Thoughts?

[Sgt. Silverman]

I know I haven't been on here since before Christmas but things have been a little crazy. I threw a rod in my van and we've been praying for a new vehicle for almost six weeks now. I'm not worried though, God always provides for us and I know a great economical car (Toyota or Honda hopefully) is waiting out there for us when income tax comes in. (Hopefully the Fed didn't spend that too )

I haven't been detecting in four months now and it isn't because of the weather. Moving to a new state and conjuring up the courage to go knock on doors to ask permission sometimes is overwhelming. Pushing aside the negative thoughts, I came up with a way that I think will help me overcome the "cob-webs" of not detecting. I'm going to be going to my local library this week now that things are slowing down with the new job and I'm going to make some homemade business cards to put up on the community bulletin board.

I'd love any and all thoughts of the new website (anyone can make one for free through www.weebly.com It's still a work in progress but at least it's a start.) Take care and God Bless Christian Detectorists!

www.javeg.com

Sgt. Silverman
(Greg)

 

[Ma Betty in MO]

n/t

 

[steve in so la]

I never have knocked on doors - there's plenty of places without doing so. Besides, I'm not a talker Good luck to you, business cards sounds like a winner, Steve in so az

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

Winter is a great time to do research. Cards are a great idea too. I have seen some guys post on Craig's list too. Get out there and have some fun.

 

[SeniorSeeker]

There are a host of way to get the word out and using a personal business card is a good idea. If you have a Facebook account, you could easily put a small ad together on your page letting people know you're 'Open for Business' so to speak. You can also leave business cards at local retailers, etc.as well as contact your local newspaper asking for an interview and hopefully an article on your desire to help others find things they've lost. Food for thought and God bless.

 

[Sgt. Silverman]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I really appreciate it. I actually never minded asking permission from many of my customers in SC and most were more than willing to let me on their property. I'm not a big park or beach detectorist though. I like the peace and quiet of losing myself in an open field or on an old homestead for five or six hours a couple of times a month.

Senior Seeker: Great advice on asking a local newspaper. I actually never thought of that but I'm probably going to give that route a shot too. I'll let you know how it goes.

Mike, Steve and Ma, great to hear from you and thanks for the advice! I hope all of you are doing well and having a great 2012!

God Bless everyone and have a peaceful and Blessed Sunday!

Greg

Ephesians 6:10-20

 

[RickIowa2009]

Research is good.

 

[Mike Chgo area]

n/t

 

[C. Nyal de Kaye]

I live in Australia so my comments may not be all that helpful. It seems to me that if I ask for permission to detect on public lands then I am denying my right and freedoms by asking. In asking permission I am giving someone permission to deny me my free-born privileges. Australia too is a free country and public lands are freely open to the public. So I just go there and detect and have had no problems at all. However I am careful to leave the place better than it was when I arrived, and go out of my way to clean up the place. I speak to the groundsmen in these places when the chance presents itself and they are always friendly.

I have been in the US twice and spent some time there, but my experience is very limited as you can see. I came away from the "land of the free" with the strong conviction that Australian's enjoy much more freedom than our US cousins! "The land of the free" is not as free as people who live there may think. Come out here and you'll see the difference. It is not my intention to offend anyone with these comments, it is just an expression of how I felt after wandering about the US and talking with people.

Having said all that there are political forces at work here who aim to curtail many of our freedoms. The environmental groups, who are really the modern idolaters, are seeking restrictions everywhere and I imagine that all countries are suffering the same fate.

To conclude this little epistle, it is my view that when we ask for something that is ours by right then we empower those we seek permission from. Once they are so empowered you can count of the fact that they will wield the "authority" WE gave them against us. We must EXERCISE our rights by actions whilst behaving as wisely as we can. That is how our freedoms were obtained.

 

[Ma Betty in MO]

public land without much trouble most of the time...but when some old busy body tells on you for digging a few holes, which are filled and I cleaned up after myself and others, it is best to leave in peace! This happened in one park where fishing was popular but never went back, as there were plenty of other places I could go and be handled with kindness like citizens should be treated! Since Obama and his cohorts and Czars have been appointed and taken over we have lost a lot of our freedoms (too many) and will lose all of what we have left if he is re-elected!

Lots of people are so brain-washed, dumb and blind that they tend to repeat history and get themselves enslaved for a few more free pennies by giving up their freedoms, like they did during Hitler's time in Germany and surrounding countries and which many Americans seem to be doing now-days! Only when imprisoned completely with all freedoms gone, will they rise up and cry out to God Jehovah for forgiveness and to free them from their slavery like the Israelites did many times and were slaves in Egypt under the Pharaohs' rulings for 200 plus years! Praise God and may He reign and have mercy upon His own in America and Austrialia forever more, in Jesus' name I pray! Amen! Ma Betty

 

[C. Nyal de Kaye]

Thanks Betty. I meant to say something about private land, but forgot. Private land is private and permission should be sought.

Some parts of our goldfields are in private hands and we do seek permission to go on them. with varying degrees of success.

 

[JimmyCT]

I must say having lived my whole life in the United States of America, you are right on with your thoughts and beliefs. I could say so much more but it is best that I don't. You said it very well and I will stick with that. - Jim

I live in Australia so my comments may not be all that helpful. It seems to me that if I ask for permission to detect on public lands then I am denying my right and freedoms by asking. In asking permission I am giving someone permission to deny me my free-born privileges. Australia too is a free country and public lands are freely open to the public. So I just go there and detect and have had no problems at all. However I am careful to leave the place better than it was when I arrived, and go out of my way to clean up the place. I speak to the groundsmen in these places when the chance presents itself and they are always friendly.

I have been in the US twice and spent some time there, but my experience is very limited as you can see. I came away from the "land of the free" with the strong conviction that Australian's enjoy much more freedom than our US cousins! "The land of the free" is not as free as people who live there may think. Come out here and you'll see the difference. It is not my intention to offend anyone with these comments, it is just an expression of how I felt after wandering about the US and talking with people.

Having said all that there are political forces at work here who aim to curtail many of our freedoms. The environmental groups, who are really the modern idolaters, are seeking restrictions everywhere and I imagine that all countries are suffering the same fate.

To conclude this little epistle, it is my view that when we ask for something that is ours by right then we empower those we seek permission from. Once they are so empowered you can count of the fact that they will wield the "authority" WE gave them against us. We must EXERCISE our rights by actions whilst behaving as wisely as we can. That is how our freedoms were obtained.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

They psychology to which you speak of, is true in every country, I would think: If you feel you need to ask a desk-bound bureaucrat "can I metal detect here?" or "can I metal detect there?", merely presumes that permission was needed, to begin with. Ie.: why would you have asked, if their "say so" wasn't needed, to begin with? Or put another way: The implicit connotation of your asking them, merely presumes something is inherently wrong with your desired activity, lest why would you have asked, to begin with? I mean, would you ask to fly a frisbee? skip stones on the pond? etc...

This subconscious implication is not lost on the person you are asking, and they'll be inclined to "address your pressing issue" with a "no" (when in fact, perhaps they'd have never cared less, nor ever given the matter thought before).

I've seen this played out many times in my 35+ yrs. of this: Someone takes it upon themselves to go ask at city hall or wherever "can I metal detect?" and gets a "no". And oddly, this happens at places that have just been routinely detected since the dawn of detectors, as long as anyone remembers, and no one had ever had a problem before. See how the psychology works?

And the fact that the person inquiring gets a "yes" or a "no" answer, does not mean that: "Therefore it's a good thing you asked" The thinking works like this: the fact that you got a "yes" or a "no", must therefore mean that permission was necessary to have obtained. Because some people think that if permission HADN'T been necessary, the person would have answered like this:

"Oh that's silly. You didn't need to ask us that. Why did you think you needed to ask?"

But authority doesn't work like that. Hardly ever will you get such a reply (even when it's true that you didn't need to ask). Instead, they will bestow on you their princely "no" or their princely "yes". Because remember, the mere fact that you are standing their asking them, implies that your activity needed their sanction, lest why else would you be asking? Thus they'll say "yes" or "no", but rarely ever say "why do you ask us such a question?"

Thus the best thing to do is, if you are skittish about rules, is look them up yourself. City and/or county codes are usually available on-line, in our techno-age of websites and such. Or if not, the local laws and codes are no doubt in book for on the front desk at city hall or the police dept (required public posting/access). Flip through it, do key word searches on "metal detecting" or whatever. If it is silent on the issue (nothing mentioned either way), the presto, it must not be dis-allowed, right? No need to ask further. You've done your homework.

I hunt public parks, schools, etc... wherever I come to, and rarely have a problem.

But note: This is not to say you'll never have a busy-body object. It's bound to happen now and then. Because let's face it: we're in an odd hobby that draws stares, connotations (that you might leave marks), etc... So a little discretion is involved. For pete's sake don't go at high traffic times begging for attention and lookie-lous to gripe. Go at off-times like after maintenance worker shifts are done for the day, don't go during the middle of an archie convention, etc....

 

[Ma Betty in MO]

n/t

 

[C. Nyal de Kaye]

Thanks Tom for expanding those thoughts. It will be no surprise to learn that I agree with you.

... So a little discretion is involved. For pete's sake don't go at high traffic times begging for attention and lookie-lous to gripe. Go at off-times like after maintenance worker shifts are done for the day, don't go during the middle of an archie convention, etc....

You do have to act sensibly as Tom suggests above.

 

[Sailorman]

One problem for going to Australia is arriving by boat on the water. I fear your country has become a bit hostile towards foreign vessels when arriving. My favorite is a rule that you must notify them exactly 72 hours before your arrival. Even if you only have a VHF radio that reaches 40 nautical miles there is no exception!

It doesn't get much better after that, there are a few foreign yachts that have found themselves with their crew arrested for not instantly performing what they considered a dangerous maneuver when commanded by the water police. The cases spread far across the cruising community and legal funds were raised. One couple didn't get their boat back for two years because they were told to anchor in a dangerous location and refused the order! I've even had a few conversations with Aussie crews who roll their eyes and moan when you bring up the situation on the coast for yachts.

Unfortunately this policy has resulted in many simply avoiding stopping there now which is a shame to miss your beautiful country. Every place I've seen in the world has it's pluses and minuses. You just have to make your choices I guess.