I meant to respond to comments for yesterday's post but got sidetracked, beginning with an email that also pertained to the post: "The story you write about in your blog today happened just a few miles from my house. He wasn't holding someone he saw on vacant land the day before - he watched them trying to siphon gas from his neighbor's truck. The gas siphoning had been going on in the neighborhood for some time!"
Thanks for that clarification, Minnesota Coffee Mate. Since you live in the area, I can imagine you have better access to the details than we can get from the news account. The report I used as a source can be found here, should anyone be interested, where it is stated: "...Englund by cell phone had alerted the 9-1-1 dispatcher that he was following a vehicle occupied by a child and two adults he suspected of stealing a radiator and gas the day before from a neighbor’s property, which he agreed to look after."
What I was trying to point out was that Englund was on shakier legal ground than the DC lawyer, Peterson. The latter confronted an intruder in his own home, whereas Englund was in pursuit of someone who, though observed in an illegal act, had not specifically threatened Englund himself or his property. You can read more about both stories here.
If you have the time, what you'll find fascinating (and not a little scary) are the comments at both web sites in response to the stories. Some of the comments are carefully reasoned but all too many others have obviously misread the available information and made consequently faulty conclusions. Most applaud both men and deride Englund's arrest. My favorite, though, had to be the comment referring to the lawyer's use of a fry pan. She said, "I have 2 full sets of Wolfgang Puck cookware and I'm not afraid to use them."
For many of us, available self defense may well be limited to what is found in the cupboards and drawers of our kitchens. I look around me and see possibilities in the fire extinguisher as a weapon. The contents of my tool box might work, when you consider items like hammers, screwdrivers and monkey wrenches. Since my drill is not of the cordless variety, its use would be limited in range. Too bad I don't have a cordless carving knife. But I do have a whole packet of very sharp bamboo skewers, a drawer full of assorted knives and a couple of long neck bottles of beer in the refrigerator.
None of these things are of the slightest use should the invader be out of range, between me and the weapon of choice -- or armed himself and aiming the weapon in my direction. Somehow I think an armed invader is not going to be impressed with the threat of Wolfgang Puck cookware, not even when told how much it costs.
When you come right down to it, the best protection (right after fainting) might be attitude. I'm recalling a time when the kids were very young and one of my daughters lost all patience with her brother's teasing. She blew sky high and threatened to do him bodily harm with what she thought was the heavy potato masher she was waving. The threat worked. He decided to flee the scene. She started to put down her weapon -- and realized she was holding the turkey baster.
Here's da deal: I have the free version of the mailing list, which I use to notify everyone when I've posted a new entry. What I didn't realize was I can only use it once every 24 hours -- and the last notify went out at 4 minutes after midnight. (sigh) So I'm not going to send a notify for this entry. That's the only way I can get back in synch. Sorry, Coffee Mates. We live and learn.
Thanks for that clarification, Minnesota Coffee Mate. Since you live in the area, I can imagine you have better access to the details than we can get from the news account. The report I used as a source can be found here, should anyone be interested, where it is stated: "...Englund by cell phone had alerted the 9-1-1 dispatcher that he was following a vehicle occupied by a child and two adults he suspected of stealing a radiator and gas the day before from a neighbor’s property, which he agreed to look after."
What I was trying to point out was that Englund was on shakier legal ground than the DC lawyer, Peterson. The latter confronted an intruder in his own home, whereas Englund was in pursuit of someone who, though observed in an illegal act, had not specifically threatened Englund himself or his property. You can read more about both stories here.
If you have the time, what you'll find fascinating (and not a little scary) are the comments at both web sites in response to the stories. Some of the comments are carefully reasoned but all too many others have obviously misread the available information and made consequently faulty conclusions. Most applaud both men and deride Englund's arrest. My favorite, though, had to be the comment referring to the lawyer's use of a fry pan. She said, "I have 2 full sets of Wolfgang Puck cookware and I'm not afraid to use them."
For many of us, available self defense may well be limited to what is found in the cupboards and drawers of our kitchens. I look around me and see possibilities in the fire extinguisher as a weapon. The contents of my tool box might work, when you consider items like hammers, screwdrivers and monkey wrenches. Since my drill is not of the cordless variety, its use would be limited in range. Too bad I don't have a cordless carving knife. But I do have a whole packet of very sharp bamboo skewers, a drawer full of assorted knives and a couple of long neck bottles of beer in the refrigerator.
None of these things are of the slightest use should the invader be out of range, between me and the weapon of choice -- or armed himself and aiming the weapon in my direction. Somehow I think an armed invader is not going to be impressed with the threat of Wolfgang Puck cookware, not even when told how much it costs.
When you come right down to it, the best protection (right after fainting) might be attitude. I'm recalling a time when the kids were very young and one of my daughters lost all patience with her brother's teasing. She blew sky high and threatened to do him bodily harm with what she thought was the heavy potato masher she was waving. The threat worked. He decided to flee the scene. She started to put down her weapon -- and realized she was holding the turkey baster.
Here's da deal: I have the free version of the mailing list, which I use to notify everyone when I've posted a new entry. What I didn't realize was I can only use it once every 24 hours -- and the last notify went out at 4 minutes after midnight. (sigh) So I'm not going to send a notify for this entry. That's the only way I can get back in synch. Sorry, Coffee Mates. We live and learn.
1 comments:
Turkey baster, that's rich. :-) Do you remind her of it now and then?
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