Buy a GUN!

[GRG55]

Re: Buy a GUN!

As others have said, don't buy a gun unless you're willing to train, train, train. Then train some more. In a high stress, big fright situation your adrenaline will make your body do strange things like shake, freeze, and not obey commands from your brain. An attacker 20 feet away can reach you in 2 seconds. Can you draw, remember to flick off the safety, line up your sights and do controlled fire under that kind of stress?

Do you know, and have you and your family memorized the Four Rules of Handgun Safety? Everyone should know these rules even if they don't own a gun, because you never know when you might have to pick one up: http://www.reloadammo.com/gun-law.htm

When I took a simulator class with several other experienced shooters we were abolutely shocked at how hard it was to assess confusing situations and react properly under pressure. We all got "killed" over and over again. It was a very humbling experience.

The main ingredient for successful self-defense isn't the weapon but your attitude. Some people are wolves. Most people are rabbits. It's very hard for a rabbit to become a wolf.

How alert are you when you're walking through a parking lot and approaching your car? Are you aware of your surroundings at all times- on foot, while driving, in a restaurant, an elevator, at the ATM... ?

Keep your doors locked even when at home, especially if you go outside in the yard. People often go out to their backyard then come back inside, only to find a home invader came in through the front door while they were out back.

In my experience, visible window bars on a house are a more effective burglary deterrent than an alarm system. Yet I can't count all the times I've suggested bars to people only to hear them say, "I think they're ugly. I wouldn't want to have to look through them when I look out my window." That's OK by me. Personally, I don't feel safe in a house that doesn't have window bars and security doors.

Next week I have a welder coming over to install a steel cage over my air conditioner. Gotta stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

shiny!, no personal offense intended, but when I read this post I was reminded of your observation that Syria is "a horrible country". Now, I am not going to try to defend the policies of a brutal, police state government like the one in Damascus. But the faint whiff of a society in growing fear also come through in this post of yours.

Frankly, I couldn't live any place where my neighbours think they need steel security bars and firearms to defend themselves...

[mesyn191]

Re: Buy a GUN!

The world is going to hell in a hand basket!
I think the main problem is welfare mothers and darkies. If we could just restore slavery everything would be all right. And public beheading of gum chewers. And too much sex. Girls wear tight clothes that show too much skin. We need to pass a law requiring the burqa ( even in bed )

[ATTACH]4014[/ATTACH]

look how happy these two girls ( people? ) look! Who wouldn't want to look like that especially on a 90 degree day in Cannes. Perfect for a good tan on the yacht don't you agree?

With rigid control of sex, civil and human rights and every non-slave ( if there are any ) male required to carry an assault rifle at all times the world will be a safer, less stressful place!

Hydrochloric sarcasm or what?

[GRG55]

Re: Buy a GUN!

The world is going to hell in a hand basket!
I think the main problem is welfare mothers and darkies. If we could just restore slavery everything would be all right. And public beheading of gum chewers. And too much sex. Girls wear tight clothes that show too much skin. We need to pass a law requiring the burqa ( even in bed )

[ATTACH]4014[/ATTACH]

look how happy these two girls ( people? ) look! Who wouldn't want to look like that especially on a 90 degree day in Cannes. Perfect for a good tan on the yacht don't you agree?

With rigid control of sex, civil and human rights and every non-slave ( if there are any ) male required to carry an assault rifle at all times the world will be a safer, less stressful place!

That blue outfit is outrageous. Shocking, really...

[karim0028]

Re: Buy a GUN!

As others have said, don't buy a gun unless you're willing to train, train, train. Then train some more. In a high stress, big fright situation your adrenaline will make your body do strange things like shake, freeze, and not obey commands from your brain. An attacker 20 feet away can reach you in 2 seconds. Can you draw, remember to flick off the safety, line up your sights and do controlled fire under that kind of stress?

Do you know, and have you and your family memorized the Four Rules of Handgun Safety? Everyone should know these rules even if they don't own a gun, because you never know when you might have to pick one up: http://www.reloadammo.com/gun-law.htm

When I took a simulator class with several other experienced shooters we were abolutely shocked at how hard it was to assess confusing situations and react properly under pressure. We all got "killed" over and over again. It was a very humbling experience.

The main ingredient for successful self-defense isn't the weapon but your attitude. Some people are wolves. Most people are rabbits. It's very hard for a rabbit to become a wolf.

How alert are you when you're walking through a parking lot and approaching your car? Are you aware of your surroundings at all times- on foot, while driving, in a restaurant, an elevator, at the ATM... ?

Keep your doors locked even when at home, especially if you go outside in the yard. People often go out to their backyard then come back inside, only to find a home invader came in through the front door while they were out back.

In my experience, visible window bars on a house are a more effective burglary deterrent than an alarm system. Yet I can't count all the times I've suggested bars to people only to hear them say, "I think they're ugly. I wouldn't want to have to look through them when I look out my window." That's OK by me. Personally, I don't feel safe in a house that doesn't have window bars and security doors.

Next week I have a welder coming over to install a steel cage over my air conditioner. Gotta stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

Shiny!, sounds like you live in central phoenix ;-)

[karim0028]

Re: Buy a GUN!

That blue outfit is outrageous. Shocking, really...

its for the girl trying to "standout"..... Perhaps its like the miniskirt of the burqa world ;-)

[shiny!]

Re: Buy a GUN!

Shiny!, sounds like you live in central phoenix ;-)

Actually in the East Valley, in an older 55+ mobile home park next to a crackhouse motel that the city refuses to shut down. The park itself is old but nice; the surrounding neighborhood has some bad elements in it.

[karim0028]

Re: Buy a GUN!

Actually in the East Valley, in an older 55+ mobile home park next to a crackhouse motel that the city refuses to shut down. The park itself is old but nice; the surrounding neighborhood has some bad elements in it.

You know when i first moved to phx about 4 years ago i contacted a realtor and told her that i wanted to look at some investment properties in phoenix ie. multi-unit... To get a lay of the land so to speak.. So, this bright bulb took me to a place called sunny slope in either central or north phoenix....

I dont know if you know the area, but i kid you not... Middle of the day crack heads walking down the street barefoot... The place looked like baghdad.. Doors off hinges, no windows, bums sleeping in units without doors and half the neighborhood was sitting outside on the sidewalk/porches....

I told the realtor that this place needed to be torn down ;-) Not sold for a 250K asking price :-)

It was such a bad neighborhood a cop waited till i was outside the neighborhood to pull me over, he literally followed me till i got out on the main road...

He thought i was a drug dealer..

[shiny!]

Re: Buy a GUN!

shiny!, no personal offense intended, but when I read this post I was reminded of your observation that Syria is "a horrible country". Now, I am not going to try to defend the policies of a brutal, police state government like the one in Damascus. But the faint whiff of a society in growing fear also come through in this post of yours.

No offense taken. I have a great deal of respect for your views and understand that we don't always have to agree on everything.

A society in growing fear... yes. If I could afford to move to New Zealand and live amongst the sheep I would, but I can't. I have to deal with the world that's in front of me. Just because I said Syria is a horrible country doesn't mean that I think the United States is a perfect one. It's still better than a lot of places on earth but social cohesion is breaking down.

I grew up with firearms and love target shooting. I think it's important to be able to defend myself and others in need, if the occasion arises.

Frankly, I couldn't live any place where my neighbours think they need steel security bars and firearms to defend themselves...

Actually you could, and you would if you had to! I'm honestly glad that you can afford to live in a nice, crime-free place, but not everyone is so blessed.

Example: Right now there is a growing rash of copper thieves stealing air conditioners. It's happening in all neighborhoods, rich and poor. It's happening at commercial buildings as well as residences. Now I may decry the decline of civil society, but I'm still putting a cage around my A/C. Not protecting my property does not make me more civilized. It makes me a potential target, a potential victim. That's not a feeling I like and is not how I want to live.

It's a dangerous illusion to believe that crime could never happen to you just because of where you live. Or to think that the police will always be there to protect you. Or that your government will always be benign and never turn on its citizens.

Deep down I think you know this. When you leave your house or car do you lock the doors? If so, why?

If I believe that my life is my most precious possession, the question is, who is responsible for protecting it? Me, or do I delegate this task to others and hope for the best? I think that ultimately I am responsible for protecting my life and property.

Here's the most eloquent article I've ever read on the morality of self-defense. I'd be interested in your opinion about the author's conclusions:

A NATION OF COWARDS

Jeffrey R. Snyder

OUR SOCIETY has reached a pinnacle of self-expression and respect for individuality rare or unmatched in history. Our entire popular culture — from fashion magazines to the cinema — positively screams the matchless worth of the individual, and glories in eccentricity, nonconformity, independent judgment, and self-determination. This enthusiasm is reflected in the prevalent notion that helping someone entails increasing that person's "self-esteem"; that if a person properly values himself, he will naturally be a happy, productive, and, in some inexplicable fashion, responsible member of society.

And yet, while people are encouraged to revel in their individuality and incalculable self-worth, the media and the law enforcement establishment continually advise us that, when confronted with the threat of lethal violence, we should not resist, but simply give the attacker what he wants. If the crime under consideration is rape, there is some notable waffling on this point, and the discussion quickly moves to how the woman can change her behavior to minimize the risk of rape, and the various ridiculous, non-lethal weapons she may acceptably carry, such as whistles, keys, mace or, that weapon which really sends shivers down a rapist's spine, the portable cellular phone.

Now how can this be? How can a person who values himself so highly calmly accept the indignity of a criminal assault? How can one who believes that the essence of his dignity lies in his self-determination passively accept the forcible deprivation of that self-determination? How can he, quietly, with great dignity and poise, simply hand over the goods? More... http://jim.com/cowards.htm

[shiny!]

Re: Buy a GUN!

You know when i first moved to phx about 4 years ago i contacted a realtor and told her that i wanted to look at some investment properties in phoenix ie. multi-unit... To get a lay of the land so to speak.. So, this bright bulb took me to a place called sunny slope in either central or north phoenix....

I dont know if you know the area, but i kid you not... Middle of the day crack heads walking down the street barefoot... The place looked like baghdad.. Doors off hinges, no windows, bums sleeping in units without doors and half the neighborhood was sitting outside on the sidewalk/porches....

I told the realtor that this place needed to be torn down ;-) Not sold for a 250K asking price :-)

It was such a bad neighborhood a cop waited till i was outside the neighborhood to pull me over, he literally followed me till i got out on the main road...

He thought i was a drug dealer..

Oy vey! That's pretty funny. Multi-family housing, whether apartments or mobile home parks, is a hard business to keep clean and safe. If managed well, the age 55+ communities are a lot nicer than the all-age communities. They're quiet in the summer and fill up with retired snowbirds in the winter.

The company I work for owns five middle-class (not high-end and not ghettos) 55+ communities and two all-age communities. The all-age communities are a constant PITA.

My boss has a terrific real estate broker. PM me if you'd like his number.

[Mn_Mark]

Re: Buy a GUN!

The world is going to hell in a hand basket!
I think the main problem is welfare mothers and darkies. If we could just restore slavery everything would be all right. And public beheading of gum chewers. And too much sex. Girls wear tight clothes that show too much skin. We need to pass a law requiring the burqa ( even in bed )

look how happy these two girls ( people? ) look! Who wouldn't want to look like that especially on a 90 degree day in Cannes. Perfect for a good tan on the yacht don't you agree?

With rigid control of sex, civil and human rights and every non-slave ( if there are any ) male required to carry an assault rifle at all times the world will be a safer, less stressful place!

Well this is just silly. Don't you know that the problems we have are because we're not doing enough to boost the self-esteem of "at-risk" "youth"? What we need are a bunch more programs to give them hope, self-esteem, and so on. I think we should start with a "national conversation" on the topic. Followed by a blue-ribbon panel, which will issue recommendations after dialoguing with with the community. Above all, what is needed is a great deal more communication, conversation, talk, dialogue, panels, commissions, white papers, studies, and other forms of word-generation that will yield creative new new ways to spend money to try to give these troubled youth skills and discipline and the right attitude. Above all, if we could just somehow communicate to them how very, very much we care about them and love them - preferably through spending a lot of money giving them things and telling them how their problems are our fault - why, they will begin to behave like nice middle-class responsible people.

[metalman]

Re: Buy a GUN!

Well this is just silly. Don't you know that the problems we have are because we're not doing enough to boost the self-esteem of "at-risk" "youth"? What we need are a bunch more programs to give them hope, self-esteem, and so on. I think we should start with a "national conversation" on the topic. Followed by a blue-ribbon panel, which will issue recommendations after dialoguing with with the community. Above all, what is needed is a great deal more communication, conversation, talk, dialogue, panels, commissions, white papers, studies, and other forms of word-generation that will yield creative new new ways to spend money to try to give these troubled youth skills and discipline and the right attitude. Above all, if we could just somehow communicate to them how very, very much we care about them and love them - preferably through spending a lot of money giving them things and telling them how their problems are our fault - why, they will begin to behave like nice middle-class responsible people.

you guys!

[flintlock]

Re: Buy a GUN!

That's a sad story. I've met two couples who emigrated from South Africa in recent years (in one case, with the entire extended family), both for the same reason. "Too much crime". Hopefully things are improving down there.

I had a friend in college who's family left SA for the same reasons.

[flintlock]

Re: Buy a GUN!

The prostitute that started it all refused to testify against the pimp so she ended up with the jail sentence, not him. My cousin's fiancee had mouthed off to the hooker about being a detriment to the neighborhood. Bad idea. Hooker calls pimp. Pimp chases fiancee down and beats her with a sock filled with D cell batteries. It made the evening news. I think she made a joke like " Waiting on the bus I suppose?" Something like that. Hooker didn't take too kindly to it.

[metalman]

Re: Buy a GUN!

The prostitute that started it all refused to testify against the pimp so she ended up with the jail sentence, not him. My cousin's fiancee had mouthed off to the hooker about being a detriment to the neighborhood. Bad idea. Hooker calls pimp. Pimp chases fiancee down and beats her with a sock filled with D cell batteries. It made the evening news. I think she made a joke like " Waiting on the bus I suppose?" Something like that. Hooker didn't take too kindly to that.

to avoid violence, avoid slums.

to avoid slums, avoid poverty.

to avoid poverty, don't be born in poverty to crazy, drunken & dysfunctional parent(s).

to avoid being born in poverty to crazy, drunken & dysfunctional parent(s)... be lucky.

[flintlock]

Re: Buy a GUN!

Crime is getting more random. There really are no "safe" areas in the USA anymore. The criminals are looking for easy victims and sometimes I think they seek out these normally "safe" areas because they don't have bars on the windows, people don't carry firearms, and they don't lock their doors. A few years ago we had a robbing crew drive up to a local outlet mall from the city to try their hand at stealing. Well they didn't count on the way citizens up here look out for each other. They left and every person who heard about this on the radio was calling in and describing the vehicle's location to police. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They ended up in a vehicle chase, and ultimately with dogs ripping their pants off of them somewhere in the woods of North GA. It was just kind of funny, because you would have thought they were after Bin Laden the response it got. In the city this would not even have made the news probably.