Hollywood knows movie magic but when that magic goes wrong, new rules and regulations are quick to follow.
On the set of his new film, Rust, Alec Baldwin was given a prop gun and told it was “cold” which in movie talk means “safe to use”.
Unfortunately, that information was wrong and it resulted in the death of Cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins and an injury to the director, Joel Souza.
Mr. Baldwin was not being filmed at the time of the accident but was apparently practicing how to draw the gun while on the set.
So many questions.
First and foremost in the world of gun safety, Rule #1 – ALWAYS TREAT A GUN AS IF IT IS LOADED. Apparently in all his years of training this lesson was overly relaxed and forgotten. If you practice with this rule in mind, regardless of whether a gun is loaded or not, accidents will be avoided.
Rule #2 – Always check your own weapon to make sure it is empty and clear. Do not ever take the word of others when something is so important. I have seen this rule broken time after time when a person is looking at a firearm to purchase. Don’t depend on anyone but yourself! Safety first.
Rule #3 – Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to use the firearm. Apparently this rule was also broken. If a person is practicing pulling a gun from a holster for whatever reason, the finger does not need to be on the trigger. Finger straight out.
In the world of training it is very common to see “blue guns” which are generally a weighted thick plastic gun, molded to be identical to several makes and models that feels like a real gun but has no components to fire any type of projectile other than a laser.
Several versions of blue guns are sold with laser training kits that can be used at home, at the office or anywhere you feel the need to train safely.
These are a fantastic option for people who want to practice “drawing” a gun or practicing a stance or body motion when acting out a scenario of self-defense or target shooting.
I also strongly recommend a person practice carrying one of these to get used to having a gun on them (when preparing for conceal and carry). I know this may sound silly to some, but not everyone grew up with firearms and the act of suddenly having one on you, in a holster or in a purse, may be a completely foreign feeling and can be very stressful. Getting familiar with the weight and the proper way you decide to carry is very important and should not be taken lightly. Not everyone wants to carry the same way, or should. It is very common for people to try two or three methods of carrying (types of holsters and body location) before they find the right fit. Don’t be afraid to try something new, there are more types of holsters on the market today than ever before.
Growing up as a child, Kellogg PopTarts were part of my Saturday morning routine. A yummy warm pair of strawberry pop-tarts covered in melting butter with a big glass of juice and Saturday morning cartoons. Yeah baby, that was the life! Kids today don’t know what they are missing.
Enter Anita Harris, a person who is not impressed by the false claims of the strawberry filling being packed with strawberry goodness. In fact, she discovered that the filling itself contains 2% or less (which of course would be 1%) of real strawberries. What is this lie that we have been fed? Apparently a mix of dried fruits including pears, apples and a dash of strawberry with a ton of RED #40 food coloring has been leading us astray all along. She has had enough!
With five million dollars on the line with this class action lawsuit, Kellogg’s is paying attention. Topsail Gun Gal Let’s be honest, did anyone ever really think that a pop-tart, regardless of the flavor, was a real healthy meal choice? I’m not sure I cared but then again our choices were limited. We had strawberry, blueberry, apple, and brown sugar cinnamon and that was it, and we were happy.
Today Kellogg’s has over fifty flavors packed into the toasted pastry. Kids have too many choices these days – maybe that’s why no one can focus anymore!
Remember knowledge is power, keep to the simple safety rules and accidents won’t happen, and go out and enjoy a simple strawberry pop-tart (once they fix the formula), covered in melting butter while wearing your pajamas and watching cartoons.
Yes, life can be that simple again.
Part of Issue 2: