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#2201 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: In the Troll Ignoring Section
Posts: 21,164
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"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" -Mark Twain "Half of what he said meant something else, and the other half didn't mean anything at all" -Rosencrantz, on Hamlet |
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#2202 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,471
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Oh yes, cars are used to murder people every day!
![]() When I came home yesterday my roommates' kids ran out to tell me "Happy New Year". I didn't even know. Their Dad told me it was Lunar New Year, then I understood. I love these kids, they are 6 and 8. They're Vietnamese. I wonder how they feel today. These people are excellent parents, totally devoted to the kids' education and well being. I really respect and like them a lot. So this made me particularly sad. I don't know what to make of this shooting yet. Motive? I'll admit I assumed it would be racial which made me more sad for them. It still could be I think, not all Asians are the same you know? There is plenty of hatred. Asian hate crimes have gone way up since the China Vir....I mean Covid. ![]() If people want to kill themselves with Big Macs that is their decision. As a murder weapon they are pretty weak, as are cars really. They got all those cement blocks on sidewalks now so we can't run over pedestrians as easily. Hard to target anyone in particular, ya know? Plus who walks anymore? Just drive down the road and take what you can get with a car. If you want to kill someone a gun is the best way to go. They're cheaper, don't require any knowledge or license to purchase, and you don't have to buy insurance. |
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#2203 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,621
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Just listened to the press conference.
Shooter identified. 72 y/o asian male: Huu Tran. He killed himself with a single shot after the police surrounded his van. A lot of time elapsed after that as there was fear the van might be booby trapped. Weapon was a handgun with extended clip (illegal in Calif) Sheriff's statement: https://www.yahoo.com/now/huu-tran-s...012558540.html |
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Flying's easy. Walking on water, now that's cool. |
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#2204 |
Muse
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sag-Nasty
Posts: 873
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When conservatives realize they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will abandon democracy. IIDB is back, baby! |
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#2205 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Disneyland
Posts: 2,754
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People really dont expect an elder Chinese man, of 72 years, to be a mass shooter. I don't...and I still don't. It's odd, isnt it? For any ethnicity. And yet, the last mass shooting around these parts (in a Laguna Woods church, May 2022) was a 68-year-old Chinese man. Is there a gun culture in older Chinese men I am missing? 2 shootings isnt exactly a trend line, but they are the 2 from the last 2 years here. |
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#2206 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Posts: 27,797
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Tran is more likely to be a Vietnamese name than Chinese, although I can't find anything that seems to be reliable to confirm that in this case.
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A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. William Shakespeare |
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#2207 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Dharug & Gundungurra
Posts: 13,617
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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#2208 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,621
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Small sample anomaly I suppose.
My wife's doctor's spouse was killed at a synagogue shooting here in San Diego on the last day of Passover. The perp was a 19 y/o nursing student w/o any known hate group connections but posted crap on social media and tried to livestream it. He believed Jews were planning some sort of goy genocide. Sick Sad World. As an aside, A Jewish doctor friend of my dad made a custom, single shot 22 rifle for my 12th birthday. Apparently it was a tradition back in his old country. He was a refugee from Hitler's Europe. I shot a bird eating grapes in the garden with it and felt completely ill. Last time i ever shot at anything living. So not just an American thing. |
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Flying's easy. Walking on water, now that's cool. |
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#2209 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Dharug & Gundungurra
Posts: 13,617
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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#2210 |
Michael McDonald 1967 - 2021
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,277
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"In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." Carl Sagan 1934 - 1996 RIP |
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#2211 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Disneyland
Posts: 2,754
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That sounds right. Tan or Tam would be Chinese but not really Tran. Though some Chinese who are Chen changed to Tran- so says the internet.
Who knows? It isnt obvious either way just looking at his photo. The latest story of it is that the shooting was towards his estranged wife who was supposedly at the (ballroom) dance club for Lunar festival which was up and down that street. But then.....he went to another club after the first shooting and was caught with the gun on entry by the persons at the door. 72 years old! I believe it, but still think it is so odd. I guess we'll find out soon enough. *The Korean/Japanese/Chinese places around my place were really crowded last night- we drove through a "Korea" part of Buena Park expecting to get take away food and felt like we were in another country! (Long lines, so had homemade pizza instead) I imagine it was extra packed with a crowd up there in a mostly Chinese part of town. (eta: up = 15mi north of us) |
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#2212 |
Muse
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 537
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But we all know it ain't gonna happen.
And that cat is out of the bag anyway. The USA had so many horrible mass shootings with little kids, but it didn't change anything substantial. There is almost no room left for any incident which could lead to a change. All the possible bad **** already happened. But enough people still love their guns and gun rights. The rest will be just noise. ![]() |
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#2213 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,359
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"If it can grow, it can evolve" - Eugenie Scott, Ph.D Creationism disproved? Evolution IS a blind watchmaker |
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#2214 |
New Blood
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
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If the purpose of guns is to kill things, they are useful about 0.37% of the time (depending on the skill of the shooter).
In reality, guns are fashion accessories that give you bragging rights. That is what makes them actually useful! |
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#2215 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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#2216 |
Hipster Doofus
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Nutsack, FL
Posts: 2,445
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CNN is reporting him as a Chinese immigrant but that doesn’t mean his name is necessarily Chinese. He seems to have assimilated well with the violent culture of the USA. https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/23/us/mo...day/index.html |
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Knowledge is good.... Emil Faber |
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#2217 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,471
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#2218 |
Quester of Doglets
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sunny South Australia
Posts: 3,991
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__________________
We would be better, and braver, to engage in enquiry, rather than indulge in the idle fancy, that we already know -- Plato. |
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#2219 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Disneyland
Posts: 2,754
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7 Dead, 1 Injured Following Separate Shootings in Half Moon Bay (California)
Quote:
The three oldest mass shooters on record in the US are now 3 Chinese men, in California, all within the last 9 months. Aged 67, 68, and 72. |
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#2220 |
In the Peanut Gallery
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 52,499
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__________________
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. Sir Winston Churchill |
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#2221 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,471
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And more people need to care as well. People are fighting against gun laws so what's the government to do?
I'm surrounded. The Half Moon Bay shooting is just north of me, yesterday's shootings well to the south, same state. California is way up there in shootings by the way, just check the LA Times daily shootings page. Garlic festival was few years ago, 15 miles from me. 3 killed, 17 wounded. Car dealership in Morgan Hill, employee shooting. 3 miles from me. I need a gun to protect myself from other gun owners, **** the actual criminals! I may be more likely to be shot by some random ******* than someone committing a crime like burglary. Surely the 2nd amendment must do more good than bad or we wouldn't have it? The importance of any guaranteed right should be damn easy to explain and far outweigh the consequences of not having it. Anyone care to try? This is stupidity beyond belief as far as I can tell, where am I wrong? |
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#2222 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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#2223 |
JREF Kid
Tagger
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,608
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Exactly. You have to reach a certain age before you can drive a car. The car has to be serviced and checked regularly, and it needs to be insured. You have to pass a test before you can drive, and your government-issued licence can be revoked at any time if you misbehave with your car. And people bring up the fact that cars kill as an argument against gun regulation.
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"Faith without doubt leads to moral arrogance, the eternal pratfall of the religiously convinced" - Joe Klein, Time magazine "The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." - Carl Sagan |
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#2224 | |||
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 16,964
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A good guy without a gun: Surveillance footage shows hero confronting suspected gunman (CNN, Jan 24, 2023)
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/dann "Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht "The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx |
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#2225 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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I sometimes wonder what would happen if you made gun owners financially liable for the damage done by their guns. So somebody gets shot with your gun: you are on the hook for the some proportion of the medical expenses - no matter who pulled the trigger. This would mean that gun owners would be effectively required to carry insurance and the cost/availability of that insurance would be determined by how well you secured your gun when not being carried.
You may argue that such a law is unconstitutional, but I don't think it would be any more of an infringement of the second amendment the the libel law is an infringement on the first amendment. |
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#2226 |
Insert something funny here
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 10,713
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#2227 |
Muse
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 537
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#2228 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 7,554
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Kind of like when Republicans and the NRA supported gun control laws in the 1960s when it was Black Panthers carrying them. |
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#2229 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: US of A
Posts: 16,303
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It's worth noting that the current interpretation of the Constitution to allow a gun in every pocket is relatively recent. For most of our history, there has been no question that firearms, particularly handguns, could be regulated by governments at all levels. Chief Justice Burger, nobody's idea of a liberal, famously said this:
Quote:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/st...ndment-106856/ |
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#2230 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: United States
Posts: 28,611
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If we wanted to discuss the latest mass shooting in this ******up country, we'd have to continually check our watches
But we don't have a gun problem, do we? Naaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#2231 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,471
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But most guns used in crimes are stolen. Cars are stolen every day. Same answer. And my point is that it actually is not an argument against regulation at all, they only think it is. It's stupid either way. There's really nothing left for me to say on this forum about guns that I already haven't. I guess I will try to avoid it from now on. I mean tomorrow is another shooting, same rants. |
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#2232 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Disneyland
Posts: 2,754
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Technically, there was yet another mass shooting, in California, about an hour after the Half Moon Bay shooter was put in custody. These gang-related ones are just not as widespread in the news, and because it is a gang, the details are often kept to a minimum. The nbc article has the most detail I found.
Oakland police fear deadly music video shooting could fuel more bloodshed
Quote:
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#2233 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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#2234 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 2,318
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US society has quite deliberately designed for itself a self perpetuating system of gun proliferation. It only required a critical mass of killing tools to be introduced as the catalyst. With the 'criminal set' now having such easy access, the 'law abiding set' must have even more unfettered access as a counterweight. More guns to steal, more needed by the good guys. And so goes the spiraling arms race, resulting in such lunacy being considered or proposed as arming up teachers and supplying armored backpacks to kindergartners. The very fact of school shooter drills alone should bring on a bout of stinging national shame.
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#2235 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 14,027
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An early strong contender for a Darwin Award
https://news.sky.com/story/kansas-ma...e-say-12794977 "A man has died after a dog stepped on a rifle and shot him from the rear of a truck in the US state of Kansas." |
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Audiophile/biker/sceptic |
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#2236 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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I don't agree that the criminals having guns implies that the law abiding citizens need guns too.
Firstly, the person most likely to be killed with your gun is you. Suicides outnumber all other gun deaths put together in the USA. Secondly, law abiding citizens having lots of guns makes it a lot easier for criminals to obtain lots of guns. Thirdly, if the criminal who wants your wallet pulls a gun, you'll probably get away with just losing your wallet if you are unarmed. If you are armed, somebody is probably going to die and it might be you. Furthermore, if the criminal has the expectation that you are going to pull a gun, he might just shoot you instead of demanding your wallet. Finally, as you say there is this spiralling arms race and you are not going to end it by distributing more guns. We can see that in the USA: it isn't working. The only other thing to try is to limit the availability of guns. Those are your two options: more deaths or gun control. Unfortunately, American politicians are not brave enough to try the latter in any meaningful sense. |
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#2237 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 106,871
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I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#2238 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,471
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If by regulating you mean keeping them out of the hands of most people then yes, that would help a lot.
Other than that, I don't know what regulations would have kept these parents from leaving their gun laying around for their kid to find, other than forbidding them from owning one at all. People ignore laws all the time. "Screw the law I need my gun ready at all times, I'm not locking it up! What good is a gun in a safe?" I guess some countries do random checks on gun owners. At least that's something. That'd be a full time job for a whole lot of people here. Registration, limiting the amount of bullets one can buy, classes, all are a joke. You need to get guns out of people's hands. We just had a barroom shootout with multiple shooters in this country somewhere. So much for a polite society. The 2A is a total failure. I just read your last post above it seems we agree on that. It's simple to me - humans have proven beyond a doubt that we can't handle the responsibility. |
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#2239 |
Quester of Doglets
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sunny South Australia
Posts: 3,991
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Not the first time.
I used to have a philosophy lecturer who would read out a column from the USA by an anti gun activist. (Sent over by a USA friend). One reading was about a hunter playing 'tug-o-war' with his dog, using his loaded and cocked hunting rifle. The hunter was holding the rifle by the barrel and the dog was pulling on the trigger guard. The hunter died. From memory, the title of that column was "Guns don't kill people, doggies kill people." Sounds like this happens more often that we'd expect: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dog-s...ents_b_4110822 |
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We would be better, and braver, to engage in enquiry, rather than indulge in the idle fancy, that we already know -- Plato. |
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#2240 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Posts: 2,280
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Registration is not a joke, it is necessary in order to make some of the other measures work. You can’t do safety checks on gun owners’ homes if you don’t know who the gun owners are.
Making people take classes is not a joke. It might not stop all gun owners from doing stupid things, but it will stop some. Limiting the amount of bullets is a joke. If people must own firearms, they need to be proficient in their handling and use. That means getting lots of practice in at the range. |
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