attempted break in

[logjam]

I've thrown away all of my security systems here in the wilds of BC. No more cameras, dead bolts or pit Bull dogs. I now fly 2 ISIS flags on my front lawn and a picture of Bin Laden in my truck window. The Police and CSIS watch my place so closely now, there's no need.

[OldAirmail]

Personally, I feel that they should have tighter restrictions on who can own a firearm. After what I went through, it became very apparent that anyone can get ahold of one. I don't blame anyone for their invention, however, I feel that we have the technology to make sure my incident never happens again. The problem is the cost. If they were to implement a fingerprint scanner on a gun, the cost would be outrageous. I'm also not sure people would want to go through the hassle. I now suffer from PTSD and had these changes been implemented, the outcome may had been different. However, drugs make a person unpredictable so it's hard to say if it would have. Jeremy

Personally, I feel that they should have tighter restrictions on who can own a firearm.
There are places such as California where the chief of police (or whatever the title in the local jurisdiction) decides if you're of good character and sound mind.

These are the places where people like Beyoncé, George Clooney, Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Geraldo Rivera, Nancy Pelosi, and many others get approved to carry concealed weapons.


Why them? Well, they're famous people, and as such are more at risk.

Unlike the poor woman heading home at midnight from her shift cleaning offices. Or the guy closing up his deli at night after working a 12 hour day to grow his business.

In such places, it's the poor and the minorities who are denied the right to protect themselves.



...I feel that we have the technology to make sure my incident never happens again. The problem is the cost. If they were to implement a fingerprint scanner on a gun, the cost would be outrageous. I'm also not sure people would want to go through the hassle.

See the line above about the poorer people. They line in some of the highest crime areas because they can't afford better (safer) areas.


I'm also not sure people would want to go through the hassle.
It's not really about "the hassle". It's about you, or your family's safety.

Think about your incident. Were you able to calmly think about your situation? Did that person give you the time to think about putting your finger on a fingerprint scanner?

It sounds like you were on your way to becoming a police officer. Both civilians, AND experienced police officers can panic, and forget to take their safety off.

Don't even try to think about putting the safety off and letting the weapon take the needed time to register you fingerprint.

The person who wants to do you harm knows that speed and intimidation will throw people off, prevent them from reacting quickly and correctly.

They know that the speed of their attack is a big advantage.



Was this man an angel newly come to earth, or did you, perhaps, save the lives of others.

To me, it sounds a if you did the right thing. You saved your life an maybe the life of others.

[wifesaysno]

I've been a police officer for 30 years and I cannot imagine facing an intruder with a magazine NOT in the pistol.

I don't advise it.

I agree 100%. Great way to get one's self killed. All you have is a short metal stick, which is worthless, and should the breaker-inner have a gun, knife, or even the willingness to beat someone to death, you're dead. no matter who you are, or how tough, there is always someone out there that can do it to ya. And they will.
I spent 10 years in the Corps. I've used long guns and sidearms, in many situations. Doesn't bother me too much. Just tools to accomplish my job, is all. I even trained in the techniques of using edged weapons (knives, long and short), although I haven't used one in a real situation yet. I carried a sidearm when I lived in Yuma, and pulled it a few times, and used it too. Again, if it's down to them or me, and in today's world, in any city of any real size any more it's gonna happen, if you aren't willing to defend yourself, you, and your loved ones, are nothing but victims.
Pass more laws! Ummm....criminals don't care what the law says. By definition. They are CRIMINALS! They hope the citizens they face have been disarmed and rendered helpless. Just makes their job easier. So sure, pass more laws, and I'll become a criminal too, I guess. I'd much rather that than a victim.
Anyway, there's my 2cents worth. I feel pretty strongly about all this, but then I dd spend a lot of time during my younger, formative years (18-28) needing weapons to live and do my job.
Pat☺

I completely agree, long story short it was a very very weird situation (the guy was a father looking for his kid no drugs no alcohol). There is more but I really do not feel like getting into it. Suffice to say, lock and loading on this guy could have ended very bad legally for ME...the use of deadly force out of an unclear head would have been disastrous. I should add I could SEE this guy from feet to the top of his head before I opened the door...yes even with all that I am leaving stuff out

The 45 previously was not loaded ever....previously....a mag of hollow points is seated in it right now with a standby mag again with hollow points next to it. I did live fire drills and got fairly quick and proficient handling it. My mini 22LR revolver is loaded and situated right by my leg as I type this and the RUger 10/22 is ready with a loaded 25rnd mag and a 10rnd mag on the wife's side of the bed...45 is reserved for me. The 45 is very comfortable to me so at this point I can draw, empty a mag, reload, and empty the 2nd mag fairly quick hitting a person sized target at ~50ft.

I should add Oregon is very open with gun laws. You do not need a permit to have a handgun and do not need to register them...that said, lawyers the US society repeatedly has burned at the stake people who have drawn and fired. Some yes out of mistake, but some clear...In this case I would have been crucified...my life over and my wife's ruined anyways.

Things are not cut and dry in this case...the police officer too was not thrilled with me pulling a gun either...even an empty one...thank you American media from demonizing it I suppose!

[logjam]

Hollow points? To make sure the target is blown to smithereens, I suppose.

[OldAirmail]

One thing that many people don't know is that hollow point bullets expand (become wider) after hitting something/someone.

One benefit of this is that hollow points are much less likely to go through the person you aim at, and hit someone else.

Also after passing through a wall, and having expanded as it did so, it looses a good deal of energy. And that makes it less likely to go through the walls of the house/apartment next door, injuring or killing someone in there.



When people make laws based on something that they don't understand, they can endanger innocent people.

[PhantomTweak]

I only ever load HP ammo in my pistols, and mix it 50/50 in any rifle with a magazine over 5 rounds I have. Never know when you might need penetration, such as for a vehicle windshield. a HP round likely won't even go through a windshield, whereas a FMJ will.
As to the lawyers, well, I may be in jail for a little while, but...And I've point an SKS at a Border Patrol agent with no repercussions whatsoever. They were looking for some illegals that had shot their way past them, and had, my luck, wound up on my property (3 acres). When I see the chopper hovering at 50 feet off a field searching, I arm up. I was looking also (Scanners rock ) and me and a BP agent met in the bushes I let grow. I was faster than him, and told him to halt and identify etc etc from my Marine days habit pattern. Worked good too. He froze hands up. after he ID'd himself I put the saftey back on and we chatted, then kept on searching. Found the guys too, although no more shooting involved. I'll leave my personal feelings about THAT aside. I was complimented on my professionalism by the Supervisor, and nothing else. I think they'd come to know me and my property. Guess so, anyway, since we lived next to the biggest chop shop and criminal enterprise in Arizona, and less than 1/4 mile from either Mexico or California, you choose
Just one episode of my use of firearms in Yuma...

And what would I do to fix the problems? I'm just a simple former Marine, and don't have those answers. I can, however, read statistics, and while they can be manipulated, you can also collate things like that with other sources, the press and so on. Thje tighter the restrictions on gun ownership, the higher the violent gun-crime there is. When I see newspaper pages from Chicago, among other places, and the 46 shootings that weekend aren't even front page news, it tells me something. They are also well known (Chicago, that is) among several others as having highly restrictive gun ownership laws. Yuma AZ, very easy to own and even carry a gun, very very LOW statistics. Sweden, mandatory military service with the requirement to maintain your weapons even after discharge? Virtually NO gun-crime, violent or otherwise. Again, there may be other factor entering into the equation I am totally unaware of, but it seems to me, the tighter the gun restrictions, the worse the crime. Or, to put it another way, the easier it is for armed criminals to prey upon the disarmed citizens, and of course the reverse is also true.
Additionally, it seems like people are getting royally fed up with the revolving door injustice system, where the criminals are king and the citizens are just victims, and in increasing numbers becoming more willing to defend themselves. They are also more aware that the "Protect" in the police "Protect and Serve" motto is nothing but a joke. Cops can't be everywhere, and only by the greatest stroke of fortune do they ever prevent a crime. I have a favorite saying: And once again, with a 3 minute arrival time, they show up just in time to: TAKE A REPORT...I realize it's not on them, it's the fault of the citizenry squalling for governmental protection from all things bad. They sometimes think the cops can teleport...and until they can, it's upon us to defend ourselves. Thank goodness more and more people are, and more and more criminals are being killed. Finally, we are cycling out of the hyper-liberal period and into something a little more realistic.
Anyway, I've ranted long enough, sorry bout that all...
Have a wonderful, and safe life
Pat☺

[Fozzer]

Blimey!... ...!

I think that you Gun Blokes have got to come over here, and live in the lovely old, sleepy, town of Hereford, in the lovely, old, sleepy county of Herefordshire..... ...!
(...or probably anywhere else in England!).
I suspect that the place is mostly gun-free, 'cos "shootings" never appear in the local news!
I think the local Police carry a torch with them to pacify the pair of fighting drunks outside the Pub on a Friday night.
That about all the excitement that we get... ...!

Its lovely living in a place knowing that practically nobody owns or carries a gun as a weapon!
I imagine that there's little, or no chance of anyone getting "shot"!
...and I hope that it always stays that way!

Gun-free=peace and tranquillity!... ....!

Paul.... ...!

[OldAirmail]

This has me some what confused - from The Telegraph.

Surprise increase in violent crime in England and Wales

Violent crime such as assault increases by one per cent year-on-year while fraud jumps by a quarter.

Data showed that violence against the person offences reported to the police in 2013 showed a 1 per cent rise to 614,400, or nearly 7,000 extra victims in the year.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the increase was down to "improvements in recording" – amid widespread concern that crime figures have been "fiddled" by forces.

That last part - "... amid widespread concern that crime figures have been "fiddled" by forces." is what causes the confusion.

Here in the US, falsifying official records is a criminal offense.

Although over there, as here, politicians seem to be exempt. Who expects politicians to tell the truth anyway?



In fact, The Guardian says that crime keeps on falling in the UK.

Crime in England and Wales falls 16% to lowest level since 1981

ONS crime survey reveals 23% fall in violent crime, but separate police figures show 29% increase in rape.

They talk a lot more about how the police, and higher ups are falsifying the records.



I recall how in Boston the crime report was ONLY reported during the morning rush-hour commute. It was a very rare exception when it made it to the afternoon, or evening, reports.

The broadcasters didn't want to air the dirty linen to the many tourists (a major income source).



Now I'm not sure if this is your area, but I'll try it. Correct me if I have the wrong area. I in put Herefordshire, UK and this is what came up.

From Police.UK

Comparison of crime types in this area between May 2013 and August 2014



Now THAT is a great record.

BTW - I really do wonder, just what constitutes "Anti-social behavior" in the UK.



Things may be somewhat less impressive when you consider a couple of things:

From The Telegraph -

One surveillance camera for every 11 people in Britain, says CCTV survey

Britain has a CCTV camera for every 11 people, a security industry report disclosed...

I would suspect, as would Mr. Orwell, that the continuous monitoring of people would alter undesirable activities.


From the Herefordshire Council

Herefordshire’s resident population was 186,100 in mid-2013

Small populations have less crime.

And out of that small population there were only 1716 crimes.

[logjam]

Well well OAM. I do find the increase in bicycle theft despicable. As for Anti socal behaviour, I do believe that includes, mooning your neighbor when he complains about your cat's serenading at night.

[Fozzer]

When it cones to "Statistics".....

Its the "Bang-bang" statistics that worry me, as I read my copies of Kron4 and LA Times newspapers e-mailed to me every morning from California.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... y-us-state

It really is an eye-opener.

Paul.

[Longhorn jet]

[ Pass more laws! Ummm....criminals don't care what the law says. By definition. They are CRIMINALS! They hope the citizens they face have been disarmed and rendered helpless. Just makes their job easier. So sure, pass more laws, and I'll become a criminal too, I guess. I'd much rather that than a victim.

As Pat said more laws will not stop criminals because they don't care about laws in the first place.
Outlaw guns they will use knifes, Outlaw knifes (So much for that steak dinner ) They will use baseball bats.........and so on.
Look at 9/11 they used knifes and planes should we outlaw planes to?
I know that sounds extreme but if you keep outlawing everything someone can use to commit a crime or hurt someone where will it stop .
I truly believe more laws will not help at all,more laws just make more law breakers.
Here in Texas as i'm sure it is elsewhere their are CHL classes (Concealed Handgun Licensing)
On the airport most of the pilots I know have CHL's and carry guns.
I truly believe people need to be proactive and pay more attention to whats going on around them, Way to much,Not my problem,None of my business,I don't want to get involved,
News flash: To late you are involved all of us are part of the human race

Greg
Longhorn Jet
Georgetown,Texas
KGTU

[OldAirmail]

This'll never be resolved.

And it, probably, doesn't matter anyway. What's coming is pretty much inevitable.


On the one side, you have people who don't want anyone to have a gun.

On the other side, you have people who want one "just in case".


This will be settled by the teachers. They teach the children.

Most teachers are; 1) liberal, and 2) anti-gun.



Where people of my era viewed cartoons as something that was funny, children for the past 40 odd years view cartoon animals as anthropomorphic creatures just like them.

Guns and hunting are BAD, and have to be stopped.



Executing criminals is BAD, that too has to be stopped. It's inhumane.

But there is evil, and evil people in this world. And I'm not talking about evil in a religious sense.

When you read about people like Dennis Rader, who kidnapped, tortured, and killed ten people (mostly women) can there be any doubt?

How humane was the tortures that he performed?



The world is not the way that we dream it should be.

One answer is not able to cover all circumstances.

In all, it's a different world. Good or bad, I'll not be here to see just what it'll become 20 years from now.


So why argue. Start up the sims and have a good time.


PS - You're all welcome to "The Last Word", but is there any point?

[PhantomTweak]

So, no kidding, there I was...400' AGL. Inverted. 3 engines dead (It's a C172, btw).

OMG! That's horrible! What ever did you do???

What could I do? [shrug] I died!



My last words on the subject

Pat☺

[Webb]

Firing a handgun in an enclosed space creates an incredibly loud bang. Think M-80 (American kids).

If you are not being being hit upon by a professional killer the noise and the cordite smell will scare off the typical burglar. If he doesn't leave after all of that he should be killed just to get him out of the gene pool.