GUNS: Attacker with a knife … gets to change his shorts?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_21155766-d172-5cf3-8425-f047f2692a66.html?TNNoMobile

‘Drop it, or I’ll shoot you’
Tim Patterson stepped in when attacker held knife to woman’s throat
Posted: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 12:15 am | Updated: 11:53 pm, Tue Dec 6, 2011.
By BILL BULEY/Staff writer | 38 comments

*** begin quote ***

COEUR d’ALENE – Tim Patterson has no doubts he would have pulled the trigger.

He’s glad he didn’t have to.

But when a woman is being attacked by a man with a knife, Patterson says he’ll do what must be done.

“If he had not stopped what he was doing,” he says, his voice fading. “He came very close to dying. Really, really close.”

Monday afternoon was another normal day of cooking burgers and fries and hot dogs and Philly cheesesteaks for Tim and Debbie Patterson.

Then, about 2 p.m., they heard a scream.

Tim rushed out the back door of The Big Yellow mobile kitchen at the corner of Harrison and Fourth. He looked around the Goodwill parking lot full of cars, and heard another scream. Then, he heard a woman’s voice.

“Let go of me,” it shrieked.

Patterson charged around a car and stopped. A man had a woman’s head pulled back with one hand, and a knife to her throat with the other.

Patterson didn’t hesitate.

He drew his Kimber 1911 .45 with a six-shot clip.

“Drop it, or I’ll shoot you,” he shouted.

The assailant, wearing a hoodie that covered his face, glanced up. He immediately let go of the woman, dropped the knife, raised his arms in the air and fled.

*** end quote ***

“Victim disarmament is the view that it is somehow better to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.” — T.D. Melrose

I’d like to read more stories like this. I’d imagine that bad guy had to return home for an “E quip ment change” (i.e., shorts).

An armed citizen exercising civic duty. The police can NOT be everywhere. In fact, we need “sheepdogs” mixed in the flock to keep the “wolves” guessing. Like this one today, he guessed wrong.

A measured response. He didn’t just drill him. But was ready too. imho, he was in a morally defensible place if he did. That woman was in the criminal’s “kill zone” (i.e., her vitals were within knife range). Don’t know what “the law” is there, but who cares. You have to ook yourself in the mirror in the morning.

(Personally, I like to use the “Mother” test. Would you be proud to tell your Mom what you did? I can envision an imaginary conversation. Mother: “What did you do today son?” Me: “Mom, I saved a woman’s life, but I had to kill a man to do it.” Mother: “Well, if you were sure there was no other way, a man has to do what he has to do. I’m proud of you.”)

p.s. Note, like a good well-trained gun owner, that he obviously is, to recreate the situation for the news photographer, he did NOT draw his weapon. It would have made the photo more dramatic. But it’s a tool; not a toy. Accidents happen when you use tools for “dramatic effect”. Watch when politicians do it. They’re <synonym for the act of procreation in real time> dangerous. When you draw your weapon, it’s for a specific purpose. To threaten the use of deadly force in order to stop a felony. If you’re doing that and an accident happens, well <synonym for excrement> happens. But you don’t do it for reasons as trivial as making a better picture.

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SURVIVAL: What you have on you, and with you, may be all you ever have to survive?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

http://www.adn.com/2011/12/02/2200054/stranded-nome-man-survives-3-days.html

Stranded Nome man survives 3 days in cold
THREE DAYS: Rescuers found pickup stuck in snow near Nome.
By KYLE HOPKINS Anchorage Daily News
Published: December 3rd, 2011 07:08 PM
Last Modified: December 6th, 2011 09:41 AM

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Normally Vial carries a sleeping bag, extra gasoline and other survival gear in the 2000 Toyota, he said. But on this trip he had few supplies, no food and no water. Even his dogs, a pair of labs that usually accompany him on drives, stayed home.

*** end quote ***

What you have on you, and with you, may be all you ever have to survive?

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RANT: Irresistible silliness is the whole “trial”

Saturday, December 10, 2011

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Whistling-donkey-traffic-violations-leaves-Irish-courts-in-fits-of-laughter-134896463.html

Whistling donkey traffic violations leaves Irish courts in fits of laughter

Judge left speechless by shaggy dog story

By DARA KELLY, IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, December 2, 2011, 8:05 AM

Updated Friday, December 2, 2011, 8:05 AM

*** begin quote ***

An outbreak of irresistible silliness left a presiding judge, the local police officers, attorneys and even the defendant himself in tears of laughter at the Dingle District Court in County Kerry at the weekend.

According to The Kerryman the unexpected outbreak of hilarity began as they listened to a completely unlikely series of events that led to three road traffic charges being brought against a man.

Dingle street entertainer Deaglan O’Muiris had originally been stopped by Irish police officer Frank Scanlon, who described to the country court the scene when he pulled the busker over for driving with four bald tires.

*** and ***

Mann added that after being stopped by police officer Scanlon, O’Muiris had immediately paid $470.00 for four new tires for the van.

Police officer Scanlon acknowledged that the tires had been satisfactorily replaced and informed the judge the donkey has also been retired for the winter season.

The defendant was then given until May of 2012 to pay $400.00 to the court poor box to avoid a conviction for the bald tire offenses.

*** end quote ***

Argh!

So why does the poor Mundane have to pay another 400$?

If he had caused an accident due to bald tires, then he’d have had to make restitution.

BUT, under the “no victim = no crime”, why was this fellow accosted and robbed by a “highwayman”?

The donkey was the smartest in the room!!!

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TECHNOLOGY: ATT starts Throttling

Saturday, December 10, 2011

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/3876/64/

*** begin quote ***

AT T Starts Throttling Heavy iPhone Data Users on Unlimited Plans (Image courtesy of TipB.com) Earlier this year AT T indicated that they’d begin to throttle customers in the top 5 percent (content/view/3748/64/) of data users that are on unlimited plans. This won’t affect anyone that is on a newer tiered pricing plan, but could be unwelcome for customers that stuck with AT T because they were locked into unlimited service. However, if you don’t use a lot of data then there’s probably nothing you need to worry about. You’ll know right away if you’ve used to much data because AT T will send you a text that reads Your data usage is among the top 5 percent of users. Data speeds for the rest of your current bill cycle may be reduced.†In AT T’s original announcement this plan would only effect jailbreakers using third party software through Cydia. Related Links: AT T Starts to Throttle Wireless Users This Week (content/view/3748/64/) AT T Kills Unlimited 3G Data for iPad iPhone (content/view/3234/64/)

*** end quote ***

Guess “unlimited” ain’t so “unlimited”.

And I’m sure the FCC, FTC, DOJ, and all the politicians ‘n’ bureaucrats will be right on this.

(To get paid off by the regulatee!)

Argh!

I wouldn’t buy AT&T anything. Not that the other ISPs are much better. But, changing the rules after the contract is signed.

Where’s Judge Judy?

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SERVICE: SKYPE ng on mifi

Friday, December 9, 2011

201112092220.jpg

Huh!?!

What’s going on?

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FUN: Do all country music stars …

Friday, December 9, 2011

Do all country music stars …

(Now, I have the TV on the various “country” music channels. And, from time to time, usually when I’m waiting for the computer to respond, I look at the “stills”. — Hmmm, TV has capable of continuous video since its inception. Why put up basically a bad powerpoint deck (i.e., a series of badly designed composite pictures) with the music? — and made an observation?

… have blue eyes?

Or blue contacts?

Yeah, I know get a life!

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TECHNOLOGY: Microsoft Can Remotely Kill Purchased Apps

Friday, December 9, 2011

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/12/09/0046230/microsoft-can-remotely-kill-purchased-apps

Microsoft Can Remotely Kill Purchased Apps

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday December 08, @09:54PM

from the killing-distance dept.

Meshach writes “The terms of service for Microsoft’s newly launched Windows Store allows the seller to remotely kill or remove access to a user’s apps for security or legal reasons. The story also notes that MS states purchases are responsible for backing up the data that you store in apps that you acquire via the Windows Store, including content you upload using those apps. If the Windows Store, an app, or any content is changed or discontinued, your data could be deleted or you may not be able to retrieve data you have stored.”

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Better you than me!

I won’t be buying any apps in the MICROSOFT app store. And, neither should anyone.

Sorry, best way to “help them understand” that this is unacceptable is to boycott!

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RANT: FDA-approved hangover pill

Friday, December 9, 2011

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/cheers-fda-approved-hangover-pill-promises-edge-holiday-partying-article-1.986338

Cheers! FDA-approved hangover pill promises to take edge off holiday partying
Over-the-counter cocktail beats hair of the dog
BY Nicole Lyn Pesce NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, December 3 2011, 2:56 PM

*** begin quote ***

A new FDA-approved hangover cure has hit the market just in time for holiday party season.

“So many people see hangovers as a shameful or embarrassing thing. I think of them as just a fact of life,” said Brenna Haysom, the creator of Blowfish through the West Village-based Rally Labs LLC.

The over-the-counter drug cocktail combines 1,000 milligrams of aspirin, 120 milligrams of caffeine and a stomach-soothing agent into two effervescent tablets taken the morning after a night of heavy drinking.

*** end quote ***

As anyone who reads this blog, I’d like to replace the FDA with “Consumers’ Reports” type private organizations.

We need to have a gradual way of escaping the regulatory tyranny of an agency that has been captured by those it regulates (i.e., an incestuous relationship between the “regulators”, those “regulated”, and the politicians).

Perhaps a good first step is making FDA approval optional?

If it’s not FDA “approved”, then your right to sue or collect damages is limited in some fashion.

It’d be a start?

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SERVICE: Emailing gift cards and “wish lists” are a new techie trend

Thursday, December 8, 2011

https://www.amazon.com/gp/gc/order-email?ie=UTF8&ref_=gc_lp_4ways_email_top

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Not that I’m panhandling for either. But this strikes me as the difference between “having a gift” and “giving a gift”.

Lot’s of very well-meaning loving relatives give me gifts. But do they really understand that it’s not necessary.

Holidays are a bad time. For a lot of people.

For me it begins in childhood when ANY holiday (didn’t matter; Saint Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July, Columbus Day) was for another occurrence of parents fighting. Usually with alcohol involved. So for as “happy a time” as it’s supposed to be, it’ll never be for me.

So call me Ebenezer, but I ain’t gonna be your typical “holiday person”.

It’s interesting thought that the techie trend for email gift cards and wish lists can make gifts STRANGELY more personal.

I always thought it was funny when her relatives gave Frau Reinke Barnes & Noble or Borders gift cards. ROFL! Actually I made out cause she give them to me. For safe keeping. (She lost everything.) Eventually, when I’d drag her kicking and screaming into a bookstore, usually for a “books on tape” (She never called them “on disc”?), I get something for me.

So here we have the technology solution to how to know what your recipient really really wants.

And, there’s a good search function for by name and town.

If your at loss, you can always email me a gift card. I’m an ITSJ (Yeah, I know it’s ISTJ, but as an IT guy, I like ITSJ. And no it’s not too profane.) And, I don’t like people much anyway. I’ll email you a TY. (TY = a quick Thank You; I can’t be bothered to type it all out.)

So is this “service” good or bad?

Time will tell.

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POLITICAL: Menedez’s excuses for getting nothing done

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Dear Mr. Reinke:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on whether Congress should enact a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. I appreciate hearing from you on this critical issue and having the opportunity to respond.

I share your frustration and recognize that deficit spending and our accumulated debt must be addressed in a way that will substantially reduce the gap between our commitments and our resources. This will require a balanced approach to spending cuts; reforming tax policies, such as closing corporate tax breaks that allow oil companies to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes; and controlling health care costs.

I am committed to a balanced approach to reduce our nation’s deficits. In 2010, I voted to establish the Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action, similar to the Bowles-Simpson commission to review all aspects of the financial conditions of our government including tax policy and entitlement spending; I have supported budget enforcement measures like statutory PAYGO to control both spending and revenues; led the effort to cut $21 billion in unwarranted oil subsidies and supported saving almost $6 billion a year by cutting ethanol subsidies.

Recent proposals for balanced budget amendments would mandate that total federal expenditures may not exceed 18 percent of Gross Domestic Product, require a two-thirds vote to increase any revenues, and some proposals require a three-fifths roll call vote to increase the debt ceiling. These statutory requirements do not provide a balanced approach to reducing our deficits. These proposals would also include Social Security as part of the Federal budget for constitutional purposes and subject the program to caps on spending. This could lead to severe cuts in benefits and allows Social Security surpluses to be used to balance the budget.

I am extremely concerned about the impact that a balanced budget amendment would have on a weak economy or one in a recession. In an economic slowdown, federal revenues fall and spending for unemployment and other support programs increases. These benefits, known as automatic stabilizers, can soften a weak economy or prevent a recession turning into a depression. A strict balanced budget requirement could force either spending cuts or tax increases, which could make the slowdown worse and could, in turn, make the federal budget situation worse and force even more tax increases and/or spending cuts.

As your federal representative, I take very seriously my responsibility to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact sound fiscal policy that invests in our future and protects the economic security of our nation’s children.

Again, thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts on this important matter. Rest assured that I will keep your views in mind. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn more about how I am standing up for New Jersey families in the United States Senate.

201112041430.jpg

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Of course, voting for “Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action”, when “Bowles-Simpson commission” delivered a workable solution, is a great way to claim credit for doing NOTHING but kicking the can down the road! That’s not representing me, or “standing up for New Jersey families”. imho!

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