Phillip - TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Now I'm extremely worried about you, especially after PSI's post, "The weird thing is, if those guys had shot Xavier, would any of us have found out? Or would he have just disappeared from the forums? How do we know if something tragic happens to someone here?"
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT disappear off the forums.
posted
I should have said earlier that I echo everyone else's sentiment that I'm very glad Xavier didn't get hurt or killed, and I also worry in general about how we would know if something bad happened to hatrackers who don't have close family posting online.
Lots of jatraqueros are the only ones among their family and close RL friends who post. For instance, when katharina was hit by a truck in Germany, I am not sure how Amka even found out to tell us. What can we do to keep up with and look after everyone better? Maybe we need to establish hatrack visit-teaching?
Posts: 2843 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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The pistol, at least, was not loaded. No word on the shot-gun. Maybe I would have had a fighting chance after all.
I'm thinking of getting a shotgun of my own now anyway. A nice 12 gauge pump. They have so many uses: home defense, urban combat, hunting. If the world ends tomorrow, I'm going to wish I had one. Plus I like the "point and kill" aspect. No aiming required.
My thoughts on the subject are pretty close to aka's. You've got to understand the violation involved with someone being in your house with deadly weapons with intent to take your property. This is my HOME.
posted
I was mostly joking about the urban combat thing .
That just comes with the sci-fi reader in me. So many stories take place after the world ends or goes into chaos, and being armed would be a huge plus at the start of any situation ivolving mass anarchy .
My feelings being close to aka's is in regard to shooting intruders. These five were kids, and I probably would regret it after the fact, but if I saw armed intruders in my house and I had a weapon it would be shoot first and ask questions later.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I disagree, Sopwith. A shotgun should be your preferred method of personal defense in the situations described here. When you're startled out of bed by Bad Guys(tm), you don't want to worry about things like aiming.
For personal defense outside the home, of course, a pistol is the way to go. It takes a lot of training to handle one properly, which is exactly how it should be: carrying weapons into public incurs huge responsibility.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
The pattern a shotgun makes at close range (<10-12 ft.) is actually pretty small, though. Like quarter sized. It's not like aiming up into the sky at a bunch of birds that are way up there. So do be careful to aim, anyway. Also it's a lot easier on your furniture if you at least try.
Posts: 2843 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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Two of the kids' friends smashed out my brother's friend Jason's rear window of his car last night. The neighbors saw a large old style car pull in our driveway before the loud noises started. Jason and Zach know who owns a large rusted out cadillac and that person is friends with the 5 who got arrested for breaking into our house. This kid and another one actually told their friends that they would get revenge, though what we did except file charges is beyond me.
Now today while getting ready to drive to the office what do I see? A rusted out blue cadillac cruising by my house at 5 miles per hour. Both kids in the car looking right at me and the house. They kept going, so I followed them. I'm hoping I drove them far enough away that they won't come back while I'm here, since I was the only home. For all I know they could be in there right now though .
The cop who came out to do the report on the vandalism pretty much told us he wasn't going to do anything. Even though we know exactly who did it, since nobody saw him do it, he won't even go ask them about it.
I'm leaving for Cali soon, but what choice do my brother and his friend have but to take matters into their own hands? If it was my window that got busted, I know I would go kick the person who did its ass. I'm worried that this whole thing is going to escolate until someone is dead.
I really am considering buying a shotgun now. Maybe if I park my car somewhere else and have the lights off in my house, I can catch them in the act.
On an unrelated note, my wallet was stolen from my car last night too. I kept it in the divider between the two seats when I went in to the office yesterday, since the pocket in the swim shorts I was wearing could only fit my keys. I've had more experience with crime this summer than the whole rest of my life combined. It really pisses me off!
quote: The cop who came out to do the report on the vandalism pretty much told us he wasn't going to do anything. Even though we know exactly who did it, since nobody saw him do it, he won't even go ask them about it.
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. I don't understand why the cop can't at least go talk to them and let them know that they had better not do anything. Stupid cops. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
Xavier, at least the cops came out for your car.
When my car was broken into in downtown Phx, I was told by the police that since there was nothing they could do (they didn't even want to see the screwdriver that i'd found in the car that wasn't mine), that they weren't going to come out.
They told me to go to a police station to file a report in the morning.
Nice to know that my taxes are going to such a fine police force..
Posts: 851 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I was talking about it last night with Dan and Slash and his wife, about what could be done about something like this.
You could start being a real nuisance - write to the chief of police, the mayor, and just keep pestering about your safety being compromised.
Or, you could get a mask, a baseball bat and some gloves, wait for the punks to show up again and beat the holy-living-hades out of them. If thugs get beaten up policeman spend all of two seconds on the investigation, generally feeling the little wannabe-gang-bangers had it coming to them.
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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I generally think guns are for pussies, and would much rather settle things with bats or even fists. With this group though, I think maybe that would be like bringing a knife to a gun-fight.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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