billeisele

Lucky for all of us that you are not the one that gets to decide what does or doesn't count, define "the standard" or be the supreme decision maker of when the threshold of "sufficient detail" has been met. You've demonstrated that you don't follow the guidelines you demand of others. You could offer your thoughts on any of the items you seem to be so concerned about. But no, it seems that you're intent on just arguing, belittling, and mis-stating others thoughts rather than offering and discussing potential solutions. My position has been clearly stated and I've offered some ideas that IMO might be beneficial. If you have thoughts on those then please provide input. If you have thresholds and numbers that you think would work then offer them. If you think a suggestions won't work, then fine, state why. I'm open to all intelligent input. My opinion has changed and will continue to change as credible information is collected. It's a discussion not an interrogation.

Joe - I've answered some of this and just in case you missed it .... the post was specifically left open so that those with more knowledge and expertise could use their collective knowledge to set the guidelines. They were intended to offer some tactics that might reduce gun deaths, IMO.

Wendy - All good questions. It's interesting that with graduate school students needing research topics some of the current social issues aren't studied more. Or maybe they are being studied and the results aren't yet available. I prefer to avoid areas that are problematic but these crimes are occurring more often in common areas. In my one example my size and level of aggression handled the situation. If I had had a gun and pulled it out, there's no telling what variables may have occurred. The two guys didn't pull guns or other weapons. Once a weapon is drawn there's no telling what may occur. The location was Atlanta near the convention center. A close friend was accosted by 3 repeat offenders, with guns. In past incidents they had shot and beat people. He's trained, used his gun, killed one, wounded (paralyzed for life) one and one got away. The cops had been after this group for awhile. Their opinion was that his awareness and quick use of the gun most likely saved him. Location was downtown Charlotte.

An interesting read. It's an article about a survey done on firearms in 2021. The article claims that it's, "the most comprehensive survey of American gun owners." The lead researcher is William English, a Georgetown Univ professor. English plans to write more articles reporting the research findings. "This report summarizes the findings of a national survey of firearms ownership and use conducted between February 17th and March 23rd, 2021 by the professional survey firm Centiment. This survey, which is part of a larger book project, aims to provide the most comprehensive assessment of firearms ownership and use patterns in America to date. This online survey was administered to a representative sample of approximately fifty-four thousand U.S. residents aged 18 and over, and it identified 16,708 gun owners who were, in turn, asked in-depth questions about their ownership and their use of firearms, including defensive uses of firearms." Hopefully this work will provide some basis for effective laws rather than political whims. https://reason.com/2022/09/09/the-largest-ever-survey-of-american-gun-owners-finds-that-defensive-use-of-firearms-is-common/?fbclid=IwAR0lRDy5bRnAO7J9i7zM5cHDlJPB9Sq1FN9Mlvq6wIuISsOWShSw3vUQsuc&amp this is the survey report https://www.armes-ufa.com/IMG/pdf/ssrn-id3887145.pdf

true, except for that pesky thing called "cost" The basic fundamentals are being glossed over like they don't exist. For CA to make the leap to EVs like they want to will cost $???. Is it even achievable in the desired timeframe? Since CA loves illegal immigrants supposedly to keep their agriculture economy rolling, will they be paid enough to afford the EVs?

Jerry - I'm wondering if the EV battery thing will be similar to valuing an AAD with a fixed life. If batteries are 75% towards end of life the replacement cost would be factored into the car value.

The global warming thing is always interesting. This guy has an opinion. https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-former-greenpeace-founder-patrick-moore-debunks-the-false-narratives-of-climate-change_4709568.html?utm_source=Goodevening&utm_campaign=gv-2022-09-07&utm_medium=email&est=v3dTCFn0uQaJGaDv%2BjujoEuIIrCPu0R%2FHupA7K9INbFPm6NToS3Xod3%2B3i8%3D

Would that be bilingual, and non-bilingual?

Be glad you aren't replacing batteries in a Volt. $30 grand is crazy. It's a hybrid so no telling the actual cost per mile for the battery. Assuming an electric cost of 15 cents/kWh. gas cost of $2.50/g, gas 30 mpg, an 18 kWh battery, 2nd generation Volt range of 53 miles/charge, then... If all miles were on electric the cost to charge would be $3,600. That makes the cost per mile 0.47 cents. If all miles were on gas the cost would be $5,900. 60% higher than electric. No telling what the gas engine maintenance costs would be but at that low mileage one would think just oil changes and maybe some fluid changes. At $35 / oil change and assuming a radiator flush, maybe $600 ish. It won all kinds of awards. The car guys said, "According to Edmunds.com, the price premium paid for the Volt in 2012, after discounting the US$7,500 U.S. federal tax credit, takes a long time for consumers to recover in fuel savings, often longer than the normal ownership time period." Doubt that analysis included the battery replacement cost. Luckily, the EV's have improved but the prices are much higher and the battery cost thing is still there. We'll see how this goes.

I worked for a company that provided health insurance. There were no exclusions, so no problem. My wife was a teacher, a State employee, no exclusions in the health plan.

It takes a ton of screw up for El Pres to have the mainstream media chastising him but he did it with his latest stunt. President Joe Biden received backlash from corporate news reporters on Thursday night after he delivered a polarizing campaign-style speech flanked by two U.S. Marines. During the speech, the president attacked tens of millions of people who voted for former President Donald Trump, describing them as extremists. “Whatever you think of this speech the military is supposed to be apolitical,” CNN host Brianna Keilar, whose husband serves in U.S. Army, wrote on Twitter. “Positioning Marines in uniform behind President Biden for a political speech flies in the face of that. It’s wrong when Democrats do it. It’s wrong when Republicans do it.” CNN Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny wrote that “there’s nothing unusual or wrong with a President delivering a political speech — it’s inherent in the job description — but doing it against a backdrop of two Marines standing at attention and the Marine Band is a break with White House traditions.” “The Marines behind Biden was weird,” ABC News producer Jeffrey Cook wrote. “If Trump did that, every Dem operative I follow would be freaking the [expletive] out.” CBS News Senior White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe noted the unusual optics. “Everytime I think Biden and crew can’t be dumber they outdo themselves,” Barstool Sports chief executive Dave Portnoy wrote. “Seriously who gives a speech warning people about how dangerous Republicans are to Democracy while having a background that looks like the Soviet Union and Hitler had a baby?”

Facts on the efficacy of masks were provided by experts and the manufacturers. That info was posted here with plenty of pushback. On this issue expert evidence wasn't sufficient for some. One sad thing is those that were particularly vulnerable were scared based on false and constantly repeated information. I still see these "old people" driving cars, alone, with the windows rolled up, wearing a mask. No one said that masks didn't provide some protection. Just that the way they were used wasn't effective and would not prevent the passage of infectious material. Yet the government continued to promote that guidance.

Some facts on the Plan from the NYT (Sept 2021 data), Education Date Initiative (July 2022 data) - applies to certain federal student loan debt, opened prior to June 30, 2022. Private loans and many of the Federal Family Education Loans aren't eligible. : single earning less than $125k qualify for $10 in debt cancellation, married the threshold is $250k - if one received a Pell grant the amount is increased to $20k - current estimates are that about 8 million may be eligible, 32% owe less than $10k - the funds are not taxable - the loan servicer will not automatically reduce the monthly loan repayment based on the reduction in loan value. Many of the repayment plans are driven by income so the monthly payment would not change. - $1.6 trillion is public and private student loans, 43 billion borrowers, 92% is federal debt, average of $38k per borrower (other sources state $28k), about 55% leave school with debt Federal student loans can be used for tuition, books, transportation, gas, computer, housing, groceries and general living expenses. The tuition and fees funds are generally sent to the school. Any remaining balance is sent to the student. IMO, one issue is lack of accountability on how the funds are spent. https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics

I absolutely agree. Community college, trade schools and the like where one can learn skills that will provide one with a rewarding career and comfortable lifestyle. No doubt that college is needed for some careers but there are some many kids that are lured to college with the promise of being financially comfortable, and that is just not true. Most bank tellers have a college degree and barely get paid enough to make those loan payments. In SC a paramedic is paid more than a school teacher or a basic nurse. The last 2 jobs require a college degree. The paramedic gets a significant amount of specialized training, often paid for by their employer. According to some since they didn't go to college so they are uneducated.

It was a straight answer. It's not my fault that you lack the capacity to see or accept that, or if it wasn't good enough for YOU. Some of the suggestions require an age, or number to be determined. They were purposely stated that way to leave room for a good decision to be made by the lawmakers after proper research/study was done. On the age thing, some have suggested 21, that may be right or it may not be. Clearly we differ on some restrictions. No problem, we have differing opinions. Sometimes it seems that you just hate it when we agree on something. Copied from the original post: The only point I've been trying to make is that there are many more firearms, other than the typical AR like rifle, that are a problem. To focus solely on assault weapons is short-sighted and will have, at best, a small impact on gun deaths. I agree that it's reasonable to limit the typical semi auto hunting rifle to 5 rounds or less. Raise the age on purchases of non-hunting firearms, tighten up the application process, hammer anyone caught making a straw purchase (maybe some law that says after buying X? firearms a year one has to prove they still have them in their possession, have paperwork documenting the transfer, or if lost or stolen a police report is required), mandatory severe jail time if caught with a stolen firearm, laws requiring owners to be more responsible with managing/storing the weapon, confiscation if mental health becomes an issue, red flag laws, significantly higher training requirements to obtain a concealed weapons permit and ongoing training to keep it, liability laws/exposure for dealers that make errors, strengthen the requirements to obtain and retain an FFL license by requiring a minimum number of transactions per year, special application process for any long gun that can hold more than xx rounds in a magazine, shotguns that hold more than 6 rounds should be considered assault weapons, limit mag capacity with pistols to 10-12 rounds, mandatory prison sentence of 10 years for any crime committed with a gun, etc. etc.

Joe - the xx's and other blanks were for lawmakers to fill in based on the facts, they were left that way on purpose

GI bill - an employment benefit just like a corporate 401k match or healthcare Public roads - a common good for all for personal transportation and to enable commerce, not a direct subsidy to one small focused group Child deduction - yeah, maybe that is one but a huge percentage of the population enjoys it not a small percentage, yep - if one doesn't have a kid they feel cheated, and those that don't have kids in school feel cheated by the school taxes College is not the only route to become educated. Inferring that anyone that hasn't been to college is uneducated is, well, just wrong, and for some it would be insulting. Probably some on here. The comment about veterans is idiotic.

Phil - I get all that, no doubt that everything should be looked at and the tax system revised. My problem with this action is it's a direct slap in the face to so many people. Hey, I can afford it but it's just not right. Calling non-college folks educated and assuming a college grad is educated is part of the fallacy. One with a library science degree is "educated" but still has little practical knowledge. A tradesperson is certainly not uneducated. The world needs people with all kinds of expertise and much of that is not gained in a college. I remember when the ethanol production act was passed John McCain said that it was the biggest farm subsidy bill ever.

deflection - don't you say that all the time when folks don't stay focused on the topic? It's a one-time give away. If one made their last loan payment yesterday they get nothing. If they started a loan last week they get nothing. If they skipped college, started a trade and took out a business loan they get nothing. No one with a mortgage gets anything. The tradesmen, the landscapers, the mechanics, the waitresses, the dirty handers they aren't they upper class, they get nothing. Bottom line is those that are working hard get nothing. And many of those are just as needy.

Forget the wall that was intended to manage immigration, human trafficking and drug smuggling by creating entry points that the Border Patrol could handle. Joe can have his personal wall at his vacation home. It will keep him from wandering off and keep the cameras out while he's shaking hands with imaginary people. How about the vote buying scheme that will miserably fail? For every 1 person that gets a free ride there are 10 others that are feeling cheated. No, that's not a documented ratio but one can understand the concept, at least some can. Forgiving loan debt is a shift of money from one group to another. It appears that the ones most upset are those that: didn't go to college because they couldn't afford it and didn't want a loan, went but worked to pay their way without a loan, took a loan but worked to pay it off, etc. It sends the wrong signal ..... don't worry the government will cover your bad decision.

Bill - describing the laptop as a "distraction" is disturbing. If what is on the laptop is in line with what has been reported, it's a problem. And true or not, many believe that if his last name wasn't Biden there would be an investigation.

Joe and the gang is doing a wonderful job at installing a fence around his vacation beach house. Maybe it's to keep out the same type he's allowing to enter the country because fences don't work on the border.

Hopefully they will never need to use them and no one is put at risk. Having bullets flying around is never good. It's highly likely that a bad guy would simply go elsewhere if he knows there are armed folks inside.

Anywhere in the rings of a standard B-27 target. The rings fit on a thin or fat person. IMO the requirements are much to easy. There's no requirement for Billy Bob to have a CWP to own a "machine gun" more appropriately called an automatic weapon. Therefore, he doesn't have to be tested on the laws or be proven capable of properly firing the gun. But he will have to wait 8 - 10 months for the BATFE to investigate his background and complete the paperwork. The investigation is good.

Exactly. In many US states the requirement is only a few hours of training. The shooting qualification is way too easy. I've seen people with zero gun experience walk in, take the class, and use a .22 to qualify. That gives them the legal right to carry whatever caliber they want. easy. One must hit a full size silhouette target at 3, 5, 7 and 10 yards shooting 10 rounds at each distance, and at 12 and 15 yards shooting 5 rounds each. A passing score is 35 out of 50. Once they have their permit there is no more testing requirements as long as they submit the paperwork to renew it every 5 years. There are 20 States with reciprocity with SC.