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message 1301:
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Joel
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Sep 02, 2019 03:36PM
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I never wear white at any time. White clothing is a magnet for pen marks, lipstick traces . . . blood. And, that's even before I've left the house.
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Joel, I thought we already established that you're not wearing white.
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I never wear white at any time. White clothing is a magnet for pen marks, lipstick traces . . . blood. And, that's even b..."
We must be related. Though there's no lipstick in my house. I substitute spaghetti sauce.
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San Francisco Declares the N.R.A. a ‘Domestic Terrorist Organization’
The city’s lawmakers unanimously passed the resolution in response to recent mass shootings. The National Rifle Association called it a worthless “sound-bite remedy.”
Just curious, do you view this as a reaction to the fact that "The gun homicide rate in the United States is 25 times higher than that of any other high-income country..."
[also NYT] ...or is it , as the NRA claims, just a publicity stunt.
In 2017, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 39,773 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. [Pew Research]
If ~40,000 Americans were needlessly dying every year from any other cause and the government did nothing about it, people would be outraged. Mental illness is a good sound bite for our politicians, but statistically the mentally ill are non-violent; less than 4% of shootings involve a mentally ill person. So, where do we draw the line between constitutional rights and someone making a "statement" by walking into a grade school with an assault rifle?
And, is the resolution unanimously passed by San Francisco a rational expression of outrage?
Thoughts????
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San Francisco Declares the N.R.A. a ‘Domestic Terrorist Organization’
The city’s lawmakers unanimously passed the resolution in response to recent mass shootings. The National Rifle Association..."
I don't think SF went far enough. They should put AAA in the same category. More people are killed by cars and trucks. Ban motor vehicles, and there'll be no more drunk driving. Q.E.D.
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I can't see them as equivalent, Joel. (No Q.E.D.) It's illegal to drive drunk in every state in the union, and the penalties are often quite severe. Also, automobiles were designed for personal transportation, not as a weapon. However, it's entirely legal in all 50 states to own an assault rifle , which is not by any stretch designed as a sportsman's weapon. They were designed to kill people, period.
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I know we've had this debate before, but, to be fair, Jay and probably quite a few others were not members at the time, so let's dive into that fray again, shall we?
Since you mentioned cars, let me tell you a little story about all that my son needs to go through to obtain a driver's license.
1) Get a physical.
2) Since there is no driver's license center in our town, a parent or guardian needs to drive him 25 miles to the nearest center where he will take a written test.
3) Once he has a learner's permit, he must spend at least 60 hours behind the wheel in the company of a licensed driver.
4) Then it's back to the far away licensing center to take the actual driving test.
5) If he fails, the whole thing starts all over again.
If he wants to buy a gun, all he needs to do is plunk down some cash.
Why shouldn't it be just as involved, and just as much of a pain in the ass to buy a gun as it is to get a driver's license?
Don't you think that it's a good idea for anyone buying a gun take safety courses and pass a test before being able to purchase a weapon?
Should the mentally ill be able to purchase guns? The Republican-lead Senate thinks they should.
Should people on the no-fly list be able to buy weapons? The Republican-lead Senate thinks they should.
What's wrong with a waiting period? It seems to me that if you want a weapon for a legitimate purpose, you should be able to wait for a few days?
And, finally . . . who needs an AR-15 for home defense?
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Joel, sorry my friend, the "ban cars" argument has been expertly refuted so many times that a rehash is pointless. Anti-NRA organizations would LOVE to have gun owners and guns as well regulated as drivers and automobiles. Not to mention, the insurance industry is drooling over the mere possibility of an entirely new 'gun owner mandatory liability insurance' market. Making guns equivalent to cars is a good sound bite, but fails miserably when honestly investigated.
Melki, let's be realistic. Has the GOP EVER sided against any person or organization with big bucks???? As to your teenager getting a license to drive... You failed to mention if you view this positively or negatively, so covering both bases, you have my congratulations and my sympathies.
NOW, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION...
Let's not rehash the convoluted gun argument in its entirety. I'm sorry it wasn't clear, but my question was asking if SF was justified in calling the NRA a "Domestic Terrorist Organization" because they fight so strenuously to maintain the status quo and a literal annual bloodbath????
9\11 killed about 3000 people. However, guns in the US are killing about 40,000 a year, and people are anxious about sending their first grader to school, going to the mall, attending concerts or sporting events, going to crowded clubs or restaurants... That sounds quite a bit like widespread terror to me.
Thoughts?
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However...
Have no fear! You are still entitled to my opinion. :-)
(As if you had a doubt!)
I believe the SF City Council resolution is wrong, period!
While the mission statement of the NRA is so convoluted as to be open to an enormous amounts of interpretation, they are basically a lobbying organization for gun owners, NOT a terrorist organization.
Likely, the SF City Council resolution is just another publicity stunt, however attempting to make a group of gun lobbyists responsible for gun deaths in the US is misguided at best. Yes, they promote a product that kills, but then the tobacco industry promotes products that addict AND kill. The pharmaceutical industry also KNOWINGLY promotes products that both addict and kill. Etc. Etc.
The list of lobbyists promoting dangerous products is unquestionably long in any developed country.
As to 40,000 annual deaths, some comparisons are appropriate. For example...
The third leading cause of death in the US is medical error, causing more than
250,000 deaths every year . Yet, we do not call out CVS and Walgreen's as terrorist organizations. And the AMA's mission statement, "to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health" does not mention killing 1/4 million Americans annually; is this an oversight?
The pharmaceutical industry and the AMA actively lobby our congress on every piece of healthcare legislation, and they are entitled to do so regardless of whether we agree with the unbelievably bloody outcome or not.
Comparing ONLY annual death tolls between people wielding guns and physicians wielding prescription pads, it appears gun ownership is comparatively benign.
Any private citizen has the right to lobby his\her congressman. It's really not that hard. Just drive to the state or national capitol, walk into your congressman's office and make your pitch.** Any NGO or for profit corporation of any size will do the same — lobby in their own self-interest. That's not wrong; that's democracy in all its messy glory, whether it torques your ta-tas or not!
(**Email also works; just not quite as well. Plus, arriving in person, there's the added bonus of frustrating the living daylights out of your congressman since, much as he'd like to, he can't tell a constituent with an appointment to buzz off, especially in an election year.)
Yes, I'm appalled by the annual bloodbath that EVERY DEVELOPED COUNTRY EXCEPT THE US has avoided, primarily by banning private ownership of assault weapons, enforced regulation, strict weapons training requirements, etc. And yes, I'm horrified by each and every mass shooting in our schools, churches, malls and restaurants. After recent events, even the state of Texas is considering new gun control legislation! However, amidst this controversy, there are a few important points to remember:
1. Since humans first stood upright on the African Savannah to keep a NEVERENDING lookout for wholly-lethal predators, no person has ever been guaranteed safety from cradle to grave.*** It's very easy to forget that you 'lives your life' and you 'takes your chances' as they come. That's life; it's not for the fainthearted; and it does not provide safe spaces on demand, except apparently on college campuses.
***If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.
2. The SF City Council passing a resolution labeling a lobbying organization 'terrorist' does not make it true.
3. It is still possible in the US to strongly disagree with someone WITHOUT shooting them and a dozen innocent bystanders. (Believe it or not, I know this from personal experience.)
4. If San Francisco residents genuinely want to voice their opposition to gun violence in the US, they are always free to do their own lobbying. It's really not that hard. They need only drive to the state or national capitol, walk into their congressman's office and...
San Francisco's patently inflammatory resolution is just one of many symptoms of people's fear and anxiety, for themselves and their children. Just as political and social pressure, and numerous legal restrictions have caused a decline in tobacco use, the days of private ownership of assault weapons may indeed be numbered. One way or another, this issue will be interesting to watch in the coming years.
For the record, I do not own a gun, and neither does my 800 lb. Rottweiler. :-)
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National Taco Day 2019 is being celebrated on Friday, October 4, and chains like Taco Bell, Chuy’s, On the Border, and Taco John’s are honoring the almighty taco by rolling out heaping trays of taco deals and freebies.
Also, for your convenience...
Web_MD_I_ate_what?
Symptoms include: A run for the border that never makes it past the nearest rest room except for the taco truck trying to leave town ahead of an angry mob with torches and pitchforks.
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That's certainly an arguable point, Rebecca, but by long tradition, the opposite is true.
The legal profession --by design-- will advocate for serial killers, murderers, rapists, thieves, scum-of-the-Earth, etc. Defense attorneys have been part of our justice system since the beginning. Yet, these lawyers (advocates) have NO responsibility for the crime their client committed, a jury's verdict, or a judge's sentencing (the eventual outcome).
By the same token, professional advocates (lobbyists) whether lawyers or not are engaged to represent their client's point of view to the best of their ability, NOT to believe in that point of view, judge it, or accept responsibility for all possible outcomes. In fact, those who are members of the bar are required by professional ethics to operate in a 'moral vacuum'. They must advocate for the scum-of-the-Earth as vigorously as they would advocate for a saint.
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What do you wear when you encounter every season within a 12-hour window?
No doubt, this will start another controversy about the difference between weather and climate.
I encountered something similar in California when driving up the mountain to Lake Tahoe, but it's a pretty rare phenomenon when staying in one place.
Yes, we're talking about the weather. Any takers????
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I have a new book scheduled for publication February 27, 2020. The Facebook page link appears below. The publisher is looking for advance reviewers, with e-book reading capability (unlike me!), particularly from Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia. If you're interested, please let me know here or via Goodreads email. Their strong preference will be for those who have a history of posting reviews. Most e-book formats should be available ~November 27th.
Thanks!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/catego...
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I have a new book scheduled for publication February 27, 2020. The Facebook page link appears below. The publisher is looking for a..."
Joel, you forgot to mention that your new publication is entirely suitable for reviewers needing an excellent reason to emigrate to Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Just a thought.
Joel wrote: "This is only marginally a good place to post this, but here goes:I have a new book scheduled for publication February 27, 2020. The Facebook page link appears below. The publisher is looking for a..."
Dear Joel, I don't have any suitable reviewers to give this to.
But I just wanted to say that I checked out your Facebook page and it looks good. I wish you success in your book. Hope it gets the attention you want from it :)
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I have a new book scheduled for publication February 27, 2020. The Facebook page link appears below. The publisher is ..."
Thanks, Ralph. I'm still looking for possible reviewers, and the book's publisher is particularly interested in English-speaking international advance readers.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/catego...
Hey guys,Not sure if this is the right topic but, other than writing books, I'm also a comedy filmmaker.
In my instagram channel called 'Inspirational Therapy', I post lots of super short videos that are 10-30 seconds short:
https://www.instagram.com/inspiration...
On my YouTube channel, where I have 2235 subscribers, I post a longer version of these videos (1-5 minutes):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYYs...
Feel free to check them out and subscribe if you like them. They're all really short so won't take up too much time to check out.
(Mods, if this is not the right topic, feel free to move my post :) )
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Denver hit 83 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Eight hours later, it was snowing.
What do you wear when you encounter every season within a 12-hour window?
No doubt, this will start another co..."
I'm a bit behind, but I just wanted to say that we landed at Denver airport that very morning, got in our car, and got the hell over the mountains to Utah ahead of that storm! Fall arrived with a crash, and we didn't want to be caught in that. We already drove over those mountains in the snowstorm of May 21.
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...The condition, also known as gut fermentation syndrome, can occur in otherwise healthy people...
Wow! What a fine line between empathy and envy!
I truly do understand that this is a horrible illness that can negatively impact a young person's life. However, shouldn't the AARP be recommending this illness as a cost saving measure for the post-retirement crowd????
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Man’s stomach brews its own beer, a rare condition known as ‘auto-brewery syndrome’
...The condition, also known as gut fermentation syndrome, can occur in otherwise healthy people...
Wow! Wh..."
I wonder if it's a Guinness World Record?
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Arkansas public education's low ranking just might be accurate. Or, should the deer receive an Oscar for playing possum. Tough call.
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My toaster died today right in the middle of preparing my breakfast. I paid $10 for it on the clearance shelf of a local pharmacy, and it barely lasted ten years! I am so disappointed in the quality of Chinese goods.**
**CAVEATS:
1. Remarks about the quality of Chinese goods are not intended to negatively influence international trade negotiations, the imposition\relaxation of tariffs, or the country's best, most qualified economists' entirely fair estimates of the number of brain cells in the Oval Office .
2. Paying $1 per year to prepare morning toast is an arbitrary example. Your results may vary.
3. Sweet Flying Spaghetti Monster! What a cheap S.O...
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E-Cigarettes May Be Worse for Your Heart Than Traditional Cigarettes
Article 2:
Original 'Marlboro Man' Lives to Ripe Old Age of 90
Okay, now, I'm really confused.
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I was cataloging a replacement copy of Fox in Socks, as our last remaining copy went missing over the summer. I went to the Library of Congress website to see what they had listed under "subject" only to discover that their copy has been missing since 2001.
How do you steal a book from the Library of Congress?
And, is Fox in Socks the most stolen book in the US?
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Seriously, Melki? Didn't you see the word "Congress"????
Another example from a quick dive into Wikipedia:
In the 1970s:
...the Mint tested alternate metals, including aluminum and bronze-clad steel, to produce pennies [because the price of copper had soared]. In an effort to gain acceptance for the new composition, the Mint distributed approximately three dozen examples to various members of the House Banking and Currency Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Nine congressmen and four senators received examples...
[A bit later:]
...the US Mint recalled the coins, but about 12 to 14 aluminum cents were never returned to the mint. No oversight, record keeping, or statement that the coins had to be returned was made by the US Mint as examples were handed out. When Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government law enforcement agencies were called in to investigate, however, some congressmen either feigned ignorance or completely denied getting examples.
It's difficult to estimate the value of these pennies, but it's likely a quarter million dollars and up. Over the years, only a couple have been recovered.
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I was cataloging a replacement copy of Fox in Socks, as our last remaining copy went missing over the summer. I went to the Library of Congres..."
Obviously, an inside job.
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Melki wrote: "Here's a mildly humorous library story.I was cataloging a replacement copy of Fox in Socks, as our last remaining copy went missing over the summer. I went to the Library of Congres..."
That's hilarious!
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Recently, I found myself at the home of a young person (Who, if I'm severely pressed, I will admit is a relative.) in the AM, and was invited to breakfast. Unfortunately, this young person was unable to make an omelet because (gender neutral pronoun ->) they'd broken their egg whisk.
Egg whisk????
Someone is selling these kids a more-than-proverbial bill of goods!
Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, I introduced them to that ultra-modern
innovation, the fork.
BOTTOM LINE: Old-school enjoyed an omelet.
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Recently, I found myself at the home of a young person (Who if I'm severely pressed, I will admit is a relative.) in the AM, and was invited..."
I've long believed the young of today are forked.
Jay wrote: "Okay, I admit I'm old-school, but there are advantages.Recently, I found myself at the home of a young person (Who, if I'm severely pressed, I will admit is a relative.) in the AM, and was invite..."
The gender neutral pronouns are killing me.
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Recently, I found myself at the home of a young person (Who, if I'm severely pressed, I will admit is a relative.) in the AM, and was invite..."
The gender neutral pronouns are killing me.
What it sometimes takes to protect the guilty!
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An alleged anti-vaxxer has been charged with "incitement against the government vaccination order," the Samoan government said Thursday. ...The government of the Pacific Island nation has shut down in a desperate attempt to fight a deadly measles outbreak that has already claimed 62 lives [mostly children]. ...[A government spokesperson] said the law is "cracking down on those that are delaying treatment of children."
The Samoan government is reacting to a declared state of emergency with more than 4000 cases of measles. However, I question the charge against this alleged anti-vaxxer, "incitement against the government vaccination order." While I sincerely applaud the Samoan government's heroic attempt to prevent the deaths of more children, I wish they had avoided the politically correct wording of this charge, and been the first government agency to ENTIRELY ACCURATELY charge one of these anti-vax reprobates with being a moron.
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To hell with living in fear, Melki... Just call ahead on your next doctor's appt. and have them order the appropriate vaccine for you. Then, you can laugh at other people's kids...
Wait a minute, that didn't sound right.
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I worked in the children's section of the library for two and a half years. Laughing at other people's kids is the ONLY way to keep your sanity.
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I worked in the children's section of the library for two and a half years. Laughing at other people's kids is the ONLY way to keep your ..."
Absolutely. Laughing at your own helps, too. But yes, get those vaccines. It's never too late. I had chicken pox and mumps the old-fashioned way, but got the measles vaccine (and the booster, since I got mine in the period when they weren't so good).
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Decorated with butterflies, infant-sized coffins sent to measles-ravaged Samoa
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Volunteers in the New Zealand city of Rotorua are preparing two dozen white-lined coffins to be transported to Samoa at the end of the week as the measles-ravaged Pacific island nation languishes under a growing death toll that has now hit 70.
So many infants and children are dying that Samoa has had to import more tiny coffins. I think I'll save this article to pass along to any anti-vaxxers that I meet.
Fortunately...
Even if the anti-vaxxers continue screwing around with herd immunity, this situation is unlikely to occur here... By the early 1950's, it is estimated that there were more than 700 casket manufacturers with more than 20,000 employees in the United States.
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THE AFGHANISTAN PAPERS ...A secret history of the war
U.S. officials constantly said they were making progress. They were not, and they knew it
I'm amazed at how little uproar this story has caused, and I wonder if it's a symptom that the younger generation is more self(ie)-centered than previous generations.
Those of us who remember Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers saw our generation outraged at the officially sanctioned deception that the government perpetrated during the Vietnam War. We followed every revelation in the media, followed the Supreme Court case (New York Times v. United States), and read the full text in the NY Times or bought the Pentagon Papers book as soon as it was published. Overall, we expressed our outrage at such an unbelievably costly (lives and money) breech of trust by our own government.
Apparently, today, the government can waste 2,400 young soldier's lives and over a TRILLION tax payer dollars and lie with impunity about making progress in Afghanistan... No one seems to notice.
What the hell happened?
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THE AFGHANISTAN PAPERS ...A secret history of the war
U.S. officials constantly said they were making progress. They were not, and they knew it
I'm amazed at how little u..."
Sadly, for many Americans, until Fox News covers it, it's Fake News.
Jay wrote: "Amazed, Not AmusedTHE AFGHANISTAN PAPERS ...A secret history of the war
U.S. officials constantly said they were making progress. They were not, and they knew it
I'm amazed at how little u..."
Is it the feeling of helplessness that is causing the apathy? The idea that my voice doesn't mean anything? Easier to pursuit superficial values or fight battles on things like identity than try to stop violence and war?
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As a group, people are only helpless when they fail to realize their own power. Politicians do not fear angry letters; they fear the voting booth.
A peaceful, organized resistance has changed minds, behaviors, and laws throughout history. Even those movements that failed initially often succeeded years later.
--EXAMPLE: Look at the lengthy history of women's struggle for the right to vote.
One voice may mean nothing only until it is used to persuade other voices to join in a chorus.
I can't argue your point about superficial values. They do seem to be cropping up everywhere today. ...To hell with stopping a needlessly bloody, corrupting war, let's watch another cat video instead!
Even more disturbing is the trend of watching ONLY news and views that agree with your own values. Challenging oneself by listening to an opposing view with an open mind appears to be a dying art.
Jay wrote: "K.A. wrote: "Is it the feeling of helplessness that is causing the apathy? The idea that my voice doesn't mean anything? Easier to pursuit superficial values or fight battles on things like identit..."I agree that we as a group can influence the outcome of events, but that doesn't remove if there is general suffering of feeling helplessness. The idea that I cannot do anything, so I shut my eyes. And I have seen and heard this unfortunately too often enough. It is a fallacy. We know a mass has a swaying power, but first, they have to see what is happening, agree upon it, and take action. This isn't how it is now. We are running around in circles pursuing glittering perfection shown in advertisements and tv, being blinded by what they show life should look like.
And what comes to your point about the dying art of "challenging oneself by listening to an opposing view with an open mind," I have to agree. Somehow the world has turned into a screaming match where we try to shout our opinions without having to hear what the other one says if and when we cry louder than them and in chorus with others. But the funny thing is that our values seem to be closer than ever before, yet, there is this arbitrary divide. How come?
I talked about the issue you pointed out with my husband, and his comment was that nowadays young and why not older people as well are being busy with their TV Shows, school/work, new fads, being perfect that in all that pressure and information what is happening is getting lost under all the other stuff. That is no excuse. It is a shame. Of course, you can blame the news, what and how things are shown, but I think that would be a one-sided argument. It is also about what you pointed out. About focus.
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I agree about the screaming match, but I'm having trouble seeing where "our values seem to be closer than ever before". I see much divergence in today's values. Perhaps, especially in the media.
For example:
From FOX "News":
Tamara Ecclestone, daughter of former Formula 1 chief, robbed of $66M in jewelry from London home
Nearly $67 million worth of jewelry was stolen from the London home of British socialite Tamara Ecclestone... The home, located on "Billionaire's Row" in Kensington, has 57 rooms and a 24-hour security team...
From NPR [National Public Radio]:
Nearly 700,000 SNAP [Food Assistance Program] Recipients Could Lose Benefits Under New Trump Rule
The new rule makes it more difficult for states to waive a requirement that able-bodied adults without children work at least 20 hours a week or else lose their benefits. The administration says the change is intended to encourage those receiving SNAP to get jobs, but anti-hunger advocates worry it will hurt low-income individuals who can't find steady work.
Which story represents our modern values?
Somehow, I can't seem to care about a billionaire's daughter losing millions of dollars in jewelry. If her insurance doesn't cover it, she'll make up the difference on the next round of tax loopholes.
On the other hand, many of our poorest citizens are struggling to eat every day. This I care about a great deal, and I have a different attitude from government bureaucrats: 'If you want to help someone, help them. Don't give them a bunch of hoops to jump through in order for them to survive.'
Yes, I see the need to provide jobs for able-bodied people, but even in the best economy, some people will remain unemployed through no fault of their own. Does this mean they are not entitled to eat? To survive? To have a little dignity?
If anything, I think today's values are horribly skewed. Some spend millions on baubles, and others struggle for basic survival. And it's not just adults. The US is the richest country in the world; we should not have children going to bed hungry. And I do not understand why more people don't have a deep sense of shame about this situation.
We may never cure poverty. It may just be a part of the human condition. However, every government should protect its citizens from harm, not take food off their tables.
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Wife: "Have we seen 'Amnesia"?
Me: I can't remember.
Mod
The Humour Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Book of Heroic Failures (other topics)Fox in Socks (other topics)
Green Eggs and Ham (other topics)
Fox in Socks (other topics)
Fox in Socks (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Katherine May (other topics)Richard Osman (other topics)
David Sedaris (other topics)
Christopher Moore (other topics)
Christopher Buckley (other topics)
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