expect to have sufficient energy to supply your ordinary needs and have enough fuel also for adding solid muscle to your frame?

It not's necessary to "pig out" or force feeding the body to bring about body weight gains, but you can't create something out of nothing. Maybe Rome wasn't built in a day, but let's face it; Rome would not have been built in even a trillion years without the bricks to do the job.

In its way, eating too much is as bad as not eating enough and it is just common. The unfortunate result is that for every inch you gain on your chest you add two inches to your waist. A trip to fat city seldom reverses itself. At least not without enormous dedication and perseverance. Once fat is comfortably sitting around your tummy, your lower back, and your hips, it is not easily dislodged. Like a dog that is chased from a comfortable bed, it will return at the slightest opportunity, and often when you are not aware of it.

Fat kills your appearance. Ironically, a covering of "lard" will make you look bigger in clothes, but when stripped at the beach, pool, or lake, you will look smaller that if you carried almost pure muscle. The things that make a shaped up, muscular bodybuilder look good are the curves of their muscles, the way the delts run into the arms, the "peak" of the biceps, the delineation of the three heads of the triceps, the separation of the quadriceps, not to mention the absence of fat around the knee, ankle, and elbow joints. All these eye-catching phenomena are lost if there is a preponderance of fat. Superfluous weight fills in the crevices between the muscles which would add to their dramatic appearance.

When your waist -chest differential diminishes instead of increasing, you know you are in trouble. Cut the calories before it is too late. You've become a resident of fat city without even knowing it. Get out of town quick!

The concept of Smartphysicalworkout was developed by Daniel Green who has been involved with the Health and Fitness industry since 1999, providing health and fitness products, services to both the local and online community.

After a slow start, the Smartphysicalworkout.com has grown into a well received site for the Health and Fitness community and the team strive to offer the best quality products available, customer service and satisfaction will always be the key to their success.

How Watching Your Diet Can Help Your Arthritis Symptoms and Can this treatment help with pain, inflammation and more?

 

How Watching Your Diet Can Help Your Arthritis Symptoms

• Author Mark Smith

Did you know that by 2040, it’s estimated 78 million Americans 18 years or older will have some form of arthritis? That’s an astonishing amount of people that a trusted Riverside arthritis doctor can help prevent you from being a part of. (Continued below......)

Dr. Robert Rowen discusses a unique treatment option that he uses to help with a number of different conditions. He explains what PEMF is and how it works at the cellular level to provide beneficial effects. Find out the many conditions it might be able to help with! Learn more......

(...Continued.....)The truth is, there is no magic diet that is going to make your arthritis disappear forever — whether it’s osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or another form. But, here’s the good news: If you’re realistic about your goals, paying attention to your diet can greatly ease your symptoms.

Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Differences

There are many variables between these two common forms of arthritis, but an easy way to think of the main difference between RA and OA is this: rheumatoid arthritis is about inflammation of the tissue around the joints—osteoarthritis is about deterioration of the cartilage between the joints. Of course, there are other differences between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis that can go into great detail.

One of the main similarities is they can both impact your spine. Following are a few more differences.

First and foremost, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, and is not associated with the wear and tear of joints. This type of disorder occurs when your body's immune system turns against itself—attacking your body's healthy tissues when it should be protecting them. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complications are known for affecting all parts of the body, not just the joints. The same inflammatory processes that cause joints to hurt and become damaged also cause problems to the eyes, lungs, skin, heart, blood vessels and more.

Ongoing RA inflammation can destroy the joint cartilage and bone around affected joints. Severe cartilage loss eventually leads to bones becoming deformed. Deformities make it hard to use an affected joint and may eventually lead to disability. RA joint damage is usually irreversible and while many patients experience flares followed by periods of remission, sometimes the disease gets steadily more serious.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and is sometimes referred to as “wear-and-tear arthritis”. Other names include degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis, DJD, and osteoarthrosis. It develops when cartilage, the flexible tissue that allows bones in a joint to glide over each other, breaks down and usually begins in an isolated joint. When your cartilage begins to wear away, you lose that barrier between the bones of your joints. So your bones then can rub onto one another, which can be very painful.

Osteoarthritis causes pain, stiffness, and swelling of the affected joints. While it is most common among adults over age 65, people of any age can develop it. Women are two to three times more likely to be affected after the age of 45, and men are more likely to be affected before the age of 45.

The Ultimate Arthritis Diet

A carefully thought out diet high in nutrients is a great place to start, and many foods can help fight inflammation and improve joint symptoms. It’s also important to remember that consistency and thinking long-term is key. If you know you won’t stick to a new way of eating for the long-haul, find ways of healthy eating that you will confidently commit to.

There’s a well-established relationship between obesity and pain, so diet plays a key part in preventing and managing arthritis symptoms. A low-calorie Mediterranean diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids and low in Omega-6 fatty acids has proven one of the best habits of health for those suffering with arthritis.

Studies confirm that eating foods commonly part of the Mediterranean diet can do the following:

• Lower blood pressure

• Protect against chronic conditions, ranging from cancer to stroke

• Help arthritis by curbing inflammation

• Benefit your joints as well as your heart

• Lead to weight loss, which can lessen joint pain

The Mediterranean diet consists primarily of the following:

• Fish

• Nuts & Seeds

• Olive Oil

• Fruits & Veggies

• Whole Grains

• Beans

• Nightshade Vegetables

A recent study compared diet and exercise with diet alone and exercise alone in lowering the stress on the knees in people with obesity and osteoarthritis. Diet and exercise combined yielded the best results — so your best bet is to work with your doctor to develop a diet plan and an exercise routine that takes your condition and potential limitations into account.

To learn more about how your diet can affect your Arthritis visit https://southlandarthritis.com

Tactical P.E. Presents: Off Grid Locations Require "Old-School" Layered Security and Optimizing Performance Practically with AJ Zito (CC Podcast)

 

Off Grid Locations Require "Old-School" Layered Security

• Author George Babnick

One of the challenges of securing a remote location like a cabin, boat shelter, shed, barn, or other structure is the location itself. A location far away from others give crooks a sense of "freedom" to do their nefarious acts. In the unlikely event that someone stumbles upon them when they are breaking into a structure or prowling around a property, law enforcement is a long way away and in some cases, are just not in a position to respond at all. (Continued below.....)

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LESSON 1: TRAIN

LESSON 2: GEAR

LESSON 3: FLEX

LESSON 4: FIGHT

LESSON 5: PREPARE

(....Continued....)There are many excellent alarms and intrusion systems that provide an effective level of security for remote locations but most of them require a continuous supply of electricity. Cabins and other structures that are totally off-the-grid may have some source of periodic electricity (solar, wind, 12 volt batteries, etc.) but often this electricity is not sufficient to continually power an alarm or security system that requires electricity. Without a reliable source of electricity all of the new-fangled Wi-Fi alarms and remote surveillance systems just will not work.

When securing a remote location one often has to go "old-school" and remember that all good security is premised on a layered security system. Layered security (sometimes referred to as layered defense or other names) refers to the coordinated use of multiple security devices that use multiple components and provide multiple layers of protection. If an intruder breaches one layer of security, they have to breach additional layers of security before they can reach the asset.

In a simple physical security application, layered security usually has four primary goals: deterrence, detection, delay, and response.

DETERRENCE

The first layer of defense might be fence or gate or bright lighting which is intended to deter an intruder. This might be followed by a surveillance system that is designed to detect intruders. This could be coupled with locked or fortified doors designed to delay or slow down an intruder. Finally, an interior alarm system could be used to scare an intruder away and summons police or security officers.

I own a remote off-the-grid cabin on the Oregon coast where timely law enforcement response is essentially non-existent. Even if police were notified of a break-in, they likely would not be able to respond for hours. This is just the reality of the location.

In my case I do not keep much of value in the cabin when I am not there (no generators, expensive tools, firearms, or anything else) but some of my remote neighbors do, and crooks know that. It is easy to boot in the front door and make off with a $1,000 portable generator or some expensive cordless tools.

My first layer of defense is some large signs intended to DETER intruders. The signs tell would be intruders that the cabin does not contain anything real valuable (which is true). I know that some burglars and assorted thieves cannot comprehend well, so the signs go on to say that the cabin is protected by surveillance cameras that are routing video to a remote server via the Internet. I do not have any Internet but I have installed realistic surveillance cameras that are easy to see. I have even gone so far as installing an old satellite dish on the roof to give the illusion of an Internet based surveillance system.

DETECTION

In addition to the fake surveillance cameras, I installed battery operated wildlife tracking cameras that will take photos of anyone approaching my property. These were strategically placed in an attempt to DETECT intruders. I camouflaged these cameras to avoid detection and placed them high enough to prevent an intruder from easily stealing them. An intruder who realizes that the cameras have just snapped photos of them might be inclined to try and steal them and thus steal the evidence.

As another security layer designed to DETER trespassers, I installed solar powered motion flood lights around the cabin. These are not the dim solar lights you can buy at the big box stores. I spent the money to get the most powerful solar floor lights that I could find. Even here in cloudy Oregon the solar panels get enough sunlight to provide for a bright flood of light when anyone gets close to the cabin. In keeping with my previous article here on ArticleBiz: Outdoor Security Lighting, Consider going Blue, I converted some of these lights from the run-of-the-mill soft white light to bright blue light.

DELAY

To DETER and DELAY a burglar from breaking in, I "hardened" all entry points (doors & windows). Even though we do not have hurricanes in this neck of the woods, I put metal roll-up hurricane window shutters over my windows. They look decent and can be easily rolled-up when I am at the cabin. They are not impenetrable but provide a reasonably strong cover over the windows. A would-be intruder would have to have some tools or expend time and effort to pry they off.

I also placed a hinged plywood door over the front cabin door and secured it with a padlock. I painted it the same color of the cabin so it blends in and does not give the appearance of the front door being boarded up.

When I am using the cabin, I can detach the plywood door cover in less than five minutes. Could a burglar cut the padlock or pry the plywood off? Sure, they could. But this would take some tools, time, and effort. All security measures can be defeated by a determined crook, but "hardening" my windows and door was a reasonable, cost effective, and aesthetically acceptable way to deter and delay an intruder.

RESPONSE

As mentioned, a prompt law enforcement response in my remote location is not going to happen. But, unless the intruders wear some kind of disguise, the photos from my cameras should give law enforcement some viable leads to follow-up on.

But, if intruders manage to breach my layers of security and enter my humble cabin they will face an additional layer of security designed to repel them from the property.

In a previous article here on ArticleBiz: BLAST the Burglars with Pepper-Spray! I wrote about an anti-intrusion device that did not need electricity to operate and would blast an intruder with OC pepper spray once the intruder gained entry. This blast in the face of OC pepper spray is intended to force an intruder out of a building, home, office, car, shed, or any other premise, without human interaction. I installed one of these devices just inside my cabin front door.

Because I believe in multiple layers of security, I went one step further.

Here in Oregon, like I suspect in every state, it is illegal to set up a spring gun or booby trap to protect property if the device is intended or capable of injuring an intruder. Not only can the property owner be held liable for any injury or death to an unwanted intruder such as a burglar, but the property owner can be criminally prosecuted in most states.

The controlling statute here in Oregon is Oregon Revised Statues (ORS) 166.320 which states:

Any person who places or sets any loaded springgun, setgun, or any gun, firearm or other device of any kind designed for containing or firing explosives, in any place where it may be fired, exploded or discharged by the contact of any person or animal with any string, wire, rod, stick, spring or other contrivance affixed to or connected with it, or with its trigger, commits a Class B misdemeanor.

I did not set up any type of spring gun but I did use some 12 volt batteries and a solar panel and set up a wire that will give the intruder a jolting electrical shock (similar to that of an electrical livestock containment fence) should they not be repelled by a blast of pepper spray. This will not harm anyone but it should give an intruder the surprise and shock of their life! Hopefully, it will cause the intruder(s) to flee.

If an intruder is not deterred by my layered security measures and manage to defeat all of my layers of security, the intruder will be sorely disappointed. Like the sign says, all they will find inside is some old furniture, some Dollar Store pots & fry pans, some canned food, and a few bargain-basement fishing poles.

George W. Babnick, is a 34 year law enforcement veteran from Portland, Oregon with an extensive background in physical security and criminal and administrative investigations.

He is the editor of a blog devoted to physical & personal security issues and a licensed Private Investigator in his home state of Oregon.

He can be reached at: www.physicalsecurityonline.com and www.babnickandassociates.com.