Jim

Interesting read - Thanks

Isn't this taken verbatim from the 2016 GOP platform??

I think a(nother) corporate tax cut would solve everything.

In the United States of Amnesia there seems to be a collective effort to forget from one election cycle to another how major policy decisions have had real world consequences. Thus, we are still treated to the talking heads of the neocons such as Chaney who touted their simplistic vision of the middle east - get rid of Iraq's dictator and we will plop down a Jeffersonian Democracy on this tribal region and then, like dominos, one country after another will follow suit as their people rise up and demand a voice. WTF? This is world politics not sixth grade social science! Back when we invaded Iraq for no good reason I said it was the worst US world stage blunder in 100 yrs. And from the looks of things - it's playing out exactly the opposite way the neocons envisioned. Instead of rainbows and unicorns we have a growing terrorist group with influence throughout the middle east, millions of refugees fleeing countries in chaos, and a continual parade of non apologetic neocons on Faux news. Brilliant I say, just brilliant. Now back to the entertainment channel that is the GOP and their apparent spokesman for world events - yes, an ex-major league pitcher.

It's like that old hockey joke -- I went to a debate last night and an actual adult conversation broke out. The GOP Strategy

Perfect condition, used once, not even scratched. Thought I was going to get back into water ice - not so much living in WA and other interests. Picks new. $375 for the pair -- in Seattle

Checking - sold or not?? PM sent. Thanks

Nail -- head.

I think the contrast is that rather than spend time boasting on a blog (sharing experiences ) I merely spend the time here continually pointing out the inadequacies of your arguments.

Can't wait to read another look-at-me blog

Folks have asked me when I've travelled for months to South America if I'm worried about my safety. Hell, I'm more worried about random gun violence or some nut who takes exception on how I drive or bike and needs to shore up his manhood via a large caliber handgun.

Hey - you asked me for a citation of the stats I quoted - and I obliged. I'm ok with hand-waving and day dreams. But that doesn't cut it as evidence. I'm kinda fact-based.

Sure - give me a source of a scientific study that compares the culture of violence in the US vs Europe say, and concludes in a peer reviewed journal that the source of our much higher firearm deaths is related to this difference in "culture". We have not much difference in mental illness, depression, drug and alcohol use -- but what is very, very different from other first world countries is we are awash in guns. Yea, we have a different culture alright - anyone for whatever reason can get a gun. So by this proposed standard if we had the same proportion of guns that say, the U.K. has, our murder and suicide rate would be the same? Yea, right.

I haven't seen any data to suggest this. Europe has it's own collection of basement dwellers mesmerized by Call of Duty or whatever. The difference is that those that feel slighted in our culture have easy access to guns.

Yes, the statistics include suicide - which historically range from 55%-60% of the total firearms deaths per year. I don't see why these should be excluded. Often times suicide is a long term solution to a short term problem and the availability of a gun makes the otherwise difficult decision easier and permanent. If you look at England, in the early 1900's suicide by using gas oven was a preferred choice. Once these were made safer there was not a compensatory mechanism and the suicide rate dropped. Similarly we have made great strides in reducing vehicle fatality by 90% since the 1960's. Why not for reducing this crazy gun system? As far as cop shootings - I could not find (or don't have the time to dig) the specifics, but likely they are included and average 900-1,000 a year. Interestingly, the number of toddlers killed by guns exceed the number of cops killed by guns in the U.S. Charming.

Firearms vs Vehicles CDC Summary

Back to a random comment: It's notable that in 2015 we are likely to see deaths by firearms surpass death by vehicle for the first time. So that is roughly 34,000 folks a year. You could argue, I suppose, that as a society we have made a decision to put up with that number of highway deaths to enhance a convenience - which is true and an ethical decision. We get transportation, commerce, yadda, yadda, for the tradeoff of 34k deaths a year. Though safety standards are getting better and are mandatory. Looking at the gun issue it's not clear what are the benefits other than to be allowed to go down to the gun range or the local gravel pit and shoot at bottles, cans, and old appliances. And the restriction we have placed on gun ownership are minimal at best. Hell, the ATF has not been allowed by Congress to digitize their ownership files so they still work in paper - which is a yardstick of the sway of the NRA. I tend to think that if we had the equivalent of a 747 smashing into a building every month of the year that we would figure out a solution to such unwarranted death. While I disagree with the Tvash often, I'd say he's correct on this one - we can find away out of this awful trend if we want to.

We don't have any higher percent of wackos, or almost-wackos than the rest of the world. The clear difference is that ours have easy access to firearms.

Grim. Just plain grim. Leave some plastic flowers, say a prayer, change the channel. Move on.

I did enjoy the Kabuki Theater that is the Trump show last night on 60 minutes -- the answer for most questions on how he would pay for his proposals was -- we'll have such an economic surge it will pay for everything! And he's going to build a "beautiful" wall across the Mexican border. ...and that Congress and Putin will listen to him because he they will respect him. Ho boy.

You have got to be kidding, right? W had a C average, and had nothing distinguishing about his career. Ben Carson, to recap... Carson was a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics, and he was the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.[15] At 33, he became the youngest major division director in the hospital's history as director of pediatric neurosurgery. He was also a co-director of the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial Center. Carson specialized in traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, and trigeminal neuralgia.[15] Your comment makes you look more like W than Ben Carson, Jim. Just sayin'. Who gives a flying fuck about his past. He publicly endorsed fringe lunacy theory, and denied science, just to cater to people who choose to believe the Earth is 6000 years old. That shows a complete lack of integrity. The GOP has created this bat-shit crazy moron show - a moronic version of the running of the bulls. Yea, free speech. Except sometimes you lay too good a foundation...... Wacko Speech

all the kewl ones are down here, so get in the scarab oct 9-12 I'm going back to tower rock and a date w/ destiny - you wanna blow yer big-wall doors off, you should come w/ - it's sorta/kinda half way between you n' me - 600 feet of strenuous jugging right off the bat, and then it gets worse While in grad school I was stupid enough to help my bat researcher friends - their motto - "if you can get your head thru it you can get your body thru it". But what if you have a fat head like me? One of the many: http://caves.org/grotto/mongrotto/hell_hole.htm

You have got to be kidding, right? W had a C average, and had nothing distinguishing about his career. Ben Carson, to recap... Carson was a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics, and he was the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.[15] At 33, he became the youngest major division director in the hospital's history as director of pediatric neurosurgery. He was also a co-director of the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial Center. Carson specialized in traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, and trigeminal neuralgia.[15] Your comment makes you look more like W than Ben Carson, Jim. Just sayin'. Like I said before. There's folks with degrees up the ying-yang. They may be intelligent, but not so bright. Carson falls into this category.

For crying out loud - The Shrub went to Yale. Using that as a yardstick..........

I need an organization chart to figure out the relationships here.