RECCE ROOM

Seems that people in the liberal state of California have found a way to carry , whether or not their local CLEO (Chief Law Enforcement Officer) will sign off on a concealed carry permit for them. Of note in this article - the publication is thought by many in "gun circles" to be liberal - yet the article is refreshingly objective. Also, for those out there, allow me to make a distinction. California is a "May-Issue" state with regards to concealed carry permits. My home state of Tennessee is a "Shall Issue" state with regards to handgun carry permits. The difference? "May Issue" means that if a person qualifies, he "may" be issued a carry permit - if the CLEO feels it is justified. If the CLEO does not want to issue the permit for any reason (or no reason at all), the permit does not get issued. There is too much subjectivity here for my tastes. "Shall Issue" means that if a person qualifies, the state SHALL issue a carry per...

We, the American people have heard for six straight months that we need to overhaul and socialize our healthcare. Obama and his ilk wish to "fix" our healthcare system. I have two major points that are not getting enough media right now: 1. OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM DOES NOT NEED "FIXING" We have the best healthcare on Earth. Why else do people from the socialized healthcare nations come here for treatment of their more serious illnesses? 2. WHAT MAKES ANYBODY THINK THE GOVERNMENT CAN IMPROVE ANYTHING? Everybody I know will admit to the fact that whatever the government touches, they ruin. Government excess, beauracracy, and inefficiencies run rampant in every program they oversee.

Here it is . One of the better summaries on the debacle that is Obamacare.

This is an absolutely classic rant full of great sarcasm. Glenn Beck is lashing out at liberals who got all worked up over the fact that he actually carried a gun to a movie, like he is authorized to do under the law. PS - if you have seen me in the last year or so, I have been armed when we talked. How does that make you feel?

This is not actually a repo story. However, it does have ties to the repo I mentioned earlier by the same title - Young Renter / "Accidental Repo." Particularly, this was a situation that happened regarding that same renter some months later, after the repo. Remember, we put him in collections for $1000 because he never paid his deductible. Setting: A manager at another location got promoted out and a new one promoted in. They needed a fill-in as the newly promoted manager-to-be was actually on vacation. I was next in line and had worked that area before, so I was asked to volunteer my efforts. I did so with pride. I received a call from the mother of the renter from the earlier post. She was upset and distraught. Her son had been pulled over and put in jail. Why, you ask? Simple. In Tennessee, if you do something with your car to owe money (collision damage, tickets, etc.) and you don't pay the money, the state suspends your driver's license. Our former re...

Setting: Jackson, TN. I was the assistant manger. This was my first gig ever in management. It was spring, 2000. Renter was young - about 20. He had State Farm insurance, which is pretty good insurance. His car was in the shop after he wrecked it. We rented him a BRAND NEW Saturn LS100. This was the first year for that make of car. Renter called our office at 5 pm one day. He said the car would not start. I asked him if the car had been involved in any sort of collision - and he said no. He stated he put the key in the car and the engine would simply not crank. This was a typical problem, as many people with rental cars are unfamiliar with the vehicle and inadvertantly miss something needed to make the car start. In this case, the renter could not make the engine even turn while turning the key. So I go down the list: - Car fully in Park? - Turn the wheel a bit while trying to turn key? - Foot on the brake? Still, the car would not crank, much less start. Daniel, the manager, lived int...

This repo was exactly what every repo should be. There was nothing special about it at all. No damage to the car, no funny conversations, no huge amount owed. I write this so as to provide the reader with the ideal repo. Setting: Memphis, 2001. The renter had rented with a credit card and kept the car about a week past the originally indicated return date. The card declined further authorizations. No phone calls were returned. The renter owed about $75. I got a key cut. After work (6 pm was normal closing time), at about 6:30, I drove by the renter's apartment to look for the car. No luck. The next morning, I drove by at about 6:30 am (office opened at 7:30). The car was sitting there. I parked my car in a different part of the apartment complex, near the front office. I walked up to the car, got in, started it, and left. The branch was about a mile away. Later in the morning, I had a fellow employee drive me down so I could get my personal car back. Later that afternoon, the rente...

This one was pretty funny from my point of view. Particularly how it ended. Setting: I was assistant manager at the Mendenhall Enterprise (since relocated). There was a rental that we were getting keys cut for. Jeremy (my manager at the time) and I had been trying to contact a renter whose credit card was declining for additional charges and she had exhausted the security deposit. As she now owed about $100, we had the key in hand and I had plans to go make a visit that night, but then the strangest thing happened. The renter came in the office, saying she "heard we were looking for her." I explained the situation. She needed to pay $100 to get current, and pay more if she wanted to keep the car longer. In the "confusion" she got to thinking (erroneously) that she only needed to pay $100 now. So she paid $100. I aksed her where I could return her to (Enterprise will pick you up, free, and take you back home or to the repair shop, free). The look on her face is etche...

I have posted many repo stories on here. However, I have never fully disclosed what work went into each repo I ever did. Earlier today, I had just such a request, so here you go: First, car rental agencies, in this strange twisted plot to make a profit, actually want to get paid for the rental of their cars. I know, it sounds evil, but it is perfectly legal in all fifty states (fifty-seven, if you are muslim, or President Obama). These car rental agencies usually want credit cards, for several reasons: a) a credit card is a fluid amount of money - it can be charged again when a renter keeps the car longer than originally anticipated. b) a person with good enough credit to actually have a credit card (with some room on it for the charges) is historically a better risk than someone who does not. "Risk" in this sense refers to likelihood of returning the car, paying the full amount, and avoiding damaging the rented car. c) folks who own credit cards that are not maxed out are ty...

In this case, to appreciate the entire story, you must understand the circumstances. Setting: late March or early April, we got a call from a local body shop to pick up a customer. I was happy, because I had worked hard to set up that account and persuade that body shop to give us a try. We rented the car to the man, who would be reimbursed by his insurance company (most insurance companies get the bill directly from the car rental agency). No big problem, so his credit card was run for about 10 days worth of charges, as that is how long the repair estimate was. Ten days later, the body shop was contacted and they advised the repair would take much longer. To make a long story short, it took almost a month for this renter's personal car to be repaired. His card kept authorizing for the amount, so it was no big deal. Then one day in early May, I got a call from the repair shop. The renter had no money to get his car out of the shop. Seems the shop was not billing the insurance compa...

In an earlier post, I described the purpose of the 2nd amendment. As a memory refresher, I will cut & paste the specific part I reference: "The 2nd Amendment is not about hunting. Hunting is, however, protected under it. The 2nd Amendment is not about sport shooting. Sport shooting is, however, protected under it. The 2nd Amendment is not about self-defense. Self-defense is, however, protected under it. The 2nd Amendment IS about the ability to remove a tyrannical government. It is, therefore, the amendment most feared by tyrants." Response to this one has been beyond what I expected. In an effort to further clarify and exemplify what exactly the founders intended, I will now shed light on an event that happened here in Tennessee over half a century ago. This event is known by several names, but the most common name is, "The Battle of Athens." Here are some links to the story: Wikipedia (hey, they even got this one right!) Constitution.org Jews for the preserva...

In the gun world, people often discuss and debate caliber (size of bullet). Generally speaking, a larger caliber is more powerful. However, even .22's (one of the smaller, least potent sizes) can kill. During Vietnam, the US military forces switched from the M-14 to the M-16. The older, more powerful M-14 fires a 7.62 mm (.30 caliber) projectile. This weapon has the pros of being powerful, accurate at long ranges, and the ability to fire fully automatic. However, it was heavy, long, and extremely difficult (if not impossible) to fire accurately in fully automatic settings. The newer M-16 was far lighter. Designed with some parts being made in aluminum and other parts in polymers the fully loaded riffle weighed in at around 7 pounds, compared to nearly 13 pounds for the M-14. The ammunition was much lighter, as well. This enabled the soldiers to carry more ammo and it still could weigh less than the older M-14. However, the projectile was .223 caliber (5.56 mm). This smaller bullet ...

As always, I look to inform - to teach if you will. One of the reasons I created this blog was in response to several family members and friends who wanted to keep up on things pertaining to the 2nd amendment, without having to dig for the information themselves. I like guns (in case you couldn't tell!) and I keep up with these things for my own personal gratification. I read websites such as ar15.com and glocktalk.com. I read blogs about self defense use of firearms, as well as numerous other types of input. I try to learn something every day. Some time ago, I learned why the term "libtard" was created. To be precise, I learned how little these liberals actually learn about laws they wish to enact. Let me explain: Carolyn McCarthy decided she wanted to sponsor a bill some time ago that would, among other things, ban certain weapons and certain features on weapons. Problem was, she had no clue what those features were. My favorite quote from this clip: "It's the ...

One thing I have always liked is bugs. My buddy, Emily, has a whole blog about bugs. This is definitely what I would consider cool. Please take a moment and visit Emily's blog. I learned something there earlier, and it is very entertaining!

My Sunday School teacher and friend, Right-Minded, has a blog. He was, in fact, one of the primary motivators I had in creating this blog. Recently, he stated he was not interested in running for State Representative in place of Susan Lynn, should she run for the State Senate seat that will be vacated by Mae Beavers. This is unfortunate. Right-Minded, if you read this (and I know you do ), please reconsider. What we need now is folks in office that are grounded in their faith, values, and convictions and are not afraid to vote that way!

My dad is home and in good health. He should be ready to be fitted for the first prosthetic in a few weeks. Thanks to all who asked about him, prayed for him, and offered support. It was all appreciated.

I met a lady today that had some reservations regarding the new carry in restaurants law. It was fascinating. As our conversation progressed, it became clear that although "she supported the right to have guns," she had only learned anything about them from the TV. This is sad, but I'm afraid it is how most of America learns most things. One of her arguments: "Now criminals will make phony HCP cards and get into bars with them." Where do I begin on this one? 1) An establishment of any sort may not demand to see your carry permit. 2) Establishments will not be asking for them anyways. 3) Criminals won't go through the trouble to create a fake card - they will just carry illegally. The part about the establishments not being allowed to demand to see the permit to verify seemed to bother her the most. Another argument she made: "This just gives more rights to the criminal." Ugh. Too much TV. Uh, where to start? Oh, yeah... 1) This bill simply provided...

>>> Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Senator Feinstein Opposes Concealed Weapons Amendment -Amendment would force California to recognize concealed carry permits issued in other states- Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today voiced strong opposition to an amendment to the defense authorization bill which would undermine California’s rigorous state standards that regulate who may carry a concealed weapon. The Concealed Carry Permitting Amendment (#1618), offered by Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), would effectively allow the concealed carry laws of one state to nullify the restrictions on gun possession in other states. It would force California to recognize concealed carry permits issued elsewhere. “I believe this amendment is reckless,” Senator Feinstein said. “I believe it is irresponsible. I believe it will lead to more weapons and more violence on the streets of our nation. And, of course, if successful, it is another step in a march to remove all common-sense ...

1. Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns. 2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap - life is expensive. 3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss. 4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly. 5. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.) 6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun. 7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived. 8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running. 9. A...

I have had several requests from readers of this blog to elaborate on the assault weapons ban of 1994. Specifically, I would like to point out the purpose of the ban, and how it really does not help anybody but criminals in the USA. President Clinton and the Democratically led congress of 1994 passed this bill. In response, voters gave the Republicans control of congress later that year. In 2004, the ban expired, due to a "sunset" clause. Some feel Obama wishes to do this again. I think he does, but I also think he knows it will cost him the control in the house and the senate, so if he does it, look for it in his sixth year (I really hope he does not get re-elected). "Assault" weapons had to be distinguished from "regular" firearms. To do so, the congress of 1994 set forth a list of prohibited features. It is here that I will dissect the ban for what it was worth (or, rather, what is was not worth!). Let's examine some of those "evil" featur...

A Ten-year-old boy recently was forced to defend himself and his sister from three intruders. One of the intruders was newly released from his seven year sentence for aggravated assault on a police officer and two counts of carjacking! Now, normally, I would say that the only sad part is that the intruders who got shot survived. However, since this was only a child that had to shoot in self defense, I think the outcome was just fine. I hope the slime gets more than seven years in jail for this one! By the way - the liberals would ask: why were the boy and girl home alone? Why did they have access to a gun? Why didn't they just call the police? Well, you see, some people in this world prefer to do for themselves than to wait for others to do for them. This boy, I'm certain, is one of those. Also, it is a known fact that police are required only to report crimes that have already happened. They are under no requirement to protect you. As a good friend of mine who is a cop once s...

This Tuesday past - July 14 - it became legal for a Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit holder to carry his handgun into a bar or restaurant that serves alcohol by the drink. The media and various liberal groups whined and complained and generally made a ruckus of it. They said things like "guns and alcohol don't mix." They claimed that we would return to the days of the wild west. None of it has come true. And they knew it wouldn't. You see, now 42 of the 50 states allow for licensed handgun carriers to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol - usually provided that they do not drink while carrying. These states include the liberal bastions of New York, Hawaii, and California! Illinois completely ban the carrying of firearms by civilians. Wisconsin only has provisions for open-carry. If you ask me, this is unconstitutional. But nevertheless, this means that in states where one can become licensed to carry a handgun, 42 of 48 permit doing so in a restaurant that serves alc...

OK - Pops had the vacuum machine removed today. The doctors also looked around inside the wound and found no further infection. Then the fun began... One of the nurses accidentally knocked his IV out of his arm. The IV was providing fluids and PAIN MEDICINE. Moments later, my father is in excruciating pain. Then more fun... The nurse cannot put the IV back in. After several painful and unsuccessful attempts, she calls the phlebotomist. He inserts the IV correctly the first time - after my father's arm is hamburger meat from the incompetent nurse's attempts. Pops gets out of the hell-hole tomorrow. Thank God! I don't think he could survive their attempts on his life any more.

This is one of my favorite stories from car rental - ever. Setting: Renter calls, "needing a new car since the one she has will not start." She needs it brought to her at work - evidently the rental car has died there at her place of employment. I arrive at the renter's work location, and I find the renter. When we get to the car, things start not adding up really quick. First, the car door was unlocked, but the key would not even go into the ignition. I ask if she had unlocked the car with the remote. She stated that she had. Hmmmm. She then stated that some of her belongings had been taken from the car. She thought it had been broken into and that had killed the car. Hmmmm. I realized the seat was way back - at a position that would be comfortable for me (a tall man) and not so much so for her (over a foot shorter than me). I asked her if she had moved the seat. She stated she had not. Car thieves don't move the seats. Hmmmm. I use the remote and try to lock and un...

Ya'll tell me if these get boring. (actually, so far, I've only received good responses on the repo stories). Setting: Spring 2001. I was assistant manager at the Enterprise on Mendenhall (same as in the last story I posted - this was a few weeks later). This time we had a claimant (other person was at fault) who had been paid for her car as it had been a total loss. Renter kept the car past the last day. The insurance company told us about the last day, only seven days later (jerks!). The usual couple of days passed with the renter avoiding our attempts to contact her. Please note - not all folks do this, but people who get the rental car repo'd sure do avoid calls like the plague! I get a copy of the key. That was easy as this renter was the first person to rent this car. It was a brand new Chevy Metro. She got it with 2 miles on the odometer. We still had the spare key for this car in the drawer. My manager, Jeremy and I did some tracing and found where she worked and wh...

Pops came through surgery well and is scheduled to be released tomorrow. Interesting side note - he caught the Staph infection from either the hospital or the rehab facility. The same thing happened when he was in the hospital almost twenty years ago. Then today, he cut his finger and the nurse at hand wiped it down with a dirty, used washcloth form his bathroom. That's how Staph gets into the body, folks! A quick record of complaint about the nurse and he was given the prognosis of going home tomorrow. It is certainly going to be safer for him than staying in a hospital.

Well, it's here. TN now has a provision for guns in restaurants. In other news, there were no shoot-outs, killings by HCP holders, or other such garbage in the news anywhere in the state this fine day!

Well, Pops is back in the hospital. It seems he acquired a case of Staph infection at the rehab facility just prior to leaving. He had it operated on tonight. They are going to keep his stub wound open until Thursday and vacuum out the gunk. The operation went well and he should not have to go back to rehab as he can get around pretty well Right now it looks like he will get home this weekend. I will keep you blog fans posted.

In recent (today's) news, the fight over "guns in bars" - which should really be called what it truly is: "Guns in restaurants like most other states," - is about over. This story details that the judge in the case to attempt to get a temporary injunction against the law has failed. Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled that there will be no injunction. Unfair, you say? Here's what the media has not told you: 1. Any business (bar, restaurant, or almost anything else) may post a sign in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated 39-17-1359 which prohibits Handgun Carry Permit holders from carrying their weapons on their premises. 2. The HCP holder MAY NOT consume alcohol while in the possession of his or her firearm. This holds true in bars and restaurants, as well. 3. There are 37 "shall issue" states like TN. 35 of them have identical or substantially similar laws. The catch is usually that the gun carrying citizen may be restricted in the following po...

OK, for this installment, I will take you back to the first part of 2001. I was the assistant manager of the Enterprise on Mendenhall in Memphis (this location has since moved to Winchester Rd.). Yet again, we had a renter who had no $500 for her deductible to get her car out of the shop. Why these folks never figured on it BEFORE putting their cars in the shop still is beyond me. So, the insurance company stops paying. Renter finally gets her car out of the shop. Mysteriously, she never returns the rental. I speak to the bodyshop manager who advised me she had paid for and reclaimed her car. I asked him if she dropped the rental off there. Side note on dropping a rental car off somewhere other than the rental location: Yes, sometimes people are foolish enough to leave a rental car somewhere other than the rental outlet - DON't EVER DO THIS, folks - the liability you face is incredible. And the number of vehicles damaged in such a case is very high - guess who gets to pay for that ...

This story from Memphis proves a point I've long made when teaching unarmed self defense. FACT: The mere presence of a gun can easily neutralize decades of unarmed training as well as any disadvantage due to lack of height, strength, speed, skill, or athletic ability. To sum up: A Concealed Weapons Permit Holder form Alabama, who also happened to be a jewelry wholesaler, was leaving a Memphis jewelry store. Four bad guys jump him. He pulls his weapon and shoots two of them. The other two, in a typical act of extreme cowardice, leave their fallen companions and flee. According to the report, the four bad guys had been following the jewelry wholesaler for an undetermined amount of time, looking for the right opportunity. Idiots. Two of them almost got what they deserved - they are in the hospital in critical condition. The other two are still on the loose.

Setting: Renter with a car in the shop could not afford her $500 deductible. I found this out from the bodyshop manager after she spoke with him and worked out a payment arrangement. I knew immediately to flag this rental. Sure enough, the arrangement changed, and she was going to go "week-to-week" until she had paid $500 to the shop. Problem: the car was fixed and the insurance company would not pay over three days past the completion date. Renter had no cash on file and my attempts to authorize additional payment on her card failed. I called the renter and explained the situation. Naturally, she felt overwhelmed with a second major bill in her life now. However, the initial $150 that was authorized on her card would keep her a little over a week. I advised her if she wanted to keep the rental, to make a deposit by Friday and I told her the amount. The reason Friday was so important was because although she still had some equity as of Friday, by Monday she would wind up owin...

OK, for another Repo story: Setting, Jackson, TN. I was a brand new assistant manager. The manager that had promoted me there got promoted to another branch within 4 days. I was disappointed, because I liked him (his name was Rich). He had been my first manager with Enterprise. This was June of 2000. It was already hot outside. I had to work Saturday because, well, Rich was going to be at another Branch! On Friday, I decided to look through files to see where all the customers were, financially. Not a good idea. There were 7 renters that were behind over $150. I called all of them. One answered, claimed not to know he was behind (I am inclined to this day to believe him, there were no notes in the file of having been called since the rental started), and came in and paid. Six renters did not have working phones, or did not answer, or could not pay (I advised three renters to bring the cars back that evening to avoid additional charges). None of the three returned the cars. So, I had ke...

We are rapidly approaching July 14. In case you have not been following the news, that's when House Bill 962 becomes law, allowing legal Handgun Carry Permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol provided they do not drink. Wait. What's that? You haven't heard of it? Let me rephrase - this is the day that it will be legal to have (as the liberal media refers to it) "guns in bars." As always, let me give you some facts on this law: 1. Guns will be allowed in bars - so long as they are on the person who has a valid Handgun Carry Permit (HCP), and provided that the person does not drink. THAT MEANS EVEN A SIP! 2. Guns will be permitted in restaurants that serve alcohol. This was, in fact, the whole reason for the bill. Again, the person must have a valid HCP and may not drink alcohol. 3. Only HCP holders will be entitled to do this. 4. Any restaurant or bar that does not want HCP holders to carry in their establishments simply must post a sign in accorda...

This story has a happy ending for everybody except the robbery suspects. PS - From my point of view, robbers don't deserve a happy ending of any sort. Folks, if you are really interested in self defense, get a gun and LEARN HOW TO USE IT. WELL. Would-be robbers and bad guys travel in groups and use weapons. The chances of you using "hand-to-hand" self defense techniques are rare, unless you frequently get drunk & get into fights at bars or frat parties.

There are many reasons to do martial arts. One of them is self defense. This is a bit ironic as most people not familiar with the arts will just assume all folks who do martial arts do them for the self defense aspect. This is certainly not the case. Most martial artists stay with the martial art(s) of their choosing for a number of different reasons, self defense being only one of them. There are martial artists who practice for health benefits, fun, sport, professional competition, teach professionally, and a number of other reasons. Within the martial arts communities, there used to exist an attitude of "my art is better than your art," or some such nonsense. The death blow for this happened in 1993 when the Ultimate Fighting Championship was created. People soon learned several things over the next few years: 1. He who controls the range, controls the fight. 2. The most effective training yields the most effective results. 3. There is no one art that is superior or inferi...

Well, we are finally back in Mount Juliet. The vacation was terrific, but I am very glad to be back to the same routine. I look forward to visiting with agents this week. My dad is doing much better. No pain in his foot for the first time in over 20 years. Of course, there is no foot there anymore, either. We got to see him in rehab yesterday and today. He seemed to like seeing the grandkids. I look forward to completing more blogging. I do like when people comment. It lets me know people are really reading this blog. I tried a site visit tracker, but I must have messed it up, because it never really worked well (or at all). Also, I am up for suggestions on what you, the fans, want to see me blogging about. Send me those requests.

I'm in the outskirts of Macon, GA, this morning at the Holiday Inn. Nice place. Of course, cashing in some of my reward points for a free stay is even better. Last night, the family ate at a Huddle House. It was in fact my first time (but I am a Waffle House aficionado) at a Huddle House. However, the food was very good (no way it was good for me), and much like a Waffle House in most respects. The part you might like is that on the way out, while paying the tab at the front, I noticed several business cards. Now this is not unusual, as I will see these solicitations in many places. The funny part was one of the stacks of cards - or, rather, the cards in that particular stack. The card reads: "Adopt - A - Potty LLC *** insert a picture of a cartoon dog, in front of a doghouse, with a roll of TP in his mouth *** Portable Toilets 478-xxx-xxxx Also Septic tank Instalation, Repair and cleaning" Seriously, this guy sells or rents portable toilets. Why is he advertising this i...

So I pretty much carried everywhere I went this week, except for those places not permitted by law in FL. Not one person called me on it. Rarely does a week go by in Tennessee that somebody does not notice. Usually, they don't really care. Except this one time in Blockbuster. That will be another post - but only if requested by my fans. On a side note, I like showing my handgun carry permit as ID. Gets some good reactions sometimes. On another side note - I carry a full size Glock (model 22 - .40 caliber). I carry inside my waistband at about 4:00 position. Very comfortable for me. After a few minutes, I forget it's there. If you have seen me or spoken to me in the past year or so, I was probably wearing it. Yeah, it's that unnoticeable. If I know you, I will be happy to show its location to you. If you want, I will remove the firearm and let you see it - provided we are in the comfort of somebody's home. I don't wanna scare the sheeple... I mean people out there. I...

Well, vacation almost over, I must take a moment and reflect on some observations. I hope you find them amusing. First, we vacationed in Kissimmee, FL. Literally 10 minutes from Disney. My in-laws own a time share there. Have had a great time, eaten great food, and enjoyed teaching the martial arts seminar.

In case you can't tell, the first couple of Repo Stories were indeed the best ones I have. However, since there are all kinds of people, I am sure some of these others will entertain some of you folks out there in internet land. Setting: Just outside of Jackson, TN. I am a newly-promoted assistant manager. Renter obtained the car under the impression that an insurance company would pick up the tab. They didn't. It really was not the renter's fault - I could see his point of view in the claim. In fact, I think the insurance company was taking him for a ride and not paying the claim because they knew he was poor and could not fight the decision. Renter lived WAY out in the boonies. Nearest neighbor was two miles away, etc. His only telephone number he gave was disconnected (naturally). The cash he left for a deposit ran out fairly quickly. I was able to reach him through a cousin (last name was the same as another renter we had - lucky find, really). He kept claiming he would...

Well, after not having internet for almost a week :( Here is an update on Pops. Pops is doing well and has been transferred to a rehab facility. Supposed to get fitted for the first of several prosthetics next week. He is doing well in the rehab assignments and getting stronger every day. Thanks to all who have offered up prayers and support.

Well, vacation is almost over. I am in Macon, GA tonight and back to Chattanooga tomorrow to see Pops in the hospital. The seminar this past weekend is over. A lot of fun was had by all. Special thanks to Jimmy Jackson and Bill Holland for making me feel at home, despite being hundreds of miles away. The hotel they put me up in was very cute. It had a real key! I haven't seen one of those at a hotel in years! The students, though young, were enthusiastic and willing to learn. That is all I could ever ask for. They seemed to have fun and they learned a lot. Nobody got hurt and that is always my first and biggest goal. I had an absolute blast. Bill Holland invited me back to the dojo Monday night to teach a bit during his regular class. I sparred with all of the students there. Everybody did great! I was worn out. I look forward to doing this again in the near future.