nerdgirl

That was something that occured to me ... altho' kind of the inverse in lieu of the discussion on rapid cooling w/water or other method. What alloys (?) are most gun barrels made of? To what temps do they get during firing ... and, speculatively, would multiple, rapid cooling cycles induce micro-fractures? (Or is the adiabatic cooling during normal use a greater change in temperature?) VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

The interplay between theoretical physics and Hindu spirituality exists solely in the mind of the individual. I think trying to hook physics and spirituality together like this is a basically just a barely amusing conicidence. It's like saying astrology and astronomy are flip sides of the same coin. Erm... no, not even close.

I guess each family has to decide within their own perspective and faith/moral perspective. It’s curious to me how these families reconcile those choices with things like the Veggie Tales Bible? I would not ban that book in my house and I have no doubt that majority of kids would realize it’s fiction … but personally – owned very much as my opinion – I find the Bible retold by talking, walking, anthropomorphized vegetables kinda creepy. Moses as a cucumber? What would Freud see in those portrayals? VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Listened to Rebecca Manley’s Pippert’s podcast interview. She’s fairly mainstream Evangelical Christian practicing the tenets of her religion (as you are)

I think I may be reading more into you posts then you intend … or maybe not (?) Perhaps the largest number of deaths that could be attributable to lack of action or foreign policy choices by President Clinton’s Administration are from (1) Iraqi sanctions: 250,000 - 500,000 children, which then-UN Ambassador former Secretary of State Albright asserted: "I think that is a very hard choice, but the price, we think, the price is worth it" 1996. (A comment which she later conceded was less than wise in her memoir.) (2) Rwanda: While US or other allied intervention is unlikely to have eliminated all 800,000 - 1Million associated deaths, action would likely have significantly decreased the ethnic cleansing. On the other hand, you may be proposing a counterfactual, i.e., imagine if President Clinton had approved the execution of some additional military action or covert action targeting Osama Bin Laden. If one assumes that such actions were more successful then similar opportunities over the most recent six years, one obvious possibility is avoidance of the attacks of September 11th, along with subsequent Madrid and London attacks by Al Qa’eda network affiliates. Assuming such an action(s) was/were successful before President Clinton left office what other impacts may have resulted? Is there a reasonable path of events that would have led to more deaths than occurred on Sept 11, 2001? We can’t subtract just one piece from history, as much as we might like to subtract it. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

You are now. Ugh ... thanks for the additional information as saddening and disheartening as it is. If the allegations are true, does anyone want to argue that such actions emulate the behavior or teachings of Christ? For those who don't click through: "Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, along with the rest of the cast of the new film ‘Golden Compass’ have been been receiving death threats from religious zealots. "The zealots have been sending hate mail through the post, says an insider. 'The amount of hate mail has been unbelievable. There have been death threats. Most of the backlash has been aimed at Pullman but even the cast has had their fair share of abuse.' "And '007'; star Daniel, 39 – who plays the character of Lord Asriel in the movie – says he can’t understand why it’s being targeted. "He told Britain’s Daily Star Sunday newspaper: 'I think the majority of people criticizing it haven’t read it. "'These books are not anti-religious. Mainly they’re anti-misuse of power – religious or political.'" VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Along with Joel 3:10. And, perhaps, keep in mind and at heart Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

"The Narnia Card"? You are aware the entire Narnia series was written with the specific intention of it being an allegory to the Christ story and the entire Aletheometer series was written in direct response to it aren't you? Another analysis of the response by members different faiths to fiction novels that I think would be a fascinating comparison and contrast is Phillip Pullman’s novels and Salman Rushdie’s _The Satanic Verses_. On one hand, I’m not aware of anyone calling for death sentences for Pullman. Otoh … Criticism of books considered/perceived/banned/seen as "anti-Christian" is not novel. Two of my favorites are Margaret Atwood’s _The Handmaid’s Tale_ and Kate Chopin’s _The Awakening_ (from the late 1800s). VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Ironically, was it not a woman who was the armed security guard at the Colorado Springs Church? Perhaps the lesson to be learned, if we are basing policy recommendations on this single data point, is to arm women? VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

As a non-expert, I see tipping point for many of the current gun control laws and the gun control movement of the last 25 years to be the attempted assassination of President Reagan. The was an incident that led to a rise in anti-gun/gun control sentiment, which probably peaked ~5 years later, and is now declining. I'd look for a rise by pro-gun adovocates 5-10 years after that. I don't see (admittedly, it's not an area I follow closely) the same kind of rhetoric or call for Congressional hearings today. Is that due to the success of the NRA-type advocacy, the ebb of interest in gun control, or greater preoccupation with other issues, e.g., terrorism,? I don't know. Speculatively: was there an upswing in pro-gun control efforts following President Kennedy's assassination ... or was Communism and military observor activities in south east Asia a bigger issue? Instead of solely arguing for rights from the 2nd Amendment, I'd look to arguments based on privacy. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

I don't understand on what you base this assertion w/r/t sin, would you explain further? How do you measure adequately dealing? Thanks. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Concur heartily!!! ----- ----- ------ ----- Was not “In God We Trust” added to both the Pledge of Allegiance and paper currency as a reaction to McCarthyism in the 1950s? Was it not added to the coinage in the Civil War as another reactionary move? I think a significant portion of late 20th Century/early 21st Century America are mistaken regarding the role they perceive for "religion" -- which is usually code/metaphor for mainstream to conservative Protestant Christianity, not Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, or Wicca -- in government and law. The US system of law owes more to the Magna Carta and English common law, as well as Enlightenment principles, which were largely originated and promulgated by the French. The Iroquois Confederacy’s “Great Law of Peace”, a participatory democracy that guaranteed freedom of religion, expression and other rights later incorporated in the U.S. Constitution, was another influence on the Founding Fathers. One notable difference was that the Iroquois ‘Constitution,’ dating back to at least 1400 AD (& perhaps as early as 1100 AD), extended rights to women. Was President Jefferson influenced by his Christian deist beliefs (which more closely resemble the Unitarians) and practice as an Anglican in writing the Constitution? Of course. Was that the only influence? Of course not. President Jefferson wrote "I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know.” Did his observation/interpretation of problems lead to the “no religious test” clause of the Constitution, i.e, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States” (Article VI, Section 3)? One can speculate. What inspired President George Washington’s letter to the Jews of Rhode Island, in which he wrote about separation of church and state: “The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. “It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens." I speculate that a significantly under-recognized reason why the US Constitution -- an amazing document im-ever-ho -- has been so successful for so long (relative to other governance documents) is its foundation in civil (not religious) law and the wisdom of the drafters to suspend their own egos and adapt/adopt/borrow from multiple sources! VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

I'll cast a vote for paying for TB treatment for the uninsured, along with funding for epidemiological monitoring of airborne transmissible infectious diseases. What's currently required w/r/t reportable diseases (to CDC), such as plague, syphillis, tularemia, measles, mumps, smallpox, were proposed by Executive Agencies (usually through Dept of Health and Human Services), posted in the Federal Register, and approved by some means by the elected representatives in Congress. If you're interested in seeing what specific diseases require reporting and their incidence, check out "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly," which provides summaries and data on required notifiable diseases. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

You mean like this guy: Mathew Simmons, founder & CEO of the oil services company Simmons & Company International. (Met him & listened to him at the DoD-sponsored Energy Conversations series.) Or this one: Peter Schwartz, who led scenario planning for Royal Dutch Shell in the 1980’s and more recently co-authored the DoD’s Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security Or this one: Colin Campbell (Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO), who was an oil exploration geologist in the 1970s & 1980s, former chief geologist for Amoco, a vice-president of Fina) and who has asserted that world oil production will begin its decline between now and 2010, i.e., peak oil. Or Beyond Petroleum’s (nee British Petroleum) Francis Harper, who asserts peak oil will occur between 2010 and 2020. To which specific oil producers are you referring? Here’s one commentary-style analysis that alleges peak oil is a contrivance of oil companies manipulating the market. Is this the argument that you want to make? I’m trying to help ya out here … I’m willing to entertain the issue if you can provide some sharable/public argument/evidence/something ... Again, do you have sources or evidence suggesting otherwise? VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

... or the Roman Empire, which gave us the "Dark Ages"? /Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

The break up of the Space Shuttles was spectacular. Geophysically, Pangea was the biggest terrestrial break up. For your latter category, Chernobyl or Bhopal, perhaps. Historical military defeats might also qualify. For Native Americans, the arrival of Europeans might be a candidate. Interpersonal relationships seem more appropriate for Bonfire, im-ever-ho. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Do you look like these Atlantines? Yeah, *exactly* like #2! Carry a large broad sword with me and wear chain mail everywhere. Makes getting through TSA screening just that much more exciting! /Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

I dunno. [Edit to add: I do think meaningful steps toward solution(s) are *very* possible but require more careful thought and inquiry than I'm giving it this morning.] Whether it's gun violence or terrorists attacking industrial chemical facilities, ignoring one (or two) parts of risk (consequence x probability) & threat (capability, motivation, vulnerability) is unlikely to yield a meaningful solution. I suspect that the most complete or effective solution may be more offensive/egregious than the problem, specifically in limitation of civil liberties in our heterogenous US society. My ad hoc risk calculus is that the probability is low but that the consequence can be fairly substantial ... in a somewhat limited parallel, like terrorism, in terms of less tangible factors than just number of fatalities. What's the overall US populace willingness to accept risk? Perhaps lower than mine. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Pushing a little more on this - how ? Should it be federal, state, or local effort? Is there evidence that the majority of the 'problem' gun dealers are geographically localized? E.g., in a couple specific urban areas or rural areas? ***As for gun crimes as a whole? I think guns crimes are a symptom of an issue (which is another thread that I am sure you and I would disagree over) Trying to cure a symptom will not cure the disease. Concur heartily! VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Where do you see such problems in a large-scale meaningful way specifically, not just anecdotally? Is this an argument for re-examing laws associated with possession/use of illegal drugs? One of the arguments for stronger drug laws is that those folks are likely to commit crimes (in order to get money for drugs, etc). In the 1980s and 1990s, did the US focus on the wrong piece of the criminal puzzle? Has California's 3-strike law been effective at decreasing crimes in which a gun is used? I dunno, I'm asking. Do any of the folks who have been responsible for violence like that associated with the recent mall shooting have previous records? How would you address that? VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Really? Where? So all the folks mentioned in this Fox News article discussing the tipping point of oil are wrong? This recent GAO report: “Crude Oil: Uncertainty about Future Oil Supply Makes It Important to Develop a Strategy for Addressing a Peak and Decline in Oil Production,” which has repeatedly cited by Rep Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), who has spoken on the “important need to develop a strategy for addressing a peak and decline in oil production.” From the GAO report:” World oil production has been running at near capacity to meet demand, pushing prices upward. Concerns about meeting increasing demand with finite resources have renewed interest in an old question: How long can the oil supply expand before reaching a maximum level of production--a peak--from which it can only decline? “Most studies estimate that oil production will peak sometime between now and 2040. This range of estimates is wide because the timing of the peak depends on multiple, uncertain factors that will help determine how quickly the oil remaining in the ground is used, including the amount of oil still in the ground; how much of that oil can ultimately be produced given technological, cost, and environmental challenges as well as potentially unfavorable political and investment conditions in some countries where oil is located; and future global demand for oil.” What do you think is the relative percentage of shale oil to that which has already been pumped from the ground?" In the 1950's M. King Hubbert predicted US oil production would peak in the 1970s. He was criticized/dismissed/ridiculed until the late 1970s when the decline in US oil production was undeniable - a trend which continues. It would be absolutely fantastic (& something of a miracle) for the supply of any natural product that isn’t being reproduced to be “eternal.” Whether oil was produced from decaying dinosaurs (the biogenic hypothesis) or as a result of geochemical processes during the formation of the Earth (the more strongly supported abiogenic hypothesis), the planet's not making more of it as far as I am aware. Do you have sources or evidence suggesting otherwise? VR/Marg ... in Atlanta but not doing anything with Atlantis, at least not that I'm aware of ... Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Gender is less important to me than avoiding ever having to work for/with again a Navy submariner officer chosen by Adm Rickover. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

I heartily concur that violence such as that in the most recent mall shooting is a complex problem with complex solution(s). Are the proposed specific policy recommendations (1, 2, & 3 above) significantly different than strategies that have been tried before? I don't accept the "guns --> violence (or crime)" correlation, in either direction, i.e., that more guns ='s less violence or more guns ='s more violence. They're independent variables, therefore data to support either hypothesis can be found. Absolute prohibition of private gun ownership or bullets (if that could somehow be accomplished & which I don't think anyone is suggesting) is an adaptation of nuclear model -- literally trying to identify a critical material. More like biotechnology, guns are dual-use (i.e,. have legal, culturally-valued aplications as well as malfeasant potential). So a few perceived critical nodes are identified in an attempt to balance/minimize imposition on legal use and still have some way to limit illegal use ... or at provide means to track/identify use. Policy recommendations w/r/t gun control address the capability portion of risk of violence such as that in the most recent mall shooting. How do we address the vulnerability and motivation parts of risk? The other huge complexity in the whole thing is whose perception of risk. What are we (general US populace "we") missing? What kind of policy proposals would those opposed to gun control propose to decrease violence such as that in the most recent mall shooting ... beyond increased CCW, which primarily addresses the vulnerability component of risk? VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying

Concur heartily. Efforts like Kiva are fantastic! One that I personally support is Parwaz Microfinance, which means “to fly” or “to rise up” in one of the main Afghan languages.

Once again, I’m pleasantly surprised at apparently how progressive