Monday morning

[yendi]

So, I'm at home today, taking a sick day as my back's been in some major pain. I'm getting some writing done (me, behind on Bookslut reviews? Never!), and getting more work done on Elayna's room.

Because Elayna's going to be here in eight hours! Yay!

Haven't seen my kid all summer, and much as I admit that I enjoy the occasional extra bit of free time, I enjoy hugs from my daughter a hell of a lot more.

So, yeah. I expect to be pretty happy tonight. :-)

In other news, watched the latest Mythbusters today. Useful stuff, as they disproved the idea that you can prank someone by putting sugar in their gas tank. Or that you can blow someone up by shooting their gas tank. Or that a banana in a tailpipe will hurt the car. But they did establish that car doors won't stop many bullets, so don't hide behind one in a shootout.

Anyway, off to write and clean and rest.

Comments

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

Not sure on the sugar in the gas tank...a cousin of mine got VERY pranked on that by a psycho ex-girlfriend....

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/autos/grace/sugar.asp) just busted that one themselves.

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

Trying to recall that incident with the cuz...Must have been as with sand getting to the engine...it was years and years ago and I recall him being VERY VERY pissed over it and that it was mega damage to his car(he restores cars and dirt track races, so replacing a gas tank or filter wouldnt enrage him that bad)...then again maybe I'm just going senile...plus that gal was rather bad news(if I could pick lottery numbers like this cousin picks gals with problems)...

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

Shooting a gas tank won't make it explode? But what about the heat of the bullet?

I think people hide behind car doors because it hides their exact location from the gunman, not because bullets won't go through the door.

[zhent.livejournal.com]

Nope. Done this myself on a 1/2 full gas tank. Nothing. Gas doesn't explode from heat, but requires actual spark or flame.

Wouldn't matter to me if you did try to hide behind the door. I know your behind the door, just might take a few more bullets to get you... Heck, hide behind the whole car... 45 caliber bullets go right through...

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

Look, what have I ever done to you?

[zhent.livejournal.com]

Absolutely nothing... I'm just saying that my personal experience with firearms and cars bears out the Mythbusters guys perfectly.

I'd never want to be in a shootout with anyone, anywhere, anytime, but if such a thing ever arises, you can be darn certain I'm not hiding behind something so permiable as a car...

Give me a stone or brick wall every time. Takes a lot more to punch through...

[ocean-song.livejournal.com]

Sorry your back is hurting. YAY Elayna coming home!!!

The sugar being a myth was a big surprise. But I dunno about the other ones. I mean, they *were* used in the movies, so they must be true right? ;)

[gmslegion.livejournal.com]

A banana? Naw, you need something wider, like a potato for that. That's what they always use on TV anyway. (See that Columbo with Robert Culp and Ray Milland.)

[aiela.livejournal.com]

They did a potato, too. It just flew out.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about Mythbusters is this attitude: "No, that thing doesn't blow up toilets. That's a myth. Busted! . . . That said, let's see what does blow up toilets!"

[yendi]

Exactly! In fact, with some of the more obviously errant myths (like the toilet one, or the one with the guy getting blown out of a log), the whole point seems less about debunking than about big explosions.

[terminalwriter.livejournal.com]

~grins~

My girls got back home this weekend, too.

It's a wonderful feeling.

[blither.livejournal.com]

Awww, happy homecoming. =)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Yay Layni! *dance*

[terminusvox.livejournal.com]

The hiding behind car doors is just so the shooter doesn't know exactly where you areto shoot at you. Gun nuts would refer to that as 'concealment' rather than 'cover.' Cover is when you're behind something that'd stop bullets.

[philrancid.livejournal.com]

most people have this hang-up thing, this wierd mindset where if they can't see you they can't aim at you, or something. I can't get the words right in my head, but I can feel the feeling somehow.

[terminusvox.livejournal.com]

Still, I'd imagine bullets that'd already punched through a couple layers of steel would be moving a smidge slower than those otherwise unimpeded, so it'd be some help to be behind the car door. Not volunteering to test the theory mind you...

[philrancid.livejournal.com]

Shrapnel. And the bullets would be tumbling (which is what they're designed to do at the moment of initial impact), which means they're worse for you if they do hit you.

Somebody opens up at you outside of ten feet, run like a mother--dodge, hop, move erratically. The average pistol-slinging idiot can't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside. Get outside of fifty feet as fast as you can. Then look for a corner to turn.

[terminusvox.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like your advice better!

[philrancid.livejournal.com]

It's from a self-defense book.

[terminusvox.livejournal.com]

LOL, you wouldn't think they'd have to write "run away! run away!" down in a book for people to use it as good self-defense advice!