I went to the pistol range yesterday.

[Shadow]

It was the first time I have ever fired a big .50 caliber magnum on an indoor range. After putting a complete magazine of ammo through the Desert Eagle I felt like my nose was about to start bleeding. I like the gun, even though it kills from both ends, but I think I would prefer to shoot it on an outdoor range. Fortunately the ammunition for that weapon is cost prohibitive to actually shoot until your nose bleeds; otherwise I probably would have been stupid enough to do it. Every time you pull the trigger it's like throwing a dollar at the target. Of course it's a metal jacketed dollar, and you throw it really fast and hard.

Other than that I had a lot of fun and I bought a new play pretty of my own, a Bersa Thunder .380. Jennie and I have talked about it and she has agreed that she needs a protection weapon, especially after some jerk tried to get into her car at a traffic light a few nights ago less than a half a mile from our house. She thinks she might have run over the guy's foot driving away. All I can say about the "poor man's" foot is GOOD!

Connor was in the car with her and I was someplace else. Inside her car at a traffic light with the car running isn't nearly as dangerous as in a parking lot before the engine is started, but it's still scary.

She's even going to take the course and get her concealed weapons permit now. Being a pacifist is great until until some low life endangers you and your kid.

[Lark]

Ye Gods!  I'm glad Jennie and Connor are OK.  It seems like crime is getting closer and closer to home and in Florida it's gotten really, really bad.  Orlando scares the heck out of me with all the car-jackings and stuff that goes on there.

I like the idea of Jennie having a concealed weapons permit and carrying a gun.  Just remember to emphasize to her that if she's going to carry she must already be sure in her mind that she'll use it if she pulls it.  More people get killed by their own weapons if they hesitate when they need to shoot and the perp takes the weapon away and uses it on them.

-Lark-

[Shadow]

Ye Gods! I'm glad Jennie and Connor are OK. It seems like crime is getting closer and closer to home and in Florida it's gotten really, really bad. Orlando scares the heck out of me with all the car-jackings and stuff that goes on there.

Yeah, we would never have expected for something this to happen right out on such a busy main road so close to our house. The transients have been thicker than flies this year because the weather has been so cold up north and remained cold for so long.

Normally I am not down on transients. I usually give them something when they are polite, and I am known for collecting clothing and such to donate to shelters, but I don't want them panhandling or squatting in my neighborhood. Let's face it, most of them aren't wrapped too tight, and that can lead to trouble. You've seen our neighborhood, it ain't upscale with houses starting in the "low half millions", but it ain't exactly the ghetto either. I'm tempted to move back out int he country where people have trouble finding the road I live on, let alone the house I live in.

As for O'town, I don't go there unless I have to. We drive through it every week, but we stay on the turnpike. It's hard to jack a car that's going close to eighty miles an hour. That being said, the space coast has it's own share of troubles like that. We are only fifty miles from the "big city".

I like the idea of Jennie having a concealed weapons permit and carrying a gun. Just remember to emphasize to her that if she's going to carry she must already be sure in her mind that she'll use it if she pulls it. More people get killed by their own weapons if they hesitate when they need to shoot and the perp takes the weapon away and uses it on them.

Hey, this is my wife we're speaking of here. You know my philosophy, "Shoot first, shoot fast, and hit what you aim at." When I get done running Jennie through drills on the range it will be second nature for her to aim and shoot if she pulls the gun. Her muscle memory will be developed well enough that she won't have to worry about hesitation. Heck, I don't even have to wait till we're at the range to teach her, that's what safety snap caps are for, dry fire practice.

[Picador]

I have no idea what to do for myself for protection. =P (No guns - I'm Canadian, eh?) I'm going to a gym with my Mum, so its helping me get healthier, but I don't know much about self defense. All I know is what my sister taught me - kick 'em in the groin, and when they keel over, kick 'em in the face and run like heck.

Where do you live in Florida, Lark? I was there in February  with my family, down in Tampa. I was amazed by the palm trees! There were few people on the beaches because it felt cold to them, I imagine, but for us, it was incredible. (This winter has been one of the heaviest snowfalls Ontario has ever had.) Still, I wouldn't want to leave Canada for long. Even now, although we're still getting the occasional frost, spring is in the air, sweet and shimmering. My dog, Genevieve, is started to feel it too, and is demanding to be outside more and more.

Stay safe, everybody. =) (And if means kneeing someone in the nose, go for it!)

[Lark]

I have no idea what to do for myself for protection. =P (No guns - I'm Canadian, eh?) I'm going to a gym with my Mum, so its helping me get healthier, but I don't know much about self defense. All I know is what my sister taught me - kick 'em in the groin, and when they keel over, kick 'em in the face and run like heck.

Where do you live in Florida, Lark? I was there in February  with my family, down in Tampa. I was amazed by the palm trees! There were few people on the beaches because it felt cold to them, I imagine, but for us, it was incredible. (This winter has been one of the heaviest snowfalls Ontario has ever had.) Still, I wouldn't want to leave Canada for long. Even now, although we're still getting the occasional frost, spring is in the air, sweet and shimmering. My dog, Genevieve, is started to feel it too, and is demanding to be outside more and more.

Stay safe, everybody. =) (And if means kneeing someone in the nose, go for it!)

Hi Picador,

Actually I don't live in Florida, I'm in Tennessee.  But my Mom lives in Ormond Beach, just north of Daytona and I have a brother in Tallahassee.  I spent quite a bit of time in Florida last year when my Mom had open heart surgery.

One of the best ways to stay safe is to always be aware of what's going on around you.  Always have a bit of your attention on whether someone is watching you or following you, whether someone is seems to be loitering just a little to close to where you are.  That gives you the chance to get yourself out of a situation before you have to fight.  But if you have to fight then there are no limits on what you can do.  Bite, scratch, kick, and above all scream for help as loudly as you can.

-Lark-

[Picador]

Ah, okay Lark, I wasn't sure as to where. =P Thank you for the advice - I have a tendency to zone out a bit, so playing close attention is important. I'm sorry to hear about your Mum's surgery - how is she doing?

I remember something my Mum taught me when I was younger - rather than yelling 'help' when being abducted, yell 'fire!' Its more likely to grab the attention of others, for some reason.

What about you, Shadow? Where are you from? Its good to hear that you're keeping everyone safe. I don't have kids, so I can't understand exactly how it feels to have them in danger, but I do have a little brother. (He gets himself in plenty of situations, believe me!)

- Spring is in the air! - Picador

[Shadow]

I live on the space coast, just a wee bit south of Kennedy Space Center; in Melbourne. I also travel every week to Gainesville which is about three hours north. Because of the all of the travel we do we are typically exposed to many more people every week than most people who don't travel frequently, and work within (normal for U.S. citizens) ten miles of their homes. (Sad but true, as diverse as this great country is, most people are born, live and die within a seven mile radius and usually don't travel even at vacation time.)

I love to travel, I love to meet new people, and exchange ideas and customs. Usually the people you meet are good folks, but once in while you find yourself in a bad place. The best thing to do if you meet up with the wrong kind of folks is stay in your locked car and leave, but in the event that you run out of more peaceful options, it's nice to have a back up plan.

It never ceases to amaze me that so many people from Europe and Canada that I meet wish they could carry a weapon back home. Just doesn't make sense to me to trust your safety to the police who can't respond in time to do much other than take statements and call the coroner to pick up the victim.

Australia outlawed handguns to stop violent crime. violent crime took a drastic leap right after the ban, and has risen steadily ever since. Seems the bad guys are more confident now that they know they won't be facing an armed citizen.

When you out law guns, only criminals will have them. Heck While we're at it, why don't we make it illegal to import, distribute, and use cocaine and heroin, too?

[Picador]

Interesting points. =P I've always been taught that guns are 'bad', but you're right - their only as 'bad' as their users. In some ways, however, I'm glad we don't have them here. Depression and suicidal tendencies run in my family, so it certainly wouldn't be safe to have one at home.

Is moving really so rare where you live? My Dad's in the military, so my family has moved twice - once from Nova Scotia, then to Ontario. I've been around Eastern Canada a bit, and seen a bit of U.S.A, but all in all I haven't been around to much. My Dad does quite a bit of traveling, of course, because of his work. he's been to Africa, and Afghanistan!

It is very handy to have some sort of safety plan. I mostly stay inside due to worries about other kids on the block, which frustrates me - its hard to enjoy taking a walk in the woods or sitting in a field when every chatter, snap and cry makes you jump. I wish I could take my dog out for more walks, since I feel safe with her, but she gets violent around other dogs and could hurt someone or herself. I take her every so often, though. She loves to go down the slide at the park. =P

How is spring doing over there, Shadow? Up here we've got flood warnings, due to melting snow, and its still quite chilly. Still, though, I can smell spring. =D

[Still Kate]

I hope your family are okay!  

We don't have gun licences in the UK, it is illegal to carry a fire arm or even posess one, I believe the sentance in jail is 15 years.
I did used to go to a firing range years ago, when we could get gun licences here, and I use to fire a .45    I tried a .357 Magnum once and it put me on my bum.

I'm not sure the UK law is a good thing or bad thing......

[Jennie]

Spring is just about over here. The forecast for the coming week has low temperatures in the low seventies and highs in the eighties.Another few weeks and we'll be settling in for the steam bath of summer, but for the moment, it is lovely.

There is pollen covering every outdoor surface and half of the indoor ones, and in Gainesville the color from the azaleas,the dogwoods, and the redbuds is absolutely spectacular, while down in Melbourne the jacarandas and a lot of the more tropical flowers are in full bloom. We've already had our first crop of beans from the garden, and if we hurry and the gods cooperate, we'll have one more before the heat shuts down the possibility of growing such tender things.

Every summer we wonder why we don't live in Canada or someplace near it...every winter and spring we remember the reason!

I hope you enjoy your spring and summer - we'll be envying you shortly.

Bright blessings,
Jennie

[mermdotcom]

Interesting points. =P I've always been taught that guns are 'bad', but you're right - their only as 'bad' as their users.

Like the saying goes: Guns don't kill people - people kill people!

My hubby wants both of us to get a concealed weapons permit, but seeing as we don't actually have any guns right now, it would be a little silly

I do plan on getting one at some point, though.  My brother in law lives in the middle of nowhere and set up a firing range in his back yard.  We'll shoot some targets sometimes when we go to visit him.  He's a big stickler for gun safety, too, which made me a lot less nervous.

And as for the attempted car-jacking - I really hope she got his foot!