I live....

Had a few people contact me and I saw the chat section, al wondering if I was ok...Thank you for that, I am fine apart from the mother humpers upstairs but even that is milder at this moment, since she was told I'd heard her and the kid talking about getting home and jumping up and down thus proving it was as guessed, deliberate, she has calmed down a little.

Still got so much going on with the in-laws, total and utter madness there, had to order special batteries for the hearing aids as the audiology department is working to replace them and now my sister in law has suddenly decided she believes in spontaneous human combustion, yes she seriously is talking about it all the time, gawd knows where this has come from as they are not on the internet (thankfully), I guess it must have been on one of those mystery late night programmes. She's been ringing us every 5 mins to say we need to be careful in this sun and heat as we will catch fire..

I'd wet myself laughing if it wasn't so damn annoying...

Otherwise it's all waiting for what happens with the Uni and the DWP for Serena's PIP claim.

Me, I'm hot and bothered but about the me level of just about ok as per usual, also lost some weight which is good, dropping down in trouser sizes..Will keep my GP and consultants happy..

Here's hoping you guys are in the best health possible and enjoying these fine but freakingly hot days...

Ack, must change my tee shirt, soaking with salt marks...Nice...

 

Good to hear you're getting by, Paul, despite all that life has to throw at us.
Those neighbours are never gonna be perfect but so long as they respect the lives of you and yours and the neighbours then at least it's a step in the right direction.
Glad to hear you're feeling a tad fitter and slimmer etc and as for that human spontaneous combustion malarkey - I recall when I was 14-15 reading about it for the first time in one of those mags you bought weekly and bought up in to a collection in binders by Orbis - The Unexplained - and I must admit I nearly cacked mesen to think that folk could just suddenly burst into flame like some human Roman Candle... but as it's never happened to anyone I've ever known I must conclude that these events must be extremely rare and other then my pants being on fire with passion when I was a teenager, I'm a lot cooler now, thanks(!!) Do advise your sister in law to keep a fire extinguisher/bucket of water at the ready at all times and i promise not to make any further puns about steering away from retro micros called Dragons etc too... just in case!!
Cheers, Paul - keep smiling through.
Hey, talking about folks we aint heard from in a bit, anyone heard anything from Allan/Nysavant of late?

 

Hi Paul
I know we messaged but I echo Andy on this, I guess you know that, just wanted to let you know you were missed.

 

Thanks all, and yes, where is our buddy Allan...Us super heroes need to stick together!

 

Glad everything is o.k. That's just mad about the neighbors doing the jumping on purpose...about as immature and anti-social as you can get at the same time, I think...I'm sure I'll be proved wrong. But it sounds like something my neighbor would do, if they live closer than a 1/4 mile...

 

Do their dogs still bark a lot Matt? or is that different neighbor's

 

Barking wasn't the problem, my own dogs bark a lot, that's just something you get used to in the country where everyone has multiple dogs most times. The fact that she lets 2 vicious dogs that attack other people and their dogs run wild, that's the continuing issue with my neighbor. But they stay away from my property mostly, since I shot the 3rd vicious dog (which didn't cause the neighbor to keep their other dogs contained), but if they come on my property again, I'll shoot them dead. I've told the neighbor countless times I would and then I proved it with one dog. But the neighbor is a whacked-out meth-head who doesn't give a shit about anything, apparently, except that next drug fix.

 

Hmm
Difficult to deal with people like that hopefully they'll solve their own problems for you and OD.

 

The dog thing is a pisser, the animal lover in me does not want to see the dog's harmed just because of the shit headed owner BUT the dog itself is a dangerous weapon...

To Quote Dirty Harry

The Mayor: Callahan... I don't want any more trouble like you had last year in the Fillmore district. You understand? That's my policy.

Harry Callahan: Yeah, well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard - that's my policy.

The Mayor: Intent? How'd you establish that?

Harry Callahan: When a naked man is chasing a woman through a dark alley with a butcher knife and a hard on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross.

[leaves]

The Mayor: I think he's got a point.


So, in the dogs case, I'd shoot the bastard..

With my neighbours there looks like a development has happened, the little girl who was being told to jump up and down was also hurting the baby to get attention (yeah, great parents) and I made it clear I'm not going to listen to a baby being hurt because of their shit parenting, suddenly the other day the girl is moved to her grand parents and has been there ever since..

The baby that I'm ultra sure is autistic makes one hell of a racket and cries constantly but you could hear the girl go in to the bedroom, do something, run out and the baby would scream like it was in pain.

At the moment its just the mother and the baby and 1000% quieter....

I think the parents are now working out that the baby is not quite right (its just like my nephew was, no talking, all crying, always in distress and makes a huge high pitched noise all the time)

Between the lot of them there's a load of weird going on...

 

Hmm perhaps its the 'Weirdness' that makes us all 'Special'
I find it strange that most arn't intrested in old computers

 

I tried for years to reason with the bitch (not the dog, the neighbor) about her dogs and threatened to shoot them, but after 4 years of the shit and having to be frightened to even walk my own yard without a weapon, or be able to walk my own street with my leashed dogs, I no longer have a choice, that has become abundantly clear. I love dogs, I own 4 now myself, but I'd shoot my own dogs if they became viscous towards anything or anyone.

 

Many years ago approx 40 or just short, one of my shooting buddies, bred Pit Bull Terriers, he always said he only bred them while he knew he would be able to deal with one should one 'lock' on.. a Blued .357 Dan Wesson, I remember borrowing it for a competion, promptly winning it and then purchased the Sainless Steel version! Unfortunatly that had to go in 1996-7 with the handgun ban in this country.

 

How "banned" is the handgun in the U.K.? Can you still be licensed or permit to carry, even if it costs an exorbitant amount, for certain "security" professions, on private estates, etc.? Or is it now literally banned unless you are a special police for like our SWAT and military? Essentially government only is what I'm getting at I suppose?

 

Hi Matt
It's a complete ban, only Military / Police and Criminals.
We can own a 'long' barrelled pistol or revolver, barrel lenght must exceed 12" and the total length minimum is 24" so you have what looks like a balance weight hanging out the back.
Also any fullbore has to be manual, ie bolt, underlever, straight pull, no semi Automatic arms except in 22LR
Restriction on shotguns as well.

 

Whilst I like shooting and not a bad shot myself I find myself more and more agreeing with the ban here in the UK, not looking to produce an argument, just that I think with the current lack of responsibility in the youth and what seems a rising number of mental health cases I think the ability to just go out and own a weapon with limited checks is making it too easy. As we all know guns are pretty easy to be got in the UK as long as you have enough money. I'm sure in 5 mins on the Dark Web I could find a source but at least the web itself is being monitored so you might well be talking to a Police person.

If someone has a gun I want to know its a responsible sane person in charge of it......Competition shooting, not a problem with that.

 

Hi Paul

I don't disagree with you, however owning a firearm in this country is not as easy as you may think!

There are checks on your background, you have to show a good reason to own a firearm, I.E. Target shooting being one of them, but if that's the case you need to show a commitment to a club and attend regularly, The Police on a renewal will check your attendance with the Club (and what firearms you shot). if you’re on probation with a club, and don't currently own a firearm, the checks are onerous, including checks on your Social, Financial & Medical history, along with close members of your family, and an interview with you along with other family members.
These same checks are still carried out if you renew your licence, but at least they have some idea about you by now.

I'd like you to have a think about something, And I'm sure can't be a direct comparison..

Guns are used in a number of ways, Controlling Vermin, Culling, Competition shooting, along with food. If I include Shotguns Providing both Sport, Vermin control, and food again.

Are they a necessity No I'm sure some other ways can be used to control, but not always as expected such as Pest control using poison's

Now let’s have a think about another commodity.. the Humble car These have in the past been used as weapons, have been weaponised as bomb's. But that is in a very very small minority. There are no checks required for ownership, nor if you need one, you don't even have to have a licence.

Could we do without them.. Very very unlikely.

Do you know in the UK when the last incident occurred with a licenced firearm holder. I know I don't but I'll add it can be very easy to break the licensing agreement you are under, as the conditions of your shooting storage, and travelling with them is onerous once you have them.

What I would expect is the number of crimes involving a car, as a percentage (and I'm not talking RTA's stolen etc. but proper crime) would be much higher per Car than those that hold guns legally that are involved with crime.

It's extremely rare that any firearms are 'lost' by legal holders, it's 7 years if you were in anyway neglagent in it's loss, and that's for each one.

A good friend of mind has just gone through his renewal process, he has been shooting for at lease 40 years, he had some initial issues as his own doctors refused to have anything to do with medical background as requested by the Police. eventually he had to pay for a specialist doctor to go through all his past and current prescribed drugs, and conditions to meet the Police (well actually the Home Office) requirements.

I had exactly the same whilst I went through my Divorce; I chose to put mine in storage, just in case anything was said. It's not uncommon for people to automatically lose there licence and firearms during divorce.
My renewal came up whislt these were in storage, due to the situation I was interviewed etc etc. As I had chosen to put them in storage myself (I'll call that self presevation), they condidered the responce to the situation was appropriate. All other checks including medical checked. My renewal went fairly smoothly and a fair number of months later I mentioned to them (the Police) I was removing them from storage, There was just a thank you from them for letting them know.

I'm sure not all people are the same as me, and due to the companies I worked in I'd been approached by the Home Office for entirely different reason's I guess somewhere along the lines it must all tie up somewhere.

Anyway I hope it's provided a little more background.

For myself.. In my youth I was trained by Olympic trainers. And Won a fair number of competitions all with hand gun's Come the ban I started shooting again 5 years later in Jersey. I'd borrowed a Korth target revolver, and promptly won the competition I entered; the owner went to the French open competition two weeks later and promptly won two of the classes she shot in. (But I did beat her in Jersey),turning to rifles, I ran the British Benchrest Club at Bisley for 2-3 years, was asked to represent Britian in the South African World Championships think about 2007 or so.

I feel I lost part of my sport for the views in Newspapers and media, that caused public outcry and the subsequent handgun ban, Please don't take this the wrong way; but an outdated idea of what’s required to own one still exists 20 odd years later.

 

Hi guys I'm still here but been really busy with work (something about a global pandemic...)
However, long weekend now and off down to sunny Scarborough in a couple of weeks as well so really looking forward to the break!

Stay safe all

 

I think I can answer for all, Nice to hear you're all o.k. and hope the being 'Busy' is in a good way!

Stay Safe


P.S did you book the sun for two weeks time coz going from melting to rusty here

 

Thank you for the detailed UK directive on owning, I knew a lot if it (the security checks etc) but its GREAT to know so much requirement to prove need.

Sadly its a pain in arse for you guys but I'd be worried if we adopted the American way which I believe has changed, I don't think certain weapon can be picked up there and then but the old free gun with a purchase in some states just worries me BUT America is very different from here with gun usage a right of passage and has been a family oriented thing for as long as I can remember ie I am not calling American gun nuts, they have them but in a minority of the law abiding folk.

Over here I worry more about the ease of getting a black market gun and them getting into the hands of the young which could lead to another version of that little lad from Liverpool getting killed in simple targeting of a person and zero actual control. I just worry about the growing use of guns by the thug / dealer community, many of the dealers around here are armed, all with knives but many with guns now. The way it works here is if they are not already armed then a kid gets called and it arrives via bike etc and then gets used and given back to said youth. Having ties to the Police means I get some small amount of extra info. To be honest its the way it works all over the UK.

No one needs a spiral out of control of illegal arms, there will always be collateral damage to the innocent or the exploited.

As said, the use of controlled guns is fine, being an animal lover I am not so much a fan of game bird shooting (although I did go beating while in Marlow) but pest control, sport etc are no issue to me.

While in Marlow back in the 70's we used to live in the countryside and a neighbour would let us use a .22 (supervised) for target practice, i found I had a natural flair for it and enjoyed it, all just targets, no live things.

 

Welcome back Allan, good luck with the sun, someone nicked it last night...

 

In some ways a little like me I seemed to have a natural flair, but I was also well taught, and I suspect that makes a difference.
I never knew how good a rifle shot I was until I got to try it, that was really after we lost handguns in the UK, although very different in some ways, the mental build up to competing is very much the same, there are other similarities in regard making sure your equipment is all working, cleaned etc.

P.S I forgot to mentiion that Handguns arn't banned across the whole of the U.K.
The Isle of Mann Jersey & Gurnsey, & Northern Ireland

 

Yep, I agree, good tuition helps loads, I played Pool when I was younger and I was a natural (trying not to sound ego filled), I hand a good eye for the balls but I got some help with my cue action and it made all the difference. Went on to win many a trophy but when Maplin and marriage hit I lost track of it all, just way too busy..

And as a coincidence its our anniversary today, 39 years..

Yes, I know you get less time for murder...

 

Many congratulations to you both

I didn't get that far but would have been 30 years June 30th However divorce came through in November 2019

You'll have to go some to beat my Mum & Dad they notched up 65 Years December 2018, sadly Dad passed away in March 2019 I guess that's more than a Life sentence still to go..

No seriously in this day and age that's a great achievement well done to you both.

 

Thank you

 

Allan - Scarboro's an hour from us if you fancy wandering down into our Cave System - or we could pop up there and meet you for chish and fips or perhaps a tug of mea? Look at that, I'm getting all my worms wrong on this Oric-based trypewriter fleaboard. Mate, have a super, sizzling time in Scarboro and if you do fancy a meet, then give us a yell!