"Tactical Pen" for Self-Defense

I recently purchased a tactical pen as an option for self-defense. I work in a secure government building where no weapons are allowed. Everyone who enters the building must go through a security screening process which uses security officers, metal detectors (magnetometer), x-ray machines, and if necessary a pat down and search of you and your belongings. Now I have been around long enough to know that it is possible to sneak a weapon into any facility even if it is classified as secure. Being that it is a government building even employees are prohibited from carrying a weapon in the facility. Despite that weapons are prohibited there are always an abundant amount of “weapons of opportunity” in the work environment that should violence be directed my way I have a variety of options to choose. Every work environment that I have ever been in regardless of whether it is considered secure or not has a host of non-traditional weapons such as: kitchen knives, scissors, pens, screw drivers, hot coffee, water bottles, chairs, glasses, cups, staplers, books, etc. that can be used.

When thinking about weapons it is important to understand that my primary weapon is “ME.” This should be the same for you as well. I am not trying to be cocky but “I” am the weapon starting with my mindset. It is my brain and mindset that determine so many factors when faced with violence. Failure to have the warrior mindset is failure at all levels. Any external weapon that I use is an accoutrement to my primary weapon. Remember, it is your mindset that will allow you to avoid many situations and it is your mindset that will allow you to prevail in a violent encounter. Never forget the basics such as: situational awareness, color codes, OODA loop, use of imagery, and of course consistent ongoing training that incorporates reality based training.

“Tactical Pen”

Five points I would like to make on tactical pens:

1. I reviewed a lot of pens before making my final decision. I suggest that you look around and see what fits your needs. Never buy gear based only on the recommendations of others. It is imperative to do your own research to see if it fits your needs and your skill level.
2. The pen I went with is not necessarily the best pen available but it fits my need.
3. Some of the pens on the market are priced ridiculously high. No one should ever spend more than $30.00 for a “tactical” pen. I have seen some priced at over $100.00! That is simply foolish and a waste of money. Spend your hard earned dollars on other gear that will provide more utility. Having a “company name brand” listed on a “tactical” pen does not make it more effective. It is you, the user, which will ultimately determine how effective your tactical pen will be during a violent encounter.
4. The use of the word “tactical” to sell a pen is purely a marketing and advertising scheme to lead you to believe that you are super special with Ninja-like abilities. Too many companies inappropriately use this ploy and too many consumers fall for it! I have no problem spending top dollar for quality gear but I will never fall for marketing/advertising games.
5. Tactical pens are not an intimidating weapon. Don’t expect to pull out your pen and have an attacker run away in fear. It won’t happen that way.

The pen I chose is the Smith and Wesson M&P 2nd Generation Tactical Pen which cost $24.42 (at the time of this writing) at Amazon.com. As a pen it works fine.  The ink color is black and you have the ability to replace the ink when necessary. The pen is definitely heavier than your average pen and is about the same size in height as most pens although it is a bit thicker. One aspect of the pen that I do not like is that it is not well balanced when writing and tends to be top heavy. I only recommend writing with this pen if you just need to take a few notes. I would not want to have to write a lot in one sitting with this pen.  The threads are very strong and secure. When closed there is an O-ring gasket that may need to be replaced over time. I do not anticipate that the cap would ever inadvertently come loose.

As a weapon this is advertised as a "tactical" pen. In reality utilizing a pen in a self-defense situation should be a last resort and is more of a "weapon of opportunity" than anything else. Never consider a pen as a primary weapon. While this pen is constructed of aircraft aluminum and is very sturdy it is still just a pen. Having said that, utilized correctly this pen can inflict some serious damage to an attackers eyes or throat. The key is that you have to utilize it correctly which means that you should have some previous training to understand the pros and cons of such a weapon. Typically, when a person is utilizing a weapon they tend to forget all other weapons that are available. For example, if you are holding a tactical pen in your hand and fighting off an attacker it is not uncommon to only use the pen as a weapon and forget that you can still use punches, elbows, kicks, and knee strikes. This is a training issue where you get “missile locked” on the pen and forget all the other possibilities. In a worst case scenario where you are fighting for your life this is never a good situation to be in. Train to use the right weapon, at the right time, on the right target, for the right reason. The good news is that with proper training you will become well-rounded in your skill set. If you plan on carrying this pen as a potential weapon then it is important to plan on spending time training with it. Items to consider include where you carry it, how you will deploy it, the type of grip you will use, striking a target to see how it feels in your hand, working on accuracy to hit striking points such as the eyes or throat, etc.

One of the main drawbacks to using a "Tactical Pen" is that you need to be very close to an attacker who wants to hurt you. That is not a good situation. The pen has some groves to enhance your grip yet the surface is smooth and would greatly benefit from having some texture added to aid the grip. If you are nervous and your hands are sweaty then expect your grip to be negatively impacted and less effective due to the pen slipping. Of course you always have the option of modifying the pen to add some texture. The top of the pen cap and the clip both have the Smith & Wesson logo printed and the clip has the name "Smith & Wesson" printed. So much for “tactical” or the element of surprise!

Overall Assessment:

The Smith and Wesson M&P 2nd Generation Tactical Pen has its place in your arsenal. It is critically important to understand both the pros and cons of using this pen as a weapon. If you work in a facility that is a "gun free zone" or frequent such places this pen provides you one option for defense. Keep in mind that gun free zones are also considered, “Target Rich Environments.” This pen is small, easy to conceal, well-constructed, and in the right hands can be an effective weapon. If you are in a situation where you need to use this pen do not forget all the other weapons that you possess or weapons of opportunity that are in your immediate environment. You must always have the ability to adapt to the situation and change your plan when necessary.

Stay safe

//TC

© 2013

Prison Violence

If you have never spent time in a prison environment then you have no idea how brutally violent prison is. Also, make no mistake – it is the inmates that run the prison system. It should not be that way but that is the way it is for a variety of reasons which is beyond the scope of this article. Prison is a unique microcosm of society that most people would rather not experience. Violence is a way of life for those behind bars. You make think that the bigger, stronger, faster, tougher you are will equate to being safe. Yet, this is rarely the case. The reason being is that inmates don’t fight fair. The inmates use every opportunity to ensure that the odds of winning a fight are in their favor. One of the tactics used is a mass attack. Many prison fights are not the one-on-one fights that you may be used to seeing at school, the bar, or on television. Instead they will get a group of 3-6 inmates to beat the living hell out of one inmate which often results in severe injuries and death.  The inmates show absolutely no mercy on the target. They will punch, kick, choke, gouge, and stab another inmate and never give it a second thought. Sometimes they will put cans such as tuna fish in a sock to deliver a beating. The attack will continue until the job is done or the message is sent.  That is how life, and sometimes death, goes in prison. 

And This Impacts Me How?

The impact to you is that most inmates sentenced to prison eventually get out. They often get menial service jobs that bring them to your home. They live in your neighborhood. They are the parents of your child’s school friend. They are the one driving behind you on the way home. They are the once standing in front of you at the convenience store. They are the one pumping gas right next to you. They are the one sitting across from you at the restaurant. They re-enter society but are rarely “rehabilitated.” Their violent and criminal ways did not get left behind at the prison gates when they were released. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Now, I am not saying that everyone who goes to prison is a violent career criminal. The problem is that you don’t know which ones are from which ones are not! Right about now you should be asking yourself the following question: Is my training preparing me to deal with a violent attack from society’s predators? If not, then you need to make some adjustments to your training. If you are going to the dojo and sparring where you get sweaty, hot, and tired but fail to test your defensive AND offensive skills then you are not training. Training must be conducted in the safest manner possible yet tests your abilities in a realistic way. If you don’t test your abilities in a manner that is reality based or scenario based then your level of confidence probably exceeds your actual abilities. Too often you don’t find this out until it is too late. Additionally, many people train in skills that they are already good at instead of really working through their weaknesses.

We live in a violent world where bad things happen to good people. Stay safe.

//TC

© 2013

Your Privacy Does Not Exist

According to some reports United States citizens are caught on camera approximately 75 times per day. Cameras have become such a common feature in society that we no longer pay attention to them. It does not end there as there are many other areas of our lives where our privacy has vanished. This article will briefly cover some of the area in our everyday lives where our privacy has been eroded. And, the reality is that there is not much that we can do about it unless we choose to not use everyday technology. Even then we are being tracked and record oftentimes with our knowledge or permission.

 Cameras – Still Photos and Video 

Following is a brief list of cameras that record each of us on a daily bases:

+ Department of Transportation street cameras on highways and commuter road

+ Private businesses

+ Government facilities

+ Schools

+ Public events such as stadiums

+ Private cellphones and cameras

+ Hospitals

+ Grocery stores

+ Fast food restaurants

When it comes to all of the cameras that record you on a daily basis do you ever wonder what is happening with the recorded information! For example:

1. How long is the information recorded?
2. Is it recorded in a secure format?
3. Is facial recognition software being used to identify you?
4. If the information sold to another entity? If yes, what do they use it for?
5. Is the information being uploaded to webpages such as: YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Instagram, Pinterest, Vimeo, etc.?

Cell Phones

We are now so accustomed to having a cell phone with us all of the time. If we forget our phone we feel naked and vulnerable. We wonder how we ever survived pre-cell phone. Yet, cell phones have been a major factor in our eroding privacy. As long as you carry a cell phone and the battery is in the phone you can be tracked. Your cell phone is constantly pinging cell phone towers. If you take out the battery you can prevent this from happening. The problem is that many cell phones such as the ever popular iPhone prevent you from removing the battery. In essence, you can be tracked at all times that you carry your cell phone and there is very little you can do about it unless you carry your phone in a Faraday bag or cage which is typically not practical if you want to receive service. You may not think that this is such a big deal but think about what information a cell phone can reveal about you. It tells where you have been, how long you have been there, who you have called, who called you, length of phone calls, all text and digital information can be recorded not to mention voice data. Your contact list and calendar is also available. Cell phones provide a very clear pattern of your behavior.  These patterns reveal a lot of information especially if you break from your patterned behavior.  As you can see this is not so innocent. Also remember that many phones now allow you to download apps which may collect personally identifiable information on you without your knowledge. Additionally, law enforcement and government agencies have the capability of remotely using your phone as a listening device even when the phone is turned off! Cell phones also have the ability to geotag photos which provide very specific information on where and when the photo was taken. If you then upload photos to Facebook it is possible for anyone who can view the photo to obtain this information. Let’s face it, many people “collect” friends who they don’t know in the real world. It is possible for an individual to obtain a photo of your new T.V. or pet that you took in your house. At a later date you write a post stating that you are so excited about your upcoming vacation. Now the bad guy knows exactly where you live and that you are going on vacation. In case you are wondering, it is not difficult to obtain the geotag information from your photo. It can literally be done in minutes.

Vehicle Information

Your vehicle can also reveal information about your habits. For example, every time that you register your vehicle your mileage is being recorded. This allows the government to monitor how many miles you travel a year. This can be combined with debit or credit card information to determine how much money you spend on gas which can then  be compared to how many miles you drive. When you own a vehicle you are typically required to have insurance on the vehicle. Now it can be determined what your driving habits are, the amount of accidents you are in, tickets that you receive, if you got a DUI/DWI, etc.  Combine all of this information with the traffic cameras that record your vehicle.  Vehicles that have OnStar can also be tracked and law enforcement has that ability to eavesdrop on your conversation without your knowledge. Many people departments are also using license plate scanners that record your license and the location you were recorded. The license plate scanner is often used as a law enforcement tool to see if a car is stolen. Yet, your information may be recorded. Many police departments do not have policies on how often this information is kept.

Traveling on planes is tracked. 

Bank Accounts and Credit/Debit Cards

It is now common for many employers to direct deposit pay checks into your bank account. This leaves a trail of who you work for, how much you get paid, how often you get paid, and what types of accounts you are putting your money into. Even if you withdraw cash to make many of your purchases you are still creating a profile of your routine and habits.  Even if you don’t have a bank or use direct deposit you still need to cash your paycheck either at a bank or other location which leaves an electronic trail. 

Many people rely on the use of credit or debit cards. This leaves an electronic trail of your spending habits to include what you buy, where you buy it, when you buy it, and how often you buy. Many banks and credit card companies are able to provide specific details in their statements on how you are spending your money.

Medical Information

If you have medical insurance all of your medical information is collected in numerous places such as your physician’s office, insurance company, medical billing company, third party payers, etc. One of the obvious concerns is how safeguarded is this information.  Far too often the level of security for you medical information is less than adequate. Think about what your medical information says about you and your habits: are you a smoker, drinker, overweight, medical conditions, mental health diagnosis, rare disorder, etc. How can this information be used or used against you. For example, how can this information be used to prevent you from gaining employment or life insurance? But you say there are rules against this! Yes, there are and there are rules that state the NSA is not supposed to engage in domestic spying yet they are doing it anyway.

Utilities

Most of us pay for some form of utilities such as electricity, water, gas, etc. The amount of consumption can tell how many people live in your home, if you have guests, if you are using more or less than normal, etc. Again, your habits are easily identifiable.  Entertainment sources can be tracked as well such as what you watch on cable T.V., Netflix, Amazon, etc.

Internet

The Internet is the ultimate double edged sword. It provides so many useful benefits while eroding our privacy oftentimes through our own willingness to provide private information. It is probably a good policy to assume that anything you do and every web search you conduct on the Internet is tracked, recorded, and linked to you. Regardless of what type of software you use to protect your privacy or I.P. address, just assume that the government has very powerful capabilities to defeat whatever methods you use. Is this giving the government too much credit? Maybe, but never underestimate the government’s capabilities.  Also, don’t confuse the capabilities of law enforcement verses the National Security Agency. Their capabilities are vastly different. 

Many municipal and state governments are putting more and more of your information online in what they call an effort to be “transparent.” With a few clicks it is now possible to find where you live, how much you paid for your home, when you bought your home, how many square feet your home is along with other characteristics, the mortgage company you use, a copy of your signature, etc. If you know where to look you can obtain all of this information in less than 5 minutes.  Now, plug your address into a host of Internet mapping software such as Google Maps or Google Earth and you can obtain relatively high quality photographs of your house and property from an overhead view and a street view.  Just think of all the possibilities that a criminal can use this information. And it is all free on the Internet. 

Then there is social media such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a host of others where we “willingly provide personal information” for the masses to consume and use as they see fit. Think about Facebook and how people put all of their personally identifiable information, likes, tastes, photographs, videos, comments, etc. Think about all your friends and the pages that you “Like” and what it says about you.  With many social media websites you are essentially providing a “profile” of yourself.  But they have privacy settings! Do you really trust privacy setting from any website especially Facebook? Facebook’s privacy settings are like the soup of the day. They change so often and can be so confusing that the typical user cannot effectively control their privacy setting. Remember, Facebook and all of the other social media websites are a business. They are in business to make a profit which is their primary focus; not your privacy.  Hmm, what does the Survival Skillcraft blog or Facebook say about us!

Emails are also a common tool that offers no privacy. Again, assume that all of your emails can be read regardless of the email service you use or any encryption that you use.  Even if you use PGP or GNU Privacy Guard assume that the government has a way to see your information. Also, any type of Cloud computing or online storage back-up is probably not safe from prying eyes. 

Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Over America

Lately there has been a lot of talk and concern over the use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) domestically, without gathering any warrants. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it has used drones for domestic surveillance purposes in the United States at least ten times without obtaining warrants.

DARPA has revealed the ARGUS-IS its mega digital camera with a 1.8-gigapixel resolution. The camera can take clear images of objects as small as 5.9 inched from an altitude of almost 4 miles high. The ARGUS-IS array can be mounted on unmanned drones to capture an area of 15 square miles.

It would be safe to assume that drones and UAV will, someday in the not too distant future, be a common as Department of Transportation cameras. In fact, there are estimates that by the year 2020, there will be approximately 30,000 drones flying over the United States.

Employee ID Cards

Many employers now issue employee ID card that have an RFID card. The employer can easily know where you are at all times while at work. These cards are often used for security purposed and to permit you to access restricted building areas. These are especially common in secure facilities and government buildings. 

National Security Agency

The National Security Agency (NSA) is one of the most secretive organizations in the world. Much of what they do is classified and well beyond the reach of average citizens.  Recently, Edward Snowden has released classified information on the NSA’s spying programs, such as Prism and XKeyScore, along with some of their capabilities.  It would be safe to assume that the NSA has some of the best and most advanced technology on Earth capable of collecting information on billions of people worldwide. It seems that all of the major phone companies have been supplying the NSA your phone information for at least the last seven years. This includes everyone that you have call and that has called you. With all the information and metadata it is not difficult to determine a lot of information about an individual through the use of linkage. To see what the NSA is capable of according to whistleblower William Binney read the following document: http://info.publicintelligence.net/NSA-WilliamBinneyDeclaration.pdf

Conclusion

The purpose of this article is to briefly show how your private information is far from private and can be obtained and used without your knowledge.  This article is not to make you paranoid but more informed on how information can be collected, used, aggregated, profiled, linked, and analyzed.  I don’t delve into methods to reduce or eliminate how your information is used because in all practicality you can’t stop this from happening. So much information has already been collected on you that it is virtually impossible to eliminate what is already collected. And, trying to reduce your electronic footprint in the future is an exercise in futility. Yes, there are methods to do so but most people are not willing to give up some of the tools they use on a daily basis such as the computer or cell phone. 

Some people will argue that they “have nothing to hide” and that they don’t care if the government or other entities are collecting personal information with or without their knowledge or consent. Technically, this statement would apply to most citizens who are law abiding individuals. Yet, the problem is not that you are doing anything wrong it is that your information may be collected illegally or for purposes that you do not control. If you are not against this on principle then you are complacent and part of the problem.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”

• We live in a dangerous world where terrorist want to kill us.
• We live in a criminal world where criminals want to steal from us.
• We life in a profit based world where marketers and advertisers want to sell to us.
• We life in a curious world where people want to be a voyeur into our world.

Technology is generally good for progress but like any tool it can be used for good or bad.  Chances are you do not have anything to hide and you are a law abiding person. Yet, this does not mean we should sacrifice our liberty or privacy. Laws should protect us be they oftentimes do not. Benjamin Franklin was correct when he said, “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”

Stand up on principle; not the fact that you have nothing to hide.