Author Archives: Jeff Nichols

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About Jeff Nichols

I am an avid outdoorsman, writer and photographer. As a Veteran I served as a Journalist in the U.S. Navy, active, reserve, contractor and government service working in the Public Affairs community. I have been published in many trade magazines, as well as the Western Shooting Journal and Alabama Outdoors Online.

What Shall We See at the Movies Tonight? How Safe is That Theater?

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It’s Saturday night, and you want to take your wife, girlfriend, family or friends to the movies and you begin to look through the newspapers (or online) for listings in your area. You find a movie that is interesting and that you want to see and the information tells you the time, the location and how much it costs. But you have one other thing that you would like to know that you won’t find in any of the theater listings and that is if it is a “Gun Free Zone” or not and in the wake of the Colorado theater shooting this is something that you feel you should know.

This is where a new smart phone application called the “Gun Free Zone App” comes in handy. You can download the App from ITunes and when you go to a local business you can look to see if it is listed as a place that allows you to carry your weapon with you, or a place that does not.

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That is not the only reason John Peden, founder of the GunFreeZone App, decided to develop this application.

“I came up with the app in response to a newspaper in New York posting a map with the home addresses and names of all the registered firearm owners in 2 counties on their website,” he said. “I didn’t like that they were targeting people so I figured that economic warfare is the way to stop gun control. The easiest way to bring economic warfare into play was to let people know where the gun free zones are so they can avoid them and the app was born.”

Since early July the App has more than 36,000 user plateau with over 350,000 locations marked thus far.

“When you open our app, the GPS chip on your smartphone finds where you are, locates itself on a map, and also find the 20 nearest public locations like stores, theaters, parks, and so on. Those are then displayed both on the map as different colored dots and in a list below the map.”

You can input information into the App as a customer or as the owner of a business.

“The user can then select a store from the map which brings up that store’s voting page which asks the user, “Is _______________ a gun free zone?” The user then selects whether the store is a gun free zone or firearm friendly and the mark is immediately shared with everyone else who uses the app. The vote itself is very easy to understand – a gun with a red circle through it means it’s a gun free zone. A gun with a green circle around it means that firearms are allowed.”

When you vote on a store, it’s corresponding dot on the map changes color accordingly. Any dot that is blue means there has not been anyone who has voted on that store yet.

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With every kind of technology out there, there is room for some errors or inaccurate information John explains. “Because this is a crowd sourced database, there will always be the opportunity for mischief which we can control a few ways. First, the owner of a store can verify who they are to us directly and then lock the vote on their store as either gun free, firearm friendly, or no vote allowed.”

Response has been pretty positive, with the exception of those who want gun control and those who think that the App will be used by criminals to target gun free zones. One group in the past month in direct response to the GunFreeZone built an app of their own so that people could pin point households who own guns.

“They are terrified of the effectiveness we have in organizing the pro-Second Amendment crowd in supporting pro-Second Amendment stores,” he said. “They know that if we tell 80 million gun owners which stores don’t want them as customers, a lot of gun free stores will go out of business.”

The next question is what if criminals use this App to target businesses that do not allow firearms. “My response is to always ask them if they think we’re sharing some big secret. The criminals already know where the gun free zones are, don’t they?” John continues “It’s posted right on the front door of the mall so all we’re doing is letting the good guys know as much as the bad guys already know. Knowledge is power it has been said. Our goal is to keep you and your family safe – “Don’t go into this theater because you’re at a higher risk of being involved in a mass shooting.”

John states the 4 goals he strives for with this app:

1. Stop shopping in stores that support gun control and get more money spent in firearm friendly stores. Vote with your wallet and remind people that if you don’t want my gun, you don’t get my money.

2. Keep people safe and out of high-crime areas by warning them that criminals may have marked the store they’re in for mass murder.

3. Stop unintentional firearm crime. In some states, a gun free zone sign has the effect of law. If people carry concealed past that sign, it’s usually a felony. Also, if someone has a 20 round magazine in their car in Pennsylvania and crosses the border into New York, that’s a felony. We want to warn them when they’re about to do things like that. Another scenario would be concealed carry permit reciprocity – the phone can know where you are and what states honor your CCW and warn you or help plan your trip so you can stay legal.

4. Stop gun control permanently. This is a future feature but we will be able to layer other data on top of the gun free zone map and educate people on the real life impact of gun control. How does a gun free zone (and gun control by proxy) impact things like crime, graffiti, store closings, rental occupancy rates, property values, divorce rates, inflation, SAT scores, and I have no idea what else. We can put any data we want on our map and find correlations. Then, we can teach people in a personalized way what happens when they see strict gun laws. No bias, no hidden agenda – just what these laws mean for you personally. It’s a very, very effective way to teach people about the law of unintended consequences.

The app is free and can be downloaded at iTunes, the Google Play store, or at our website directly at http://www.GunFreeZoneApp.com.

For more information or if you have questions about the app contact John Peden through email at john@GunFreeZoneApp.com or Twitter handle @PedenJohn. The company website is http://www.GunFreeZoneApp.com, Twitter handle is @GunFreeZoneApp and Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/GunFreeZoneApp

Jalapeño Poppers: Can’t Eat Just One!

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Every time I make a batch of jalapeño poppers, I brag about it online to my friends because I have them and they don’t (I made a batch today, just sayin).

So out of respect to my friends, I have decided to show you how I make them.

I start out getting big jalapeño peppers
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I cut them in half and clean them out.
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Then cut those in half.

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Then I add mozzarella cheese and cream cheese
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then a half of a piece of bacon to wrap around it.

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I put the oven on 400 degrees and insert the poppers into the oven for 40 minutes

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And when they are done, well, it is hard to eat just one!

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The Armed Citizen Project; Helping People Help Themselves

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By Jeff Nichols

Kyle Coplen, Executive Director, Armed Citizen Project (ACP), is the quintessential Eagle Scout, is the kind of man that saw a problem and figured out a way to overcome the problem and help others protect themselves, their families and property.

“I visited the home of a WWII vet whose home was vandalized.  The hero, who earned two purple hearts in WWII, was at a doctor appointment, and his home was broken into and severely vandalized,” he said. “Seeing the damage made me start to think of things that society could do to deter these kinds of crimes.  That night, I came up with the idea to train and arm mid-high crime neighborhoods, and to measure the deterrent effects of increased firearm ownership.”

The ACP was created because of the idea that if more people are properly armed and trained, it would be a deterrent to criminals who are likely to target vulnerable people who have no way of protecting themselves. “We are committed to doing two things; arming entire neighborhoods, and arming single women/mothers from the broader community.”

Examining existing crime data, working directly with local law enforcement and with the community to find the areas that are in most need of assistance is how the ACP chooses an area to arm. Once a neighborhood is chosen a free shotgun is offered to households and of those who request assistance through their website with single women/mothers being first priorities, providing the owner passes a background check and takes our legal, safety, and tactical training.

 

ACP12 and 20 gauge pump-action shotguns is what the program provides to those in need. “Shotguns are cheaper and we can arm more and the sound of racking a shell is scarier to an intruder,” Coplen said. “We are arming folks with a gateway gun.  Once they feel safe at home, they may want to take that next step and feel safe in the car, or in public.”  Also with the lower value to criminals, a shotgun is more likely to stay in the home.

“We have given guns and training to 30 people so far.  Our efforts are going to ramp up in the coming weeks, and we hope to give away up to 1,000 shotguns by the end of the year,” Coplen stated.

The growing program began in Houston, and it is anticipated being in 15 cities by the end of the year.  “We have already announced, in addition to Houston, Tucson, Dallas, San Antonio, and Indianapolis.  In five years, we hope to be in every major city in the United States,” he said. “The community has been very supportive.  The only pushback comes from those who are already have proven that they possess a hatred for firearms.”

If you would like to become part of the ACP in your area, you can do so by simply by contacting the program through their website.  That is how the program expanded into Tucson.  “A big factor in expanding into a new city, is finding a competent and motivated director, Coplen stated. “If someone wants us to expand into their city, they should contact us.  Also, we expand into cities that have shown an inclination to support us.  For example, we chose to expand into San Antonio after noticing a large amount of donations from the San Antonio area.  We want to support the communities that support us.”

It is our hypotheses that criminals do not want to die in your hallway, and that society should use that fear to deter crime.

For more information or if you would like to Donate visit  www.armedcitizenproject.org

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The Unity Party (Shameless Plug)

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My first attempt at a political thriller. I started writing this in 2002, but got my first writers block. By the time I wanted to start writing again, I was afraid that it was coming too close to the truth and people would think I was using current events. I really made it up, honest. The Unity Party  is now available as an E-Book on Amazon.com.

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There is a new kind of government taking over and everyone comes together. But togetherness is not always good. Spies, and conspiracy for a larger world order is happening. Can a small group protect and save the entire country?

Why so many are flocking to obtain concealed carry permits: Members of a Tennessee class explain

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By Jeff Nichols, as published in Western Shooting Journal May 2013 issue.

WITH THE RECENT TRAGEDIES IN NEWTOWN AND AURORA, and the political fight for the Second Amendment waging in Washington, DC, millions of Americans are heading out to get their concealed weapons permit (CWP). According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in Tennessee (the Volunteer State) as of March 2013, there were a total of 398,194 valid Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit Holders. This is an icrease of 13.6 percent since March 2012, when there were 350,327.

In Tipton County, Tenn. the sheriff’s department provides classes on the last Saturday of the month. When asked why the sheriff conducts this course, Deputy Sheriff Bob Beanblossom, the Rangemaster, responded, “The Sheriff thinks this is a good public service. We can provide a public service to the people, first to help them learn a little more about guns and the laws that affect them when they are a handgun permit carrier, and it also helps us to give them a little shooting time on our range, and get a better opinion of us.”

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CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT Deputy Sheriff Bob Beanblossom, Rangemaster, gives instruction during the shooting portion of the Tipton County Handgun Permit class on March 30, 2013. (JEFF NICHOLS)

Why do residents of Tennessee want obtain their CWP? I recently attended the CWP class at the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office to talk to applicants as well as to take the class myself. For me, getting my CWP was for several reasons. One reason was to protect myself and those around me. It is not because anyone wants to be a hero, or wants anything to happen. The fact is, having a weapon in case you need it is similar to having a fire extinguisher in case of a fire. It may never happen, but if it does, you will be prepared and may be able to stop another tragedy from occurring.

“I think it is due to the political climate, and people are afraid that they will have their rights taken away from them. One, they are getting their handgun for personal protection,” Beanblossom said. “But it also will let the lawmakers know that there are a lot of people out there who care about exercising their Second Amendment rights.”

No one ever wants to be in a place where a criminal or a person who is mentally ill decides to kill or maim other people, but the odds of a person being able to commit mass murder when there are honest armed citizens around drops tremendously.

Kriston Arnold, a Tipton County resident who shot a handgun for the first time a week prior to the training, said that her husband convinced her to get her carry permit for her own safety. She brought a 9mm for the class, “I tried several different calibers and felt most comfortable with this one,” she said. “I might do a little more target shooting because I now realize that I enjoy it and have a little fun doing it now that I am not scared to do it.”

MOST POLITICIANS AND CELEBRITIES WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIEVE that only bad things will happen if citizens are allowed to own guns, while reporting only the stories that represent a person intent on killing as many people as they can. Those same politicians and celebrities would like people to believe that if you restrict or take away certain guns (or all guns), that the criminals will magically begin to follow the law.

Tracy Green, a United States Marine Corps veteran who did three tours to Iraq, also took the class. “I came to get my carry permit today because of personal protection and also economic situations today, people would rather steal what you have, instead of going out and working for their own stuff,” he told me. “It was very informative, and helps you know gun safety and the laws about gun safety; how to protect yourself and when to protect yourself.”

Beanblossom said, “This is the first class we had a pre-registration. We had been increasing in size from three attending, to five, to 15. Now, last month (Feb.) we had 39.” He continued, “We try to give a complete class that encompasses just the law, or just the parts of a gun. We try to incorporate the laws in such a way that people understand them in practical terms. And then we try to bring the shooting down to not just a skill, but an activity that has consequences.”

** Update: At this time the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office is not conducting handgun permit classes. You can go to http://www.concealedcarryservices.org/tennessee/index.php for information on obtaining your first permit or renewing an existing permit.

Visit http://westernshootingjournal.com/ to subscribe.

*Update: After 109 days, I finally received my CWP.

Guns: Politics and Common Sense

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Things are heating up throughout the United States when it comes to guns, gun control and the second amendment. You have celebrities saying that we need stricter gun control, but yet they make a living making movies that has more death than a major war. They say, well, if we limit the amount of bullets in a magazine, that will make it harder for someone to be able to fire a large amount of bullets, and when they take a second to change magazines it would give people a chance to either stop the shooter or people to escape. In theory that sounds really great, but in reality, it doesn’t quite work that way. The bottom line is, if magazine limits are imposed on law-abiding citizens you are only limiting them from protecting themselves. I read a really good analogy that really struck home.

A woman is home alone with her two children and three armed intruders break into her home in the middle of the night. With no lights on, she grabs her 9mm and shoots a couple warning shots and to no avail they keep coming. She then shoots at the intruders, hitting one of them before her seven rounds are spent. She fumbles around to retrieve another magazine, but drops it in the dark and she is over-taken by the intruders.

This is an nightmare that could come true. Can you imagine what that would be like? Could you be calm enough to be able to handle this situation? I hope that no one reading this will ever have to find out, but wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to fumble around to try and save your families lives?

The one thing that really bothers me, is that in addition to that law, the government is trying to ban what they call “Assault Weapons.” Lets think about what they call an assault weapon and what an assault weapon is.

They would like you to believe that an AR15, which can come in 22, 223 or other similar calibers that are common in many weapons that are legal. This scary weapon is a “Semi-Automatic,” which means on bullet is fired every time the trigger is pulled. It is considered an assault weapon only because it looks like the same weapons that the military uses. The difference is, is that the military model has a select fire mechanism that allows you to use semi-auto, three round burst or fully automatic fire. Of course they both have those scary large capacity magazines which according to a representative from Colorado says if you shoot all the bullets out of a magazine, you can’t use it again. They say if it has a folding stock, or a pistol grip then the civilian model is classified as an assault weapon.

But wait a minute, lets look at some FBI Crime Statistics (which are compiled here Ban These) :

  • From 2007 until 2011 homicide deaths by rifle was on a steady decline 453, 380, 351, 367 and 323 respectfully.
  • In the same time period, homicide deaths by personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc…) were 869, 875, 817, 769 and 728.

Under the logic of those who are wanting to ban assault rifles, they should also ban parts of your body, right? Assault feet? Anything that someone uses to um… assault someone else is an assault weapon (this is where the common sense comes in).

In the same compilation you will find that there are many other things that kill more people than guns, which by the way, never have I seen a gun kill someone.

Try using this information on those in the media, Piers Morgan or some other celebrity who’s heart I am sure cries for anyone who is injured or killed by violence and they will side-step your information every time and blame the NRA, Conservatives or us unruly country people who cling to our guns, bible and the constitution. They want to make a name for themselves as the one, or the group that disarmed America, only to make it a more dangerous place for honest, law-abiding Americans to live. They say that the NRA is only in the fight because they make money off of scaring us, but let me tell you, being an NRA member makes me 1. proud and 2. glad that I have someone on my side to protect my rights! I guess what I am really saying is “I am the NRA!”

Maybe, just maybe if these people who want to ban certain guns would open their minds more instead of their mouths and realize what the problem really is here, then maybe they can make a difference. Not one gun ever shot a person on it’s own. Limiting what an honest American can have only allows criminals to win. I read an article once that the author interviewed a career criminal who went up and down the east coast. He was asked if there was any place he would not invade a home, and his answer was, West Virginia. When asked why, he stated that he would not even attempt it there because everyone had a gun in West Virginia and they were not afraid to use them.

I think that is enough said.

http://www.slideshare.net/JeffNicholsWV/ban-these

Handgun Carry Permit

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Today I went to the Tipton County Sheriff Departments handgun carry permit class to take my first step in obtaining my hand gun permit. Myself, along with 22 other gun owners, we were given a lecture, watched a couple videos, went to the shooting range and took a written exam. All 22 passed and the next step is to get our background checks. It was good to meet some new people and see people not only learn, but have fun shooting. If you have not went to a firearms class, I would highly recommend it.

I wrote an article that will be running in the Western Shooting Journal’s May issue about the Tennessee Handgun Permit classes.

Also, like most things, a good day out shooting pretty much beats everything else.

My target after I was done.

My target after I was done.

Fall is Here!

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Fall is here and for me it is the best time of the year. I feel like getting outside more, setting out trail cameras to see what might come by. I do not necessarily have to be hunting at that time because even near the house, it is fun to find out just what might be lurking by. Here are some fall photos to get you in the mood for the cool, crisp air and maybe motivate you to head outdoors to enjoy nature.

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Nothing better than walking down a trail in the early fall.

Fall is a beautiful time of year, the leaves are changing colors and falling and although it seems like everything is dying, there is much more to Fall than that.       

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In the country, you never know when you will see something.

Having a trail cam, less than 50 yards from your home will give you an idea of who comes to visit after dark.

Bucks in the fall lose the velvet from their antlers and prepare for the breeding season.

If you look long and hard enough, you will come across a large buck, like this 10 point.

Here is a schedule for you and your spouse, we all know there are seasons for all of us!

Y’all come back, Ya’hear!

I hope that you enjoyed the photos, now get out and enjoy what nature has provided, it will make you forget all the problems in the fake world!

Touchdowners: Don’t Let The Spam Scare You!

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So you want something to feed the guys during football season this year, why not try “Touchdowners?” Believe me, they are much better than they sound and easy to make. The Spam actually makes it taste good. Don’t believe me, try it and as always, please let me know what you think!

The Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. Spam
  • 3/4 lb. sharp cheddar, grated (I used mozzarella cheese)
  • 1/4 c. prepared mustard
  • 1/3 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 T minced or grated onion
  • 2 T sweet pickle relish

1. Chop up the Spam into little squares.

2. Mix the Spam and the rest of the ingredients together in a large ziplock bag (so you can save for more later)

3. Spread on hamburger (or any kind) buns

4.Wrap in foil. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.

5. Take out and enjoy!

I just ate those two in the photo above and I can promise you they were delicious and I think you will agree!

Until next time, enjoy life!

* Special thanks to Linda Hayes, who made these when I was growing up and provided me with this recipe.

Bachelor Casserole: Quick Meal For One.

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I know everyone has been waiting for my next recipe like a dog looking at a juicy fresh bone. Without anymore delay, here you go, my very own, Bachelor Casserole!

It is probably one of the simplest recipes to make, and one that is very filling as well. One of the best things about it is, it is probably better as a leftover warmed in the microwave.

1. All you need is some Mac & Cheese, 1 can of tuna (or Chicken, beef, and if you are from the country, any kind of wildlife you like) and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.

2. Start by following the directions on the box of Mac & Cheese. When the macaroni is soft enough, drain the water off and add the ingredients per instructions (butter, milk and cheese mix.

3. After you have added those ingredients, open the can of tuna and add it to the mix. Also add the cream of mushroom soup, it will give it consistency and body.

4. Stir everything up together, and then add American Cheese strips on top allowing the heat to soften the cheese.

5. Serve and enjoy.

This is one of my favorite meals. It can be completed in just around 11 minutes and it will fill you up. It serves two, but if you want to serve more, just double everything each time you add a box. I know what you are saying “It doesn’t look very good!” But I can assure you, this is one of those meals that tastes much better than it looks.

Try it out and leave your comments on what you think. Enjoy, the next recipe will be in a few posts, “Touchdowners.”