It looks like Ryan's going to Baghdad... Same as it ever was. Click the link to see details, like a pic or two. :-). Tyler's been running a sattelite ISP there for about a year. I've been reading his LJ for about 6 months now, or so. Great story. Anarchocapitalism at its finest, ladies and germs... Cheers, RAH -------- <http://www.livejournal.com/users/giantlaser/48523.html> Tyler (??) (?giantlaser) wrote, @ 2004-07-18 13:24:00 ? ? Ali Baba returnsslownewsday and I woke last night to a battle outside our house. Two thieves (Ali Babas) dressed in black were sneaking around the back garden of our neighbor. It isn't clear who fired first, or how it started at all. What is clear is that the guards on my roof (over our bedroom) opened up with multiple rifles in short automatic bursts. The thieves may have responded with pistols, but clearly decided they were outgunned and beat feet. Jayme and I didn't know any of this when it happened. We bolted from bed and silently dressed in the first thing at hand, our pajamas. Note to self - emergency pants. Jayme put on her armor and I took my med kit, and we went to check what happened. My heart was beating and my mind raced. The firing had ceased after 15 seconds of exchange or so, but it was very close with no distant return fire. Is it Ali Baba? Insurgents? Something really serious? Can we defend the house or do we make a running retreat? Protective, aggressive caveman hovered beneath my consciousness. I could feel everything around me, including my own hands shaking as they grabbed spare magazines. Then I was holding my pistol, and I was still and ready. Strange. I advanced down the hall cop-style with my gun made ready with my arms in lowered shooting stance. It seemed like a good idea at the time - it's what cops do, right? Outside, I found Kak Jalal (the former Brig. General) talking to the guards. He looked me up and down, and laughed. He must have seen thousands of young men like that, armed and scared. I dropped the cop stance. It was all over by the time we were outside. We went back to bed. The post-panic sex was fantastic. So we're reviewing security. The approach the thieves might have taken is covered by a guard post (over my bedroom), a 3-meter wall, and razor wire. However, it's dark on the far side of the wall. Noor al Dien (my personal guard and faithful manservant *) spoke to the neighbor. The neighbor thanked him for guarding the neighborhood and asked us to install a light that shines into his yard. He doesn't have a generator, so he can't power a light reliably. This is good news for us, because we wanted to do this anyway but we didn't want to irritate the neighbors. Well, irritate them more than the razor wire and periodic gun battles already do. * I love saying "faithful manservant". We're adding the lights and working on better coordination between the guards. Some were more careful and gave measure warning shots. Some decided that overwhelming fright was the best tactic, in order to discourage repeat visits. I can't really argue with that, except for the part where it scares the shit out of me. (Post a new comment) octal 2004-07-18 04:39 (link) Amusing that this happens the day before I show up :) Webcams on the perimeter would be fun, too. I think I'll try to get a III + IV vest for the car; is it worth bothering with a coolmax and a IIA concealable? Also, battle dressings seem like a REALLY good idea. Pistol? Why not the AK? I've never really had a problem with confronting people with a gun while naked; if it shocks them for even a second, it's a plus for me. Heh. What are "warning shots"? As in center-of-mass hits on the targets, which the others find out about before attacking again? (Reply to this) (Thread) giantlaser 2004-07-18 06:48 (link) Vest is your call - the hard part is finding one. I don't wear one, but Jayme was issued one by her company. We carry battle dressings and tampons (stick them in wounds) at all times. 1/3 of my normal man-bag (read: European Carry-All, or purse) is devoted to bulletwound care. I went shooting with the AK a few days ago. It performed poorly - aim is fine, but after 30 rounds it heats up and jams frequently. I won't carry a weapon that's going to get me killed at a random time in the future. Killing is a very serious thing here. Even if they are thieves, we pay fassel if we kill them. So you give them a chance to flee before taking serious aim. A real attack is one thing. Simple thieves are another. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) travisd 2004-07-18 15:27 (link) If you capture them though, can you demand ransom for their return? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) giantlaser 2004-07-18 22:46 (link) Uh, yes. :) But it's not a wise business to get into. Our engineers are far too vulnerable as they travel around to make a profit on ransom possible. (Reply to this) (Parent) habibi 2004-07-18 08:18 (link) wow! (Reply to this) valiss 2004-07-18 08:41 (link) Another note-to-self: emergency shoes. Nothing like trying to flee from a building when glass is all over the floor. (Reply to this) gori11a 2004-07-18 09:21 (link) In Nairobi, our Askari ("night guard"? There's no real translation) carried Rungas, which are short narrow clubs with knotted gnarls at the end. Bandits usually were armed with Machettes. A siren and spinning light alarm on the top of a house would summon all the Askaris on the block to beat the bandits to within an inch of their lives. It was not uncommon for an Askari to be found asleep on his watch. I'm glad guns weren't as prevalent there as they seem to be in Baghdad. (Reply to this) cambler 2004-07-18 10:14 (link) I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I look forward to your book more than you can know. (Reply to this) re: turns of phrase (Anonymous) 2004-07-18 12:30 (link) "faithful manservant", eh? "aide-de-camp" is also very good. (Reply to this) pinkish 2004-07-18 23:55 (link) What about good ole motion sensor lights? Scare the shit out of me walking by someone's garage at 4am. (Reply to this) (Post a new comment) -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'