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Stephen <mca### [at] aol com> wrote:
> On 17/12/2014 20:31, Jim Henderson wrote:
> > On Wed, 17 Dec 2014 20:17:15 +0000, Stephen wrote:
> >
> >> Your ex-pat countrymen paint a picture that is not attractive of the SA
> >> way of life.
> >
> > It's not just ex-pats. I've a friend who lives in Jo'berg, and she's had
> > her office broken into numerous times (and all of the equipment stolen).
> > There clearly are places that are not safe in SA, and you can't count on
> > the police to deal with such crimes effectively. I'm sure there are
> > places where that's not the case, but I would also hesitate to travel
> > there right now.
>
>
> I would not mind, in fact I would like to visit SA. From what I have
> heard it is a beautiful place in most parts. I suppose that most of the
> South Africans I have met need to justify leaving their country and
> emphasise the darker* aspects of life there.
> I am not saying that security is not a problem especially if you are
> well off. I have lived and worked in some dodgy places but if you use a
> bit of common sense and respect. You would need to be unlucky to run
> into trouble. A case in point is when I was stopped at a roadblock in
> Kingston Jamaica, by a machete wielding group of locals. Who politely
> asked for a donation to repair the road. “No problems, how much do you
> want?” I paid up and went on my way. Coming back I was stopped again. I
> blurted out that I had already paid on the way out of town (instantly
> regretting it btw). The reply was. “Sorry man, didn’t recognise you.”
> Right! How many dandelion headed white men did he see in a day? But
> there was respect on both sides. So everything was fine. I even left
> them laughing over trying to get money out of a Scotsman.
> I could go on. But will just finish with the last time I was nervous
> about my personal safety was in America. NM next to the Texas border. A
> discussion in a bar about incomers turned heated between two locals.
> Remembering the gun laws, I made my excuses and left. No offence
> intended but I felt out of my depth and thought it the better part of
> valour, to be somewhere else :-)
>
>
> * Don't read anything into that.
>
> --
>
Thar's true. It all depends o where you go an your attitude. If you're in a
dodgy area and a stranger is trying to be friendly with you, he's probably
trying to rob you. I've only been robbed at gunpoint once - and that was at the
workplace.
-Nekar Xenos-
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On Fri, 19 Dec 2014 08:39:01 +0000, Stephen wrote:
> On 17/12/2014 20:31, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Wed, 17 Dec 2014 20:17:15 +0000, Stephen wrote:
>>
>>> Your ex-pat countrymen paint a picture that is not attractive of the
>>> SA way of life.
>>
>> It's not just ex-pats. I've a friend who lives in Jo'berg, and she's
>> had her office broken into numerous times (and all of the equipment
>> stolen). There clearly are places that are not safe in SA, and you
>> can't count on the police to deal with such crimes effectively. I'm
>> sure there are places where that's not the case, but I would also
>> hesitate to travel there right now.
>
>
> I would not mind, in fact I would like to visit SA. From what I have
> heard it is a beautiful place in most parts. I suppose that most of the
> South Africans I have met need to justify leaving their country and
> emphasise the darker* aspects of life there.
Well, my friend who lives there isn't looking to leave - she's very happy
there. The break-ins happened while she was off camping.
> I am not saying that security is not a problem especially if you are
> well off. I have lived and worked in some dodgy places but if you use a
> bit of common sense and respect.
That often can help, but not always. I know in one instance, those who
robbed the place broke in while they were off camping, and they took
*everything* - computers, software, etc. Alarm system on the building
was useless.
> You would need to be unlucky to run
> into trouble. A case in point is when I was stopped at a roadblock in
> Kingston Jamaica, by a machete wielding group of locals. Who politely
> asked for a donation to repair the road. “No problems, how much do you
> want?” I paid up and went on my way. Coming back I was stopped again. I
> blurted out that I had already paid on the way out of town (instantly
> regretting it btw). The reply was. “Sorry man, didn’t recognise you.”
> Right! How many dandelion headed white men did he see in a day? But
> there was respect on both sides. So everything was fine. I even left
> them laughing over trying to get money out of a Scotsman.
> I could go on. But will just finish with the last time I was nervous
> about my personal safety was in America. NM next to the Texas border. A
> discussion in a bar about incomers turned heated between two locals.
> Remembering the gun laws, I made my excuses and left. No offence
> intended but I felt out of my depth and thought it the better part of
> valour, to be somewhere else :-)
Oh, sure, the gun laws here in the US are *nuts*, and there are a lot of
truly crazy people here who manage to build arsenals that go far beyond
personal safety.
I was in Arizona about 15 years ago for the first time, and one of my
coworkers (who lived there) said "if someone cuts you off on the road,
just let it go - don't flip them off, don't lay into your horn - because
you never know who's going to be armed and decide to shoot you for doing
even that much."
Yet if you try to get any kind of even sensible dialog going about gun
control, you get people saying incredibly stupid things like "if you take
guns away, only criminals will have guns, because you can't stop the flow
of guns" or even worse "someone who's determined will find a way.
They'll use a knife if they have to."
Yeah, but how often is a knife-wielding lunatic going to take out a
classroom of 45 students + teacher? Answer: Not bloody likely.
Jim
--
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw
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On 12/19/2014 04:39 AM, Stephen wrote:
> I could go on. But will just finish with the last time I was nervous
> about my personal safety was in America. NM next to the Texas border. A
> discussion in a bar about incomers turned heated between two locals.
> Remembering the gun laws, I made my excuses and left. No offence
> intended but I felt out of my depth and thought it the better part of
> valour, to be somewhere else :-)
As a red-blooded 'Murcan myself, I don't blame you.
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On 19/12/2014 17:26, Cousin Ricky wrote:
> As a red-blooded 'Murcan myself, I don't blame you.
Sorry Cuz,
Is 'Murcan local for 'Merican?
If so see reply to Jim (later).
--
Regards
Stephen
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Hi(gh)!
On 19.12.2014 20:39, Stephen wrote:
> Sorry Cuz,
> Is 'Murcan local for 'Merican?
I think so... but what is a *red-blooded* Murcan? A redneck? Or rather a
Murcan with Native American ancestors?
See you in Khyberspace!
Yadgar
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On 20/12/2014 09:05, Jörg 'Yadgar' Bleimann wrote:
> Hi(gh)!
>
> On 19.12.2014 20:39, Stephen wrote:
>
>> Sorry Cuz,
>> Is 'Murcan local for 'Merican?
>
> I think so... but what is a *red-blooded* Murcan? A redneck? Or rather a
> Murcan with Native American ancestors?
>
I think, probably American. Might be Mercian but I think not. That was
one of the old kingdoms of England. From before the French colonised them.
No red-blooded means virile, sub text true and loyal.
FYI blue-blooded means royal or of royal descent.
--
Regards
Stephen
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On 19/12/2014 16:30, Jim Henderson wrote:
> That often can help, but not always. I know in one instance, those who
> robbed the place broke in while they were off camping, and they took
> *everything* - computers, software, etc. Alarm system on the building
> was useless.
>
That can happen anywhere.
>> >Remembering the gun laws, I made my excuses and left. No offence
>> >intended but I felt out of my depth and thought it the better part of
>> >valour, to be somewhere else:-)
> Oh, sure, the gun laws here in the US are*nuts*, and there are a lot of
> truly crazy people here who manage to build arsenals that go far beyond
> personal safety.
>
Or hunting. How can you say that you need a machine gun to hunt. Unless
you are hunting mince or ground meat.
> I was in Arizona about 15 years ago for the first time, and one of my
> coworkers (who lived there) said "if someone cuts you off on the road,
> just let it go - don't flip them off, don't lay into your horn - because
> you never know who's going to be armed and decide to shoot you for doing
> even that much."
>
Is that not the reason given by the pro gun lobby?
The black hats won't know which white hat is carrying.
> Yet if you try to get any kind of even sensible dialog going about gun
> control, you get people saying incredibly stupid things like "if you take
> guns away, only criminals will have guns, because you can't stop the flow
> of guns"
Easy peasy, shoot everyone who is carrying a gun. By definition they are
criminals. And since guns are designed to kill not incapacitate I am
sure that they won't mind having done to them what they intend to do to
others.
> or even worse "someone who's determined will find a way.
Well that is true but it takes away the unpremeditated aspect.
> They'll use a knife if they have to."
>
Then they will need to get up close and personal. So it is not so
attractive a proposition.
> Yeah, but how often is a knife-wielding lunatic going to take out a
> classroom of 45 students + teacher? Answer: Not bloody likely.
Unless they are wearing a bandoleer of throwing knifes. ;-)
The one thing that I have not heard, is about teaching children how to
shoot. Gun safety is one thing you should learn if you have to have a
gun. But no one mentions adolescents with hormone surges. I know that
during that phase young people are not the most rational creatures in
the world. Yet some are given guns and rifles before they are tall
enough to see over them.
--
Regards
Stephen
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On 20/12/14 09:58, Stephen wrote:
>
> FYI blue-blooded means royal or of royal descent.
>
Bend your knee when addressing Us. We are of Royal descent - albeit
Hungarian royal blood.
We said: BOW, peasants :-D
King John
--
Protect the Earth
It was not given to you by your parents
You hold it in trust for your children
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On 20/12/2014 17:22, Doctor John wrote:
> On 20/12/14 09:58, Stephen wrote:
>>
>> FYI blue-blooded means royal or of royal descent.
>>
>
> Bend your knee when addressing Us. We are of Royal descent - albeit
> Hungarian royal blood.
>
> We said: BOW, peasants :-D
>
It sounds more like bow wow.
Ye scurvy dog.
> King John
>
Ah! named after the English king who was so despised that there has
never been a king named after him. It figures ^^
You probably know that my surname is generally translated as son of the
golden haired man or son of a wanderer. But because of the way that
Irish names were anglicised (phonetically) it could be a variant of
Macbeth, son of breath meaning life force. Or son of a prince.
I will bow to no man nor call any man sir.
I have a gauntlet and you have a face. When shall the two meet? ;-)
--
Regards
Stephen
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On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 11:23:41 +0000, Stephen wrote:
> On 19/12/2014 16:30, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> That often can help, but not always. I know in one instance, those who
>> robbed the place broke in while they were off camping, and they took
>> *everything* - computers, software, etc. Alarm system on the building
>> was useless.
>>
>>
> That can happen anywhere.
Sure. But you or I would be likely to report it to the police. Where
she lives, reporting it to the police is not likely to help, because
there's apparently a good reason the police were involved in the theft (I
don't remember the details, but she's lived with it for long enough to
know what she can and can't expect from her local law enforcement).
>>> >Remembering the gun laws, I made my excuses and left. No offence
>>> >intended but I felt out of my depth and thought it the better part of
>>> >valour, to be somewhere else:-)
>> Oh, sure, the gun laws here in the US are*nuts*, and there are a lot of
>> truly crazy people here who manage to build arsenals that go far beyond
>> personal safety.
>>
>>
> Or hunting. How can you say that you need a machine gun to hunt. Unless
> you are hunting mince or ground meat.
I still like Robin Williams' (I think it was) suggestion that we should
give Bambi some serious firepower to even out the odds.
>> I was in Arizona about 15 years ago for the first time, and one of my
>> coworkers (who lived there) said "if someone cuts you off on the road,
>> just let it go - don't flip them off, don't lay into your horn -
>> because you never know who's going to be armed and decide to shoot you
>> for doing even that much."
>>
> Is that not the reason given by the pro gun lobby?
> The black hats won't know which white hat is carrying.
It's one of several excuses, yeah.
>> Yet if you try to get any kind of even sensible dialog going about gun
>> control, you get people saying incredibly stupid things like "if you
>> take guns away, only criminals will have guns, because you can't stop
>> the flow of guns"
>
> Easy peasy, shoot everyone who is carrying a gun. By definition they are
> criminals. And since guns are designed to kill not incapacitate I am
> sure that they won't mind having done to them what they intend to do to
> others.
Ah, but you can't shoot everyone who's carrying a gun without carrying a
gun. ;)
>> or even worse "someone who's determined will find a way.
>
> Well that is true but it takes away the unpremeditated aspect.
Yep, agreed.
>> They'll use a knife if they have to."
>>
>>
> Then they will need to get up close and personal. So it is not so
> attractive a proposition.
Also agreed.
>> Yeah, but how often is a knife-wielding lunatic going to take out a
>> classroom of 45 students + teacher? Answer: Not bloody likely.
>
> Unless they are wearing a bandoleer of throwing knifes. ;-)
I don't know anyone who can throw as many knives as fast as even a non-
automatic weapon, much less a semi- or fully automatic weapon.
> The one thing that I have not heard, is about teaching children how to
> shoot. Gun safety is one thing you should learn if you have to have a
> gun. But no one mentions adolescents with hormone surges. I know that
> during that phase young people are not the most rational creatures in
> the world. Yet some are given guns and rifles before they are tall
> enough to see over them.
I do agree with that. I grew up with a friend whose dad served in
Vietnam, and he (with parents' permission, naturally) taught a number of
my friend's friends how to shoot, and about gun safety. He was an
awesome instructor.
I don't have a gun, but I know how to use a number of different varieties
because of him.
The closest I get to guns these days, though, is playing Borderlands. ;)
Jim
--
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw
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