The Current Events, News, and Politics Thread
12-06-2015, 02:21 PM
#5704
Boost Pope
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It's also doesn't take into account the massive black market that would be left behind.
It's entirely probable that 100% elimination would not be possible. My own family, just as one example, have a substantial cache of firearms buried in the Nevada desert in anticipation of just such a scenario (having already been the victims of not one but two revolutions / government overthrows in the past century.)
So the question becomes: if it's possible to eliminate only 90% of the problem, does that mean that you shouldn't even try because you'll never eliminate the whole problem?
Auto fatalities will likely never reach zero, even after we take the meatbag out of the driving equation. Yet R&D into seatbelts, airbags, ESC, TC, ABS, radar-based collision avoidance, and so on still take place.
I also don't believe the next weapon of choice would be a knife or sword.
It also happened in London last night: Man stabs several people at London tube station; UK police treating as terrorist incident | New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV
I'd argue that if the assailant had access to a few handguns, he would have been much more successful in his task, and would not have been as easily stopped.
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12-06-2015, 02:36 PM
#5705
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I would wager that very few agencies would be willing to carry out a confiscation, and many have already made it clear publicly that they would not.
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12-06-2015, 02:46 PM
#5706
It also happened in London last night: Man stabs several people at London tube station; UK police treating as terrorist incident | New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV
I'd argue that if the assailant had access to a few handguns, he would have been much more successful in his task, and would not have been as easily stopped.
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12-06-2015, 03:10 PM
#5707
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On the one hand, a few (mostly southern) LEO agencies have made such noises.
On the other, we know from Braineack that 100% of all police officers are bloodthirsty tyrants who will jump any any opportunity rape and murder citizens.
And on the gripping hand, we know from past history that, given the proper context, national guard troops and state police will happily carry out the summary execution of citizens who refuse to comply with their demands. (see: Kent State 1970, Springfield 1908, Watts riot 1965, Jackson State 1970, Orangeburg massacre 1968, MOVE (Philadelphia) 1985, etc)
When I was a teenager, I liked to make bombs. We never hurt anybody, we'd just blow up trees, old stone walls, that sort of thing. I also found out that making good bombs is hard. While I took a few swings at using substances such as potassium nitrate, success was mostly accomplished with threaded iron pipe from the local hardware store, and smokeless gunpowder from any of a number of places. (Today, you can buy it at Wal Mart.)
Obviously, threaded iron pipe is unlikely to be outlawed, despite its historical association with murder (the board game Clue, gangsta films, etc.) But the elimination of civilian ownership of firearms would tend to encompass the sale of ammunition and reloading powder, so bomb-making would get much harder for the average person who lacks an advanced degree in chemistry.
Last edited by Braineack; 10-08-2019 at 09:48 AM.
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12-06-2015, 04:30 PM
#5709
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*hypothetical conspiracy theory*
Once they become the protected class, protecting the elite, will they honestly give up their position of power and become one of the oppressed plebs?
I don't think it's likely.
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12-06-2015, 10:21 PM
#5710
Hard to say...
On the one hand, a few (mostly southern) LEO agencies have made such noises.
On the other, we know from Braineack that 100% of all police officers are bloodthirsty tyrants who will jump any any opportunity rape and murder citizens.
And on the gripping hand, we know from past history that, given the proper context, national guard troops and state police will happily carry out the summary execution of citizens who refuse to comply with their demands. (see: Kent State 1970, Springfield 1908, Watts riot 1965, Jackson State 1970, Orangeburg massacre 1968, MOVE (Philadelphia) 1985, etc)
Not sure what Inspire is. Google is telling me it's a lady's clothing store...
When I was a teenager, I liked to make bombs. We never hurt anybody, we'd just blow up trees, old stone walls, that sort of thing. I also found out that making good bombs is hard. While I took a few swings at using substances such as potassium nitrate, success was mostly accomplished with threaded iron pipe from the local hardware store, and smokeless gunpowder from any of a number of places. (Today, you can buy it at Wal Mart.)
Obviously, threaded iron pipe is unlikely to be outlawed, despite its historical association with murder (the board game Clue, gangsta films, etc.) But the elimination of civilian ownership of firearms would tend to encompass the sale of ammunition and reloading powder, so bomb-making would get much harder for the average person who lacks an advanced degree in chemistry.
On the one hand, a few (mostly southern) LEO agencies have made such noises.
On the other, we know from Braineack that 100% of all police officers are bloodthirsty tyrants who will jump any any opportunity rape and murder citizens.
And on the gripping hand, we know from past history that, given the proper context, national guard troops and state police will happily carry out the summary execution of citizens who refuse to comply with their demands. (see: Kent State 1970, Springfield 1908, Watts riot 1965, Jackson State 1970, Orangeburg massacre 1968, MOVE (Philadelphia) 1985, etc)
Not sure what Inspire is. Google is telling me it's a lady's clothing store...
When I was a teenager, I liked to make bombs. We never hurt anybody, we'd just blow up trees, old stone walls, that sort of thing. I also found out that making good bombs is hard. While I took a few swings at using substances such as potassium nitrate, success was mostly accomplished with threaded iron pipe from the local hardware store, and smokeless gunpowder from any of a number of places. (Today, you can buy it at Wal Mart.)
Obviously, threaded iron pipe is unlikely to be outlawed, despite its historical association with murder (the board game Clue, gangsta films, etc.) But the elimination of civilian ownership of firearms would tend to encompass the sale of ammunition and reloading powder, so bomb-making would get much harder for the average person who lacks an advanced degree in chemistry.
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12-06-2015, 10:42 PM
#5711
Boost Pope
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Gotcha.
When I was a kid, TAP Magazine and The Anarchist Cookbook were considered the premiere resources.
They were mostly worthless, as it turned out. The stuff which we did build (mostly black-powder bombs detonated with model rocket igniters) were purely the product of our own ingenuity, though admittedly somewhat obvious in their construction. The one time I tried to construct a working device using KNO3, I succeeded only in burning a large hole my dad's workbench and liquefying some aluminum...
Given sufficient incentive, ******** will always succeed in hurting people. The question seems to be what degree of child-proofing of society we find acceptable.
Say what one will, there is undeniably a direct, straight-line correlation between the availability of firearms and the rate of firearm-related homicides in developed, western-style nations. Bona-fide terrorist attacks (those motivated by political ends) are little more than a blip on the radar. The majority of such events in the US and plain ole home-grown crazies.
When I was a kid, TAP Magazine and The Anarchist Cookbook were considered the premiere resources.
They were mostly worthless, as it turned out. The stuff which we did build (mostly black-powder bombs detonated with model rocket igniters) were purely the product of our own ingenuity, though admittedly somewhat obvious in their construction. The one time I tried to construct a working device using KNO3, I succeeded only in burning a large hole my dad's workbench and liquefying some aluminum...
Given sufficient incentive, ******** will always succeed in hurting people. The question seems to be what degree of child-proofing of society we find acceptable.
Say what one will, there is undeniably a direct, straight-line correlation between the availability of firearms and the rate of firearm-related homicides in developed, western-style nations. Bona-fide terrorist attacks (those motivated by political ends) are little more than a blip on the radar. The majority of such events in the US and plain ole home-grown crazies.
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12-07-2015, 01:40 PM
#5712
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Why Finland might soon pay every citizen $850 per month
By Rick Noack December 7
There certainly has been some frustration in recent months over reports claiming that Finland simply does everything better. "Stop the Scandimania: Nordic nations aren’t the utopias they’re made out to be," British journalist Michael Booth, for instance, wrote earlier this year.
But some Finnish initiatives are worth noting anyway: For instance, Finland is considering a plan to give every citizen about $850 per month -- no matter whether the money goes to someone who is unemployed, retired or has a job. The benefit would not be taxed and would replace all benefits currently paid by the country's social security system.
At first glimpse, the idea appears to be the easiest way to raise unemployment. But the Finnish government wants to achieve the opposite and thinks it has the right idea. Unemployment already is at a record high in the country -- partly because those affected faced a harsh trade-off in the past: Unemployed people who accept a temporary job often receive less money, compared to their previous unemployment benefits. Considering an average wage of $3,600 per month, a basic income of $850 does not amount to a lot.
It's a problem Americans are unlikely to encounter in the foreseeable future. But in Finland, about 70 percent of the population favors the idea, which would come close to establishing a national basic income. At this stage, it remains uncertain whether the proposal -- expected to be submitted next year -- will ever become reality. However, leading politicians have embraced the concept. "For me, a basic income means simplifying the social security system," Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä was quoted as saying.
Indeed, Finland has missed out on more economic growth due to rising inequalities than any other developed country in recent years. In a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) examining 21 wealthy countries, Finland was one of the surprising losers, as WorldViews reported last year.
[img]=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2015/01/Graph_OECD_2.jpg[/img]
Although there have been similar demands for a national basic income in Switzerland, most other European countries remain opposed to the idea. Germany, for instance, has taken the opposite approach, which is often credited for the current economic boom in the country.
In his Agenda 2010, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made it harder for unemployed people who were unwilling to accept job offers to receive benefits. After a certain deadline, payments are stopped. In Finland, it seems, politicians facing a similar problem think a different approach could be more successful.
By Rick Noack December 7
There certainly has been some frustration in recent months over reports claiming that Finland simply does everything better. "Stop the Scandimania: Nordic nations aren’t the utopias they’re made out to be," British journalist Michael Booth, for instance, wrote earlier this year.
But some Finnish initiatives are worth noting anyway: For instance, Finland is considering a plan to give every citizen about $850 per month -- no matter whether the money goes to someone who is unemployed, retired or has a job. The benefit would not be taxed and would replace all benefits currently paid by the country's social security system.
At first glimpse, the idea appears to be the easiest way to raise unemployment. But the Finnish government wants to achieve the opposite and thinks it has the right idea. Unemployment already is at a record high in the country -- partly because those affected faced a harsh trade-off in the past: Unemployed people who accept a temporary job often receive less money, compared to their previous unemployment benefits. Considering an average wage of $3,600 per month, a basic income of $850 does not amount to a lot.
It's a problem Americans are unlikely to encounter in the foreseeable future. But in Finland, about 70 percent of the population favors the idea, which would come close to establishing a national basic income. At this stage, it remains uncertain whether the proposal -- expected to be submitted next year -- will ever become reality. However, leading politicians have embraced the concept. "For me, a basic income means simplifying the social security system," Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä was quoted as saying.
Indeed, Finland has missed out on more economic growth due to rising inequalities than any other developed country in recent years. In a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) examining 21 wealthy countries, Finland was one of the surprising losers, as WorldViews reported last year.
[img]=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2015/01/Graph_OECD_2.jpg[/img]
Although there have been similar demands for a national basic income in Switzerland, most other European countries remain opposed to the idea. Germany, for instance, has taken the opposite approach, which is often credited for the current economic boom in the country.
In his Agenda 2010, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made it harder for unemployed people who were unwilling to accept job offers to receive benefits. After a certain deadline, payments are stopped. In Finland, it seems, politicians facing a similar problem think a different approach could be more successful.
Last edited by Braineack; 10-08-2019 at 09:48 AM.
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12-07-2015, 02:00 PM
#5713
Categorized as something you never knew you needed...
The United States Postal Service will now email you your mail/
"The US Postal Service is testing a “notification” service that emails customers images of the envelopes of their letter-size mail.
The service, called Informed Delivery, will send out an email to customers each morning with that day’s mailbox contents. The images are only of the exterior front side, and the mail will not be opened."
WTF would anyone need to see a picture of a piece of junk mail before it's delivered?? Anyone care to guess how many millions this is costing?
The United States Postal Service will now email you your mail/
"The US Postal Service is testing a “notification” service that emails customers images of the envelopes of their letter-size mail.
The service, called Informed Delivery, will send out an email to customers each morning with that day’s mailbox contents. The images are only of the exterior front side, and the mail will not be opened."
WTF would anyone need to see a picture of a piece of junk mail before it's delivered?? Anyone care to guess how many millions this is costing?
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12-07-2015, 02:38 PM
#5715
Boost Czar
Thread Starter
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Location: Chantilly, VA
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Categorized as something you never knew you needed...
The United States Postal Service will now email you your mail/
"The US Postal Service is testing a “notification” service that emails customers images of the envelopes of their letter-size mail.
The service, called Informed Delivery, will send out an email to customers each morning with that day’s mailbox contents. The images are only of the exterior front side, and the mail will not be opened."
WTF would anyone need to see a picture of a piece of junk mail before it's delivered?? Anyone care to guess how many millions this is costing?
The United States Postal Service will now email you your mail/
"The US Postal Service is testing a “notification” service that emails customers images of the envelopes of their letter-size mail.
The service, called Informed Delivery, will send out an email to customers each morning with that day’s mailbox contents. The images are only of the exterior front side, and the mail will not be opened."
WTF would anyone need to see a picture of a piece of junk mail before it's delivered?? Anyone care to guess how many millions this is costing?
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12-07-2015, 02:46 PM
#5716
What does aluminum and salt peter do? Potassium percolate can be ordered online, same with "German" aluminum powder.
70/30, it go boom, big boom. Don't even need the pipe, it's own weight is enough of an enclosure.
Tis what I did when I were a teen, after 9/11. Twiggly Florida pines stood no chance, hole saw makes a nice cavity and a plug, just pack that crap in there.
We'd make black powder from stump remover, flowers of sulfur, and charcoal. We could ride bikes to get all this stuff, had a rock tumbler set as a mill, too. I don't know how I still can count to ten.
70/30, it go boom, big boom. Don't even need the pipe, it's own weight is enough of an enclosure.
Tis what I did when I were a teen, after 9/11. Twiggly Florida pines stood no chance, hole saw makes a nice cavity and a plug, just pack that crap in there.
We'd make black powder from stump remover, flowers of sulfur, and charcoal. We could ride bikes to get all this stuff, had a rock tumbler set as a mill, too. I don't know how I still can count to ten.
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12-08-2015, 10:58 AM
#5719
Boost Pope
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,050
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It sets your dad's workbench on fire.
The problem was actually that I was being an idiot. I was trying to make a smoke grenede (following a recipe from one of the various sources of misinformation which I had access to in the pre-web era), and it called for melting the saltpeter along with some sugar. I didn't have the proper vessel for doing this, so I (stupidly) constructed an apparatus consisting of an aluminum can with the top cut off, hanging from coat hangers above a flame.
The aluminum started to melt, which caused the saltpeter to start draining out, then the whole mess caught on fire, and that's when I stopped paying attention to it and decided to leave the area.
It taught me a valuable lesson about using suitable containers for the task at hand.
I don't know about today, but 20 years ago, black powder / smokeless powder were extremely easy to come by, and quite inexpensive. They sold it at WalMart, at all the hunting & sporting stores, etc. No need to make it when you can buy it off the shelf.
The problem was actually that I was being an idiot. I was trying to make a smoke grenede (following a recipe from one of the various sources of misinformation which I had access to in the pre-web era), and it called for melting the saltpeter along with some sugar. I didn't have the proper vessel for doing this, so I (stupidly) constructed an apparatus consisting of an aluminum can with the top cut off, hanging from coat hangers above a flame.
The aluminum started to melt, which caused the saltpeter to start draining out, then the whole mess caught on fire, and that's when I stopped paying attention to it and decided to leave the area.
It taught me a valuable lesson about using suitable containers for the task at hand.
I don't know about today, but 20 years ago, black powder / smokeless powder were extremely easy to come by, and quite inexpensive. They sold it at WalMart, at all the hunting & sporting stores, etc. No need to make it when you can buy it off the shelf.
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12-08-2015, 04:45 PM
#5720
It sets your dad's workbench on fire.
The problem was actually that I was being an idiot. I was trying to make a smoke grenede (following a recipe from one of the various sources of misinformation which I had access to in the pre-web era), and it called for melting the saltpeter along with some sugar. I didn't have the proper vessel for doing this, so I (stupidly) constructed an apparatus consisting of an aluminum can with the top cut off, hanging from coat hangers above a flame.
The aluminum started to melt, which caused the saltpeter to start draining out, then the whole mess caught on fire, and that's when I stopped paying attention to it and decided to leave the area.
It taught me a valuable lesson about using suitable containers for the task at hand.
I don't know about today, but 20 years ago, black powder / smokeless powder were extremely easy to come by, and quite inexpensive. They sold it at WalMart, at all the hunting & sporting stores, etc. No need to make it when you can buy it off the shelf.
The problem was actually that I was being an idiot. I was trying to make a smoke grenede (following a recipe from one of the various sources of misinformation which I had access to in the pre-web era), and it called for melting the saltpeter along with some sugar. I didn't have the proper vessel for doing this, so I (stupidly) constructed an apparatus consisting of an aluminum can with the top cut off, hanging from coat hangers above a flame.
The aluminum started to melt, which caused the saltpeter to start draining out, then the whole mess caught on fire, and that's when I stopped paying attention to it and decided to leave the area.
It taught me a valuable lesson about using suitable containers for the task at hand.
I don't know about today, but 20 years ago, black powder / smokeless powder were extremely easy to come by, and quite inexpensive. They sold it at WalMart, at all the hunting & sporting stores, etc. No need to make it when you can buy it off the shelf.
I too set a kitchen stove on fire making nasty caramel. Dad still thinks I set a towel or something on fire while cooking ramen, at least I think he still thinks that. The burned spatter marks all over everything were impressive, coming from nothing more than a towel on the burner, after all.
I still tried to cook pudding on the stovetop in pyrex years later. I don't learn too easy.
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