August 9, 2011

"American Baseball Bats Selling Fast in UK..."

Says Drudge, linking to Amazon.com.uk.

98 comments:

Scott M said...

I read that and all I could think of was,

"Waaaaarriors....come out and plaaaaaaay"

(does that date me?)

Quilly_Mammoth said...

London citizens fight back:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8691761/London-riots-residents-fight-back.html

Personal responsibility get chic in toney London neighborhoods. What's that old adage about a Liberal who gets mugged?

Mark O said...

Clockwork Orange.

David A. Carlson said...

when the police can't (or won't) protect you, and they have taken all your guns away, I suppose a bat is an ok third option. Personally, I would move to a better country

Sal said...

There's nothing quite like a wood shampoo.

David A. Carlson said...

From the first review of the number one bat seller

This bat is perfectly weighted and will suit any UK shop-owner looking to protect their property.

Thanks to the ergonomic handle, one easy swing should be enough to shatter patellas, skulls or any other bone on your targeted looter. Personally, I would recommend also investing in some fingerless gloves for extra grip.

Curious George said...

Sounds like the Brits are finally
Walking Tall

Mr. Forward said...

That's not cricket.

TWM said...

Accompanied by an American football helmet, sholderpads, and nice set of metal-spiked baseball cleats and I'd say you could do pretty good against one or two of them.

The Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Julie C said...

When I read about what's happening in the UK and with the so-called 'flash mobs' here in the US, I am seriously considering buying a handgun. My husband and I discussed this just the other night. We don't have one now because we've never really felt the need before. But I am very concerned about all the class warfare crap being stirred up in this country by the president and others. And I don't trust that the police will be much help unfortunately.

Jennifer said...

Fascinating. Billy clubs and bats aplenty. And I suppose this is why Drudge is so good at what he does. Any other journalists staking out the Amazon Movers & Shakers lists to spot a story?

Joe said...

(The Uncredentialed, Crypto Jew)

(does that date me?)

Are you asking yourself, out? Not that there’s anything wrong with that….

David said...

Doesn't sound quite cricket to me.

n.n said...

They either resist or submit. There is no other choice.

As people have become civilized, they have forgotten that the world is still ruled by the natural order (e.g., redistributive change through coercion). The people who procreate will inherit the Earth and the product of our labor. The people who defend their dignity and disregard the dignity of others will dominate their "well-intentioned" competition.

The British have been disarmed and have been left vulnerable to individuals and groups who are wiling to perpetrate violent action in order to appease their need for instant gratification.

Britain's left should be held accountable as accessories to importing people who fail to assimilate and, in fact, desire to reestablish the corrupt regimes they purportedly escaped.

If the British fail in their duty to preserve their society, then they will submit to the stronger force, and be forced to accept a foreign order.

It's strange that individuals who claim to understand evolutionary processes, fail to understand the basic order of our world.

Carol_Herman said...

The aluminum ones? Or the wood?

If the constable catches ya, do you also have to show him you've got a glove?

Carol_Herman said...

I still think the queen is a phony. And, she's in the way.

Anonymous said...

Recent immigrants know the score: defend yourself against anarchy or die. The native Brits seem a bit neutered.

TosaGuy said...

A shotgun is far better for home defense than is a handgun -- especially with a short barrel and handgrip stock.

Just the clunk-clunk of loading a shell into the chamber will send most people scrambling away in search of softer targets.

The Dude said...
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TosaGuy said...

I am fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where I can clunk-clunk first and shoot later.

Synova said...

I like guns.

That said, it was sort of weird to be in the local grocery (on this side of the mountain it's a pricy place with gourmet goodies and wine tasting on Tuesdays) and find that the gun magazines had been moved from the magazine rack to the check-out lanes. Of three pockets at one of them, there was one lady's mag and two gun magazines.

I *do* like guns, and even considered buying one of the magazines, but I still felt a bit uneasy, like maybe there was something I wasn't aware of, that I ought to feel uneasy about.

The Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joaquin said...

If you can't shoot em..............waaack em!

Anonymous said...

TosaGuy, that's what an ex-cop friend of mine told me, that the clunk of that shotgun is the homeowner's best preventative defense.

Chuck66 said...

"What's that old adage about a Liberal who gets mugged?"

I know two hardcore liberals (while in college) who have turned into right wing conservatives once they got out in the real world.

-One converted once he bought rental property in a mid-sized city and had to deal with everything from bad tenants to gov't rules-gone-wild.

-The other got a realworld job, one that required hard work and not alot of pay. He saw what you had to do to survive and prosper when things aren't handed to you.

Shanna said...

When I read about what's happening in the UK and with the so-called 'flash mobs' here in the US, I am seriously considering buying a handgun.

I have a gun at the house, but not a handgun. If I bought one and did the whole concealed carry thing, I still couldn’t bring it to work.

But well over half the households in Arkansas have guns. I am not super worried about this happening here en masse because it would be quickly stopped.

Chuck66 said...

Julie C. Usually all you need to do is show the firearm if you are threatened. Highly unlikely you will ever fire it.

Chuck66 said...

Tosaguy...I agree. I know a guy who had someone break into his house during the day (burgler thinking no one was home). He was upstairs, got his shotgun, and did the sound, said something (that I don't recall) and the thief ran like a little bunny.

Chuck66 said...

By the way....if anyone shops on University Ave in St Paul, you will notice a nice big wooden bat behind many of the counters. First time I saw one was at the Firestone store. Kind of took me by surprise. I was very polite to the owner.

Carol said...

"Usually all you need to do is show the firearm"

That's a dangerous attitude because it could result in delayed reaction time. If you're not prepared to shoot to kill as needed, then don't get a gun. Displaying a gun might just make the intruder come for you faster if he thinks you're a wimp.

They train you to get two shots off, in fact.

Clyde said...

Advice to Londoners, from Jim Bouton's Ball Four: "Take two and hit to right."

Lipperman said...

I am glad that people are wising up to the idea that they are responsible for their safety, not the police.

Hoosier Daddy said...

"Capone: A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms... What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy? Baseball!"

The Untouchables
1987

Hoosier Daddy said...

This is why countries like England are screwed when the zombie apocalypse arrives.

Oso Negro said...

Good stuff about the bats. What they really need are the wares from a good old Texas Gun Show. Unfortunately, there is substantial question as to whether they have the fortitude to take a swing or pull a trigger at need.

Alex said...

Bats don't kill people, people do. It's time for a bat-ban.

Geoff Matthews said...

I think that England is ripe for a change. Their "Deathwish", aka "Harry Brown" provoked a lot of controversy, but after these riots, I think that people are going to be less sympathetic towards criminals.

They may even endorse occupational hazards to the criminal profession.

Steven said...

Well, it's nice to see that our national pastime is finally gathering some more fans over there. I guess it was the news about Derek Jeter's 3000th hit that prompted this new interest.

Crimso said...

Somebody had better warn them about how far up you're allowed to have pine tar. It's been known to cause violence in the past.

Fred4Pres said...

American shotguns and handguns should be sold in the UK, but they are not (except under extremely limited conditions).

Fred4Pres said...

Julie C said...
When I read about what's happening in the UK and with the so-called 'flash mobs' here in the US, I am seriously considering buying a handgun. My husband and I discussed this just the other night. We don't have one now because we've never really felt the need before. But I am very concerned about all the class warfare crap being stirred up in this country by the president and others. And I don't trust that the police will be much help unfortunately.

8/9/11 1:24 PM

A handgun is fine if you put in the practice to really know how to use it, but depending on which state you are in you may be relatively restricted on carrying one. So...

Go with a shotgun. They are inexpensive. They are easy to operate. You can get a 20 gauge that a small woman can easily hold and operate with a short barrel. Perfect for home defense. A shotgun is safer that a rifle (because while it will kill what is directly in front of it, it does not penetrate walls like a rifled shot will. Long guns are mostly legal (with some insane restrictions in just a few cities).

And you may enjoy taking the thing to the range and shooting some skeet and targets.

If I had to choose between just a shotgun and hangun, I would go with the shotgun.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, they are ordering the aluminum versions. It's not a real bat unless you've got your fingers wrapped around a nice piece of ash or maple. When they club someone they'll be getting that cheap metallic 'clang' instead of the genuine skull-breaking 'crack'.

Widely Seen said...

Basically, the British banned guns one might carry or have at hand. When swords began to appear, they were likewise [along with knives].

So I expect bats will be next.

And recent accounts suggest threatening or using a weapon against a criminal will bring down the law on you -- you are supposed to call the police, don't you know...

Eric said...

I am glad that people are wising up to the idea that they are responsible for their safety, not the police.

It would be difficult to believe otherwise after two nights of virtually unchecked rioting.

traditionalguy said...

A grand slam must mean four violent youths killed in a single swing of the bat.

Samson did a thousand a day with the jaw bone of an ass. That was not vry supernatural ...or was it. A thousand hard swings would be naturally impossible if they were lined up for him like balls on a golf tee.

England is going back to the stone age man fighting with clubs, before the best and the brightest made stone axes and spears.

Time marches backwards ... much like like Manatees de-evolving back to the ocean for protection.

KCFleming said...

England is lost, I think. Doomed to the barbarism that is engulfing it.

The dystopian futures that were the stuff of movies are becoming part of daily life.

It's too bad. They had a good run. Now they're finished.
All over but the shoutin'.

Fred4Pres said...

Attractive women protecting property on the other side of the pond.

Nice shirt.

Mike said...

And I don't trust that the police will be much help unfortunately.

The police aren't required to help any individual. Which was why they ran during the LA riots leaving the Koreans to defend themselves. The British police seem to be doing the same thing, not that I blame them with their idiot leaders who just view the police as sacrificial victims to multi-culti pandering.

KCFleming said...

The article Fred4Pres notes shows exactly why England is doomed and beyond salvage:

"But people waiting to clean up Clapham Junction have been told they cannot help because of health and safety issues.

The clean-up operation had been expected to begin at 1pm after police dealt with the crime scene.

But officers told the volunteers that the decision had been made for the clean-up to be done by the council.

Asked why, an officer said: "Health and safety mainly. There's lots of broken glass around.
"

They've gone completely mad.

Anonymous said...

What was depressing about that link to London, Fred, is that they were stopped from cleaning up because of "health and safety rules."

Rioting: carry on.
Cleaning up: halt!

Fred4Pres said...

PatCA, I agree, very sad. But they are the hope and future for England. Like the RAF in WWII.

ic said...

Do you know the reason we don't have riots now is because of Obama?

The anti-war protesters don't protest even though he is fighting one more war than Bush, the union thugs don't riot on the street because their guy is in the White House, Code Pinks don't show their mushy thighs, hanging breasts because they can bill taxpayers for killing their own babies,...

Obama makes the economy worse, no doubts about that. But he keeps the leftist losers in check.

Bet you a trillion: if a Republican is in the White House in 2013, leftists will explode in the streets, protesting high unemployment, protesting wars, protesting ...

The Crack Emcee said...

I like how everyone just immediately assumes the good guys are the ones buying the bats. That wasn't my thinking at all.

And then there's this:

Sixty Grit said...
tosaguy - the sound of a round being chambered is not that scary. And around here, if a perp hears it, that means I missed with my first shot, which is already chambered. When I lived in a neighborhood with CRIME in it I didn't even keep the safety on - the 12 gauge was ready to point and click, as it were.


FIFY.

I swear, sometimes, it's hard to tell who the good guys are.

Sheesh.

KCFleming said...

"I like how everyone just immediately assumes the good guys are the ones buying the bats."

Because they didn't steal them, is my guess!

Wince said...

Beat on the Brat... with a Baseball Bat

Beat on the brat
Beat on the brat
Beat on the brat with a baseball bat
Oh yeah, oh yeah,uh-oh
Oh yeah, oh yeah, uh-oh.

What can you do?
What can you do?
With a brat like that always on your back
What can you lose?

Anonymous said...

It's odd, but it seems to me more and more that police now only enforce the law with people who don't put up a fight. They operate in Britain "with the consent of the community."

Isn't that an oxymoron? If you are rioting, you are not consenting; t/4 you are exempt?

dbp said...

If I lived in the UK, a good all purpose weapon could be fashioned from a five foot length of 2" x 2" hard wood.

Just router or plane off the edges so that it is comfortable in your hands. A staff like this gives you a lot more ways to attack than a baseball bat.

Hasn't anyone here ever seen a Jackie Chan movie?

KCFleming said...

Very true, PatCa.

In my little town, it turns out that only the middle class ever actually pays any of the fines meted out by the justice system. Not just speeding tickets, but judgments and court fines.

The barbarians pay nada and nothing is ever done about it.

So if the tail light goes out on your Prius, PAY THE FINE!!

If you are fined and put on probation for assault, DO NOTHING!!

Michael K said...

There are numerous stories of people being prosecuted for defending their own property. There was one case last year where a homeowner went after some punks throwing rocks at his windows. He had a stick of some sort. He was arrested and the punks were not disturbed.

I wonder how self defense will be received now that things are out of hand. Boris Johnson should have a long talk with Rudy Giuliani.

KCFleming said...

Given the laws in Britain, which favor the criminal over the property owner, all that is left to do is to kill and hide the bodies. Massive disproportionate retaliatory violence, and report nothing, ever.

If you don't defend yourself, you're dead or disabled.
If you get caught defending yourself, you go to jail.

That's how incentives work.

Paul said...

I suggest the good people of Britain band together where they live. Some take night watch,some day.

And if your good neighbors have to use violence to stop the looters, then everyone turn a blind eye. You didn't see the other bloke defend himself. If no one sees it, it didn't happen.

dbp said...

Neighbors thought that Dr. Pogo had all those bags of lime for his lawn. Little did they know its actual purpose.

Fred4Pres said...

Crack, I assume good and bad buy weaponss if they are legal.

I know only the bad have weapons when they are not.

Palladian said...

"I like how everyone just immediately assumes the good guys are the ones buying the bats."

The yobs don't need bats. They have the legal and welfare system to protect them.

KCFleming said...

The bags of lime are for your lawn.

The Dude said...
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KCFleming said...

Who wants to dig anyway?

Sooooo, where can a guy get some beetles?
Like, a hundred thousand?

dbp said...

Then, what do you do with the beetles once they have done their job? They will have acquired a taste for human flesh.

So, you go to the place where you got the beetles and say, "Ah, I need 100,000 of whatever eats those kind of beetles you sold me last week."

bagoh20 said...

On the subject of shotgun cocking as a deterrent:

I have a friend who lived on the second floor in a bad part of L.A. One night a guy put a ladder up against the building and was opening up his window when my friend appeared in front of him with the shotgun and cocked it like that. The guy jumped backward off the ladder and landed 15 feet below flat on his back. He got up slowly and staggered off. So yea, it works assuming the criminal has half a brain, because my friend had a wife and kid inside, and that guy was dead if didn't jump. So lives were saved all around.

Unfortunately, you can't fire a warning shot without risk of prosecution, so maybe all guns should have a sound they make when you aim them - like a growl or a rattlesnake sound. Of course, you could just say "Go ahead, make my day."

The Dude said...
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Fred4Pres said...

Sixty Grit, my wife caught a burgler and held him with a rifle till the cops came. He was white.

Just sayin.

Fred4Pres said...

Crack, my wife pointed out that mostly the good guys would buy the bats...because the bad guys would just try to steal them. Good point.

The Dude said...
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bagoh20 said...

Well, I once lived where the crime was rampant and it seemed to all be done by Asian Quakers. I don't care what anybody says, I hate those fuckers, and I'll shoot one on sight.

bagoh20 said...

"a laser sight on my 12 gauge."

Yea, it shows me where the center of my 8 inch hole will be, just for informational purposes.

That reminds me, I heard that John Holmes used to wear a laser sight.

Fred4Pres said...

Sixty Grit, fair enough.

Fred4Pres said...

A shotgun cocking is why I have pumps intead of semis. That noise is like a rattlesnake. Not that I have a problem with semis, but you have to get a good one and they are more expensive.

A double barrel is okay too, but I would prefer the person I am aiming at not knowing for sure how many shells that gun holds.

Fred4Pres said...

A shotgun cocking is why I have pumps intead of semis. That noise is like a rattlesnake. Not that I have a problem with semis, but you have to get a good one and they are more expensive.

A double barrel is okay too, but I would prefer the person I am aiming at not knowing for sure how many shells that gun holds.

Cushing said...

Scott M

It dates you as awesome!

Blue@9 said...

"I like how everyone just immediately assumes the good guys are the ones buying the bats."


Yeah, I'm sure the yobs whipped out their credit cards and ordered it up on Amazon.

"Nah, mate, put it on my card. I got Amazon Prime -- free priority shipping!"

And you wonder why people don't care about your blog.

The Crack Emcee said...

Sixty, if you wanna be a racist, be a racist, but don't try to cover it by pretending I play no "brother" shit or cover for anybody.

You are what you are, and that's starting to look simply like someone I don't like.

The Dude said...
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bagoh20 said...

Crack, are facts racist now? Are you saying what Sixty Grit experienced is a lie and he makes it up because he is racist? Or is it just like he says, but you don't like it. Blame the blacks guys who embarrass you, not the white guy who notices. Sixty Grit could be Black, would that make his experience valid or racist?

ndspinelli said...

Since I'm not allowed to carry a weapon, I have carried a WOODEN..LET ME REPEAT WOODEN Louisville Slugger in my vehicle for decades. A very liberal friend scoffed when she saw it recently. I simply told her there are bad people in this world and I refuse to be a victim.

Last Fall I took a tour of the Louisville Slugger factory. I love factory tours and this is the best I've ever taken. I asked the tour guide if they had a Tony Soprano model. He wasn't amused but a few of the tour group were.

Word Verification: Ailes..anyone gotten Roger?

Big Mike said...

The sound that the operating rod makes on an M1A when you're getting a cartridge into the chamber is pretty distinctive. Otherwise go for a single action revolver -- if the perp doesn't understand the sound of a revolver being cocked, then it's on him and not you.

The Dude said...
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The Crack Emcee said...

bagoh20,

Crack, are facts racist now? Are you saying what Sixty Grit experienced is a lie and he makes it up because he is racist? Or is it just like he says, but you don't like it.

b20, blacks didn't do shit to Sixty - criminals did. I've lived in high crime areas and criminals come in all colors.

Blame the blacks guys who embarrass you, not the white guy who notices. Sixty Grit could be Black, would that make his experience valid or racist?

Where do you guys get this stuff from? Embarrassed? You're putting words in my mouth. Why would I be embarrassed by people I'm not connected to?

Criminals - like racists - are a blight on everyone, regardless of color.

The Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bagoh20 said...

"Why would I be embarrassed by people I'm not connected to?

Criminals - like racists - are a blight on everyone, regardless of color."


There was a time when the overwhelming majority of racist violence was done by whites. Fair or not, all whites shared that guilt. It made a difference, because it was acknowledged and that led to change from within. Whites weren't forced to control the evil among themselves by blacks, they were shamed into it by each other. It worked.

"According to the latest annual report on murder by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, most inter-racial murders involve black assailants and white victims, with blacks murdering whites at 18 times the rate that whites murder blacks."

Blacks are 12% of the population. I know someone needs to be embarrassed if we want this fixed.

traditionalguy said...

Sixty...Aren't you falling into the Helter Skelter plans outlined by the mad Charles Manson?

You are using incidents of black teens who go wilding and kill actresses as an excuse to start a fight with the black men and women everywhere who are not a threat to anyone.

Anonymous said...

A shotgun cocking is why I have pumps intead of semis. That noise is like a rattlesnake. Not that I have a problem with semis, but you have to get a good one and they are more expensive.

A shotgun, at least a 12-gauge, is not a beginner's weapon. You have to have years of experience with progressively more powerful firearms before you can handle the massive recoil of a 12. Here is what happens when a novice tries to use a shotgun.

Peter

The Dude said...
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Fen said...

Mike: The police aren't required to help any individual. Which was why they ran during the LA riots leaving the Koreans to defend themselves.

Some inside scoop - when the riots started, we (B CO, 3D LAR BN, 3D MARDIV) were on air alert for either Bosnia or Somolia. They sent C CO to stage on the LA interstate, to the east of the city, just in case they needed to call them in.

WITOUT ammo. Yes, they expected the mere sight of LAVs to quell the violence. But we would not have been allowed to engage. We were told to secure all our gear to the inside of the vehicles to discourage them getting ripped off by rioters. My unit was to be the reserve for C CO if they needed it. Thankfully, neither unit was sent in. We would have been sitting ducks.

Same nonsense in Somolia - we're leading a food convoy from Mogadishu to Baderra, where we would set up operations. Higher ordered that we NOT chamber a 25mm round in our main gun. Now, 25mm cannon is notorious for feed shute jams, which can take 3 mins to clear. The only way to know you don't have one is to cycle the "Ghost round" and upload the first 25mm round in the link.

Funny part - to a man, every single gunner in our convoy disobeyed the stupid order and had their rounds chambered and ready to fire.

Just remember this when (heaven forbid) National Guard units are sent in to "help" you. Don't let your guard down, its likely they will not have ammo or will have some stupid ROE in place that prevents them from defending you effectively.

Fen said...

to start a fight with the black men and women everywhere who are not a threat to anyone.

They have forfeited that benefit of doubt. When I see groups of young black males loitering around, I keep an eye on them and try to avoid them. But the first one that makes a hostile move toward me is getting a bullet in the brain.

You? You can sit over your wife's body at the morgue sobbing "why do they hate us?". Not me.

The Crack Emcee said...

Sixty Grit,

tradguy - you need to improve your reading comprehension. I am willing to defend my home and my family, that's it.

Bullshit - you said your gun had the safety off for "blacks," specifically. When I corrected you and said "criminals," which is what you're claiming now, then you had attitude.

Go tell your Kenyan stepson about your readiness to kill "blacks," will you? See how you feel - about yourself - then.

Writ Small said...

As for crime, it was all committed by blacks.

That statement reminds me of a test I took in diversity training when I started working. The test had categorical statements and statements that left room for exceptions, both pro and con, about various racial stereotypes that you had to agree to disagree with. At the end of the test you came out as either as a person who sees other races through a false negative lens (i.e., racist), a false positive lens (i.e., bleeding heart) or a person who sees the world more or less as it is.

I was relieved to be in the less than 10% of the class who fell in the latter category. It was shocking to me how few of us there were in a group of salaried people at a Fortune 500 company, but it did teach me to trust my own judgment.

The Dude said...
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