Personal Defense World #228

If there was ever a doubt in anyone’s mind about the reasoning for owning firearms for personal and home-defense, the first half of the tumultuous year of 2020 should set everyone’s mind straight. In an effort to “flatten the COVID-19 death curve,” many career criminals were released from jail only to commit new acts of violence. As this issue went to press, the COVID-19 pandemic, which held millions of law-abiding Americans hostage for months, has given way to rioting and violence over the murder of George Floyd by a rogue Minneapolis police officer. What began as righteous protests has devolved into random violence. Unbelievably, many city leaders have chosen to turn a blind eye—telling officers to stand down even as some rioters were looting, burning police stations, cop cars and hard-earned…

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statistics show that a home burglary happens in America every 15 seconds, and that more than $13 billion worth of personal property is stolen each year. According to the police departments of several Southern California cities, the most common items taken during home burglaries are cash, electronics/computers, jewelry, firearms and medications. Also on the list are bills (and other personal paperwork), credit cards and clothing/shoes. Most crimes can be prevented with a little forethought, an examination of your situation and a few basic planning steps. By increasing the lighting outside your home (with static lights and motion detection) you can eliminate any dark spots where a criminal could find refuge while attempting to break in. Planting thorny bushes under windows and locking gates that offer backyard access…

There are dozens of security systems on the market that run the gamut of price, perks and performance. Some are better than others in one way, but may lack specific solutions you need for your home. ADT This is the most popular home security system in America. ADT has been in business for more than 140 years, starting with a network of telegraph-operated call boxes attached to residential homes, invented by the same guy who invented the stock price ticker. With your voice, through Alexa, you can arm and disarm the system and control any connected devices, such as thermostats and lights. All levels of service include a digital keypad, wireless remote, three door/ window sensors and an infrared motion detector. However, only the Premium Protection level of services provides access to all…

Securing your home and developing a well-organized defensive plan is crucial. But what happens when Hollywood attempts to depict home-defense situations? Sometimes these stories turn out to be unintentionally realistic. At other times they’re utterly outlandish. And every once in a while film producers and directors get it pretty close to right. Here we present several movies that have great home or area fortification and defense scenes—using firearms, improvised booby traps or both—and discuss whether the scenarios presented could work in the real world. HALLOWEEN (2018) Laurie Strode has been preparing for the return of Michael Myers since the original Halloween came out in 1978, and in this sequel/reboot, she lives like it, residing in a house modified for an inevitable attack by the dogged and silent masked serial killer. Laurie has…

With modern society’s reliance on electricity in virtually all facets of its existence, it is very difficult for civilization to cut cords and function properly without electricity for any length of time. This holds especially true if the power is cut suddenly, either via natural disaster or a neighborhood power failure at the source. Our indoor climates, food storage and prep, communications, lighting, utilities, entertainment and health all depend on the juice streaming through the circuits. When that disappears, it leaves an awfully dark hole in our daily lives. It doesn’t matter where the next emergency will come from—earthquake, hurricane, terrorist attack—or even if there is a short-term grid failure because of routine maintenance on the equipment (or an accident), having a reliable back-up generator with enough watts to keep your…

FEATURES Aluminum, corrosion-resistant enclosure Patented Quiet-Test low-speed exercise mode Automotive-grade liquid-cooled engines run at lower speed for reduced noise Automatic safety shutdowns and exerciser Transfer switch required (sold separately) SPECIFICATIONS SOURCE: NorthernTool.com / RATED WATTS: 48kW / AMPS: 200 / ENGINE: V8 ENGINE DISPLACEMENT: 4.5L / VOLTS: 120/240 / ENGINE COOLING: Liquid / PHASE: Single NOISE LEVEL: 63/68 dB / FUEL TYPE: Natural gas or liquid propane DIMENSIONS: 76.8x35x46 inches / MSRP: $17,277…