California Assembly Bill 711 Threatens the Future of Hunting

California Tree Huggers Threaten to Ban all Lead Ammunition for Hunting with Assembly Bill 711.  Hunters Beware, if this bill passes, the state of California will try to ban the sport of hunting all together.  OPPOSE this bill!

On September 8, 2013  The National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action reported an update on the state of California Anti Gun and Anti Hunting bills scheduled to be heard on the Senate and Assembly floors.  

The NRA reported the following about Assembly Bill 711:

Assembly Bill 711 would make California the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of ALL lead ammunition for hunting.  Extensive research has shown that traditional lead ammunition does NOT pose a health hazard for hunters.  Please communicate the following facts to your Senator as reasons to OPPOSE AB 711: 

• Federal and state health department studies have concluded that lead ammunition is not a human health risk, and a recently released peer reviewed study out of Sweden indicates that there is no human health risk to people who consume wild game harvested with lead ammunition.
• Despite 99% hunter compliance, the AB 821 lead ammunition ban has failed to reduce lead poisoning in condors.
• AB 711 fails to address the alternative sources of lead in the environment that are poisoning condors and other wildlife.

Even if one is not a hunter, recreational shooter or gun owner, those who enjoy nature by bird-watching, hiking or camping benefit from hunting excise tax dollars through the Pittman-Robertson Act.  According to the California Department of Finance, AB 711 could cost California $34 MILLION in lost revenue and federal funding, not the $45,000 claimed by lead ammunition ban advocates.  That is only the tip of the iceberg.  The state Department of Finance figure does not include loss of jobs, reduction in taxes from decreasing hunting-related expenditures or the likely increase in cost to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to hire more wardens to enforce the lead ammunition ban.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Yet again the politicians are writing anti gun bills and making legislative decisions that are not based on facts.  They really like to ignore research, evidence, and statistics when it comes to gun laws and regulation.  What are they thinking?  

By going after hunters and the hunting sports these paper pushing politicians are destroying the ability for you and I to be self reliant.  You don’t need to live in the country to understand the importance of hunting animals to feed your family.

Hunting is not just a sport, it is an invaluable skill that will save your life if there is some national crisis and the stores no longer have food on the shelves.  When the defecation meets the oscillation, getting food will be on the top three of your “To Do List.”  If you can trap and hunt animals, know how to skin them, and are able to prepare them for some good eatin’ over a fire you will be the hero in your house. 

Please help us real men and women preserve our spot on the hierarchy of the food chain.  Man was born to hunt and eat animals.  Don’t let California take away our ability to protect ourselves and feed our families.

Take the time to voice your opposition to this bill and all the other anti gun bills.  You can find contact info for your state Senator and Assemblymen here. 

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

11 Year old Girl Defends Herself with a Pink Rifle!

Here is a “Guns Save Lives” Story.  A Brave 11 Year old Girl Defended Herself Against 3 Armed Burglars with a Pink Rifle.  The lesson here is teach your children about Firearms Safety and Shooting Fundamentals because you may not always be there to defend them!

I came across this story and was so proud of this young lady.  Alyssa Gutierrez was left home alone briefly one day when 3 armed burglars broke into her home.  She tried to hide and avoid confrontation but the bad guys eventually saw her.  When she was left with no choice she ran to get her mom’s pink rifle and confidently pointed the rifle at the thugs.  That was enough to send these criminals a message.  The burglars ran out of the house, jumped the fence, and were quickly apprehended by the police.  Thank goodness this story had a happy ending and highlights how guns can be used for good.

Students that come to me for firearms training often wonder if they should bring their kids to the range.  I tell them “YES!” Start educating your kids about firearms at an early age.  We really underestimate how smart kids are when it comes to firearms.

If children are trained at a young age to respect a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, they are less likely to do something dangerous out of curiosity.  Just think one day they will be teenagers.  They have been exposed to violent video games, cop shows, and military themed action movies in the years when their minds are the most suggestible.  They have been idolizing action starts and the Hollywood version of gun fights and tactics which are usually unrealistic.  They go to their friend’s house one day and their buddy tries to sneak a little show and tell with daddy’s gun.  If your child had been trained to respect guns early on they would know how to make sure the gun was unloaded, field strip it or leave it in a safe condition, then go tell an adult in the house. 

The young girl in this particular story was lucky that she had been trained to use the Pink .22 Long Rifle only a few days before this home invasion took place.  If she didn’t take such quick action she could have been badly hurt or worse.

Share this video with your kids and spouses.  Leave your comments or questions here.  I hope this post will inspire a serious discussion about starting to teach your children firearms safety fundamentals.  Don’t leave your child’s safety to chance.  You won’t always be there to protect them.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Sept. 2013 – 4 Day Defensive Handgun Class is SOLD OUT!

Attention brothers and sisters, and friends of The Urban Survival Chick.  My next 4 Day Defensive Handgun Class taking place September 20-23, 2013 is officially SOLD OUT.  A group of students and I will be in the Nevada desert for 4 days of intensive instruction with our handguns.  If you missed out this time but you still desire to have the ability to take care of your family….do what you can to be at the next event .

Even if you are looking to start with a 3 Hour Introductory Firearms Training class check the calendar for the next dates.  My goal is to train as many people as possible to understand and respect firearms, and to use them properly.  If you have a group, family, or business team you would like to bring for a select date not on the calendar send me a private message to mary@urbansurvivalchick.com.

The link to sign up for my firearms training is here: http://CodexDefensive.com.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

We Need Guns Because Running is NOT always an Option!

Why do we need guns anyway?  I have spent thousands of hours at different shooting ranges and I have seen a lot of people that have no business holding or shooting a gun.

However, I still believe that gun ownership is a God given right.  Our Founding Fathers knew that we have a fundamental duty to protect ourselves from any threat, foreign or domestic.  A firearm is a tool that evens the playing field between a good upstanding responsible citizen, and a big ugly angry thug.

Let’s focus on a realistic threat that could happen in your community.  After all, according to national crime statistics 1 in 3 people will be the victim of a violent crime.  If you don’t train yourself to have a defensive mindset the odds are that you or someone you  know will be a victim.

Take a look at the woman in this picture.

She has three young kids she is raising and molding into young independent thinking adults.  As a mother her most important duty is protecting her children from the evils in this world and being a model of strength for her kids. 

After a long day of running errands, working, and taking care of the kids she might be tired and maybe even a bit distracted.  A criminal could see this as an opening to approach her at a vulnerable point.  She has her hands full with kids, bags of groceries to unload from the car, and her children are asking her a thousand different questions.  

If a bad guy were to walk up to her in the driveway at gunpoint, try to force her into the house with the kids, and do the unimaginable…..how does she fight back?  Can she run?  Not with three kids and not into her house where the criminal will most definitely follow her.  Does she drop her kids leave them all alone and duke it out with the bad guy using her bare hands?  That is not an option when Mr. Psychopath has a gun, is probably bigger and physically stronger than her, and is most likely high on some kind of drug. 

She doesn’t have time to yell for help, call 911, and wait for police to arrive. Sometimes running is NOT an option and you have to face your attacker.  In that instance the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. 

Her kids give her 3 powerful reasons to own and carry a firearm.  As a mother it is her duty to be vigilant about protect her children.  She also has a duty to ferociously defend herself with greater force than an attacker so her kids still have “Mommy” in their lives.    

I owe it to myself and family to do what it takes to stay alive because I know that running is not always an option.  Keep that in mind as you make your decisions about purchasing a gun, and getting trained to protect your family when it matters the most.

To learn more about my seminars and workshops and train with me click here.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Who is on Your Zombie Apocalypse Survival Team?

If the economy collapses or we get hit by a solar flare and the power grid goes down you might have to bug out or shelter in place.  The sheeple that never prepare for anything will turn into zombies very quickly looking for food and water.  If the zombie apocalypse happens in our lifetime I know you will be excited but….. do you know who you can count on to have your back and fight off the zombies while you try to rebuild society?

Take a lesson from the hit TV show The Walking Dead.  You can’t fight zombies all by yourself so get a group of people you trust with different survival skills and start building your survival team.  If you are watching your perimeter on a security detail can you do it for 24 hours straight and hunt for food, and treat wounds, and maintain a fire?  NO WAY!  You need to have several people to help out in shifts and do a good job in all your areas of survival need.

Your team should include experts in the following areas immediately: medicine, weapons and security, farming, engineering, hunting, canning or preserving foods.  It’s cool if your team members have expertise in several different areas but you need to know who they are ahead of time.

Eventually you might take in weaklings that have no other skill than to be good zombie food.  Hey, everyone has a purpose in life they need to fulfill.  Just decide who you will invite to be part of your inner circle survival team and start developing communication and action plan ASAP!

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

The Urban Survival Chick turns into a Matchmaker!

I outgrew my clubbing phase about 15 years ago.  In fact I think my clubbing phase only lasted a few months back in my early 20’s.  Now my idea of a hot date is sending some lead downrange on Friday nights at my favorite gun club.  I was lucky enough to find a man that feels the same way I do so I don’t have to look for love anymore. 

That got me thinking though, if you are still into the bar scene and you like chatting people up how do you screen your potential mates?  What makes someone a good candidate to share the rest of your life with?  How do you decide who is the ideal person to have a meaningful relationship with at your local happy hour? 

I have heard of speed dating as a way to do have a quick conversation with someone without the pressures of enduring an awkward long drawn out yawn fest.  After a couple minutes you change seats and talk to your next potential soul mate.

So what kind of questions should you ask?  What is your sign? What do you do for a living?  Or are you going to get right to the money and ask what their “go to” firearm is and do they know how to shoot like a tactical operator?

If you are nervous and don’t know quite what to say here is a sample of how you can filter out the keepers from the whiny sheeple who need the boot. 

I hope this speed dating screening tool helps you find love.  Stay safe out  there and let me know how it goes.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Personal Safety On A Budget!

Contrary to popular belief learning self defense and getting an emergency kit together does not have to take a lot of time and money. Here are some of my favorite tips you can do that are free or cost very little money when it comes to developing your personal safety and preparedness plans. 

1. Start by increasing your level of awareness during everyday activities.  Just spending a few minutes off of Facebook and your smart phones can be the difference between spotting a threat ahead of time and making a phone call to police after your purse or wallet has been jacked. 

2. Install some security measures at home like an alarm system.  Put up some cameras around the house strategically.  One good location in the front of the house where the camera is visible as you walk up but in a place where most people wouldn’t be able to tamper with it.  Even putting up an alarm company sign in the window is a huge crime deterrent.  At a glance, if a thief is casing your neighborhood, they will pass up the house with if they see evidence of an alarm and surveillance system monitoring the home.  There are several companies that provide security monitoring for a low monthly fee.

3. Start assembling your emergency kits and grab and go bags with things you already have around the office or at the house.  You will be surprised at all the stuff you put together.  I am talking about canned goods, travel size toiletry items you collect from your vacation hotel stays, band aids and gauze for your first aid supplies, spare clothes and shoes from the pile of clothes you have been meaning to donate, and the list goes on. Buy a little extra food or ammo each time you go to the store.  Make survival products a bonus treat for your kids instead of a candy bar for doing the chores they are supposed to do. You will have your kits assembled before you know it.

4. Come up with some code words or names to signal your family members when something is wrong.  An example would be calling your spouse by a different name before you enter the house to let them know a bad guy is threatening you at the door.  That way your partner can get ready to catch the bad guy off guard.

5. Come up with your family evacuation and communication plans in case of an emergency and practice them. People tend to freeze and panic during an emergency when they have no plan.  Imagine there is someone trying to break through your kitchen window at night.  Do your kids know to go to the safe room?  Does your spouse know how to get to a strategic spot in the kitchen or adjoining room to give you guys the advantage over the intruder?  Do you carry a firearm on you while you are at home?  If not, how fast could you get to your firearm, get it out of the safe, load and make it ready, and point in at the bad guy?  Coming up with your plan costs you nothing but is one of the most valuable parts of your preparedness for any threat to your safety.

         If you are finding yourself really counting pennies just think how important your family’s life is to you.  Most everyone can find some luxuries to do without every month.  Find somewhere cheaper to do your hair and nails, instead of buying your kids a new video game every month put that towards a monthly allowance for martial arts training.  If you like to get $150.00 massages every week try buying a foam roller for $20 bucks and learn some self myofascial release techniques.  Workout at home instead of paying on that gym membership you never use.  How can you simplify your life without totally going Amish?  Think about it and look at your budget. 

What is your life worth to you? Come to one of my workshops and for a really low cost one or two day event you’ll walk away with years of my training and experience with tens of thousands of dollars. I have resources for you and dozens of tips that you can implement right away that cost you absolutely nothing.  You’ll keep receiving this information when you train with me.

          The bottom line is take advantage of the resources being offered to you.  There really are no excuses when it comes to your safety.  Your life comes before all else.  Get gear and get training, you don’t have to do this alone.  Please share your strategies and things that work for you to keep you safe and prepared without breaking the bank.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Preparing our Kids to Protect Themselves!

Our children are our most precious assets.  Teaching your kids to the self defense skills to protect themselves will not only boos their confidence, but it will give you peace of mind.

   One of the biggest mistakes we make with children is underestimating their resilience and intelligence.  We all want our kids to be polite and respectful but in the right situations.  No one wants to see their kids bullied or abducted so why don’t we teach them to fight back when they need to?  You won’t be there with them every waking second, especially when they go to school. 

Here are some tips to begin a dialogue with your kids about bullying, crime, and the real dangers in your communities.

1. Talk to your kids about crime and the potential dangers they face.  Stop sheltering your kids from bad news. They are stronger than we think.  We have to be frank with them and let them know it is not okay for anyone to touch them inappropriately, not even family.  Help them understand not all adults should be trusted.

2. Let your kids know it is okay to get angry at a person trying to hurt them. We all want our kids to be polite, have good manners, and act respectfully towards others.  However, we have to show them the power of being angry or getting “mean” to protect themselves.  In certain instances foul language may be necessary.  The infamous four letter words can really intimidate people and actually save your kid from having to get into a physical fight. 

3. Teach your kids the skills to physically fight back against an attack.  Teach them to kick, scream, and struggle.  Criminals don’t like victims that will give them a hard time.  One of the most important things you can do is get your kids into martial arts.  They will build strength and confidence and learn to stick up for themselves. 

4. Practice your kids’ self defense plan.  Talk to your kids about different scenarios that come up in their school or your neighborhoods.  Go over escape maneuvers or have them show you what they learned in martial arts class.  Make sure you go over your plan again and again.  Don’t just set it and forget it.

Share your thoughts and comments on what steps you have taken or will take now to teach your children to be safer and stick up for themselves.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

August is Purple Ribbon Month reminding you to NEVER Leave Your Child Alone in a Car.

Never leaving your child alone in a vehicle may seem like common sense but it happens.  Sheeple often forget to take kids out of the car with them to run errands because they simply get too busy or don’t want to go through the trouble for a quick trip to the bank or market.  In January of 2002 Kaitlin’s Law made it illegal to leave your kids unattended in a vehicle.   Too often children will die because of hyperthermia, the car turns into an oven especially during the hot months of the year and kids are really vulnerable to their bodies overheating.

Why did we need a law making this kind of thing illegal?  Because it happens more often than you think.  My friends in the Law Enforcement Community have some words of wisdom for you to make sure a child never suffers the tragic death by being left in a car because of an irresponsible parent.  Read their comments below.

“For years, August has been designated as Purple Ribbon Month to remind parents and caregivers about the dangers of leaving children in vehicles. Kaitlyn’s Law, effective January 2002, made it illegal to leave a child under 7 unattended inside a motor vehicle. Purple ribbons serve as a reminder to never leave your child unattended in a vehicle, not even for a minute, not even a second!
During the summer months, temperatures spike and children are left in vehicles that can reach up to 120 degrees even on a moderately cool day. A child’s body heats up 3-5 times faster than an adult’s body and can rise to 106 degrees within 10-15 minutes of being left in a hot vehicle. Since February of this year, 24 deaths have been reported in the U.S. due to hyperthermia.

Law enforcement officials recommend these prevention tips:
• If you see a child unattended in a vehicle, call 911.
• Make “look before you leave” a routine and check the back seat every time you get out of the vehicle. Don’t overlook sleeping babies.
• Make arrangements for your day care provider to call within 30 minutes if your child has NOT been dropped off.
• Always lock your vehicle and make sure children do not have access to keys. If a child is missing, always check the pool first and then the vehicle, including the trunk.
• Never let children play inside the vehicle.”

Don’t let your kids be the victims of sheeple syndrome.  Your child’s life is more important than getting a few more errands done in a day. 

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

What is The Urban Survival Chick’s Idea of a Hot Date?

Don’t struggle with ideas on where you should go for a nice date with your man or woman anymore.  Keep it simple and just go to the shooting range.

This post is to inspire you to have fun and grow as a couple with your mate.  Your quality time together should be a moment to relax and enjoy each other’s company, AND help you take your relationship to the next level. When you both know how to shoot well and work together tactically against a threat, you can truly have each others backs.  Going to the shooting range for a date is a fun way to learn a valuable skill and show your love to your partner.

How do you make it fun? Well for starters shooting guns is fun even if you are by yourself.  My favorite range, Oaktree Gun Club, actually has a nice lodge with a great restaurant.  They serve good food and beer.  We often reward ourselves with a romantic dinner by the fireplace after we are done at the range.  But, you can make things interesting and challenge your partner with a little competition .  For instance, the winner is the one who gets the most consecutive shots on your steel targets.  The winner could be the partner who gets the most accurate head shots or does the fastest reload.  The loser gets to give the winner a back rub when you get home.  OR… the loser has to clean the guns when you get home.

I’ll let you guys decide on what motivates you to sharpen your shooting skills.  Hey, a little competition never hurt nobody.

Me and my man train together at the range every chance we get.  All our friends joke with us and say they would never want to break into our house.  I take that as a compliment.  We are stronger as a couple because we chose to not to let anyone mess with our family.  We can do that better as a team.

Let me know if you have any questions or stories on going to the range with your partner.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick