A Short

Mark - trailer tenant - I was discussing with him my intention of getting a 12 gauge shotgun.

He asked the following: "Do you really want to shoot a bunch of kids, even if it is legal to do so?"

"Anthony is 18 years old, not  a kid anymore.  But to answer your question, no.  Unless they had a weapon, I wouldn't shoot a teenager.  It's their relatives/extended family - several of those people I would shoot in a heartbeat" .............. since, they would shoot me in same-said manner if given the opportunity in such circumstances. 

I feel that people that don't have any value associated with human life should go before me,l; if the situation is forced and I have to defend my life.  I have numerous problems right now - but I don't look at my life or someone else's as worthless shit.  Well, maybe a few someone else's (think Osama bin Laden type of people) , but for the vast majority of people, not. 

I would not have a problem head butting them with the barrel of the shotgun - concerning those kids - or sticking them with a club or baseball bat in a non-lethal manner, but killing them, probably not.  These kids think it's perfectly acceptable to just walk right into a person's home, find whatever is appealing to them, take it and walk out with it.

They do THAT in a home with a person that has a gun and doesn't know them, they might have a serious problem on their hands. 

I bid on an auction today for a Mossberg - a basic version, single barrel.  $135.  Ignorance not aside, I realized that it's the same as eBay and even more.  Shipping costs and they can't ship to individuals, they have to ship to licensed dealers.  Who knows what a dealer around here will charge to receive the item.  I - unfortunately - had the winning bid until right up before the auction ended, when some other person outbid me and I sighed a hugh sigh of relief.  For that money, I could buy the brand new thing I saw at Walmart today and be very happy to have it. 

I will be visiting local pawn shops tomorrow and gun dealers as well looking for whatever I can find.  Perhaps I will lower my sights and go with a single barrel.  Anything that can stop a person in their tracks that has ideas of inflicting harm is better than nothing. 

Look, folks, I am concerned - my safety, my son's safety, tenants.  I don't need the fear of being unarmed if something happens.  I do have a .22 rifle sitting in my closet - they didn't take that - but a 22 doesn't really have much stopping power.  A 12 gauge shotgun at close range is simply aim in the general direction and pull the trigger.  I live in a big city with too many people that could care less whether you live or die. 

That's it.  It won't be long and you'll be reading about my new/used - shotgun. 

Amazing

At work today, it suddenly occured to me that in my closet is a complete tool set.  I never even checked to see if it was taken as well.  I was sorta worried about that one, when I got home I found the entire set intact. I imagine carrying that much weight might not have been on their minds.  In fact, from what I could see, they really just wanted that old revolver and found all my change to throw in the mix.  

Not much else of any great value in there, I guess they thought they were going to find a gold mine, it's really just my space to keep people out of my things.

I went to WalMart today looking for a 12 gauge shotgun.  They had a nice one for $177.  Single barrel, though.  I sorta want a double barrel, side by side and pump action.  They had an even cheaper one for $117, but it only holds one round of ammo at a time.  I went to the pawn shop's site - they have sold out everything but expect more next week. 

I was at a Mexican restaurant named Someburro's today.  The one I normally go to - when I do visit - is in Tempe.  Been going there for years and years.  When you order, you can ask for free chips and salsa while you're waiting.  It's a small container of chips and a squirt bottle filled with salsa.  Great stuff.  Doesn't matter if you're dining in or take-out they will give it to you.

Perhaps you already guessed it.  I was at their location in Gilbert - I have never been in this store.  I ordered my usual fare and then asked for the free chips and salsa.  The man behind the counter tells me mine is a to-go order and they don't give out free chips and salsa unless you are dining in.  I replied that their original, main location has been giving out free chips and salsa to WHOEVER - WHENEVER they asked for it.  "Well, where is THAT store at?", apparently thinking I was making this up.  I'm thinking, what possible differences does it make if I'm dining in or taking out, I'm paying the SAME price for the food either way.

I simply informed him I would have to make a phone call on that one.  Yes, I made a phone call.  Got the district manager's number, left a message.  When I left, I saw the name above the door that same person being the general manager of this store.  I called the store number.  This manager profusely apologized, asked me my name, told me I could have a free lunch or dinner on her the next time I was in.  "Well, can I get the free chips and salsa, too?"  Of course!  She then informed me this man was wrong and that she would be bringing it up at the next manager's meeting and, of course, inform this individual at the counter of his error.

Thank you.  I never got nasty with anyone, no sour tones, just kept a cheerful presence and - it gets me a free lunch.  But I really wanted those chips and salsa!! They are some of the best around! 

I was looking at 12 gauge shotguns at Walmart today.  They had a decent one for $177.00.  I'm going to be a well armed invidual and soon.  When the S hits the fan with Anthony and a warrant for his arrest, I have no doubt in my mind that the extended family will somehow justify exacting vengeance, even though HE is the one that came into my house and stole all of that stuff.  I can't really afford one right now, but I can't afford not to have one.  A shotgun is a powerful, intimidating weapon.  It's great for home defense.  If I do get one, the only drawback is I won't be able to leave it here.  I will have to take it in the car with me whenever I leave for fear the thing will be stolen.  THIS is why I cannot have Anthony running around, free to do whatever he pleases. 

Well, there are no laws here against carrying whatever kind of weapon of your choice with you, in your car, wherever.  In fact, the laws seem to progressively get more and more lenient.  I just don't really like the idea of having to lug that kind of weapon around all over the place.  I could get a handgun, and honestly, I want one of those, too, but I prefer the stopping power of a gun that will basically blow your head off.  I have no qualms shooting someone in my home if they have a weapon pointed at me.  I'm going to start reading up on AZ law and home self-defense.  This isn't Texas, where you can just shoot people for the mere fact of attempting to break in your house.  You have to feel, if I remember correctly, that yours or someone else's life is in danger before using deadly force.  The question I have is - let's say 4 people come in your house. They aren't armed but it's 4 against 1.  Is the use of deadly force, inside your house, allowable?  Apparently, each state has it's own laws concerning such. 

Uhh, wow.  Quite a range.  I have the right to threaten to use or use deadly force in my home in "A. A person commits burglary in the second degree by entering or remaining unlawfully in or on a residential structure with the intent to commit any theft or any felony therein.


B. Burglary in the second degree is a class 3 felony.
 and
"13-1508. Burglary in the first degree; classification


13-411. Justification; use of force in crime prevention; applicability




A. A person is justified in threatening or using both physical force and deadly physical force against another if and to the extent the person reasonably believes that physical force or deadly physical force is immediately necessary to prevent the other's commission of arson of an occupied structure under section 13-1704, burglary in the second or first degree under section 13-1507 or 13-1508, kidnapping under section 13-1304, manslaughter under section 13-1103, second or first degree murder under section 13-1104 or 13-1105, sexual conduct with a minor under section 13-1405, sexual assault under section 13-1406, child molestation under section 13-1410, armed robbery under section 13-1904 or aggravated assault under section 13-1204, subsection A, paragraphs 1 and 2.

B. There is no duty to retreat before threatening or using physical force or deadly physical force justified by subsection A of this section.

C. A person is presumed to be acting reasonably for the purposes of this section if the person is acting to prevent the commission of any of the offenses listed in subsection A of this section.

D. This section is not limited to the use or threatened use of physical or deadly physical force in a person's home, residence, place of business, land the person owns or leases, conveyance of any kind, or any other place in this state where a person has a right to be.





A. A person commits burglary in the first degree if such person or an accomplice violates the provisions of either section 13-1506 or 13-1507 and knowingly possesses explosives, a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument in the course of committing any theft or any felony.



B. Burglary in the first degree of a nonresidential structure or a fenced commercial or residential yard is a class 3 felony. It is a class 2 felony if committed in a residential structure. "



Anthony, Drey and Darnell were committing burglarly in the 2cd degree.  Well, anyway, it's obvious this state give broad and wide ranging liberties to defend yourself, your home and even others whether in the home or not. 

Interesting.

Well, I'm done with this one, sort of.  Another hot weekend: 109 tomorrow and Sunday.  Fall officially starts on Wednesday.  I hope the temperatures are in line with that.

ben

Friday

Tonight shall prove interesting. My son is still pretty much infuriated with these kids stealing our stuff - my Playstation 3 but a lot of the accessories he had bought with his own money. I don't play the thing, to be honest, I lost interest in video games once Nintendo 64 was done away with and all this new-fangled junk came out. I still think Nintendo 64 was and is the best of the bunch.


I just told him to not get himself into trouble, he has no criminal record and doesn't need at a juncture in his life when he's getting close to adulthood and getting a good start on it.

I left JD another message last night- thought I'd try one more time even if it's a 99% probability that they won't bring my stuff back. I simply wrote that I have a CD with thier faces (not JD's) on it and I am turning it over to the police today unless they bring the stuff back. Is there anything TO bring back? Dunno. I have this feeling that they are using my Playstation 3 to access the internet. The only way to find that out is to find out where they are staying and have police visit them.

I was in a pawn shop yesterday, first looking for my stolen gun. The guy said if that kind of gun had come in there, he would have remembered it. Yes, it is pretty unique gun. Second looking for a 12 gauge, side-by-side, pump action shotgun. Yes, they sell guns, but no, you can't buy them in the store, you have to go to an online auction where they have all of their guns listed.

Makes sense. Keeping a bunch of guns on display probably isn't the safest thing to do if someone is inclined to rob the store. Booming business that place, always has been but even more so now - people are pawning everything trying to make ends meet. There are only a couple of pawn shops within a "reasonable" distance of the neighborhood I am living in. Saying that because those people aren't going to be able to get very far to go ahead and pawn a gun. I have one more I am going to check today.

I am keeping the pressure up - those kids know I am patrolling an area of about a square mile looking for Drey, Anthony or any of their family walking around as to locate them. Police have no idea where those kids live, I have to help myself out here. They have a cousin that lives 2 streets over and they have some other relative that lives - somewhere just east of me in the same neighborhood. If I drive around long enough, sooner or later it's going to pay off.

Darnell, of course, knows where they're at - Caleb will be "asking" him about that if he sees him.

It's Friday, the weekend is almost here and that makes me incredibly happy. I am back to trying to rent out the room now that I have that room virtually completed. I have had a few responses, but, I will keep plugging along with it. One guy called yesterday thinking it was the perfect place for him until he realized how far away it is from where he works. Nix on that one.

It's always a challenge to get a new person in my house, renting out a room, this will be no different.

The only thing I am considering, as I said yesterday, is letting the trailer tenants have that room - if they are willing to pay more - and then find someone else for the trailer, raising the weekly rate while I'm at it. Mark can oversee that individual, whoever it may be. In fact, Mark could probably find the next person to live in there since he knows all kinds of these people - and who can be trusted and who can't.

Seriously considering it, still haven't made a decision on it and frankly, I don't know if they even want it. I just made the comment the other day that I would just as soon leave it empty for now, or not rent it out and he immediately asked what I was going to do with it. It seemed evident that they would like to get out of that trailer - but - the price is going up to move into that room.

Nothing in the truck routing system to do today. Bummer. First time this week that there isn't at least something to do in there.

Well, time is up and I'm outta here.

G'day.

ben