via Notions Capital
He's from one a them hillbilly states. Who'da thunk it?
I'll bet he loves guns too. What do you think?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) Explains the Second Amendment
Think Progress reports
My opinion is there's no more laughable position for the pro-gun guys to take than this one. According to their deluded megalomania, the reason we haven't been attacked in our own territory by invading armies is not because of the U.S. Marines or the Navy, it's not because of the Army, the National Guard or the Police forces both national and local, it's because of the ARMED CIVILIANS.
The record breaking defense spending OF the U.S., which in spite of the waste and corruption, provides us with the most sophisticated military defense systems on the planet is not the true deterrent, it's the INDIVIDUAL CIVILIAN GUN OWNERS.
And, it naturally follows, that we should have the loosest possible restrictions on gun ownership. Our survival depends upon it.
What's your opinion? What do you think about this embarrassing self-aggrandizing nonsense? Can we believe anything these people think, these people who live in the fantasy world of red-dawn type heroism.
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
When asked whether such a threat was legitimate in 2012, he said, “We don’t have that threat now because we have an armed populace, and we don’t have to worry about that because of an armed populace.” . . .He went on to mention that he doesn't think the federal government is a threat, at least not right now. He was talking about invading armies like in Red Dawn.
My opinion is there's no more laughable position for the pro-gun guys to take than this one. According to their deluded megalomania, the reason we haven't been attacked in our own territory by invading armies is not because of the U.S. Marines or the Navy, it's not because of the Army, the National Guard or the Police forces both national and local, it's because of the ARMED CIVILIANS.
The record breaking defense spending OF the U.S., which in spite of the waste and corruption, provides us with the most sophisticated military defense systems on the planet is not the true deterrent, it's the INDIVIDUAL CIVILIAN GUN OWNERS.
And, it naturally follows, that we should have the loosest possible restrictions on gun ownership. Our survival depends upon it.
What's your opinion? What do you think about this embarrassing self-aggrandizing nonsense? Can we believe anything these people think, these people who live in the fantasy world of red-dawn type heroism.
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
The Strange Silence on the Gun Issue
via The Huffington Post
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Despite the fact that Wednesday night's presidential debate in Denver took place about 10 miles away from the site of the July mass shooting in Aurora, Colo. and six miles from the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, gun violence never came up.It is a bit odd, don't you think, that there's been complete silence from both candidates? What do you think could account for that?
Stephen Barton, a survivor of the Aurora shooting, was disappointed by moderator Jim Lehrer and the candidates. "They acted as if they had moved on completely," he told The Huffington Post in an interview. He said that given the mass shootings that occurred over the summer and gun violence in the city of Chicago, the issue merited attention.
"It really does blow my mind that it doesn't receive some attention," Barton said. "It's easy to think for some people that it will never affect them personally."
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Fort Wayne Man Buys Gun Legally and Immediately Shoots Himself With It
Local news reports
In Indiana they sell guns to just about anybody regardless of how stupid, irresponsible or unfit you may be. That's their idea of freedom.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
According to Officials on the scene, the shooting was accidental. It happened in a car with two men. One man was shot in the leg, he was treated at the scene and taken to the hospital in serious condition.
FWPD said the victim had bought a firearm at a nearby gun store and began to handle it in the car.
The gun discharged and he shot himself in the leg.
In Indiana they sell guns to just about anybody regardless of how stupid, irresponsible or unfit you may be. That's their idea of freedom.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Lawful Houston Gun Owner Gets Away with Illegal Shooting
The Houston Chronicle reports
So the first four shots were criminal acts. Then, shooting two more times at a fleeing car is just unbelievable. That is extremely irresponsible behavior with a gun.
The shooter should have been arrested, but you know what, in Texas that just don't happen.
Whatp s your opinion? Please leave a comment.
A man told Harris County sheriff's deputies he saw someone breaking into his car about 6 p.m. on Thursday outside a shooting range.First of all, it sounds like bullshit that he thought he saw a weapon in the burglar's hand. People breaking into cars are usually not armed unless you count one of those metal strips they use to pop the locks.
The owner told deputies he fired at least four shots at the stranger because it appeared he had a weapon in his hand, authorities said.
He fired at least two more shots when the burglar fled in a waiting Chrysler sedan. The man told deputies he may have struck the back window, officials said.
Whether the stranger was hit was unclear. They did not have a detailed description of him, sheriff's deputies said.
So the first four shots were criminal acts. Then, shooting two more times at a fleeing car is just unbelievable. That is extremely irresponsible behavior with a gun.
The shooter should have been arrested, but you know what, in Texas that just don't happen.
Whatp s your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Accidental Shooting in Kentucky - 2 Wounded - No Charges
Local news reports
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/10/01/2356852/two-shot-in-lexingtons-douglass.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/10/01/2356852/two-shot-in-lexingtons-douglass.html#storylink=cpy
Deep in hillbilly country, you can even lie to the police a little bit and get away with gun negligence. As long as they determine it was an accident, no problem.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
A woman, 20, and a 16-year-old boy were each shot in the leg about 6 p.m., Lexington police Lt. Dean Marcum said.
Lexington police initially had said they were looking for a suspect in the shooting. But Marcum said later that the teen admitted to police that he had been playing with a .38-caliber revolver and accidentally shot himself and the woman in the leg.
"It grazed his leg and then hit her in the leg," Marcum said. "He probably had it in his lap, and she's sitting next to him. It hit the top part of his leg and then hits her. I can see it easily happening."
The shooting happened in the parking lot near a building where community meetings are often held.
Marcum said no charges will brought against the teen because the shooting was an accident.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/10/01/2356852/two-shot-in-lexingtons-douglass.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/10/01/2356852/two-shot-in-lexingtons-douglass.html#storylink=cpy
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Allen West on the Glories of the Second Amendment
Black clown quoting the slave-owning, misogynist Founding Fathers.
The Toll of Gun Negligence
Local news reports
Well here's an interesting statistic from that same article.
From an old New York Times article, the costs have probably gone up, the average cost of a gunshot-wound visit to the emergency room was about $50,000. That makes $10 billion a year just for the "accidents."
What's your opinion? Is it about time to take this more seriously.
Please leave a comment.
Donnie Mills, 28, told police he was attempting to unload a semi-automatic pistol when he inadvertently fired it and shot himself in the hand. The bullet passed through Mills’ hand and struck his friend, 25-year-old Andrew Morgan, in the leg.Just your typical story about gun stupidity. Every single day there are several of these in the national news. Whenever I try to say it's a problem, the gun-rights folks point out that there are 100 million gun owners and only 600 of them die each year from accidents. They say this as if it makes it OK.
Daniel Wagnon, an investigator with the Grimes County Sheriff Office, said he has no reason to doubt Mills’ and Morgan’s explanations for the incident, and that it’s not uncommon for a weapon handler to unintentionally fire a semi-automatic weapon.
“You’ve got your magazine for ammunition as well as the cartridge in the barrel,” Wagnon said. “There still can be a round in the chamber that can fire — you have to check.”
Wagnon said that to his knowledge Mills did not have a license to carry a concealed weapon, but did not need one because he was on private property.
No charges have been filed and authorities aren’t pursuing any, Wagnon said.
Well here's an interesting statistic from that same article.
According to the University of Utah, 600 people in the United States were killed in accidental deaths from firearms in 2010. Each year, approximately 200,000 people sustain non-fatal injuries from firearms, the university reported.Did you catch that number of wounded people each year? Most of them went to the emergency room, in many cases by ambulance, cops were called out. Afterwards they missed work, in some cases permanently.
From an old New York Times article, the costs have probably gone up, the average cost of a gunshot-wound visit to the emergency room was about $50,000. That makes $10 billion a year just for the "accidents."
What's your opinion? Is it about time to take this more seriously.
Please leave a comment.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ohio Concealed Carry Permit Holder Drops Gun Gets Shot in Ankle
Local news reports
What gives?
Please leave a comment.
Raymond S. Bodie, the owner of Bodie Electric, was carrying the firearm on top of a stack of papers when it slipped off, fell to the ground and discharged one round, said Fostoria police Captain Patrick Brooks.How can that happen? First of all the gun defenders always tell us modern guns don't do that. Secondly, they tell us concealed carry guys are safer than your average gun owner.
The bullet went through Bodie's ankle and his injuries were not life-threatening, Brooks said. Although police responded to the business after receiving a report of the accident, Bodie was transported privately to ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital before officers arrived at the scene.
Bodie has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, Brooks said.
What gives?
Please leave a comment.
The Debate Question that Should Have Been Asked
via Foreign Policy by Stephen M. Walt
"Since 9/11 the United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars protecting Americans from "global terrorism." Yet the number of U.S. citizens killed by terrorists is very low. Since 9/11, in fact, the United States has lost on average fewer than 32 citizens per year to terrorist violence. Even if you include the 2,689 lives lost on 9/11, the annual average over the past 11 years is less than 275. And 9/11 was clearly an anomaly.
By contrast, every year more than 30,000 Americans are killed by guns here in the United States, a rate higher than any other advanced industrial country. Given that extraordinary death toll, why have both of you failed to speak out about the need for more effective gun control, even after several recent mass killings? As president, what will each of you do to decrease the danger Americans face from domestic gun violence, which is far greater than the risk they face from global terrorism?"
Officer Boss, Killer of Amadou Diallo, Gets his Gun Back
The New York Times reports
It seems to me the real mistakes were made earlier on. How can "thinking the guy had a gun" ever be a successful defense? This can only happen in a rigged trial or among racist cop-defenders.
What's your opinion? Shouldn't mistaking a wallet or a cell phone for a gun and killing someone be just like all the other misuses of a gun that merit the one strike you're out rule?
When cops shoot and kill unarmed people, what the hell else are they gonna say? Officer James Peters knows this. Has there ever been a case in which the trigger-happy cop admitted that he fired unnecessarily or prematurely? I doubt it. It's the same exact principle with reported DGUs.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
More than 13 years after the police shooting of Amadou Diallo, Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly has agreed to restore a service weapon to one of the four New York City officers involved, a decision that Mr. Diallo’s mother characterized as a betrayal.
Mr. Kelly had indicated “that he was not going to give back the gun,” Kadiatou Diallo said in a phone interview from her home in Maryland. “Now he has turned around and given back the gun. We want to know why. Why did he change his mind?”
The police fired 41 shots, killing Mr. Diallo as he stood in the vestibule of his apartment building in the Bronx on Feb. 4, 1999. Although the officers said they believed he had a gun, Mr. Diallo was unarmed. The Police Department offered no official explanation on Tuesday about restoring a gun to the officer, Kenneth Boss.
But a law enforcement official familiar with Mr. Kelly’s reasoning pointed to the recent exoneration of another officer, Michael Carey, who fired 3 of 50 bullets shot at Sean Bell, who was killed on the morning of his wedding outside a Queens nightclub in 2006.The strange thing is Officer Boss was exonerated in a criminal trial and in a thorough departmental review, yet his gun privileges were withheld. Why was that? Is it some vain attempt to appease the victim's family and friends.
It seems to me the real mistakes were made earlier on. How can "thinking the guy had a gun" ever be a successful defense? This can only happen in a rigged trial or among racist cop-defenders.
What's your opinion? Shouldn't mistaking a wallet or a cell phone for a gun and killing someone be just like all the other misuses of a gun that merit the one strike you're out rule?
When cops shoot and kill unarmed people, what the hell else are they gonna say? Officer James Peters knows this. Has there ever been a case in which the trigger-happy cop admitted that he fired unnecessarily or prematurely? I doubt it. It's the same exact principle with reported DGUs.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Jerome Ersland is Appealing his Murder Conviction
The Washington Post reports
Naturally there were plenty of supporters among the biased gun-rights crowd. For them, the execution of a criminal is a good thing, no matter how it's done. On the most popular gun blog there is, TTAG, they often advise murderers like Ersland to keep their mouth shut when the police come, all the better to get away with their criminal behavior. These guys are nothing if they're not loyal to one another.
Jerome Ersland didn't get away with his actions and now he's trying to get off on a technicality.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
An Oklahoma pharmacist sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting a teenager who tried to rob his store claimed Monday that his case was mishandled and his attorney was ineffective.I thought we'd heard the last of this guy. We discussed him at length at the time of the shooting, here and here. For me he's the king of the false DGU.
Jerome Ersland, 60, made the allegations in an appeal that asks the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals to order a new trial and set aside his May 2011 first-degree murder conviction and sentence.
Prosecutors concluded Ersland was justified when he shot 16-year-old Antwun Parker in the head, knocking him to the ground, and then chased a second would-be robber out of the store. But they said he went too far when he grabbed a second handgun and shot the unconscious boy five more times in the abdomen. A coroner’s report said the latter shots killed Parker.
A 12-member jury rejected Ersland’s claims of self-defense and unanimously convicted him of murder.
Naturally there were plenty of supporters among the biased gun-rights crowd. For them, the execution of a criminal is a good thing, no matter how it's done. On the most popular gun blog there is, TTAG, they often advise murderers like Ersland to keep their mouth shut when the police come, all the better to get away with their criminal behavior. These guys are nothing if they're not loyal to one another.
Jerome Ersland didn't get away with his actions and now he's trying to get off on a technicality.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Albuquerque Lawful Gun Owner and Hidden Criminal Finally Disarmed
Local news reports
Mr. Baca is a good example. Proper gun control laws, which certainly don't exist in gun-friendly New Mexico, would easily have identified him as a danger and disarmed him long ago.
Wouldn't that be better for all concerned?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
An New Mexico Army National Guard Sargent is charged with shooting at an Albuquerque driver he says was driving recklessly and it's a charge he's all too familiar with.The gun-rights folks often pretend to not understand what we mean by "hidden criminal." It's not that difficult a concept really. Among the huge body of people called gun owners there is a certain percentage that is unfit to own guns even though they do so legally. Some of these are actually criminals who simply have not picked up the required convictions to lose their gun rights. These are "hidden criminals."
Three years ago Richard Baca, 24, was charged in a similar case where someone died.
Albuquerque police say just before three o’clock Saturday morning they got a call of a man shooting at a car.
He claims the car's driver was speeding in the area, taking out a stop sign and almost crashing through a crowd of people.
That is when Baca says he drew his gun and tried to pull the car over when that did not work he says he tried to shoot out the back tires.
In November of 2009 Baca faced charges of manslaughter. He shot and killed Benito Lemos following a road rage incident. The two men were fighting in Las Vegas New Mexico. Baca was acquitted of the charge claiming it was self defense.
A background investigator revealed his record isn't exactly squeaky clean. "Three misdemeanor arrests, two known convictions, eight bench warrants and two of those are for failure to appear," the investigator said.
Albuquerque Police confiscated two handguns from Baca's car Saturday and four loaded magazines.
Mr. Baca is a good example. Proper gun control laws, which certainly don't exist in gun-friendly New Mexico, would easily have identified him as a danger and disarmed him long ago.
Wouldn't that be better for all concerned?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Somali Piracy Heyday is Over
via The National Post
The empty whisky bottles and overturned, sand-filled skiffs that litter this once-bustling shoreline are signs that the heyday of Somali piracy may be over. Most of the prostitutes are gone, the luxury cars repossessed. Pirates talk more about catching lobsters than seizing cargo ships.
Armed guards aboard cargo ships and an international naval armada complete with aircraft that carry out onshore raids have put a huge dent in Somali piracy and might even spell the end of the scourge. One piracy expert said it’s too early to declare victory. But the numbers are startling: In 2010, pirates seized 47 vessels. This year they’ve taken only five.
Lawful Gun Owners
They don't ALL do stuff like this, but too many of them. And you know why, because there's inadequate qualifying for gun ownership.
Kansas Senate Says "No" to Guns on Campus
Local news reports
Some of the states that say this are very gun-friendly. What gives?
Please leave a comment.
In Kansas, concealed carry laws prohibit people from bringing any firearm or weapon into a public building, which includes every building on K-State’s campus.
Recently, a bill was presented before the Kansas Senate that contained a proposal forbidding “no firearms allowed” signs on public buildings unless there is some kind of visible security. If the bill would have passed, the security in place would have monitored and prohibited every potential weapon entering the building; however, the bill the Senate did not pass it.
Although the state of Kansas has not shown any inclination toward giving people with concealed carry licenses the ability to carry on college campuses, other states have done so.Why is this such a hard win for the gun-rights movement? If their argument were as good as they say it is, why do states like Kansas and 45 others say no guns on campus?
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures website, “Five states now have provisions allowing the carrying of concealed weapons on public postsecondary campuses. These states are Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin.”
Some of the states that say this are very gun-friendly. What gives?
Please leave a comment.
Defensive Gun Use - German Jewish Style
Reuters reports
"The man threatened us and made clear he would have lashed out if the children had not been there," the council quoted Kramer, 44, as saying on its website.I'm sure our friends on The Truth About Guns will be all in favor of this behavior, and not because their fearless leader himself is Jewish, but because they give the widest possible interpretation of what constitutes a valid DGU.
Kramer then pointed to a gun he is allowed to carry for his personal protection to deter the man from attacking him.
What do you think? Is this a legitimate DGU or not?
No More Open Carry in California
The Los Angeles Times reports
Californians will no longer be able to openly carry rifles and shotguns in cities under legislation signed Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The bill was responding to public demonstrations by gun owners who were showing up at coffee shops and other public places carrying long guns to demonstrate their right to bear arms.What could be simpler than that?
The bill by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada-Flintridge) closes a loophole left when the state last year banned the open carrying of unloaded handguns in public.
"This shows an unequivocal commitment from law enforcement and state government to ensure the public safety of families in our neighborhoods and public places,'' Portantino said, adding it allows law enforcement to "focus on pressing duties free from the threat of an 'open carry' stop spiraling out of control or turning deadly." There are exceptions, including for military employees in parades and people at target ranges.
The new measure, which takes effect Jan. 1, was supported by Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca because of concern that officers responding to citizens' calls might have difficulty telling peaceful demonstrators from armed criminals.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Guns Confiscated at the Airport Increasing
The New York Times
These people are dangerous and should be disarmed.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
In fact, the T.S.A. says the number of guns found at airport security checkpoints has been steadily rising for the last couple of years. Through Friday, 1,105 guns have been found this year, a pace that is higher than last year’s. In 2011, the total was 1,320, up from 1,123 in 2010, the agency says.The usefulness of One Strike You're Out cannot be overestimated. The same people who "forget" they have a gun in their possession when the arrive at the airport are the same ones who are capable of forgetting there's a round in the chamber when they clean their gun or forget to store the gun properly when its not on their person.
Security experts attribute the increase to two factors: a rise in gun sales and the sharp growth of so-called right-to-carry laws across the country that significantly relax regulations on carrying guns in many areas of public life, from colleges to hospitals.Invariably, according to the T.S.A., travelers at airports with guns in their carry-on bags say they simply forgot they had them. “It’s almost always inadvertent rather than intentional,” said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the agency.Like other professionals in security, law enforcement and firearms safety, Mr. Castelveter was baffled by how anyone could forget that they were carrying a gun. “I’m a Vietnam vet, and when I went through training I was taught that my gun was my best friend — and God forbid you should ever lose sight of that fact. I would never, ever not know that I have a gun in my bag.”
These people are dangerous and should be disarmed.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Paul Ryan Predicts
CBS News reports
I'm hoping it turns out to be true that Obama has the opportunity to appoint good judges. I'm also hoping La Pierre's prediction turns out to be true, not that I believe for a minute that his motives are anything but mercenary.
Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan courted the votes of hunters on Saturday in a speech to a sportsmen's group, suggesting that President Obama would seek to strip gun owners of their rights by appointing judges hostile to a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment.Unlike Wayne, who actually says Obama will come after your guns, Paul Ryan is saying it in a slightly more nuanced way, focusing on the appointing of judges. This makes it quite a bit more truthful. We all know politicians will say anything, but in this case I think he's got a point.
"I shudder as a gun owner ... what would he do if he never has to face the voters ever again?" Ryan asked aloud during a speech to the National U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance's 16th Annual Save Our Heritage Banquet here.
"The next president is going to pick a lot of judges. The next president will appoint a lot of different judges and these are lifetime appointments. If you want to make sure that judges respect our Second Amendment rights, you need a president who respects those rights as well," he said.
I'm hoping it turns out to be true that Obama has the opportunity to appoint good judges. I'm also hoping La Pierre's prediction turns out to be true, not that I believe for a minute that his motives are anything but mercenary.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
The NRA Surge: 99 Laws Rolling Back Gun Restrictions
via Mother Jones where there's a neat interactive map
- Bullets and booze: In Missouri, law-abiding citizens can carry a gun while intoxicated and even fire it if "acting in self-defense."
- Child-safety lock off: In Kansas, permit holders can carry concealed weapons inside K-12 schools and at school-sponsored activities.
- Short arm of the law: In Utah, a person under felony indictment can buy a gun, and a person charged with a violent crime may be able to retain a concealed weapon permit. Nebraskans who've pled guilty to a violent crime can get a permit to carry a gun.
- Sweet Jesus! In Louisiana, permit holders can carry concealed weapons inside houses of worship.
- Without a trace: Virginia not only repealed a law requiring handgun vendors to submit sales records, but the state also ordered the destruction of all such previous records.
Three Reasons to not Live in the United States
1. Obesity.
My own observations recently were chronicled in this post. I believe the condition is actually contagious. When so many people are obese in your daily comings and goings, it's that much easier to accept a bit of overweight in yourself. Over time, this leads to ever more cases. It's a terrible spiral going down with no indication of letting up any time soon.
The real problem, I suppose, is the fast food industry, and the hormones and additives they put in processed food. More recently there's the controversy of genetically modified foods. The portions in restaurants and diners are incredible large. The waste is awful.
Everything is geared towards more and more obesity.
2. Prescription drugs.
The drug addiction among young adults and teenagers seems to be worse than ever. Several documentaries I watched explained how the new synthetic heroin-like painkillers are so prevalent that entire new demographic groups are being affected. When the prescriptions run out, buying the pills on the street is extremely expensive. Many turn to heroin which a 10 times cheaper.
We already knew about the when assigning The Crown to Florida, partly because it is the hub of this deadly business, but on my recent visit I saw the devastation with my own eyes.
3. Gun availability.
The dreaded phone call from school that there's been a shooting is about 100 times more likely in the US than it is in Italy, for example. Easy access to guns makes life there a little bit more risky than it should be.
In one thing I agree with the gun-rights folks. It's the violence of the people that's the real problem. When walking down the street in the US towards a group of young men, the potential for violence is there. This has nothing to do with guns. But, to use that as an excuse for making guns easily available is insanity. Guns make whatever violence is already there that much worse. What could be more obvious than that.
One of the funny things about the gun control argument is that most of the vocal gun-rights guys are jingoistic rah-rah Americans, yet they embody these problems, in some cases all three.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
My own observations recently were chronicled in this post. I believe the condition is actually contagious. When so many people are obese in your daily comings and goings, it's that much easier to accept a bit of overweight in yourself. Over time, this leads to ever more cases. It's a terrible spiral going down with no indication of letting up any time soon.
The real problem, I suppose, is the fast food industry, and the hormones and additives they put in processed food. More recently there's the controversy of genetically modified foods. The portions in restaurants and diners are incredible large. The waste is awful.
Everything is geared towards more and more obesity.
2. Prescription drugs.
The drug addiction among young adults and teenagers seems to be worse than ever. Several documentaries I watched explained how the new synthetic heroin-like painkillers are so prevalent that entire new demographic groups are being affected. When the prescriptions run out, buying the pills on the street is extremely expensive. Many turn to heroin which a 10 times cheaper.
We already knew about the when assigning The Crown to Florida, partly because it is the hub of this deadly business, but on my recent visit I saw the devastation with my own eyes.
3. Gun availability.
The dreaded phone call from school that there's been a shooting is about 100 times more likely in the US than it is in Italy, for example. Easy access to guns makes life there a little bit more risky than it should be.
In one thing I agree with the gun-rights folks. It's the violence of the people that's the real problem. When walking down the street in the US towards a group of young men, the potential for violence is there. This has nothing to do with guns. But, to use that as an excuse for making guns easily available is insanity. Guns make whatever violence is already there that much worse. What could be more obvious than that.
One of the funny things about the gun control argument is that most of the vocal gun-rights guys are jingoistic rah-rah Americans, yet they embody these problems, in some cases all three.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Minneapolis Death Toll 6
This is an update on our earlier report which said only 2 dead.
What's your opinion?
6:07PM EST September 29. 2012 - A gunman who killed five people and injured three others at a small Minneapolis sign company before taking his own life had been fired that morning,according to local media.Typical mass shooting with no regard for whether the place was a gun free zone or not. His only consideration was that this was the place of his grievance.
The dead included company founder Reuven Rahamim, who founded the small company, Accent Signage Systems, which makes interior signs for companies and industries.
The gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot in the company's basement.
What's your opinion?
Involuntary Manslaughter for Wyoming Man who Killed His Brother
Local news reports
This young man was a lawful gun owner in one of the big gun-friendly states. Given his admissions about using drugs, I suppose the best we could label him is a "hidden criminal."The Mills Police Department has arrested a man for involuntary manslaughter. Aaron Michael Gish was taken into custody Thursday evening, 10 days after shooting his older brother, Ryan Gish, police say.
On Sept. 17, police received an early afternoon call that a man had been accidentally shot on Fourth Avenue. Upon arrival, police found Ryan Gish was suffering from a wound to the abdomen and wrist. He was transported to the Wyoming Medical Center and pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
According to the affidavit, no one aside from the brothers was present at the residence at the time of the incident. The younger Gish admitted that the 9 mm pistol in question was his, and that he accidentally shot his brother.
Aaron Gish told police officers that he and his brother were having a conversation while he was manipulating the pistol. He reportedly admitted that he intentionally squeezed the trigger but could not explain why, despite his firearm training.
Officers say Gish admitted in at least one interview that he consumed marijuana that day. Suspected methamphetamine was additionally found in the house.
The pro-gun crowd is rife with these guys. Upwards of 50% of them are actually unfit to own and use guns safely due various problems, drugs being one of the most common.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Accidental Shooting Death of MA 17-Year -old by His Older Brother - No Charges
Local news reports
What does "licensed to have a gun" actually mean in Massachusetts? Is that a concealed carry permit or just a permission to own a gun?
Gun negligence is a family disease. This story shows that more than most. In cases like this where parental supervision was lacking and older children were involved I believe there's only one safe way to go. One strike you're out applies to the entire family.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
A 17-year-old high school senior died Saturday after he was allegedly shot in the chest by his brother. The grieving family said the shooting was accidental.
Police said several family members were home at the time of the shooting. They said the weapon belonged to the family and that the 21-year-old brother was newly licensed to have a gun. But, investigators are still trying to figure out what happened before the 17-year-old was shot in the chest.
Gun negligence is a family disease. This story shows that more than most. In cases like this where parental supervision was lacking and older children were involved I believe there's only one safe way to go. One strike you're out applies to the entire family.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Accidental Shooting of Colorado Springs Man by Himself - He's Dead
Local news reports
Not only is there a certain amount of loss due to attrition among the gun owners, the survivors, family members and loved ones very often turn towards gun control advocacy.
That's why gun control is a winner, that and the fact that it's right.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Police were called just before 3 a.m. when neighbors reported the shooting.Here's why the gun control movement is destined to win. These guys keep killing themselves. I know the gun-rights folks tell us the number of accidental shootings is very low, but it sure doesn't seem like that when you read the news. Some of the numbers they give us don't make sense at all, I see more than that in my daily reading.
Officers arrived to find paramedics and firefighters working to treat a man who had been shot. Police said the man was in another room when his sleeping fiancée heard the gunshot. She rushed in to find him wounded.
Police said they determined that the man accidentally shot himself.
Not only is there a certain amount of loss due to attrition among the gun owners, the survivors, family members and loved ones very often turn towards gun control advocacy.
That's why gun control is a winner, that and the fact that it's right.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
The Arizona Car Jacking Suicide
Mediaite has all the videos, the graphic one and the Fox apology ones.
We've seen Pulitzer Prize winning pictures of a little Vietnamese girl burning with Napalm and Buddhist monks immolating themselves. All of a sudden, we can't see this suicide?
Maybe seeing a bit more of the graphic details would help people who are not directly involved to understand how damaging gun violence is. Maybe it would help them snap out of their lethargy.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
A long car chase through rural Arizona just aired on Fox News and ended tragically with the suicide of the carjacker.After all the fake violence on TV and in the movies, doesn't it seem a bit strange to have such a strong reaction to this? The helicopter video was not even close enough to really capture the details.
Fox had been following the pursuit since a little before 3:00 p.m. ET, as the red vehicle weaved at speeds of 110 mph on an Arizona freeway and then on a dirt road west of Tonopah.
After pulling over in the middle of nowhere, the criminal slowly emerged from the car and looked disoriented. Smith continuously noted that he was “nervous” and had a bad feeling about what was happening, and he did not see this ending well.
The man then left his vehicle and ran out into an open field before pulling out a gun and shooting himself on live television. Host Shepard Smith yelled at the show’s crew to “get off” the video immediately, before the network cut to commercial break.
We've seen Pulitzer Prize winning pictures of a little Vietnamese girl burning with Napalm and Buddhist monks immolating themselves. All of a sudden, we can't see this suicide?
Maybe seeing a bit more of the graphic details would help people who are not directly involved to understand how damaging gun violence is. Maybe it would help them snap out of their lethargy.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
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