spellcheckman's Blog

A while back I posed the question:  When to shoot, in self defense.  It is slowly coming clear to me through a bit of research and burning away an entire Saturday in mid November for the 9 hour class.  An excellent class btw, taught by an instructor on the forefront of conceal carry legislation (Ks) and a law enforcment close tactical weapons trainor, along with a separate companion class called:  refuse to be a victim--which has nothing to do with guns. 

I'm not a right wing gun nut, but can accept reality reasonably quickly.  Bad guys have guns, they don't adhere to the "gun buster" signs.  These are the signs outside businesses that prohibit guns.  Being from Switzerland, no one has guns, same thing for Holland, Denmark, England.  That culture clearly doesn't exist here.  Having a gun merely levels the playing field.   You can walk the streets of any major city in those countries and not fear being shot or jacked.  To do so would require hand to hand combat, too much work for the average criminal.  Things are getting worse, people are desperate, here in the USA, there are too many examples of the average law abiding citizen becoming an unintended victim and being ruined for life. 

Several things made an impression on me, after taking the class: 

Everyone passes.  Even the 82 year old guy with the oxygen tank.  Hitting the target is easy, 5 shots single hand from three yards, 10 shots (double handed if you want) from 7 yards,  and 10 more from 10 yards.  Of those 25 shots only 18 have to hit the target. 

Up to this date, there are no cases in Kansas involving questionable use of deadly force with a conceal carry permit holder.  The first permit was issued Jan. 3 2007.  Nearly 20,000 permits have been issued state wide.

Cities and counties regulate open carry.    Merriam is an open carry city. Very few others are.  There is no conceal carry in Illinois and Wisconsin.  There are no permits required for Vermont and Alaska. There were 504 murders in Chicago.  Kansas is a shall issue state, meaning if you pass all the hoops, you WILL or shall get a permit.

If you do get a Kansas Conceal Carry permit, you're a real law abiding person.  Don't lie on the paperwork you're going to submit to the Sheriff's Office.  They will charge you with a felony.  Expunged records ARE checked.  Domestic violence conviction is a disqualifier, so are a couple of DUI conviction, behind on child support, don't apply, and the list goes on and on.

Police don't have a problem with the conceal and carry permit holders, for the reasons above, they are law abiding.  The permit looks just like your drivers license,  in fact you go down to the motor vehicle to get it on an approval letter from the AG, currently Steve Six.

Spree shooters target gun free zones.  Virginia Tech, Omaha Mall shooting, Columbine, military bases----yes military bases, few guns allowed!   Criminals don't care much to adhere by the rules of the gunbuster signs. 

Brandishing a weapon is a crime.  Deadly force can only be met with deadly force.  Kansas, as well as many other states have removed the "Duty to Retreat"  statute from dwellings and vehicles, and everywhere for that matter.  A permit holder CANNOT escalate a disagreement, full well knowing that they are armed and the person they are having the disagreement with is not. 

I would have liked to see an "attorney" part of the class, fielding questions from applicants regarding, say, recent events which have happened and the justification or not, on whether a victim would have been able to use deadly force to protect themselves.  For that reason, I'm scheduling a session with a criminal defense attorney for that very purpose.

If you're involved in a shooting, two things:  call 911 and ask for an ambulance for the perpetrator, never say you shot them, only say you  used enough force to thwart what he was doing.  Of course if they play 20 questions with you it will come out to that but calling for an ambulance shows a reverence for life, plus it is recorded, and you will hear it again.  Do not talk to the police, comply with demands, they are not your friends, many people have talked their way into jail, call the attorney first.   This very post could come back to visit me!

A 9mm is nice to have.  90% of all shootings are survivable.  .45 is a stopper.  Once the threat has passed or is traveling away from you, you cannot use deadly force. 

A Kansas permit has reciprocity with Mo. Tx, Okla, Co, Fla. Ut, Ark, and a bunch of others.  Iowa is NOT currently on that list.  Illinois and Wi have strict transport laws.

Being from another country, the AG wants a copy of your citizenship papers, passport, and birth certificate.  Office Depot, Max and others, will NOT make exact copies of such, making the process that much more difficult, they're worried about terrorists and fraud!  Pay the Lady (PTL) extra and she'll do it, but then the AG wonders how you produced those  really nice color copies. 

A Glock 30SF (slim frame) carries 11 rounds 10+1 and its a .45.  A Kahr PM9,  8, 7+1, both excellent, small weapons.   A CZ 97b is a very reliable large (.45) weapon. 

Be aware, don't underestimate the power of surprise.  If you're at the ATM or drive through lane or at a light and someone is coming at you with a deadly weapon........it's justifiably  on?

Practice, practice, practice,  one hand shooting, weak hand shooting, draw, etc.  The best gun control is a well placed shot. Know your weapon in the dark.  In a panic situation, past training is automatic.     

 

                                      

 

What a guy, what a story, what a swindler, what an amount, $50 billion, and what an impressive amount of time he was able to pull it off, in spite of  credible warnings to the SEC.

I just got done watching an impressive cnn.reports show on this guy and the impact he had on the people he swindled out.  Millionaires who put ALL their money in his hands, against their common sense, all because they trusted him, and he was "family" and blah blah blah. 

Greed is probably a part of it, on both parts.

Lack of oversight is a contributing factor, on the SEC's part.

But mostly, he's my hero because people blindly trusted him with their money.   And when they decided to cash in, there wasn't any money because it's a Ponzi Scheme.  No one can cash out.  All people had to do was call his 3 person accounting firm that never answered the phone.  And one of those 3 had been retired or dead for a number of years.

A 3 person accounting firm for $50 billion.    Hillarious!

Blind trust,  In God we Trust,   everyone else--------cash only.  Oh btw, God doesn't need the cash, she owns everything anyway. 

Mayor, Football, Economy, Crime rate, and weather it's worth taking a look at.

The mayorial situation is close but KC has to win out.  Funky's a funny guy full of drama, and  national laughing stock but Kwame Kilpatrick clearly has him beat.  The K man is going to prison for attempting to fire a couple of police officers assigned to his protection who blew the lid on his affair with an aide.  The cops their job back and a nice settlement to boot, Kwame's text messages were public fodder for a while and he's headed off to prison for a minimum stay of several years. 

Football.  At 0-14, the Lions are perfect.   The Chiefs could easily be perfect had Denver with it's 3-0 record when it showed been worthy of it.  And the other win against Oakland was more of an Oakland give-away.  Faking a field goal that would have tied it?  The Chiefs rally last Sunday to lose against the Bolt's was classic.  Miami has too much to play for today to let the cold weather influence them, and the Lions will put up a Herculean effort today to thwart a perfect season.  In spite of the records, I give this one a tie.

Economy, Detroit's namesake, the Motor City, is tanking, the billions will only delay the inevitable.  90 days of throwing billions into the money pit won't erase 40 years of  "they'll buy what we build."   The tax base is shot, the middle class of all races has fled.  KC has a diverse economy, rail, tech, trade, financial, law, and engineering.  Hands down KC

Crime, a tough one until I read (yahoo news 12/20) that the criminals in Detroit  actually WANT to return to prison because its heated, health care, a bed, and food is all provided free.  What a reverse rehabilitation concept they have up there in Detroit:,  criminals committing crimes because it's sooo bad in the community that they get a better deal in prison!    KC has its catch and release program for EVERYONE,  and the prosecutors office, with the results they've been producing, would seem that it is run by buffoons, and the murder rate really jumped, but it's got to be worse in Detroit.

Weather, no way, how do all those economically challenged folks pay for heating in a winter like they're having?  Pot  holes, rusted out new cars, infrastructure collapse. KC again.

KC vs Detroit, it has got to be the reason people on both lanes of the highway look at a bad traffic accident:  Man, I'm glad it that's not me. 

 

This fix will help homeowners, home sellers, home buyers, bank lenders, institutionalized banks such as AIG, the auto industry, the entire mortgage industry, people about to be foreclosed, and the current glut of unsold homes.

And it is a simple one. 

Simply have Fannie and Freddie Mac, federal bailout benefactors, offer up Mortgage loans at 4.5% fixed for two years.  This would give people time

For current owners not in trouble it may save them $200-1,000 on their mortgage per month.
For lenders and institutionalized banks, they will collect millions in fees on the refinances by homeowners who can actually afford to refi.  They can then be sold as useful worthwhile securities to free up even more money.  Most fees can be rolled in based on LTV.
For home sellers, they will be able to expand their market.
Home buyers:  easier to qualify, plenty of homes to choose from
Auto industry, and the economy in general:  This(the mortgage industry) is what has artificially propped up the economy from 2002-2008.  Why not have it propped up with real money.
People about to be foreclosed, a very high percentage will be able to stay in their homes.
No additional stimulus package would be needed.  The money savings per month going into the economy would exponentially multiply itself as it did from 2002-2008.

The lenders at 4.5% wouldn't lose money on such a low rate.  For one, most or all of the money is government money, and secondly, mortgage loans are front loaded with interest.  Check out any amortization schedule.  Better than half of the people who own homes stay in them 7 years and move on.  Most of the payment for the 1st 10 years is loaded with interest.  Equity is built up on rising values.  

With the cost of the money for buying a house,(interest) exceeding the cost of the house and the land, coupled with a shrinking jobs economy unable to sustain price value of current houses in many markets, without offering mortgage relief to all, the country is headed for a  depression.

It doesn't apply to those who have paid off their house! 

US officials told India to watch out for a maritime attack on Mumbai about 2 months before it happened.  

Indian officials acknowledge they were told................................twice!

OOOOOOppps!

 

Not to worry, banking officials here were told of impeding doom in the Mortgage industry in 2005 and 2006, and told higher ups exactly what would happen as it unfolds today.

In 2000 the FBI figured out that Middle East nationals were learning to fly but not to land!  It is well documented how unheeded the pre terrorist warnings were. 

There's an airplane mechanic working in Offut AFB in Omaha telling us of below standard work and aging planes not fit for flying.   He will be ignored or fired, people again, will die.   In retrospect it will all come out. 

 

It's the same everywhere!

As Bob Stepanich reports, hunting "accidents" are increasing.  Seems the deer are coming out on top against the humans in this hunting thing going on.

And rightfully so.  Stupidity has no limits.  Take a gun or hunting class, or even a conceal and carry class, and you'll quickly realize there is no such thing as an accident. 

Guns malfunction all the time, but it is no accident that they kill.  Drop them on the floor, yes, they will go off.  Don't put yourself in a position to drop them, secure them.  Put them under your car seat and brake real hard and watch them fly all over the car.  Store them pointing at you, or within reach of an 8 year old. 

Put them in your purse, your pant pocket, whatever, and try to grab them real quick, by the trigger and see what happens.  That kid shot himself last week in his car in the upper thigh "adjusting" his gun.  Hilarious!  

Put your finger on the trigger when you have your target in sight.  Other than that, put your finger on the frame of the gun.

Hunters kill each other ALL the time.  "Oh I thought he was a deer!"  People don't look anything like a deer, even the humans wearing the puffy white tail hats!   Those hunters need to apply for the NFL school of officiating, instant replay division.  Because even with instant replay, and time to review, and ask your buddies, they still can't get it right.   Those mistaken identities aren't accidents,  even if the humans were  wearing a 4 legged deer outfit and got shot it wouldn't be an accident. 

Bottom line, a gun is a tool, as is a welder or acetylene torch, used wrong, without the safety rules, or by the untrained, and there will be a bit of grief.

Signs don't seem to work either.  Columbine, Omaha Mall, Post Offices, Virginia Tech, all had signs for the criminals NOT to bring their guns.   They might work great for the law abiding, but the spree shooters know they won't be stopped in such a venue, until they take out as many as they intended to. 

 

As Bob Stepanich reports, hunting "accidents" are increasing.  Seems the deer are coming out on top against the humans in this hunting thing going on.

And rightfully so.  Stupidity has no limits.  Take a gun or hunting class, or even a conceal and carry class, and you'll quickly realize there is no such thing as an accident. 

Guns malfunction all the time, but it is no accident that they kill.  Drop them on the floor, yes, they will go off.  Don't put yourself in a position to drop them, secure them.  Put them under your car seat and brake real hard and watch them fly all over the car.  Store them pointing at you, or within reach of an 8 year old. 

Put them in your purse, your pant pocket, whatever, and try to grab them real quick, by the trigger and see what happens.  That kid shot himself last week in his car in the upper thigh "adjusting" his gun.  Hilarious!  

Put your finger on the trigger when you have your target in sight.  Other than that, put your finger on the frame of the gun.

Hunters kill each other ALL the time.  "Oh I thought he was a deer!"  People don't look anything like a deer, even the humans wearing the puffy white tail hats!   Those hunters need to apply for the NFL school of officiating, instant replay division.  Because even with instant replay, and time to review, and ask your buddies, they still can't get it right.   Those mistaken identities aren't accidents,  even if the humans were  wearing a 4 legged deer outfit and got shot it wouldn't be an accident. 

Bottom line, a gun is a tool, as is a welder or acetylene torch, used wrong, without the safety rules, or by the untrained, and there will be a bit of grief.

Signs don't seem to work either.  Columbine, Omaha Mall, Post Offices, Virginia Tech, all had signs for the criminals NOT to bring their guns.   They might work great for the law abiding, but the spree shooters know they won't be stopped in such a venue, until they take out as many as they intended to. 

 

About the 700b bailout that is.  Today, 11/12, Henry Paulson,  Federal Reserve Director announced that  they would NOT be buying illiquid assets from banks as a result of toxic mortgages, for which it was originally intended for.

And voted for by the majority at that time.   Nancy Pelosi is thinking about giving away 25b or so to the Big 3  carmakers.   So they can lose it all that much more quicker  on the same models GM is losing 2billion a month on.   Ford is right behind them and I don't know what Daimler-Chrysler is doing.   Studebaker, American Motors, and Packard, long dead horses have also applied for the free government give-aways. (not really)  But American Express, the credit card company will be turning itself into a holding bank so it can get in on the bail out bucks.  Really, no joke here! 

To qualify for mortgage help some of the rules there are:  1) owner occupied,  2) 90 days in arrears on the mortgage, upside down or underwater in the mortgage, and payment not to exceed 38% of  gross income.  Well, if it's that bad, you've got one foot hanging over the edge and the other on a banana peel! 

So, as it turns out, they voted themselves a 700b or 850b bailout, because they had to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, to make themselves feel good, and no idea on how to administer the program or who to administer it to.   And there was all that relief after it was voted in approval.  Why? 

All those reps and Senators who voted for this fiasco have some explaining to do to their constituents, all those voting against...kudos.    If only the voting public could remember which is which.

It is still not to late to sell.  It's going down further.  660pts since Monday!

This Friday the consumer sales activity for October will be released.  It is going to be a bad one causing huge losses, or actually, more huge losses in the Stock Market and related funds.

Yes,  it can go lower.   Selling may lock in your losses but also can prevent further losses.

No one is buying cars, 1.2 million jobs lost since Nov. 1.  and since then nearly 50,000 more jobs lost.  Xmas season is already predicted as dismal--Circuit City already pulling out before their busy season starts, same with DHL express, slashing 9500 jobs. 

Another $1800 or $2k check......will only delay the inevitable for most. 

Nebraska's drop off law extends to 18 years old.  Brilliant!   So now they have seen  parents dropping off 17 year olds with impunity at the hospital or fire station.

And they're driving a long way to boot.  One mother from Detroit, another from the Atlanta area.  One father dropped his entire family off. 

Of course they'll reduce the age limit because in the lawmakers infinite wisdom they have miscalculated the  parents resolve in "raising" their children.

I do wonder though.....what do you suppose the parent(s) are saying to missy and junior in the car as they make the long car trek to:  Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island, etc.?

How do they trick them into going, and STAYING at the Hospital and fire station?  Final goodbye's?  Good Riddance?  CYA!  I told You So?  You should have listened? 

So, in the interest of gun safety, since there's one out in the open at all times in the high chance carjack vehicle, the one with the really nice chrome wheels, I take my 17 year old princess to the bullet hole in OP on Robinson. 

And I bring the Colt revolver and semi-auto 7 shot 9mm conceal and carry Kahr PM9.

And she says:   Dad, aren't you going to lock up the Ferrari, someone could mess with it.   Nah, did you forget,  everyone's packing around here.  This place never gets robbed, either!

So I tell princess:  "I'm really not trying to hold your hand or anything but just so it doesn't get away from you, since you've never shot, I really don't want you trying to hold on and shoot while you're trying to get a grip as it gets away from you."   And of course, I warn her about the flying shells coming at your eyes!  So that's what the eye protection is for, she mutters!  

Yesterday, in Massachussetts.  That exact thing happened.  An 8 year old has an Uzi no less, get away from him and as he's trying to get a grip--it shoots away even more, and the weapon travels up and shoots him in the head.   Under adult supervision!   WTF!  Beer included in this outing?   Can't imagine going home to the wife after that father-son adventure.

 

 

A while back I asked the question:  when is it legal for a citizen to shoot in self defense?  I could count on the typical blogger answers but  a recent case in Mo. has shed an enormous amount of light on the question.

Mr Saldiva, from Iowa goes to a bar, gets rowdy, announces to everyone he has a gun.  It must be concealed because no one can see it.   One of the patrons tells him "he really doesn't have to be that way or behave like that." 
This agitates Mr. Saldiva and he threatens to shoot this patron.  Reaches into his trousers where this gun might be and is shot and killed by this patron as he reaches for his weapon.  The patron has a conceal and carry permit.
The County prosecutor in this case rules self defense, on the basis that anyone who believes deadly force will be used has a right to defend himself and will not prosecute for murder.

The dead man's wife is upset because she now believes someone got away with murder and is looking toward other legal circles and opinions to seek justice.

Clearly these points are raised:  Announcing you have a gun in a bar which turns out to be concealed puts you in grave danger.   It also labels you a moron.

Threatening someone after making such an announcement is tantamount to suicide.  A cop would have done the same thing and it is commonly referred to as suicide by cop.

In the past 2 weeks a local guy was followed back from the casino and robbed in his garage at 126th and Nall, and at 79th & I-35 @ the Q-Trip someone else really wanted that Tahoe with the chrome 22's.  I brought these instances up to a cop hanging at the liquor store Tuesday  and asked him:  If I carry  my loaded Glock 9mm on a holster on the passenger console of that Ferrari 512 with the really nice wheels outside, can I be tagged for a weapons violation.  And he said no you cannot.  The statute reads concealed.  You can wear it out in the open if you want to.  You should not be a convicted felon btw.  Once you procure your conceal and carry you can hide it anywhere. 

Clearly an incentive to burn off a Saturday for the 8 hour class in today's times. 

3 bodies dead in the street over the last two evenings in the KCMO midtown area.   Around 105 murders for the year in KC for the year.   Not much prevention by the police, and by this I mean randomly stopping citizens walking, driving down those very streets.  Granted it's dangerous work and they ALL have guns.  But what else to do?  Clean up the carnage?

Makes you want to go to Westport or the super safe P&L district, where shootings are at a minimum, and have no chance of leaking over from the rest of the city.

Thoughts on the bailout.

700 billion, then another 250 billion for the banks 10 days later, because Europe rescued their banks.  That's about a trillion borrowed bucks.

The people voting for the bailout  could not have read and understood everything in it.  It is several inches thick of paper, and there aren't very many pictures!  They were under the impression they had to do "something,anything!"

Why not let the instituionalized banks fail like personal bankruptcies, and use the trillion to start over with new banks and personnel managing them.  It's like going back to the same plastic surgeon to fix his screw up.  If he was trying real hard the first time, why would the second visit have a better outcome.  Same thing here.

Still no mention of the 53 trillion in unfunded Federal liabilities, a prime reason the bailout will fail.

The aforementioned 1 trillion bailout was to  help free up the credit markets.  Somethings wrong here.  They want people to BORROW  more money they don't have to get the economy going?   The only thing that could possibly lead to is more foreclosings and personal bankruptcies. 

The stock market is down another 300 points today, largely on news on the decline on consumer consumption.   Not only are the consumers tapped out, and their 401k's beaten down, there is no confidence either.   Paul Volcker has determined the U.S. is in a recession.  About 5 months too late!  Next will come inflation because of the soon to be devalued dollars.  Inflation rate of 1982 soon to follow

The next president will be a one-term President because of all this.  I don't care who it is, it really won't make a difference.  Florida votes, as usual, won't count in this election this time around either.  

Buy land.

 

 

Referring to the $700b bailout.  A very sad bi-partisan effort to do something, anything, based on fear warnings sent by the wallstreet physicists that no one understands.

After watching "60 minutes" dissect the problem last night, it could very well fail based on two key points.  1)  the total exposure could be as high as 11 trillion dollars, and if so, the 700b won't come close to touching the problem.  2)  The total figure IS unknown because of  "swap" policies  sold to back up the toxic mortgages acting as insurance for these securities but couldn't officially be called insurance because then it would be regulated.

So the unregulated "swap" policies could bring the financial houses down even further.

The LIBOR index,  currently an unknown acronym for most, will move to the forefront of American conscience.

IF the bailout was a serious effort, it wouldn't be laden with pork.   100 million for Nascar tracks, 60 mill for the wooden arrow industry, and 220 million for the Valdez Alaska affected by the Exxon oil spill.  What a joke.

Those of us in recession proof jobs:   utilites, government, health care, energy, oil, infrastructure power plants, maintenance,  defense, some landlords with paid off rental houses, the food industry, and others, should be ok in the current recession, it is the recession affected jobs where the most misery will be affected:  new auto sales,  retail, clothing, etc.