Do you own a firearm?

[justdrew]

Never thought about loading the shotgun with beanbags, that's fucking brilliant, thank you.

mischief-r-us:
http://www.firequest.com/exotic-shotgun-ammo.html
"the one stop shop for all your mall-ninja needs"

[vanlose kid]

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funny. been pondering the question myself lately.

as a kid, i used to get beat up a lot. and having grown up in this culture i used to fantasize about having a knife or gun i could pull out and wave at the zombies (to keep in lingo). thing is, once i thought up the scenario i went on to thinking about actually having a weapon on me at all times. and what i thought was that if i did walk around packing i would probably end up in situations where pulling it out would occur more often, that is, i would hang around ten minutes longer than i otherwise would have. so i decided to be more aware and try to figure out when to leave, like ten minutes earlier. i taught myself to watch for the signs that said "walk" or "run" basically. it worked.

the thing about weapons is that yes, they are tools. they're like heavy machinery. you don't want anybody in any imaginable type of state operating them. i trust people with knowledge around weapons: zen masters and shaolin monks and the like. i always saw this difference between a warrior and a soldier. i mean, if having a weapon does things for your ego, i don't think you ought to have one, or rather, i don't think you're qualified: license or no license.

so i took up non-competitive martial arts. no weapons. and thus learned not to pine for them.

on a different note, i also have this idea that if you really land in a place where you need one it'll be there. like today, i was walking around bothered a bit about a book i really need and have been trying to get my hands on, and on the way home, outside the faculty, my friend A comes walking toward me. i greet him from a distance and he heads my way, and there in his hands is the book i've been looking for.

i guess what i want to say is that if you feel you need a weapon then you need to work on yourself. once you've done that whatever's there will work for you. or not. we all die. it's the how that matters.

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[vanlose kid]

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ps: i posted on here somewhere once about the vampire myth being born out of the little people (my heroes) finding ways to talk about their oppressors without naming them: the vampires being the rulings classes. the way that myth has been romanticized and made attractive is a sort of counter-propaganda: a "sociopaths can't help themselves, they're just being natural" defense.

there's of course the myth of the rulings classes re the little people: from "savages" to zombies. it's Hobbes again, that myth of the state of nature being all-out war, that without Leviathan, without the state, without a ruling class, this is what will happen.

the zombie apocalypse myth is a tool of propaganda. it's meant to strike fear and division and sow distrust. i don't buy it. if the top does topple people will be fine. go back and read the history of the little people, e.g. the native americans. they don't have much history, it's either ignored or destroyed but it's there. there isn't this either State or Chaos scenario. so don't fear, eh?

in that way you'll also be of use to those who do fear. help people calm down and work together.



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[Simulist]

Vampires are a "myth" -- that's right!

(My whole family is Republican, so sometimes I forget.)

[Hammer of Los]

...

Own a firearm?

You have to be kiddin' me.

Those things are dangerous!

I do have a cap gun around here someplace, and even that I have reservations about. Gunpowder should be saved for fireworks.

On the other hand, I am trying to teach myself kung fu. It's going rather well, actually.

funny. been pondering the question myself lately.

as a kid, i used to get beat up a lot. and having grown up in this culture i used to fantasize about having a knife or gun i could pull out and wave at the zombies (to keep in lingo). thing is, once i thought up the scenario i went on to thinking about actually having a weapon on me at all times. and what i thought was that if i did walk around packing i would probably end up in situations where pulling it out would occur more often, that is, i would hang around ten minutes longer than i otherwise would have. so i decided to be more aware and try to figure out when to leave, like ten minutes earlier. i taught myself to watch for the signs that said "walk" or "run" basically. it worked.

the thing about weapons is that yes, they are tools. they're like heavy machinery. you don't want anybody in any imaginable type of state operating them. i trust people with knowledge around weapons: zen masters and shaolin monks and the like. i always saw this difference between a warrior and a soldier. i mean, if having a weapon does things for your ego, i don't think you ought to have one, or rather, i don't think you're qualified: license or no license.

so i took up non-competitive martial arts. no weapons. and thus learned not to pine for them.

on a different note, i also have this idea that if you really land in a place where you need one it'll be there. like today, i was walking around bothered a bit about a book i really need and have been trying to get my hands on, and on the way home, outside the faculty, my friend A comes walking toward me. i greet him from a distance and he heads my way, and there in his hands is the book i've been looking for.

i guess what i want to say is that if you feel you need a weapon then you need to work on yourself. once you've done that whatever's there will work for you. or not. we all die. it's the how that matters.

ps: i posted on here somewhere once about the vampire myth being born out of the little people (my heroes) finding ways to talk about their oppressors without naming them: the vampires being the rulings classes. the way that myth has been romanticized and made attractive is a sort of counter-propaganda: a "sociopaths can't help themselves, they're just being natural" defense.

there's of course the myth of the rulings classes re the little people: from "savages" to zombies. it's Hobbes again, that myth of the state of nature being all-out war, that without Leviathan, without the state, without a ruling class, this is what will happen.

the zombie apocalypse myth is a tool of propaganda. it's meant to strike fear and division and sow distrust. i don't buy it. if the top does topple people will be fine. go back and read the history of the little people, e.g. the native americans. they don't have much history, it's either ignored or destroyed but it's there. there isn't this either State or Chaos scenario. so don't fear, eh?

in that way you'll also be of use to those who do fear. help people calm down and work together.

As usual, I agree with every last word the Kid says. See above. Brilliant!

I hate blades too. I would never cut anyone intentionally. I cry at the sight of blood. In fact, I gave up meat because of that.

But I am seeking to discover the power of the open hand. I do rather believe it has something to do with the karma dharma, if you know what I mean.

Plus I can make the tip of a dish cloth travel at velocities greater than the speed of sound, with either hand. Whip crack!!! And I can hit a small target quite precisely. It's fun and educational.

I'm not too bad at running, jumping, blocking, dodging, shouting and throwing blunt things. Plus I have keen senses. For my age, anyway. And I'm getting better every day. Of course, staying calm is the ultimate discipline.

And the ultimate kung fu is the skill of being where the pain is not. Avoid the pain! Will to harm none, except in defense of the innocent.

Of course, not all pain can be avoided, unless you already know every thing there is to be learnt. And who wants to know everything? That would be like living forever, I think it would be a trifle boring.

No, I'm not a jedi knight. Just a silly househusband with a funny walk, who has learnt the secrets of the washing up bowl.

[justdrew]

[Stephen Morgan]

Never thought about loading the shotgun with beanbags, that's fucking brilliant, thank you.

Worked for Chief Wiggum.

[ShinShinKid]

Vanlose:
Do you mind if I ask what art you study?
Not being trollish...just curious.

[Luther Blissett]

I don't have one and don't intend to purchase one. I don't own property and have been a pacifist for a long time. If someone breaks into my apartment to kill me I just have to accept that it was my time to go.

My father is heading down a strange path in his old age and I believe he has guns. If there's all-out TSHTF civil war or a Terminator invasion from the future, and my girlfriend and I did not die in the initial uproar, I guess I could borrow one of his if I was able to reach him.

[Gnomad]

I wonder if there's a combination shotgun/rifle ?

Sure is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combination_gun

Other options, grenade launcher, etc...


As to the question, no, don't own a gun - over here you cannot just go out and buy one, you first need a permit, and to get a permit, you first need to belong to a shooting club and need to have been going to practice at the range for a while so you can get a recommendation for the permit. Most guns are hunting guns, of which there are quite many (2 million for population of 5). I do know how to shoot, pretty well, and have had practice with .22 caliber and air pellet guns for target shooting.

Have been considering obtaining a rifle (for possible hunting needs in the future), but so far haven't done so...For self defense it is not that useful here, since almost always using it even under danger would guarantee you got charged with some violent offense as well - even self defense only allows use of equal force to what you are threatened with, ie. shooting an assailant who has a baseball bat or small knife would lead to you being charged with excessive use of force, illegal threatening or manslaughter, depending on the outcome.

There was recently a case where a man defended his home from a person who already broke in, and pepper sprayed his face so he could not see. The court convicted him of excess force as he hit the intruder, blindly, with a knife too many times, even thou he could not see or know if or where they hit, and the attacker had pepper spray and a crowbar....

[Gnomad]

well, about the locked doors thing... It's said that most of the door locks are there to keep honest people honest. Look how easy it is to open many of them...

lock bumping

That is only because most of the world uses crappy locks that CAN be bumped. Not all locks can, like the venerable Abloy locks - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assa_Abloy
Since they were invented here, one sees Abloy locks almost solely in doors here. They cannot be bumped or picked easily, especially if they are reinforced with anti-pry shielding over the lock area as well as the hinges.

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=906
Here is some discussion about opening that type of lock:

"3 types of abloy locks and they are all (at least for me) Impossible to pick by hand, I have made alot of reserch on this and the falle decoder seems to be the only possible way of opening this lock. I have seen it be done and It requires a chart to go with the decoder.
This was done on the most basic abloy locks that are in general use here in finland on all doors, along with a second Abloy high security deadbolt lock.

The Abloy Pro locks are simply amazing things and I have yet to see a decoder in action for those.

All Abloy padlocks are great not only do they employ abloy pro lock abut cannot be Chopped with bolt cutters and cannot be shimmed.
from LSS

Picking Abloy Disc Locks.....

The Abloy disc lock is a highly secure disc wafer mechanism produced in Finland. It is relatively inexpensive and can be field programmed. There are several version of the design, based upon the number of discs, keyway shape, and gate shape and position......


As described in Chapter 17, the primary concept was derived from a traditional combination lock and wheel pack containing rotating discs, each having one gate. The manufacturer claims 60,456,176 possible permutations......

The lock contains ten concentric discs, each with one active gate and several false gates. The action of the key will turn all discs so that the gates are aligned, allowing a sidebar to retract to clear the obstruction for full rotation of the plug. Removal of the key automatically scrambles the po.....

Although these locks cannot be effectively picked in a conventional manner, most can be decoded and opened using a special tool, designed for each version. The precision decoder allows the manipulation of each disc, and provides information from which the true gate can be sensed. The result of de.....

See Chapter 31, for information regarding the Falle-Safe decoding tools......
"

Ditto for windows....
http://www.swissshade.com/
If you really worry about such stuff, just install thick shatterproof panes for windows. Ive seen people pound on that stuff with an axe and a sledgehammer for extended periods with no damage to the pane

[vanlose kid]

@ShinShin: wing chun and am picking up some chen tai chi.

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[ShinShinKid]

Kewl

Wing Chun is great, I still practice my kicks and first 15-minute form.

[Hammer of Los]

...

I have a real funny idea.

Maybe I will go and learn Shaolin kung fu.

What do you think, kid?

Think I could do a David Carradine on someone's ass?

I really loved Kung Fu the tv series, that wise man with the fists of steel.



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[vanlose kid]

...

I have a real funny idea.

Maybe I will go and learn Shaolin kung fu.

What do you think, kid?

Think I could do a David Carradine on someone's ass?

I really loved Kung Fu the tv series, that wise man with the fists of steel.



...

never really rated Carradine. then again i've never seen the series (only clips here and there where i thought he looked awkward).

have always been into Bruce Lee, hence the wing chun. also rate Jet Li and Stephen Chow (though a friend at Guang Do U tells me Chow doesn't really know wing chun).



wing chun seems to be catching on though:





always thought of it as based on a sort of weights and pulleys principle, logical, efficient and great for little people. no chi involved really, or maybe it's hidden, and comes with time and practice and meditation, not talk. not sure though. on a practical level, i figure if one had the time and mind for it one could get far in six months.

tai chi is a step towards chi for me. and it is wu tang/shaolin basically. posted this before, but:



my buddy in Guang Do does say he's a bit abrupt and there is some loss of form, but for a 10 year old? wow!

have also been looking into this:



when i first saw that scene i sat up. it's rare in a western movie to see something and go, wait, there's more to that than just choreography. so i looked it up. kali:



pretty efficient.

as for shaolin, the RZA recommends sifu Shi Yan Ming:







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