jcd11235

That's probably only the case in some of the crimes of opportunity. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I believe you took your argument a bit too far. "Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers." The problem there is that while everyone thinks they are a moderate drinker, the level of consumption that actually may provide a health benefit is substantially less. And while red wine has actual physical elements to provide some benefit, for the others I suspect it's more that living an uptight life isn't particularly healthy, not that the 8oz of Guiness (as if) is doing the job. The death toll from alcohol greatly exceeds that from guns, so it's still fair game, imo. Have you simply stopped reading conversations to understand context of a comment? Besides, the death toll from alcohol / the death toll from firearms is the wrong ratio to examine. Much more relevant is the ratio of person years gained from moderate alcohol use / person years lost from alcohol use. From the article: An Italian study of 1,536 men aged 45-65 found that about two years of life were gained by moderate drinkers (1-4 drinks per day) in comparison with occasional and heavy drinkers. … Alcohol prevents more deaths than its abuse causes in the United Kingdom, according to research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Scientists at the University of London concluded that light and moderate drinking saves more lives in England and Wales than are lost through the abuse of alcohol. If everyone abstained from alcohol, death rates would be significantly higher. The Cancer Council of New South Wales concludes that "If the net effect of total alcohol consumption on Australian society is considered, there is a net saving of lives due to the protective effect of low levels of consumption on cardiovascular disease." In the context of the conversation, banning alcohol would be a bad idea, since there is strong, credible evidence showing that it's health benefits outweigh its health costs. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Crimes of opportunity are easier to prevent. Having a gun is much less useful if you're being specifically targeted. The "friend" who wants your toys is going to avoid taking them while you are there to protect them. Your angry boyfriend will know your routine well enough to exploit it to his advantage. Of course, if they had gotten the gun much earlier, the predator might know about it and plan an attack accordingly, severely mitigating any benefit the firearm could provide. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I think many states and local governments are reducing smoking, little by little, via education, taxation, and inconvenience. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I believe you took your argument a bit too far. "Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers." Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

You have several times stated that citizens do not need to be armed. You don't see the difference in someone choosing not to carry a gun and someone being legally prohibited from carrying a gun? If I choose to refrain from calling someone a prick, my right to free speech has not been violated. No, your OPINION is that you are realistic. That is not the same as a fact and no more valid than someone else's opinion. Are you suggesting that guns have no limitations? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Bull shit. You tried to compare a cops actions with a law for citizens. That is avoiding the question. It's funny how you accuse me of avoiding the question that I asked, while you still haven't provided answers to them. If they made it to trial, it's unlikely they were as clear cut as you claim. Look at all of the people who claim that the Martin killing is a clear cut case of self defense, when the details of that killing aren't at all clear. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

It's neither what I said nor what I implied. If you look further upthread, you'll see that I said that guns can be an effective weapon when it comes to last resorts and home defense. Some of you keep building up straw men. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

If you reread my posts, you'll see that I haven't suggested disarming people. I'm just realistic about the usefulness and limitations of guns. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

how did I twist the word "weapon." You wrote it. What was implied was that weapons are only needed in home defense as a last resort. No untwisting necessary. Smart people tend to expend their energy on prevention rather than reaction. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Most normal people would not initially resort to weapons. That's not an answer. You said guns were acceptable "last resort home defense weapons." So what are your first resort weapons? Or if you want to disavow the phrase as a Freudian slip, what are the first resort home defense tools? I don't need to disavow the phrase simply because you are trying twist my words to mean something I didn't say.. As a last resort, weapons can be used for protection inside the home. In such cases, guns are often a suitable choice. Other home defense tools and strategies include closing doors, using door locks, security systems, pets, outdoor lighting, telephones, etc. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Most normal people would not initially resort to weapons. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I'm a gun owner and have been around guns my entire life. I was even an armorer during a short stint in the Army Reserve, after serving in a combat arms MOS in the regular Army. I agree that guns can be useful last resort home defense weapons. Judging by other recent threads, this doesn't seem to be the case. Just look at how many hero wannabes think that they could have stopped the Colorado theater mass murders if they had only been there with their 9 mm or their .40 cal. A while back, I was considering a grad school in the city in which my brother lives. I asked him about rent prices near campus, and he starts telling me how I would need to carry a gun to be safe in the areas where rent is affordable. WTF? I've lived in MUCH larger cities with MUCH higher crime rates, and have never had any problems walking around "crack town" after dark, alone and unarmed (at least not with anything which has a primary use as a weapon, such as a gun or knife). It's just not that risky to go through life unarmed, but many people are reluctant to do so because they're scared of extremely unlikely occurrences. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

That's what I was getting at here. You said it better. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

This seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. "We apologize for any inconvenience but as of 7/19/2012 Chick-fil-A has voluntarily recalled all of the Jim Henson's Creature Shop Puppet Kids Meal Toys due to a possible safety issue. Please be advised that there have not been any cases in which a child has actually been injured, however there have been some reports of children getting their fingers stuck in the holes of the puppets." Source Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Not me. I was born nearly two thousand years too late, not to mention in the wrong part of the world. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

If you rode with one, you'd know what 16% is A trivially true statement if there ever was one! Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Cyclists who ride with cycling computers. It's a clear violation of Rule 6. (Note: Rules 5, 6, and 10 either imply or supersede all other Rules.) Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Descending might be the biggest reason I never converted my SS mountain bike to fixed. I've always considered the ability to coast down hills to be the reward of climbing them to begin with. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

The other part is the statistical unlikeliness of such attacks. Rational people shouldn't rate mass murders and terrorism very high on their Stuff To Worry About lists. As tragic as the theater killings were, I would be surprised if, nationwide, traffic accidents involving people on their way to or from the Batman opening did not kill/injure more people than the killer did. Likewise, frequenting McDonald's is more likely to cause premature death via poor diet than gunfire. Personally, I can't fathom going through life so scared that my perceived need to be prepared for every possible eventuality trumps my desire to relax and enjoy myself most times when I'm out and about. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I don't think you understand how such a defense works. It's not so simple as just claiming insanity. There is a standard of proof that must be met. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Which is one reason why I don't think my government has the best interests of our country at heart. Education is a prime example of what happens when the government takes control, and eliminates competition. It's interesting that you should use education as an example. Without controlling for student background differences, private schools scored higher than non-charter public schools, as would be expected. However, this study examines these patterns further, determining whether they are due simply to the fact that higher proportions of disadvantaged students are enrolled in public schools, and the extent to which the gaps persist after controlling for potential student- and school-level confounding variables, including measures of socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, gender, disability, limited English proficiency, and school location. Overall, the study demonstrates that demographic differences between students in public and private schools more than account for the relatively high raw scores of private schools. Indeed, after controlling for these differences, the presumably advantageous “private school effect” disappears, and even reverses in most cases. Source Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Sure you do. Don't buy their products. In a perfectly informed society, that's all it would take, but we don't live in such a society. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

The first one i said that a cop and a citizen are not the same thing. That's not an answer. That's avoiding the question. Clear cut cases of self defense don't typically go to trial. If it's not clear cut, it should go to trial. I'm not aware of this being a problem. Do you have data (not anecdotes) showing that it's a problem? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I find it interesting that people argue you can't trust your fellow man in business transactions (something you can walk away from), yet they'll trust their fellow man as a politician to tell them what they must do. Massive contradiction, IMO. It's not a contradiction at all. I have a say in my government. I have no say in Acme, Inc. My government has the best interests of my country, as a whole, at heart. Acme's first priority is maximizing its stock value. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!