Self-Defense

Self-Defense: what is a Skunkgun?

Statistics put me to sleep, but stories stick in your mind and teach us something.

First, who says so, because being a Contrarian I figure folks make up numbersnto sell something. The New York Times 10.12.07 reported a bunch of numbersnthat grabbed my 3-pound coconut and created vivid images to remember.

How about: the U.S. Department of Justice says there were 40 million arrestsn(2003-2005) and 7 million convicted criminals are either in jail (2.2 million),nor on probation or parole. How many did you say?

This one bothered me – there were 174,760 assaults on law enforcement officers.
Don’t you figure if the thug is going to attack the cops, you and your family arennot exempt?

Carjackings

We have 300 million folks in the U.S. and 243 million registered passenger cars,naccording to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Hold on. There were about 50,000 carjacking attempts in the U.S., and in 92% nthe villain used a dangerous weapon.

During the day more women are driving to malls and shopping centers than men.
It is not a stretch to discover women are likely to be victims of assaults, carjackingsnand robberies.

Question: How many of these crimes on women are reported? Estimates are up to 50% of the victims who escape do not notify the police. They do notify their insurance company for a scratch on the hood, but many are embarrassed to declare themselves a victim. See: NCVS National Crime Victimization Survey

International Reggae Star Lucky Dube

October 19, 2007, Motown recording artist Lucky Dube was killed in attemptedncarjacking in a suburb south of Johannesburg. He was highjacked, got away, butnthey still shot him to death. Dube was dropping off his son and daughter whennhe was attacked and murdered for his motor vehicle. Dube was declared deadnat the scene by the paramedics.

Note that Dube, a wealthy man, was in a fancy suburb at the time of his victimization. His son and daughter witnessed his carjacking murder.

Maryland: Fuel Truck Hijacked 10.20.07

The driver of a tanker truck with 7,100 gallons of diesel fuel wasntaken at gunpoint. It occurred at a City of Baltimore fuel depot,nand the vehicle was later found in Washington D.C.

The driver was not injured though he was threatened with death if he resisted.
It is considered a robbery, and did not appear to be terrorism related. The truckndriver was defenseless and appeared to be traumatized.

Self-Defense

It is SOP (standard operating procedure) to recommend to both the public andnemployees to comply with the carjacker to avoid physical harm. Big deal, we arenall smart and scared enough to not resist a criminal holding a weapon in our face.

Are there any numbers about people who did not comply with the attacker?
The answer is no, because the media does not want to encourage the publicnto resist and potentially suffer injury or death.

How do you feel after being a victim of a carjacking? Up to 25% suffer psychological trauma and require professional help for as long as one-year.

Suggestions

The follow six rules can sometimes prevent carjackings, muggings and robberies.

1. Choose valet parking or an attended garage.

2. Women exiting a mall or shopping plaza should request a security escortnto their motor vehicle. Yes, one will be provided because not complying nwith such a request is legal negligence. How about your teenager who justnobtained his driving license? Ego issues aside, an armed security guard marching you to your car, discourages watching carjackers.

3. Never turn your back while loading packages into your car. Move the carninto the light and among a crowd before loading your car.

4. Instruct your kids to enter and exit your buggy quickly and shut the doorsnbehind them. Sorry, muggers are entrepreneurs of opportunity and watchingnfor their chance to live off the fat-of-the land.

5. This is a biggie – if you are bumped in the rear, do not immediately jump n from your vehicle to exchange insurance information. The intentional n bumper is waiting to jump you and grab your money and car. It is a factn you must learn to expect danger. Your mom was right about not talking ton strangers.

6. Beware of Good Samaritans. If you have a flat tire or smoking engine, donnot stand around and accept help from a stranger. Get into the light wherenthere is a crowd and wait for professional assistance.

Fight-or-Flight

You are genetically engineered to survive. It comes with the mind and body andnreinforced by life experience – the environment teach us self-protection.

Your Sympathetic Nervous System activates adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisoln(our stress hormone) to save you from potential danger. Fight-and-Flight syndrome causes you to react without conscious analysis because time is of the essence duringndanger.

Your brain is a triple threat star because it contains instincts, emotions and logical thinking to save your life. Instincts like survival and self-protection are contained in your Reptilian complex.

Your Limbic system is the core of all your emotions and commanded by your Amygdala. Fear is your greatest motivator.

The NeoCortex (new brain) grants us logic, reason and the ability to analyze factsnand circumstances. All three operate simultaneously to help us survive.

Often there is no time to contemplate your options, and instinct and emotions arenyour best weapons. If you can run away from danger, that shows courage and nintelligence.

Giving in to fear is a weak weapon, and often a dangerous reaction to circumstances. Those who allow their fears to rule may regret the results comparednto a measured response.

Skunkgun: a New form of Self-Defense

A teacher and business associate in Seattle has discovered a self-defense approach nthat some of us may find valuable. It is a hand-held canister spray containing anstench so horrible, so painful to your olfactory bulb (sense of smell ) as to disablenthe mind and body.

The Skunkgun is for police, security and the military, and now is available as a nconsumer self-defense device.

It is not a like a stun-gun, pepper spray or tasers with up to 50,00 volts; the skunkgun does not serious injure, maim or kill, it disables the carjackers ornmugger for up to four hours.

When the spray strikes within 20 feet and lands on the clothing or skin, the brain is overwhelmed with a stink so powerful, the mugger’s sole emotion (thought is entirely deleted) is escape. The odor remains operative for the next four hours.

If you desire a humane form of self-defense, yet so powerful as to disable the villain’s mind and body, you may want to see www.skunkgun.com

See ya,ncopyright 2007 H. Bernard Wechsler www.speedlea
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