Bryan Reo Reviews Remington 870 Witness Protection AOW

Bryan Reo Reviews Remington 870 Witness Protection AOW


by


Bryan Reo


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED






Permit me to begin by answering what is likely the first question you have upon seeing the title of this post, "what is the Witness Protection AOW?" It is a safe bet that a reasonably large percentage of the population of the United States knows that Remington is a gun company and that Remington 870 is a model of a shotgun, but only people with specific interests in particular firearms or categories of firearms know what an AOW is.



An AOW is a legal classification meaning "Any Other Weapon" it is a weapon that does not fit neatly into the designation of "rifle," "shotgun," "pistol," "machine gun," "short-barreled shotgun," "short-barreled rifle," etc. It is a Title II firearm under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA), and is subject to the NFA tax stamp payment. However, unlike a fully-automatic weapon (i.e. machine-gun or sub-machine gun), a short-barreled shotgun, short-barreled rifle, or a sound suppressor (commonly referred to as a "silencer"), which require the payment of a $200 dollars to the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) for the tax stamp, the AOW only requires a payment of $5 dollars for the tax-stamp.



An AOW is essentially any weapon that is capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosion, except handguns with a rifled barrel. A shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches is typically a "short barreled shotgun" (known as a "sawed off shotgun" in popular culture) if it has a stock. However, when a shotgun comes direct from the manufacturer without a stock, it can be made into an AOW shotgun with a barrel length under 18 inches, and it remains an AOW. Although it must be noted that such a shotgun cannot be equipped with a stock or else it would become a short-barreled shotgun.



Anyway, enough of the background information on the nuances of the National Firearms Act. If there are any questions on the National Firearms Act or what it entails to purchase/make a weapon/item that falls under the NFA, feel free to ask me and I will answer as best I can.




I purchased the Remington 870 AOW shotgun (in 12 gauge) from C&S Metall-Werkes in Missouri and had it shipped to a Class III dealer in my area to complete the transfer.

The Remington 870 AOW is built on the Remington 870 tactical express except that it was never fitted with a buttstock, it has no choke, and it was not threaded for a choke. The barrel is 12.5 inches long, the overall length of the weapon is 24 inches, and it has a matte blue finish. The standard capacity is 4 shells in the tube and 1 in the chamber for a total of 5 shells. It can handle 2 3/4 inch or 3 inch shells, including 3 inch magnum shells.

The gun as it was, without any attachments (light, special grip, etc) cost $595 dollars in addition to the $5 dollar payment to the ATF for the tax stamp, and the $90 dollars to my Class III dealer for the transfer/paperwork fee.

The weapon performs solidly and reliably feeds any buckshot and slugs but it has extraction issues with birdshot due to the short brass on the birdshot vs the "high brass" nature of the slugs and buckshot. I don't regard this as a weakness or a setback because a weapon of this nature is intended to be loaded with buckshot or slugs for close self-defense at ranges that might vary from 5 feet to 35 feet, it isn't intended to be used to take a pheasant in flight 80 feet away

Even with no-choke, at 25 feet with "00" buckshot, 2 3/4 inch shell, 9 pellets, all of the pellets were in the target (using a standard B-27 law enforcement style paper target). Contrary to popular belief, you cannot simply point a shotgun in the "general direction" of a target and expect to hit the target. You cannot point a shotgun down a hallway and "clear" the hallway. At 25 feet with a 12.5 inch barrel shotgun with no choke, the pattern was centered around the mid-upper chest area of the target and was about the size of a basketball. In other words, you need to aim. With the AOW this is accomplished by simply aiming down the barrel as the shotgun (at least the way I purchased it) has no sights, not even bead sights.

The gentleman at CSM will happily walk you through the process to buy one of his Class III weapons if you are interested in a weapon such as the Remington 870 AOW or any other weapon (no pun intended) that he might happen to have available.

http://www.csm-w.com/products/index.html?id=8&submit=view



As an additional note, I would like to discuss some modifications I made to the weapon after purchasing it.

I installed a Knoxx Industries Spec Ops grip to replace the standard bird's head grip that the shotgun came with. The standard grip was leaving a bit to be desired as it did nothing to absorb recoil and after firing a few dozen rounds (especially 3 inch magnum buckshot) my hands were starting to crack and bleed where I was gripping the weapon. The Knoxx Industries Spec Ops grip has some sort of internal spring/recoil absorber/dissipating system that is so effective you can hold the weapon with one hand (as with a pistol) and fire it effectively, even with slugs or 00 buckshot. The Knoxx Industries Spec Ops grip almost eliminates felt recoil, at any rate it certainly saves the hands from cracking/bleeding. The grip can be purchased for approximately $100 dollars.

Also, I installed a Surefire 618LM LED light that came on a shotgun forend, replacing the standard forend on the 870 AOW. The light can be activated with a momentary on touch/hold pad or it can be turned on/off with a push button. The Surefire LED light/forend essentially replaces the "pump" the standard forend that comes on the shotgun. The light typically retails around $380 but I was able to purchase one for about $320. The light has a maximum output of 200 lumens and has 2 hours of continuous run-time, and comes with high-energy 123A batteries.


The third modification I made was to install a tac-star side saddle shell holder, which screws into place on the left side of the receiver. All mounting hardware is included with the TacStar side saddle shell carrier and the item can be had for around $40 dollars. It holds 6 shells thus more than doubling the amount of shells that are readily accessible/available. The capacity of the shotgun remains unchanged at 4+1, but now with the TacStar side saddle there are 6 more shells available and ready to be inserted into the tube, being held in place next to the receiver until they are needed.

Pictured below is the modified/customized Remington 870 AOW "Witness Protection" above a regular/full-length Remington 870 Police Magnum for size comparison.

Below is a picture of the Remington 870 AOW "Witness Protection" shotgun prior to the customization (taken from the CSM-W website, the dealer/manufacturer from whom I purchased the shotgun).

In conclusion, I am very pleased and satisfied with the shotgun and the customer service I received from the owner/manager of CSM-W. At the present time I am considering purchasing another Remington 870 AOW from the CSM-W, one which I would leave "as is" with no customization.

The only thing I might do differently the next time around is to see if it is possible to have the AOW based on a Remington 870 Police Magnum instead of the Remington 870 Tactical Express. If the extra cost (there will likely be additional cost) is less than $100 to $150 dollars, it is probably worth opting for the AOW to be based on the Police Magnum as the Police Magnum is an improvement in quality over the Tactical Express. Don't take that as a negative statement on the Tactical Express because by no means is the Tactical Express lacking. It is my view that the Tactical Express is grade A, while the Police Magnum, with some minor improvements and more attention to detail is an A+, but neither one will let you down.

If you are considering an 870 AOW then by all means, contact CSM-W and inquire about their AOWs and see what can be done for you.

Bryan Reo's Present Investment Advice

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reos-present-investment-advice.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BUY AN HK PSP PISTOL! If it doesn't go up at least 30-50% in the next year or two (which it probably will) at the very least you can enjoy shooting the darn thing or you can use it help keep your home safe...



A large wave of surplus HK PSP pistols recently crashed ashore here in the USA and they are excellent shooters, available at reasonable prices for a highly reliable and rugged Heckler and Koch pistol... Prices are going up and availability is going down. Indeed when I bought my HK PSP a few years ago if I remember correctly I paid approximately $650 dollars, while today the HK PSP is selling for approximately $850 to $900 dollars (if you can still find them).

I recently wrote a review of the HK PSP and I stand by every word...


----

Heckler and Koch broke the mold when they brought the HK Police series of pistols to the market in the late 1970s.

The P7M8 and P7M13 are both excellent weapons for concealed carry, police use, or simply to collect. Although, both models command a high price and have become increasingly rare in recent years.

There is an alternative that is much more affordable and easier to find without sacrificing anything in the way of quality and reliability that HK is famous for. This of course is the HK PSP.

Act fast as the PSP is likely to become increasingly rare in the near future due to the fact it is reasonably affordable, rugged, reliable, very accurate, and it is a truly European pistol (as evidenced by the magazine release being located on the bottom of the weapon, amongst other things) and is thus likely to increase in value as the supply dries up across Europe.

The HK PSP fits neatly into the hand and is only cocked and ready to fire when you grip the pistol naturally in your hand by squeezing the squeeze cocking lever located at the front of the grip. Until you grip and squeeze the pistol in your hand it is not cocked and cannot fire, so it should be absolutely safe to have in any sort of holster or even in your pocket. Once in your hands with the squeeze cocking lever firmly grasped and held in, the pistol is ready to fire and it can deliver precise and accurate fire as quickly as you can work the smooth trigger.

It has a very natural balance to it and it seems at times all you have to do is align your body with the target and raise the pistol up to be eye level. The HK PSP is simply that well-designed and that accurate. The accuracy cannot be stressed enough; you would pretty much have to struggle to miss with the HK PSP.

Having owned an HK PSP for about four years and having fired at least hundreds (if not a thousand or more) of rounds through it I do not remember having ever experienced a single jam, failure to feed, double feed, misfire, hang-fire, squib, slam-fire, or any other sort of failure. The pistol functions flawlessly and is definitely a testament to the superb German engineering for which H&K is internationally famous.

However, be warned, after sustained fire of 50-100 rounds the pistol will get fairly hot and the trigger guard of the PSP model lacks the synthetic heat shield that the later P7M8 and P7M13 models have. Although the P7M8 and P7M13 also cost at least $1,000 dollars more than the PSP, so the lack of a heat shield on the PSP shouldn’t discourage you, particularly as it isn’t much of an issue, at least it hasn’t been for me.

The PSP is absolutely a winning choice, you can’t go wrong owning one be it for home protection, concealed carry/self-defense, police/security work, collecting, or even as an investment. There were only so many made, they’re not making new PSP pistols, the supply is dwindling, and the demand isn’t going to go away anytime soon. The PSP will make a wonderful addition to any collection.

So you should consider buying an HK PSP although note that the one Bryan Reo has is not for sale.

Bryan Reo Cannot Give You A Four Day Forecast

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (the lists of supplies may be republished and every picture on this single blog entry, except the one containing my cat, may be freely republished for educational/non-profit purposes to help people with winter safety preparations)

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-cannot-give-you-four-day.html


As stated- Bryan Reo cannot give you a four day forecast...

So he'll give you his unsolicited opinion instead... Yeah, I'm really lame, aren't I?

Here’s what Bryan Reo has to say about winter weather and general preparedness as it applies to stuff you can keep in your vehicle…

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/groundhog-day-storm%3A-computers-now-focusing-heavy-snow-on-ohio

Of course step one to winter road safety is to drive safely, reduce your speed according to the road conditions and remember that it will take you extra time/distance to brake and to come to a complete stop. Even if you have 4WD you are not immune to the problems caused by icy or wet/slick roads.

As of right now it appears as though we are in for what may be a very memorable snow storm. Thus, I'd just like to take advantage of the opportunity this coming storm presents to offer some survival/safety advice for folks by discussing what I keep in my truck in the way of emergency supplies.

Firstly, I have a sleeping bag rated to -20 degrees Fahrenheit which I always keep in my vehicle (whatever the vehicle is, the bag goes with me, if I am using somebody else's vehicle the sleeping bag goes with me and goes in their trunk or the back seat).

Additionally, I have two bottles of water in spots designed for bottles (each spot being on the back doors) for a total of about 2 quarts of water there.

Anyway, I'd like to say that some of the things I may mention have little to do with winter survival/safety and are more about general preparedness since I keep them in my truck on a constant basis. Mainly that last statement has to do with the stuff I keep in the center holder or the glovebox of my truck or in the pockets of my coat. I will deal with those items shortly and include pictures.

The main thing is my "supplies bag" (which like the sleeping bag also accompanies me if I switch vehicles) which contains the following...

1- First Aid Kit

2- Wool socks (heavy insulated winter type)

3- Cotton socks (I know cotton is bad for winter, but I intend to wear them under the wool socks so I don't have to endure itching every second- don't use cotton socks in place of wool socks)

4- Spare change of undewear (yes I know people may ream me out over the cotton but if there is an issue where you get wet and are so messed up you cannot dry off and stay dry you have more problems than wearing cotton underwear, likewise if you are soaked enough that it goes through your outer garments and gets to your underwear, it makes little difference whether they are cotton or wool)

5- Mountain House freeze dried meals (three entrees, each serves two people for one meal)

6- Assorted MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) components including 4 wheat bread rations, 1 brownie ration, 1 rice ration, 1 beef ration, silverware, and 3 MRE ration heaters

7- DATREX concentrated ration bars (two bricks, each containing 18 bars with each bar consisting of concentrated protein with vitamins and minerals and a total of 200 calories, thus each ration brick is 3600 calories- note I have three more ration bricks in the truck at all times)

8- DATREX emergency water rations (about 20 pouches each containing 4.27 ounces of water)

9- Matches and a quick fire starting log

10- A packet of water purification tablets (each tablet purifies one liter of water)

11- Collapsible baton (this is more of a general preparedness item)

12- One box of 50 rounds of ammunition in caliber .40 S&W (this is more of a general preparedness item)

13- One box of 5 rifled slugs in caliber 12 gauge. (this is more of a general preparedness item and an item that is there so I never have a moment of "darn I can't believe I didn't bring my slugs with me" when going deer hunting)

Additionally I keep some items in my truck at all times that are just there for whatever reason. I have several packs of disposable ear-plugs in the event I ever forget to pack them before going to the shooting range, but they would also come in handy if I find myself with a sudden need to shoot out a window on my vehicle (so as to facilitate an escape from a vehicle sinking in water) without deafening myself in the process (admittedly an event the likelihood of which can best be described as very remote, but a possibility all the same).

I also have a can of pepper spray (for use in situations when potentially lethal force is either unwarranted or unnecessary), a spare magazine of ammunition in caliber .40 S&W, a .30 caliber rifle cleaning kit (for a .30 caliber rifle), and a QuikClot packet for any instance of traumatic external bleeding.

Finally, I have a pair of nail clippers because hang-nails are just really annoying and you want to keep your nails short so dirt doesn't get under them and six Imodium tablets because diarrhea is never welcome (in a safe home environment it is a nuisance, in a survival situation it may be a death sentence).

For winter issues make sure to have several days worth of food (something along the lines of MRE rations, DATREX emergency protein rations, granola bars, pouches of tuna fish, packets of beef jerky, etc) and several days worth of water (either in heavy duty plastic containers such as canteens or in emergency pouches).

If you are in your vehicle and become stranded in a blizzard or some other winter storm situation you may be best served by staying in your vehicle unless you are within sight of a structure of some sort. Make sure you have some sort of sleeping bag or multiple blankets that can be used to maintain warmth while inside of your vehicle. If you are going to run your engine you will likely have to periodically leave your vehicle to clear the exhaust pipe from any snow that may be clogging it (as an added precaution against carbon monoxide poisoning you may wish to leave some of your windows down an inch or so).

You should have some sort of personal defense weapon because you never know what may happen (this applies all of the time). Normal weather conditions always have the possibility of danger, but the possibility may increase in times of bad weather as nefarious individuals decide to take advantage of the chaos caused by the storm to prey on those they perceive as helpless or at least less ready and less able to resist. A firearm can also be used as a signaling tool, a much more effective tool than say a whistle. When using a firearm to signal a distress you fire three rounds and then wait for a reply, which would usually consist of two rounds being fired by a rescuer, if you hear the reply then you fire three more rounds, with a brief pause between each round. Also, try to make sure you're not firing at a time when gunfire would normally be expected (i.e. while the sun is still up and hunting is going on in the area) or else folks may not realize you are signaling distress.

Anyway, I promised to talk about what I keep in my coat (this is my main coat in spring and autumn and I use it in winter when the temperature permits, when the temperature does not permit I leave this coat in my backseat as a "secondary/backup" coat and I switch to a heavy winter coat) so here goes... Disclaimer: The cat is not kept in the coat, he simply wouldn't get off of the blanket when I was taking the picture.

What is in the coat:

Autumn/winter gloves

Autumn/winter hat/helmet liner (German military surplus) with ear-flaps

3.0 inch blade pocket knife (folding locking blade)

Swiss Army pocket knife

Lensatic compass

20 water purification tablets

Magnesium striker (for starting fires)

Pen (you never know when you're going to need a writing utensil, I probably should have a better pen but the pen is mostly so I can write down phone numbers and other information folks may give me when I'm out and about)

Finally, what I keep on my person and take with me everywhere (unless not permitted to by various laws).

1- Springfield XD caliber .40 S&W with three loaded magazines

2- Ruger LCP caliber .380 ACP

3- Incredibly bright handheld energizer flashlight that activates with a push button located on the bottom of the light.

4- 3.0 inch blade pocket knife (folding locking blade)

5- Digital audio/voice recorder (this has a number of uses, I leave it on when driving so it will record the audio of any accident I might be involved with, I leave it on when driving in the event I need to "write" down a list of stuff to buy or if I need to "write" down the name of a song I just heard that I liked without having to engage in the dangerous undertaking of trying to write on a notepad while driving, also and perhaps most importantly it will record any of my conversations and in the unlikely event I wind up in a confrontation it will record who started the confrontation/trouble/problem/etc- check your local laws and see if you live in a two party or one-party notification state, in my state you may record any conversation you are a party to and you do not need to notify the other party/parties that you are recording).

Bryan Reo On The Springfield XDM 9mm

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-on-springfield-xdm-9mm.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

First I would like to start by saying that in addition to my Springfield XDM 9mm (4.5 inch barrel) I also own a Springfield XD sub-compact in caliber .40 S&W. Also, I previously owned a Springfield 1911A1 (caliber .45 ACP) and I have been at they very least happy/pleased with all of my Springfield weapons. I was satisfied with my 1911A1 (although I traded it for an AR-15) I am more than pleased with my XD sub-compact, and I am thrilled with my XDM.

I recently bought an XDM 9mm and it is of an absolutely stellar design. It is a great improvement over the XD series, which was already an awesome series to begin with.

Perhaps the greatest qualities about this firearm, the Springfield XDM 9mm, are the tremendous accuracy and reliability of the weapon. Out of about six hundred rounds fired thus far there have been no jams, double feeds, stoppages, or any sort of miss-feeds or failures to fire. The pistol is so incredibly accurate you almost have to try to try to miss.

I was able to put 19 rounds into the head of a standard B-27 target at about 20 feet without much effort.

At 40-50 feet it consistently provides accuracy and precision.

The range I shoot at isn't that long so I'll have to wait a while to see how it handles at 100 feet and beyond. Given what I've learned about this pistol from shooting it thus far, I fully expect that it will more than deliver at 100 feet, probably even 150 feet.

Springfield's XDM 9mm with the trijicon night sights (I probably should have mentioned earlier that I went with the model that has night sights) is an absolute winner, a pistol you simply cannot go wrong with.I haven't tried any low-light scenario shooting yet but I anticipate that the night sights will not let me down.

The best part is that I snagged it up for approximately $670 dollars. At the time Springfield was running an incentive offer of THREE free magazines when you filled out a form and sent it in with a copy of your receipt, their magazine offer merely sealed the deal when it came to my decision to buy the XDM 9mm.

Again, those of you who know Bryan Reo, know that when he endorses a gun, it is a winner!

http://www.the-m-factor.com/html/home.html

Update- as of January 2012 an additional quantity of rounds, approximately 1500 in total, have been put through my Springfield XDM 9mm and not a single failure or mishap has occurred.

Bryan Reo On The Ruger LCP

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-on-ruger-lcp.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I purchased a Ruger LCP .380 pocket pistol a few weeks ago and am thoroughly impressed with the weapon. It is reliable, accurate, and incredibly light in terms of weight.

Even though it is so compact and small it still handles well and is easily kept on target.

At a distance of approximately ten (10) feet it is just about impossible to miss your target. I consistently fired all seven rounds (six in the magazine and one in the chamber) into the chest/center mass of a silhouette target at distances between 8 and 12 feet. Arguably the pistol isn't for long range encounters but rather close up work when things have gotten nasty and it's time to get down to business. At a distance of approximately ten feet I posted two targets and fired three rounds into one and four rounds into the other, with all of the hits either being in the mid or upper chest and one hit in the neck/throat. You just draw and fire, it is that easy, and as long as you're lined up with the target it is basically impossible to miss.

The Ruger LCP can fit easily into any pocket you select, be it a front pocket or back pocket and it can be drawn out easily, particularly when used in conjunction with the Blackhawk holster made specifically for the Ruger LCP.

Just make sure to remember to take the pistol out of your pants at the end of the day because it is so light you might forget it is there! For an easy to handle and easy to carry light-weight pocket pistol, or for a backup/secondary carry pistol, the Ruger LCP cannot be beat.

Those of you who know Bryan Reo know that when he endorses a gun, it is a winner.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcp/index.html?r=y

Bryan Reo Endorses The 2011 Toyota Tacoma

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-endorses-2011-toyota-tacoma.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED




I, Bryan Reo, having been a loyal Toyota customer/owner (my previous vehicle being a Toyota Camry) had a yearning for a truck and so it was only natural to explore the Toyota Tacoma as an option. I am glad that I considered the Toyota Tacoma and extremely glad that I ultimately picked the Toyota Tacoma.

Specifically I went with a V-6, 4WD, 4 door, double cab, short-bed, with an off-road package and a V-6 towing package.

I've put almost 5,000 miles on it in just two months and I can safely say it is a superb vehicle. It handles very smoothly and doesn't sway about in the winter as some people report that trucks do, nor does it seem impacted by wind that much. The Tacoma almost effortlessly glides over sand and is just about as effective when in mud. The off-road capabilities of the Tacoma truck are stunning, particularly in that the vehicle retains its crisp and smooth handling while off-road in 4WD and the ride itself is unexpectedly gentle.

A 5 foot short-bed is more than adequate for non-commercial and non-industrial hauling and helps reduce handling issues that might arise with a longer bed. The four door double cab arrangement is optimal for somebody who is more likely to need passenger space than hauling space, and not the sort of "good enough" passenger space that comes with an access cab, but real passenger space. The rear seats are real seats and the leg-room is real leg-room, you don't have to bend and turn about this way or that way to get into the back and fit in the back.

My only gripe is that my Tacoma is lucky to get 20-20.5 miles per gallon (on the highway), while my Camry consistently obtained 30-32 miles per gallon (on the highway), but then again it is a truck and it has more than 2,000 pounds in additional weight than my Camry, so it's not a legitimate complaint. I just wish Toyota could somehow make a truck identical to the 2011 Tacoma except with better gas mileage.

So for those of you out there who care what Bryan Reo has to say (and I know some folks from Mentor High and John Carroll University may very well care), the Toyota Tacoma has met with my approval.

I'm Bryan Reo and I approved this message...

Bryan Reo Has New Cats!

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-has-new-cats.html

Note, unless otherwise noted, all rights are reserved, nothing in this blog may be republished or otherwise copied/distributed without the express written permission of the owner/operator (Bryan Reo).

After years of neglecting my blog (due to time constraints rather than laziness), I am pleased to make an announcement. Bryan Reo has new cats!

Tigger (tabby) and Puffy (gray)

Pictures are included

Midwest Flooding To Spell Huge Food Price Hikes?

Midwest Flooding To Spell Huge Food Price Hikes?

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I've decided to assume everybody is aware of the situation whereby floods are ravaging large portions of the Midwest that are typically devoted to commercial farming. Because of my assumption of this awareness I shall get right to the point.

Despite the fact that many farmers routinely do not bring crops to market due to an over-abundance that would lower the price, I am willing to wager that the commodity brokers will successfully use the flooding situation to further bid up the price of wheat by playing on fears of shortages.

Even when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, and New Orleans was shut down, there was no shortage in the USA. Indeed there was a surplus, because farmers who were counting on being able to use the port to ship wheat products to Europe and elsewhere were suddenly unable to do so, and they had to scramble to sell their crops domestically at lower prices.

Of course in this situation it is the actual crops themselves that are being destroyed, but regardless of whether or not there actually winds up being a shortage, prices will be increased to what may prove to be record highs.

It wouldn't be too hard to imagine price hikes for food products from unaffected crops, as the current situation in the USA seems to be one of an unspoken oligopoly (where many firms collude and the results are monopoly style controls on pricing and such) with the standing order being "follower the leader." Of course they are not openly discussing such tactics on the television, but as soon as one organization raises prices, others will follow, even if there is no compelling need to do so.

Whatever the case winds up being, it will be interesting to see how the government handles this situation. It is one thing to drop the ball with a situation such as Katrina, where the affects were largely confined to the immediate area. If however the relief agencies once again drop the ball in regards to the rapid restoration of valuable farmland, it may very well turn into a prolonged national catastrophe. The government could immediately begin by ceasing the programs which subsidize farmers who do not plant crops. They should immediately begin planting as much wheat and corn as they can, in areas where unaffected fertile land is available. This would of course only be a temporary measure. Some might say that it would drain the soil, but the alternative is to go without those crops. Of course, as I just said, it would only be a temporary measure.

Who knows what the government will actually wind up doing, in the end it will probably be the farmers who resolve their own problems. Our thoughts and prayers, along with whatever material support we can render, should be focused on those impacted by the recent and still ongoing floods.



One thing I'd like to add- much of the corn in the Midwest is no longer slated for food use, or even as animal feed, but rather for use in ethanol production for fuel. However, watch as big corporations claim that they have no choice but to raise food prices, citing bogus concerns about the cost of animal feed and corn related food products, even though it is probable that the corn being lost was most likely slated for ethanol use. They may say they have to switch and buy corn that was previously slated for food uses or animal feed uses, and that is why the price of such corn has risen, but the two are really not related. The corn that exists for food purposes, and thus could be bought by ethanol related folks, would still exist if they are buying it, and thus it would not have been impacted if it happens to still be around for them to buy up and use for ethanol. Also, if they are buying it, it wouldn't impact the farmers as they are still getting paid (they get paid for the corn regardless of whether it is sold to somebody who wants it for ethanol or sold to somebody who wants it for animal feed). When the prices of any given item are raised over this, unless it is due to the direct destruction of crops slated for food/feed use (ie- already contracted to be sold as such) then there is probably something fishy, underhanded, and sneaky going on. People attempting to profit from disasters...

Rambo Series Ends On High-Note

Rambo IV Review-

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


Having been slack in the attention (due to being busy and disinterested) I’ve been paying to recent movies, I have just now finally seen RAMBO IV and I have to give it two thumbs up. The movie delivered not only entertainment but information on nasty current event situations as well.

It’s hard to imagine many people sitting down and watching even a twenty minute news update about the situation in Myanmar (Burma) but with the RAMBO movie at least people will have some basic knowledge as to how awful and horrible the situation is. Perhaps it is too much to hope for but time will tell if the movie has done anything to raise awareness to a level where everyday people will get involved in some capacity.

The movie also raised the interesting issue of the use of mercenaries in situations that are tricky but where no government is willing to become even remotely involved.

However, as for the film itself, while it was quite violent, and thus clearly not for children or the squeamish, it should be noted that most of the people who died were blatantly nasty and wretched thugs who had spent most of their time on screen terrorizing peaceful citizens. Quite frankly it was hard to feel sorry for any of them and they all wound up receiving what they deserved, courtesy of none other than John Rambo (as well as the mercenaries and the Rebels).

The grand finale with the .50 caliber truck mounted machine gun was absolutely brilliant and put to shame the comparatively lame kill-scenes of Rambo 2 and 3 where he hip-fires an M60 to mow down waves of enemy soldiers or uses exploding tipped arrows to down Russian helicopter gunships. There was actually realism to it, combined with feeling and heart; it was simply a well-done scene.

The next movie I plan on actually seeing in a theatre will be Punisher II or Resident Evil IV (even though Resident Evil 4 will probably be as disappointing as the first three films I’m a diehard fan of the video game series and the book series so I’ll just suck it up and go see the film when it is released). The great majority of films over the last several years have failed to impress me if they even managed to catch my attention at all, so it was quite a welcome change to see a movie as worthwhile as Rambo IV. As far as the Rambo series goes, this is perhaps the best of the four, at any rate the series has ended on a truly high-note.