I Won the Lottery!

I won the lottery!

OK, not THE lottery. A lottery. In order to attend the White House Regional Forum on Health Reform in Des Moines, IA on March 23, regular folks had to register in a lottery for a ticket. When I saw the email, I knew this was an opportunity to help advocate for the health care needs of rural communities. And I learned that to be a good organizer, sometimes you need to use your elbows.

The Obama Administration has promised to listen to the American people and to embrace transparency and accountability. These forums are a great opportunity to test what "listening" looks like to the Obama Administration. Input does not necessarily translate into a seat at the decision-making table, so these forums are a way for us to determine how serious Mr. Obama is about real democratic participation.

Four prominent Democrats moderated the forum - Iowa Governor Chet Culver, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, and South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds. Notably absent was Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who will be instrumental in any reform effort by virtue of his high position on the Senate Finance Committee.

In the opening remarks, Sen. Harkin discussed the need for prevention and wellness. Gov. Rounds emphasized the need for rural areas to have a say in upcoming reform. White House Health Reform Director DeParle, on the job for only a week, gushed about the special place that the President has for Iowa and told her to head there first thing.

Gov. Culver explained for each topic in the agenda an "expert" would introduce the topic, and then audience members - experts in their own personal experiences - would be picked to share their thoughts.

After a few of these topics passed, I heard it - rural health care! My hand shot up to speak, and I even had a statement prepared:

Rural America faces the same health care issues as urban America - skyrocketing costs, too many uninsured and underinsured, and a health care delivery system strained to the point of breaking. There are, however, unique rural health care challenges. The Center for Rural Affairs released a report today detailing rural America's top 10 health care reform issues, with an emphasis on challenges faced by rural small businesses and the self-employed as well as support for a public insurance option.

How will the Obama Administration address rural America's unique needs related to affordable insurance, access to quality care, and a declining rural health care workforce?

I was not selected to speak, but rural issues were well represented by a good friend of the Center for Rural Affairs:

... Iowa Farmers Union president Chris Peterson of Clear Lake said he’s glad the forum was held in the Midwest, as most Americans don’t understand the challenges rural citizens face. “Rural Iowans struggle with finding affordable insurance. Even solidly middle class farmers are feeling the pinch. Nearly one in eight Iowa farmers battle outstanding health debt,” Peterson said. “I am one of them.”

Peterson, who is 53, was kicked off his private insurance plan about two years ago for what the company said was a preexisting condition.

Peterson and his wife, who has no private insurance either, have accumulated $14,000 in medical debts in the past two years. “The health care system in this country is dysfunctional and burdensome,” Peterson said of the private insurance industry. “…Personally, what I’ve been through, it seems at times it’s a Ponzi scheme — they’re taking your money — or (it’s) just the robber barons pulling money out of your pockets.”

Right on, Chris. I only wish I had thought to give him our newly minted research paper [PDF] or at least the summary [PDF] so that he could reference it and hand a copy to Ms. DeParle. As it was, I was still angling for a chance to give it to her myself.

In their closing statements, Sen. Harkin was convinced that we must have a public plan, Gov. Rounds thought we can make a system that increases efficiency without sacrificing quality, Gov. Culver wanted public-private partnerships, and Health Reform Director DeParle felt optimistic that there will be a compromise.

Of course the irony of the politicians' vague statements was that they did not really reflect what people had said at the forum. I have a healthy amount of skepticism that moderators were in fact listening enough to take citizens' ideas into account when making decisions about reform, but willing to give the benefit of the doubt - it's been a long time since we had an administration who wanted to listen at all.

By the time the meeting adjourned, I was still holding the Top 10 Rural Issues for Health Care Reform. This paper was written in rural America, based not on a few listening sessions but on 35 years of living the rural life. I couldn't walk out the door with it in hand, so I elbowed my way to the front of the room where Health Reform Director DeParle was standing, surrounded by a knot of people waiting their turn. Before I got near enough, though, her staff began to usher her towards the back door.

Heck. No.

I scurried back to where I thought she was headed and as she stopped for a photo-op, I had a moment of doubt and - I'll admit it- intimidation. She's a busy person after all, and clearly has places she needs to get to. I quickly brushed it aside though, because I can't expect anyone else to advocate for rural America if I can't summon the courage when presented with an opportunity to do so.

I called her name and she turned towards me. I held out the paper as I introduced myself, and she took it as she walked out the door. Even I was surprised at how easy it was to push through the buffers that surround politicians.

I hope she reads it and remembers what Chris Peterson said about hard-working Midwestern families feeling the financial strain of unfairly high health care costs. That as she goes back to Washington, DC to make decisions that affect millions of rural people, she recalls the faces of the people who cared enough to attend these forums and that she has enough courage to make reforms that will foster prosperity and opportunity in all our communities.

Right now we have a short window of opportunity to push for the needs of rural people. We have to assume that what the politicians tell us is true - this fight will all be over by year's end. Is that enough time - for us and for this administration - for real people to have a real role in shaping a new health care system that works for rural America?

It is if we act now.

We need face these decision-makers like the real people they are, even though we know they are insulated, handled, and filtered everywhere they go. Clearly the process of reform is polarized and politicized, but it's our job to surround them with unfiltered, uninsulated people like ourselves to make sure their eyes and ears process our stories and field our requests.

The good news is there are opportunities both to inform decision-makers about the health care situation in rural communities. The administration has a website where you can view a statement by President Obama, read the live blog of the Des Moines forum, see the dates and locations of the next two forums and submit your ideas or questions about health care.

And don't stop there. Sign our health care petition. Pass all of these links on to everyone you know and weigh in with your congressional delegation.

Need other ideas for getting involved? Contact us at the Center for Rural Affairs or leave ideas for getting involved in the comments. Don't wait another day.

Onward!

Dont Buy Any Garden Tractor Without Reading This First

Talk agriculture, and the classic garden tractor seems to be a blessing in disguise. The way these tractors are used ” You will find them being used in a variety of tasks. In essence, they are the master tools that help you in fixing a lot of tasks on your farm. Some time before, a lot of people used to flock to neighboring villages to see how the garden tractor worked.

A tractor pull also gave a reason for the people to see a new town, eat at a nice place and spend some time in a motel away from home. While you were in transit to a tractor pull, you would get a change to look at the countryside and also the sites in the neighboring town that you were not aware of. In those days the garden tractor had many attachments to optimize the use on a farm.

However, mowing the lawn is something they were all designed to do. The lawnmower with an electric start was in a great demand as the other type had a pull start. It would be advisable to make a test drive for the lawnmower before you make a decision to buy it as it does cost a fortune to buy one.

A garden tractor is a set of bigger equipment with heavy-duty machinery. Whats more, they have bigger wheels and transmissions. The design of the wheel is such that it will not damage the grass while working on an uneven land.

To add to that you can also adjust the height of the cutting equipment & have a larger four-gallon tank. Accessories such as something to collect the grass clipping or another mover deck are also available.

An antique lawnmower is considered to be perfect for your garden, if the size of the garden is about 2-3 acres. These mowers work wonderfully well on gardens of these sizes.

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Spend Your Summer Vacation At Horse Riding Camp

Owning your own horse has more than likely been part of many childhood dreams. However if you live in the city or don't have a great deal of money, one way to realize this dream is by attending a horse riding camp. This is a marvelous way to spend a summer vacation, and could just be the holiday for you.

Keeping a horse is very expensive as you have to stable it, as well as pay for food, riding tackle, riding clothes, veterinary bills etcetera. Not many families are able to afford these kinds of expenses.

Attending a horse riding camp in the summer, will not only allow you to spend fun times with these magnificent animals, it will also teach you all kinds of different skills. They are a combination of feeding, horse care, tuition and trail rides, plus you get to establish a relationship with your four-legged friend. Instructors are available to take you on trails into the country-side. Exploring the country from the back of a horse, gives you a whole new perspective on nature.

Stable management and how to care for your horse; comes along with all kinds of exciting and new things to learn. You will get to see things like blacksmiths demonstrations, learn about basics all the way through to cantering and jumps and how prepare for gymkhanas, while you are developing your equestrian skills. It is a fun way to spend a vacation, and will definitely give you something to talk about at the end of the summer.

You may have only seen horses on television or read about them in classic stories such as Black Beauty. You will know that they are fascinating creatures. However you may never have been given the opportunity to ride one. Even mentally challenged people love horse riding so this is a sport for everyone.

It can be difficult to decide what kind of summer camp you would like to spend you time at and these camps run from one day to eight weeks. Some are co-educational while others are only for boys or only for girls, the choice is yours (or your parents) of which type you attend. They also offer other activities for a part of each day.

Many of these camps are focused on the English Riding Style, so you will more than likely not be allowed to gallop off into the wide blue yonder like John Wayne. This should please your parents however and reassure them you will be safe. The camp will provide all the safety wear you require so these costs do not have to be met by your parents. You will be required to wear boots and a helmet and safety is essential.

Horses which are found in riding camps are very well trained, and of all different breeds. Although they are large animals and may appear to look dangerous, with the correct training and care they are very gentle animals. Campers are taught how to communicate with them so they know what to do.

Most horse riding camps are found on horse farms, where the campers stay in cabins. Instructors are qualified to provide quality instruction, and camp counselors are generally graduates or college student who are preparing for equestrian careers. They will ensure that they pick out a horse that is well suited to your size and personality. You don't ever want to take on anything you might not be able to handle, and counselors won't allow this.

About the Author

Lance Thorington has written several articles about horses. You do not know what you are missing when you have never been on a horse riding camp! Check this out at http://lets-go-horse-riding.com/blog/category/horse-riding-camp/

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10 Simple Tiki Torch Safety Tips for Your Next Outdoor Gathering

If warmer weather hasn't already reached you, it likely isn't far away. Backyard gatherings and BBQs are soon to follow and, if you're like me, that means topping off the tiki torches and preparing to light your garden with the perfect mood-setting lighting. It also means now is a good time to be aware of the risks and to ensure your events are safe, fun and injury free. Keep the following safety tips in mind before you fire up your first torch.

Plant your tiki torches securely in the ground. You want to ensure there's no chance of a tiki torch tipping over in wind or at a slight and accidental tap from a guest or pet. Set the torch post in the ground deeply enough that there is no wobble or likelihood of tip-over due to casual contact. Tamp the ground down firmly around the post with a boot if the soil in which it is planted is loose.

Ensure there are no low branches or other flammable overhead obstructions within reach of the flame. Tree branches are the obvious concern here but don't overlook awnings, tents or anything else such as flags that might move into the path of the flame due to wind. When judging safe distance, a good test is to hold your hand above the flame at the height of the nearest overhead object. If you can't hold your hand there for an extended period without it becoming uncomfortable, then the object is too close and the torch should be relocated.

Also pay attention to objects adjacent to your tiki torches. Plants, fences or any other flammable material that may be exposed to the flame if the wind should blow in the wrong direction are your obvious concerns. It doesn't take much wind to turn a vertical column of flame into a horizontal blowtorch. Allow several feet between your torches and anything flammable.

Remove unnecessary flammables from the ground around your torch post. It's often the case that mulch or other decorative, flammable ground covering will be close to your tiki torch post, but if you can, avoid that. Certainly rake up dried leaves and, if possible, remove any mulch from directly beneath the torch. You can offset the resulting unattractive bare spot with some decorative stone. Better that you get creative with the ground covering near your torch than risk igniting your entire garden should there be sloshed or dripping fuel.

Keep your torch wick low. There's no need to signal satellites with your tiki torch by extending the wick so far out that the flame shoots ridiculously high. Your objective is to create mood and some functional lighting, not to ignite low flying aircraft.

Don't overfill your fuel reservoir. There's no need to fill your torch to the brim with tiki torch oil. Add only enough to ensure the wick is adequately submerged to allow several burnings without having to top off your torch. Filling the reservoir to the brim presents the risk that even a slight bump might result in sloshing and ignition of the spilled and dripping fuel.

Extinguish the flame before moving the torch. If you've placed a tiki torch, lit it and your wife subsequently decides it would look better a few feet to the left, put it out before you move it (the torch, not your wife). Moving a filled torch could result in sloshing or spills and, if the wick is lit, the spilled fuel is likely to ignite. Always put the flame out and allow it to cool for a minute before uprooting and replanting your torch. And remember to replant it firmly in the ground. Also avoid moving furniture soon after. If she wasn't happy with where you put the torch, she's sure to be unhappy with where you place the couch the first time, too.

Place your torches sufficiently distant from areas where people are likely to mingle. This will obviously require your best judgment as you want to benefit from both ambiance and functional lighting. Try to find a reasonable compromise, though, and give your torches a little distance from the people who will be in your garden lest over-sprayed hair or clothing be at risk. This approach will help mitigate the risk of Uncle Bob being a bit liberal at the beer cooler and subsequently stumbling into one of your torches.

Control your pets, control your kids. Dogs love to play tag and you run a risk if you have tiki torches lighting a party with pets on the guest list. Ensure that dogs are monitored and don't get too rambunctious around your lit tiki torches. Only slightly less energetic and uncontrollable are children who are just as likely to chase each other around your garden, and they come with the added downside of being fascinated by fire. Ensure that children are adequately warned about the dangers and closely supervised while in your garden. If you see them lingering near a tiki torch, it's probably best to scoot them along to a less risky section of the yard.

Store your tiki torch oil safely and in accordance with labeling. This generally means in a cool, well ventilated, outdoor setting. It's a common sense rule that's too often overlooked with disastrous results. If you don't have an outdoor shed under a shade tree, make accommodations with a tarp or place the container (covered) behind a bush where it will be in the shade. NEVER store your fuel inside your home or near your grill.

Though I prefer the flickering flame of tiki torches over other landscape lighting options, I am always conscious of the risks. Keep these ten tips in mind and use your torches safely and responsibly. Taking these precautions will help you host a safe and memorable (in a good way) gathering your guests will be talking about around the water cooler on Monday. And the talk will be all about your fabulous party, not about how you managed to single handedly burn down half the neighborhood.

Bonus tip: it never hurts to keep a chemical fire extinguisher handy when engaged in any outdoor activity that involves an open flame.

About the Author

Among other blogs, David writes for TikiTorchesGuide.com, a blog devoted to tiki torches and safety , their use in outdoor entertainment, maintenance and their creative use in landscape lighting. He generally moves his furniture twice before his wife is happy with the results.

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FFA Today – March 25, 2009

America’s Heartland hands over the camera to an FFA member and tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Country Living Tips

A friend sent these to me and said I could share them with you…

This is a favored selection of time and money saving tips. Most of them are geared to country life and home.

• A sealed envelope – Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.
• Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
• For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won’t refreeze.
• To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
• Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).
• Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
• Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more econom! ical. No w a box of S.OS pads last me indefinitely! I have also noticed that the scissors get ’sharpened” this way!
• Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time!
• Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don’t wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
• Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
• Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least three hours prior to burning.
• To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
• To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.
• Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won’t be any stains.
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks. Also, place a paper towel in a zip lock baggie with the mushrooms, onions, lettuce, etc. The towel will absorb the moisture.
• When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness–or, you can cook it in a microwave–3 min. each ear.
• Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
• To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
• Ants, ants, ants everywhere … Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
• Use air-freshener to clean mirrors.! It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
• When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer……..

• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes,! brush a nd flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.

• Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
• Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
• Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
• Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.

The Keys to Survival in Cold Weather Hiking and Camping

It is much more difficult to survive in a cold weather environment than it is in a warm weather environment like tropical forests when it comes to finding food, water and shelter. They're much like the desert but at the opposite spectrum of temperature.

Even when you have food, water and shelter covered you still need to have adequate warm clothing and most importantly the will to survive. Even trained professionals and seasoned mountain climbers have lost their lives hiking in the cold. The will to live is the main reason why less trained individuals are able to survive similar conditions.

While clothing is important, you also need to know how to maximize the warmth you get from it. You should always keep your head covered as the head loses more heat faster than any other part of the body because there is a lot of blood circulation particularly on the surface of the head. Any part of the body that has little fat is also vulnerable to heat loss so try to keep them covered at all times.

The way that clothing keeps you warm is mostly by trapping air which insulates you from the cold. It is important that you keep your clothes clean because dirty clothes are less effective in trapping air and hence in their insulating properties.

Believe it or not, one of the fastest way to lose heat in cold weather is to overheat. When you overheat your body sweats in order to cool down. The body cools down rapidly when the sweat evaporates.

Try to avoid sweating by opening up your parka a little once you feel a bit hot. You can also remove an inner layer of clothing, throw back the parka hood, change to lighter headgear or remove your gloves. The head and hands are effective in dissipating heat.

Another way of dealing with sweat is by wearing clothes in layers. Use the three layer system where the first layer is the wicking layer which wicks away the sweat away from your body, the second layer provides insulation against the cold by trapping warm air and the third layer is the waterproof shell. You can wear additional insulating layer to keep you warmer. A few layers of this is more effective than one layer of the same thickness.

Always try to keep dry when possible. Brush off snow and frost before entering your tent. If your clothes are wet, it may be difficult to dry them. In sub-zero temperatures, the wind and sun may dry your wet clothing. You can also try placing your wet clothes unfolded near your body so your body heat can dry them. Or you can dry them over an open fire if available.

Wearing your clothing loose is highly recommended because tight fitting clothes restricts blood circulation which makes it prone to cold injuries. This applies to your boots as well.

A down sleeping bag is a valuable piece of gear for survival in cold weather but if it gets wet it loses its insulation properties and it takes a long time to dry down. Synthetics are not as good in keeping you warm at night but when it gets wet it still retains its insulation properties and be dried fairly quickly. Either way, you must have a sleeping bag when venturing into the cold.

Other important gear to survival in the cold are a camp stove (liquid fuel), knife, sunglasses, signaling items, fatty foods, map and compass, tent, waterproof matches and flashlight.

Cold weather environments can be very harsh so make sure that you have the right equipment to increase your chances of survival. Your hiking and camping gear is critical so make sure you test them at home especially if they're new.

About the Author

Jonsky writes for Hiking-Camping-World.com where you'll find some gear for survival such as camp stoves & sleeping bags. Check out the Big Agnes Sleeping Bag.

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FFA Today – March 18, 2009

The chocolate side of agriculture and top ten things to do for spring!

Health care is a racket!

Note: This is the latest health care post of mine over on Change.org.

"Health care is a racket!"

I said this as I tossed my latest statement from my insurance company on the kitchen table.

It said that I owed a lab in California $95, which I was expecting. I have not met (what I thought to be) my $1,500 deductible yet, so I pay out of pocket until I do. I get this.

The first unpleasant surprise was that only $85 of the charges would count towards my annual deductible because

Reason: M25 - Your coverage does not provide benefits for charges in excess of our reasonable allowance. This amount is your liability.

Considering they have a vested interest in not paying what something actually costs, I have a hard time with this. It would be similar to me walking into our local café and ordering a sandwich, then telling them how much I would pay for it after I’d eaten it.

The second unwelcome surprise was that because this provider, a dentist, was “out of network”, the $85 goes towards the much higher “out of network” deductible. It reminds me of an exclusive high school clique - if my provider does all the random "right" things, she can be included. I asked this my dentist why she is not in one of these networks, and she said it was because they try to tell her how to treat her patients. I don’t blame her – I wouldn’t want a big corporation telling me how to do my job.

Not that I have a choice of what dentist or doctor I go to. I thank my lucky stars that there is a one of each – part time only – in my little Nebraska town. Because of the limited choice of providers, there are only a few insurance companies my employer can consider.

Read the rest of the post, including why I think a public option is important for rural communities here.

The Snubnose Revolver for Contemporary Carry

Periodically, firearms magazines run articles proclaiming the wheelgun to be "dead" or "obsolete" (or questioning these same proclamations). While it's true that firearms technology (and personal defensive training and theory) have progressed since the revolver was de rigueur, the wheelgun, particularly in its snubnosed package, remains one of the most effective self-defense weapons one may carry. There are multiple reasons for this. While pocket automatics and slightly larger but still compact autoloaders have eclipsed snubby revolvers in the minds of many, there are compelling reasons to make a snubnosed revolver your daily carry piece.

First, snubnosed revolvers are very reliable. This is a function of the technology used. A well-maintained, properly timed revolver is objectively less likely to jam than an automatic, because there are fewer moving components involved. The cylinder simply rotates the next round into position; there are no feeding or ejecting issues to consider. This also means that a snubby revolver can be fired repeatedly through a pocket or a coat in an emergency, whereas an autoloader would likely fail to cycle properly after the first shot in similar circumstances.

Second, a revolver allows the citizen to carry a variety of defensive loads, ranging from hollow points to wad cutters to a variety of other specialty ammunition, without worrying that changing ammunition types or bullet shapes might cause the weapon not to cycle. Again, because the rounds need not be fed from a magazine up a ramp into the chamber, the revolver offers much greater versatility. No automatic can be trusted with ammunition that has not been tested in it and cycled repeatedly through it, whereas almost any live round will fire through a revolver with each pull of the trigger.

Third, a revolver, if it is to be fired in double-action mode, can be carried loaded and ready without any sort of safety mechanism involved (other than the internal hammer block of modern revolver designs, of course). The long double-action trigger stroke provides plenty of resistance to prevent accidental firing of the weapon (vital when the operator is under stress). The cylinder can be carried fully loaded without concern for accidental discharge (unlike some pocket autoloaders, whose operators may be tempted to carry them with the chamber empty for added safety during pocket carry). This means that in a self-defense situation, the snubby revolver can be drawn and immediately fired without the need for disengaging safeties or other delays.

Fourth, and finally for our purposes, a snubnosed revolver offers considerable power in a relatively compact package. While the run-of-the-mill .38 Special cartridge may not be anything remarkable, it is at least adequate for personal defense. When you upgrade to +P defensive ammunition, you've got an extremely effective round at your disposal (though it does kick like the proverbial mule when fired in so small and light a gun, particularly in the aluminum-framed snubbies). Five rounds of +P hollow point ammunition will be more than sufficient for most self-defense scenarios (though one can always "game out" doomsday confrontations in which five rounds are not enough -- there is no point in such defeatism, for we must prepare for likely scenarios within reasonable parameters).

Obviously for day to day personal defense, the more compact your handgun the more able you will be to carry it concealed and to carry it comfortably. While the snubby revolver is a bit chunkier in cross-section than most compact or pocket automatics, the benefits it confers in firepower, reliability, and versatility of ammunition make it worth the extra thickness. To best take advantage of the snubby's draw-and-shoot design, its vital to avoid adding extra delays to your carry strategy. What this means is that the snubby is best carried in a holster, and that holster should be of the friction fit type.

A friction-fit holster is any holster -- Kydex, leather, even plastic -- that retains the weapon without any sort or retaining strap, snap, or other hindrance. A quality leather inside-the-waistband holster that retains the gun without a retention snap is a great choice, for example. If you can place the (empty) gun in the holster, turn the holster upside down (over your bed, just in case), and shake the holster from the barrel end without causing the gun to fall free, your weapon will be properly retained in daily carry (though you must test it out over a few days to be sure). Such a holster allows you to position the snubby on your belt line for a consistent draw that is free of obstructions. You can thus draw, point, and pull the double-action trigger, yielding the fastest possible response time to a self-defense situation.

With a snubnosed revolver in a friction-fit holster tucked into your waistband under a shirt, you are well-armed in even hot weather. Spare rounds can be carried in speed loaders or, for a more low-profile alternative, in flat, linear speed-strips. While it may not be as sexy or even as modern as any of several contemporary compact autoloaders or pocket pistols, the snubnosed revolver is a practical, reliable weapon of self-defense. You should consider seriously whether this concealed carry package can work for you. It does for many armed, responsible individuals just like you.

About the Author

Rick Ramirez has over 8 years of experience with gun safes and gun security devices.
Tips on how to store your firearms safely at home.
Read articles, reviews and helpful information on gun safes and other security devices.

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