Stay Safe Street Tip

Tips

Tip #86

New Products, Real Life Events, Stupid Stuff & Crime Concerns

Good morning Folks. Hope all are well and staying busy. However, enough sun already! How about some nice, sloppy, wet and rainy days? I don't know about you, but my yard is definitely suffering due to the prolonged dry spell. Jane is now eight weeks post surgery on her right ankle and still not up to speed. It looks like it may take a year for her to fully recover. I am still working on my revised Goods & Services listing so plenty of time to send me a listing. They always say that the best advertisement is free advertisement. There is no expense to be listed save one -- all advertisers must commit to offering at least a 10% discount to my clients for those offered Goods & Services. The only other consideration is that I will neither endorse nor be responsible for the Goods & Services listed. Please see Tip #85 for the preferred format. Jane and I did something really rare -- we went to the movies a few days ago. If you have not viewed 'United 93', please do so. However, do not expect to be entertained my friends. Do expect to be deeply impacted and reminded of the terrible events of September 11, 2001 that changed our world forever. The only other movie that I have ever seen with the same effect was 'Schindler's List'. Please don't forget to check my web site, www.staysafestreets.com, for class dates, Mylar, alarms, junior shooter classes and security surveys. Please feel free to give me a call @ 727-535-9151 or send me an e-mail if any questions. Thank you for your patronage and Stay Safe! Norm & Jane

PS -- By the way, the 14 day return for CWP's after receipt of a completed and satisfactory application is still holding firm. I have five students who advised this week that their permits were received as advertised!

PPS -- Jerry Fountain will be conducting another clinic from 10AM to 11:30AM, May 13, 2006, at Knight Shooting Sports. The topic is going to be "Selecting Defensive Ammunition" with a cost of $15.00 per student. Please make checks payable to Jerry Fountain and sign up at the cashier station.

Knight Shooting Sports New Products

1. Stack-on Gun Safe -- 10 gun with mechanical lock in Hunter Green -- 55" x 22" x 12" (approx) -- 3 number tumbler lock -- 165 pounds -- one shelf with padded long gun racks $469.00

2. Stack-on Gun Safe -- 16 gun with electronic lock in Burgundy -- 55" x 22" x 20" (approx) -- 3 digit programmable lock -- 175 pounds -- limited availability $549.00

3. Stack-on Metal Gun Cabinet -- 8 long guns -- cylinder type key lock complete with bolting hardware $149.00. Also available a top accessory portion for handguns $99.00

4. SportLock has a new line of lockable airline approved pistol and rifle cases in two new finishes (black synthetic diamond plate style and brown leather) --sizes available are single pistol, multi pistol, pistols & accessory, shotgun takedown, black tactical and rifle $32.99 and up

5. New range case with spotting scope mount and removable pistol tray reminiscent of Pachmayr shooting boxed of the 1950's through 1970's $89.99

6. New line of reaction targets that indicates different scoring impacts on the Bulls Eye by varied color splashes $7.99

7. New 'Outters' universal cleaning kit for rifles (.17 caliber through .50 caliber), pistols and shotguns -- features a suitcase style carry case and odorless chemicals for a user-friendly atmosphere $38.99

8. Knife honing and sharpening kits from Smith's Abrasives -- features multi-grit surfaces for a fine edge as well as blade guides for safety and proper bevel sharpening $28.50

Per conversation with Dan Trombini, Sales Manager of Knight Shooting Sports, please note that all the above listed items are subject to the 10% discount enjoyed by clients of Major Norm Belson, Inc.

Real Life Events

1. Apparent Clearwater Gang Initiation:

Hi Norm. Here is the information you requested from me a couple of days ago. On September 18, 2005, a Sunday night, a few minutes before midnight, I went for a walk in my neighborhood (just for exercise). This was on Martin Luther King Avenue between Lakeview and Druid in Clearwater. I was walking on the west side of the street and I saw two individuals (males) approaching from the north. Being somewhat cautious, I crossed the street at an angle and although I lost sight of them for only a few seconds, when I looked in their direction they had disappeared. I estimated that they had not reached the corner of Jeffords, but had disappeared between two houses. I continued north on the east side of MLK and at a considerable distance I saw two other males walking south in my direction on the same side of the street as I was. I didn't want to get too paranoid ( big mistake), so instead of crossing the street I just continued on and walked by them and said "Hi" (this was about 1 block south of Druid). I was suddenly hit from behind and was on the ground before I realized what happened. I was kicked repeatedly in the head and was hit in the face with a board. This continued for perhaps 30 to 60 seconds, then they left.

I turned back toward my condo and got about two or three blocks. I remembered the two individuals who had disappeared between houses and glanced back in that direction but only had about a second before those two were on me. One threw a handful of sand in my face and the other one hit me like a linebacker and knocked me down. I was again subjected to a prolonged series of kicks to the head and face. 30 to 60 seconds later these two also left. I turned into my condo's parking lot and went to my car to get my cell phone. When I turned around toward the street, there were two more jerks heading toward me. The only difference this time was that I spotted them when they were 15 or 20 yards away and I decided to go after them, rather than let them come to me. After a few seconds of attempting unsuccessfully to attack me they ran off. Two months later I was operated on for a blood clot (aneurysm) on the brain. I now have two metal (titanium) plates in my head. I believe this is the information you wanted.

Sincerely, Chuck R.

Note: Per conversation with Chuck, all six males in the orchestrated attacks were described as teenage Hispanic males. The attacks were completely unprovoked and not one of the attacks resulted in a robbery. All scumbags are still at large. Remember the old saying about paranoia -- just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you! Personally a little late for a stroll on dark streets and the cell phone should be on your person and not in your car. In addition, this was a good time to make a Hell of a lot of noise to turn the lights on these scumbags! Of course, a gun might have been real handy too!

Stupid Stuff

1. Stupid Juries -- Stella Awards:

5th Place (tie) -- Kathleen R. of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury after she tripped over a toddler in a furniture store thereby breaking her ankle. The ankle breaker by the way was her own son! Carl T. of Los Angeles was given $74,000 plus medical expenses by his jury due to his neighbor driving over his hand in a Honda Accord. Oh, by the way, the 19-year-old scumbag was too stupid to notice that there was anyone in the car as he attempted to steal the hubcaps on the Honda!

4th Place -- Jerry W. of Little Rock, AR, was given $14,500 and medical expenses by his jury after being bitten on the butt by his neighbor's beagle which was on a chain in his owner's fenced yard. Maybe Jerry would have received more if he had not climbed the fence and was repeatedly shooting the chained dog with a pellet gun!

3rd Place -- Amber C. threw a soft drink in her boyfriend's face and then slipped on the thrown drink 30 seconds later. She busted her coccyx (tailbone) and was awarded $113,500 by a Lancaster, PA jury!

2nd Place -- Kara W. was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses by a Delaware jury when she fell from a bathroom window and knocked out two front teeth when she hit the floor. Oh, by the way, she was trying to sneak into the night club through the bathroom window to avoid paying a $3.50 cover charge!

1st Place -- A Mrs. Merv G. was awarded $1,750,000 when her brand new 32 foot Winnebago left the roadway and overturned. Perhaps the reason it crashed was that she set the cruise control for 70 MPH on the freeway and then calmly walked back to the kitchen to make a sandwich! She was successful because, believe it or not my friends, the operator's manual did not tell her that she could not do this! The company then changed their operator's manual! That is really scary!

Let me ask you a simple question my friends. Do you really want to have your actions judged by juries that may be populated by idiots like this? This is why I firmly advocate that it is easier to avoid it than to extricate yourself from it!

2. Stupid People -- "It was his toes that tipped off the police" St. Petersburg Times May 4, 2006 -- This 29-year-old scumbag liked to steal motorcycles and then sell the parts on eBay. This type of activity is referred to as a 'Chop Shop'. This master criminal scumbag laid out the stolen items on a linoleum floor so that he could take photos of the stolen goods. He was such a moron that he inadvertently took pictures of his own toes. The owner of the $6,000 motorcycle saw the parts photos on eBay and recognized those from his motorcycle. Clearwater detectives were able to match the toes to the owner's criminal record and set up a sting. Dummy shows up with a van loaded with stolen property and the detectives then searched his Clearwater apartment and a storage unit -- guess what? More stolen parts in both locations! I have heard of Toe Jam my friends but Never Ever Jammed By Toes. This rocket scientist had "WHITE TRASH" tattooed on his toes!

4. More Stupid People -- "Setting snake on fire proves slippery for her" St. Petersburg Times May 4, 2006 -- This brain surgeon in Jacksonville finds a snake on the porch of her apartment. She calls management and is advised that it is her problem and not management's. She has the perfect solution -- set the snake on fire! She pours a flammable liquid on the snake and then lights the liquid. Of course the snake takes off and the apartment vinyl siding catches fire! The $1,000 damages are now management's problem!

5. More & More Stupid People -- "Offering breast exams, he went door to door" St. Petersburg Times April 21, 2006 -- This is a new one in my experience. A 76-year-old man in Miami started a new business -- home breast exams! He borrows his wife's black medical bag (she is a nurse) and then goes door to door offering free breast exams in an apartment complex. By the way, he is not a doctor but claims he is one from North Miami Hospital. He must have been a smooth talker since he apparently found two ladies who allowed him to do a very personal exam. Of course he was arrested and held in jail on $12,000 bond. Please rest assured that I will keep you fully abreast of any developments in this case!)

6. Last Stupid Persons Better Known as Morons of the Month -- "Least Competent Criminals" Weekly Planet, April 19 - April 25, 2006 -- This 47-year-old genius apparently buys some crack cocaine but is concerned that he might have been 'slapped' (sold fake crack cocaine) so he asks for two independent opinions. Unfortunately for him, he decided to ask two uniformed police officers. His crack pipe was openly displayed in his hand when he asked if, their opinion, the crack was real! In March, another 34-year-old rocket scientist approaches a man sitting in a parked car and asks if he is 'straight' (an illegal drug user). The man in the car was somewhat confused until the 34-year-old explained that he was asking if the man wanted to buy some cocaine and then produced a baggie of white rocks (crack cocaine). By the way, the man in the marked patrol unit was a uniformed sheriff's deputy! Must be the reason that they call it dope!

Crime Concerns

1. Identity Theft -- Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced. Fall for it and your identity could be stolen, reports CBS. In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for jury duty. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers. Give out any of this information and bingo! Your identity just got stolen. The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, and Colorado. This (scam) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they're with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.

2. "Woman, teen stabbed in possible hate crime" St. Petersburg Times March 24, 2006 -- This was a New Port Richey event my friends. A 45-year-old woman and a 17-year-old man were attacked by a masked intruder armed with a knife who was wearing a 'gas' mask. The woman received knife slashes to her hands and face but the 17-year-old died. The home where the attack occurred was next to a neo-Nazi enclave. The apparent reason for the attack -- the white woman was dating a black man and the scumbag attacker mistakenly thought that the 17-year-old was gay! The case remains under investigation but several of the neo-Nazi scumbags were arrested for unrelated outstanding warrants. It is a dadgum shame that these morons did not tour Dachau Concentration Camp in 1962 as I did as a 19-year-old soldier. I actually spoke with a survivor who had been 'executed' by a Nazi bullet to the back of the head and then left for dead in a mass grave. Her only crime -- being Jewish. When I meet people with an extremist viewpoint, I am very careful to maintain a heightened security awareness because I am never sure if I will be next on their perverted hit list! Watch your six (butt) my friends!

3. "Man shoots tires in downtown chase" St. Petersburg Times March 24, 2006 -- This is really cool -- a stolen truck, hit and run, reckless driving and shots fired at 3:15 PM in downtown St. Pete. A 44-year-old scumbag steals a Chevrolet pickup truck from an auto repair garage on 16th Street N. The thief is also a poor driver because he crashes into the rear of a Nissan sedan driven by a 27-year-old man at Central and Martin Luther King Jr (MLK). The Nissan driver gets ticked and starts following the pickup. The thief apparently notices that he is being followed and throws the truck in reverse and hits the Nissan again then drives the wrong way on MLK. The truck stops at Central and Third Street. I guess that the Nissan driver was pretty ticked by now so he jumps out of his car, runs up to the driver's side and then fires one round from an auto-loading pistol into a tire. His actions are witnessed by a uniformed police officer who draws her service weapon and orders him to drop the gun. He is apparently so angry that he fires another round thereby flattening another tire and then complies with the officer's orders. The pickup truck then is driven off on two flat tires and the scumbag was arrested soon thereafter. This is a similar situation to a Largo incident involving a good citizen and a drunken driver. The drunk runs into the rear of the good citizen's car, stops, surveys the damage and then decides to leave to avoid arrest. He is sitting in his car and the good citizen runs up to the passenger side and fires multiple rounds into two tires. The good citizen is arrested for firing into an occupied vehicle (major felony) and the drunk is charged with DUI (2nd degree misdemeanor)! The Nissan driver was not arrested but may be after investigation. The crux of the matter is simply this -- use your head for something other than a Hat Rack! The Nissan is property and damage would really tick you off I'm sure. But, pursuing the scumbag thereby possibly creating much greater danger to the public and then firing at a tire and then refusing to comply with an officer's lawful order to drop the gun while having a gun pointed at you and then firing again at a tire is simply STUPID - STUPID - STUPID! The Nissan driver could have been shot because he was firing at an occupied vehicle and now faces the possibility of major felony charges for his stupidity. Oh, by the way, this will be a real stretch to turn this into a 'Protection of Persons and Property Act' justified shooting in my opinion.

STAY SAFE AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!
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