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The “EDC” and “10 things you would have done differently” posts are taking a bit longer than expected, but something happened the other day and wanted to tell you guys and girls about it.
The day before yesterday I was driving through General Paz highway.
About 4 PM, not a lot of traffic but still several cars around.
Minding my own business as usual when suddenly the car in front of mine starts slowing down (little red flag in the brain went up), and from the front passenger’s window a guy pulls most of his torso out of the window and points towards me with something in his hand, at first I thought it was a weapon, but instantly recognized the deodorant kind of bottle shape that protruded from below.
He started spraying my windshield with foam!
The instinctive thing to do would be to hit the brakes, but given the speed and cars near by, it would have been a big mistake.
I already had my gun out, so I went right and got close to the AH, pointed the gun to his face. (AC doesn’t work so the window was down)
He made the usual “entire life flashes before your eyes” face people put when you do that, eyes opened wide, combination of stupidity and surprise look.
He started shouting something to the driver.
They immediately slowed down and disappeared, didn’t see them again.
I don’t know if they wanted to carjack me, or just cause an accident, but being cautious always worked out for me.
Just wanted to share that because I thought it was pretty weird.
People here sometimes get robbed after they throw stones into the windshield, but this is the first time I saw this foam thing being used in such a way.
FerFAL
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008
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41 comments:
This is my usual rampant paranoia but maybe you should take this particular post down. If this is an *uncommon* occurence (maybe someone's first attempt at this tactic), there are enough details - what, where and when - to link "FerFal" with someone's face and vehicle. This assclowns probably wouldn't be surfing your blog but Murphy has a twisted sense of humor.
Just a thought. Good reaction on your part, though. Stay safe!
ferfal
you have skills needed in the USA
you can become a bilingual spanish teacher
the school districts will embrace you
the children, bilingual, will love
you
you will make a living here and if your wife takes in a child or two, childcare, you will be set
the benefits for teachers are amazing
dental, medical
the retirement is out of this world
so good
mary
hi ferfal
the spanish language is a gift
you will be rewarded in the USA
we need bilingual teachers desperately
if you have a BS or BA or even if not
you have a bright future here
we desperately need bilingual teachers
the children, bilingual, will LOVE you
you have no idea
you are sitting on a pot of gold becuz you know spanish language
i love spanish but do not know it nearly as well as you do
i have interviewed for jobs and they ask me a sentence in spanish
since i know spanish enough to answer
i get the job
so do not despair
Really hope so Mary.:)
My wife knows English and Spanish fairly, well, she's a lawyer but would love to work in a school too if possible.
Take care.
KeithC, thanks for worrying man. I appreciate it ;)
FerFAL
Wow, that was really scary. Do the women in Argentina make sure they go places with an escort? If I were alone like that I don't know what I would have done. It seems to me the bad guys pick on the weak (elderly, women, etc.).
Stay safe! Like Mary said, we need you in the US! I am praying for your safety. God bless you.
hi ferfal
it's mary again
even if your degree is in architecture
do not despair
it does not MATTER what ur degree is in
the USA school system is as follows
get a degree in anything
then get ur "credential"
one year program
but since you are bilingual
you are GOLD in the eyes of the school system
you do not even "need" a credential if you are bilingual
the school districts are travelling to spain, mexico, etc to recruit bilingal people
you are sitting on a pot of gold and you do not even realize
it
thank god i know enough spanish to pass the bilingual test
altho i am irish descent
you do not realize how hot you are in our market
there is no need to live like this, like you have to in argentina
you will be so welcomed here you have no idea
the mexican parents are so nice and appreciative
very nice people
if you do elementary education kinder to 5th grage you will nothave to worry about discipline etc
check it out
let me know if you need more help
mary
"maria"
hi ferfal
spanish language is gold here
you do not realize i think
you have soo many opportunities here
even our meetings at school are held in spanish languagae
spanish is such a cool language
you need to recognize how in demand you are
usa is a nice country
california is a nice state with great weather
we need you here with your skills as a spanish speaker
do not worry
you will have a million jobs
go to edjoin.org and see all of our jobs and that is only the tip of the iceberg
yours
mary
maria
The dollar is going down, gold and euro up.
This should be taken into consideration by all those who have dollars.
In the US, an additional layer of protection would have been to call 911 immediately.
The reason? Perpetrators have learned to call 911 when a citizen frightens them off with a firearm. They call the police, give your description and vehicle license number, and lodge a complaint that you menaced them with a gun for no reason. (Of course, they neglect to mention that they initiated the problem, but that is not the cops' problem.)
If you don't make that call first, the police will do a felony traffic stop on you, put you face down on the pavement and confiscate your gun, which will be viewed as confirming evidence. You may get off but you will need a lawyer and plenty of time and money. In the meantime, the thwarted carjackers get the last laugh.
An alternative is to just shoot them on the spot. But I think a quick call to 911, even before you take action, is a wise precaution.
As to the action, if it ever does go to court, you will be asked “why didn’t you take evasive action? Why didn’t you just try to get away first, before waving your gun around?” You’ll want to be able to answer that convincingly. The best answer is, “I tried. They followed.”
Finally-- Thanks, FerFAL, for your valuable contributions.
hi ferfal
i'm so worried about your safety in argentina
you would be so safe here
ok, maybe you will not be an architect here, at least not right away
but you and /or your wife can be a bilingual teacher
the mexican people are so nice here and so appreciative
you and/or your wife can be a bilingual teacher
we are truly desperate here
for bilingual teachers
your benefits will be out of this world
your retirement benefits, incredible
you need to think about this
if you go to spain, you are an ordinary person
if you go to calif, you are a prize as you speak 2 languages
even tho i speak spanish with difficulty
i am hugely employable as i know the 2 languages
think about this
you try to flee to england
i try to flee to england
i speak english perfectly
who are they going to hire?
california needs bilingual people so badly at every level
it is a great state with an incredible climate
sunny all the time
check it out
luv
mary
Thank God you are alright. Thank you for sharing this event. It reminds us that we should always be vigilant. Thanks to you I have the "What if" scenario playing constantly on my head.
It also shows that Reagan was right. Peace through superior fire power. A Glock 9mm beats shaving cream any day of the week.
He planned to blind you by covering your windshield with foam. Then you would have had an accident or would have stopped. And then he would have robbed you (killed you).
Mary is right, we need bilingual teachers here in California. You might like the Central Valley, near Sacramento or Fresno. It's surrounded by farms, if you like that sort of thing. Otherwise if you like the water, you might enjoy the Bay Area, but it can be expensive to live there.
LOL Mary and I seem to be picking out a house for you already. We are just concerned about you.
gawd you lot have some scary people around LOL
Thankfully this sort of thing doesnt happen anywhere near us!
hi ferfal
i second what vdavisson said
there are so many jobs here
all over the state of california
you will be on the fast track
what does that mean?
if you are bilingual, you are on the "fast track" for promotion
for ex, if you and I compete to be a principal or administrator in the school district, YOU will get the job becuz you are a native speaker of spanish
i think you do not realize (how could anyone realize) how important spanish language is
i think god every day that i am a linguist and can speak spanish
it has stood me well
but i'm not a native speaker
i so regret that i did not put my kids into a bilingual preschool so they could get this level of proficiency
my son loves spanish and speaks it very well
he worked his way through university as a waiter and speaks it very very well
still, he has an accent
with a BA in "anything" even basket weaving, you can be a teacher in california
it is safe here
you can get an apartment, and rent
or buy a condo
do not worry you will be safe here
maria
hi ferfal
i can't emphasize enough to you, how nice the mexican parents are
they will be sooooo grateful to get a bilingual teacher who speaks spanish so well
you have so many opportunities
i am so grateful that i speak spansish
not as well as you,but well enough
you will be LOVED here
we need bilingual skills in cali
please consider
even if you come here on tourist visa 6 months, it will work out for you
i promise
it is lovely here
no snow
almost no rain
sunny all the time
you can afford a nice apartment or condo here
places are going for peanuts with the economy
no matter how bad the economy gets, we need bilingual teachers
you will be amazed how you will be embraced by our system since you are bilingual
it is a huge asset
spanish is sooo important and a lovely language
you are sitting on a pot of GOLD and yet you can't realize it
luv
maria
ps your retirement here will be amazing
if you are my age (50s) and you put in 25 or 30 years, you will get 90% or more of your salary in retirement
my friend in Socal makes 120,000 as a teacher
her retirement will be over 100,000
we do well here
Ferfal, you probably know this or have read it, but Ecuador has decided to default on its debt (even though it has the money to pay). This guy Correa sounds like another lefty... they are deadly poison to businesses and prosperity.
Anyway, here's the article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/globalbusiness/3759173/Ecuador-default-Fears-grow-that-others-will-follow.html
Not to be a party pooper or anything, but considering CA's current, and future, budget troubles, and Calpers managing to lose up to 103% (Yes, that's right! http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/12/calpers-to-report-losses-of-103-on-its.html) of state employees' pensions, it is highly unlikely public sector anything will remain as lucrative as it has been for the last couple of decades.
RECOVERY spams Your comments, FerFal =))))))
Dmitry, Odessa, Ukraine..=))
Stay safe!=)
The dollar is crashing to the euro and to gold. If you have any dollar holdings you might rethink if that is sensible.
I know that in argentina many people have dollars.
The argentinians got smashed in 2002 when the peso devaluated.
I believe many try to put their money into dollars.
Well, they might get smashed a second time. When the dollar devaluates.
Ferfal, you can approve this comment for viewing or you can delete it, whichever you wish.
You might want to start posting these reports at FreeRepublic.com. It's completely free, no charge to belong or post anything. You'd get a huge audience for your posts and make more people aware of what's going on with your country and society.
There are many people over there who care about freedom, private property, law, human rights, etc. It would be the perfect audience for your posts.
If you're not interested, that's fine... just wanted to give you a heads-up on what other places are out there. I love your blog. Stay safe! Praying for you and your family.
I've got a newborn, too, FerFal - I'm too tired to worry :). Just watch your back, my friend.
Re: the Anon note about perps calling the cops here. It's not just a "last laugh" situation. Depending on how serious they are, some will formally file a complaint against you because, once you're processed, your personal information becomes public record and is easily accessible to their lawyers (and the more organized folks have them). Legal proceedings are irrelevant to them at that point - now they know where you live. Public embarrassment is now the least of your worries.
Maria
Are you in love with FerFal?
Good job shutting down those banditos! I would think you'd have a better chance surviving in the US than in Argentina, but there is a severe job loss in California and it will get worse. They will soon be laying off teachers all over the state. Also, there are plenty of unemployed Spanish/English speaking people here in California.. I bet you could probably make big bucks as a firearms trainer/expert. Or maybe you could have your own survivalist reality TV show!
Ferfal, what are the gun laws in Argentina? I live in the wild west basically where everything goes, I went to the gun show and walked out that day with an M4.
Can you carry? In the car? In the house? Are there restrictions on rifles and assault rifles.
Ferfal, watch the dollar. The kenyan shilling is now gaining strength against the dollar.
Soon the argentinian peso might do the same.
These are interesting times.
The dollar is collapsing. Ferfal, you have been in Spain once, I believe.
Maybe having some euros instead of dollars might be a thing to think about.
Hi Ferfal,
I apologize for writing so much. I was really in a worry for you. I have not seen a blog like this before. I had no idea Argentina was so bad. I wrote a lot as I was really stressing. I just want you to get out somehow and be safe.
Yours,
Mary
Don’t worry Mary, I appreciate your concern though. :)
If it makes you feel better, know that I take every precaution I can, and do my best to keep my family safe, even if some things simply are unavoidable given the situation here.
FerFAL
Had a guy in downtown DC one time walk up to my commuter car and commence to spraying my windshield with some kind of crap. I saw him coming and was screaming at him to get the F*&^ away from my ride. No result. He keeps coming.
He commenced to spraying and after the first pump or two I pulled out my badge with my left hand and told him to put his hands on his head and turn around slowly, with my other hand around behind my back. He *evaporated*; left his bucket and pump and everything in the road in front of my right wheel.
I crushed it when I drove over it.
The goo on the windshield washed off with alcohol. I keep a bottle of isopropyl and Windex for such occasions.
Given what you have related, I think I'll keep a quart of lacquer thinner or something similar. If your perp had used some Great Stuff, or some other sticky stuff like road tar, that could have been really ugly.
I think that I understand why convertibility was such a bad idea for you guys. It is surprising that you don't burn the president of the IMF in effigy.
But you are past 1:1 now. What is the fix? What are some things that they could do to help fix the economy?
What is the cause of your inflation? Are they printing pesos like the FED is here?
My prayers are with you.
Mind Candy, Argentina started out essentially bailing out the banks, on the promise that it would grease the wheels to more home and business loans.
The same banks getting bail outs in the USA, got bailouts from Argentina.
The same bankers in the news in the USA, were involved in Argentina.
They started pillaging nations in Africa in the 1970s, perfected the techniques and took them to South America. Now it's North America's turn to get pillaged.
They are following a playbook. We don't have a prayer of avoiding Argentina's fate.
Start that garden. Pay off all the debts you can. 2009 will be a crappy year in the USA.
Interesting post, Ferfal! I've noticed a lot more messed up cars on the road lately (major dents, peeling paint, headlights not all working), and I was reminded of your post about post-SHTF. I think the above confirmed to me that we've been going down for a while.
I'd be interested in a post on having a strong house. If you could build your 'dream' house (well protected, hard to invade, etc), what would it include? Or, in other words, what would be good 'upgrades' to make on a home to make it safer? Thanks!
Ami
I think Mary/Maria is giving you bad advice. Yes, you could probably get a job as a bilingual teacher. However, the economy looks set to fall so hard that teacher pay/benefits/retirements will likely be cut. The old deal was teachers and civil servants were paid less but had greater job security and retirement potential ... but now, many civil servants have better pay and security than every one else so they are an obvious target to see their compensation cut. For example, California has a gigantic budget deficit - how are they going to plug that hole? Also, one would expect America to become more violent as the economy implodes (just like Argentina). You are not a citizen so you will likely find it difficult to obtain proper licensing for firearms in an increasingly violent environment. I can't imagine that you (of all people) would want to be unarmed.
Here is a website with posted jobs--http://www.edjoin.org/chooseCounty.aspx
This just for Calif. There is a shortage of bilingual Spanish teachers almost everywhere.
Yes, I agree with Anon that things are goign to get tighter here. Whether it will get as bad as Buenos Aires, I do not know.
Not trying to give 'bad advice' just trying to help someone get out of a very dangerous situation.
Our State of Calif is still, for the most part, very safe.
I agree with Weaseldog. Buy heirloom seeds (not hybrids) and learn to save the seeds. You can't grow vegetables from hybridized plants.
Totally off topic, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family from a loyal reader.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
I'm a bilingual teacher myself in Houston and recently Houston went to recruit teachers in California because so many in California had been laid off. I did not think there was a surplus of jobs in Cali.
Also, years ago, right before or after the ARG bank holiday I remember watching on TELEFE the teachers demonstrating because they had not been paid yet by the government. I'm worried about scenrios like that happening here.
FerFAL,
I've been reading your posts on various forums for years. Keep up the good work and dont let the bastards wear you down.
Cheers,
Grumpy
This post happened 2 years ago but I'm just now reading it.
I've seen similar tricks pulled when I lived in a major city, but instead of spray foam, they used fire extinguishers to cover the other vehicle's windshield.
I've only seen spray deodorant used to obscure security cameras.
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