The mind boggles

[Exfso (Peter)]

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...a%E2%80%99s%20

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Meanwhile


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-0...denver/9830760

[archioptic (Nathan)]

https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-p...s-r-1819576527

[el_draco (Rom)]

ah yes... dumb and dumber... any takers on how much dumber that country can become?

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by el_draco

ah yes... dumb and dumber... any takers on how much dumber that country can become?

Versus Australia? Or are you just wanting an opinion on the US only...

[sil (Steve)]

Originally Posted by OICURMT

Versus Australia? Or are you just wanting an opinion on the US only...

Who said anything about Australia? We can't possibly compete with the level of dumbness Americans consistently show while never showing the world they can be anything more.

[LewisM]

But...but...but America is the EXCEPTIONAL nation...as has been told to the world yet again by the current administration....

[xelasnave]

Come generalising is not helpful.

The little girl thing points to a problem of how parents start training kids at an early age to do this or that and that approach is not limited to the USA.

At least she is being trained , hopefully in responsible gun (rifle) management.

I was watching Pawn Stars and a lady presented a hand gun that she purchased at a garage sale which is alarming and points to the real issue that controls are really needed.

There are many folk over there who would like to see gun laws reviewed and they are not stupid.

Anyways just because a large number of folk voted for Trump there are many not so stupid who see thru him.

Alex

[Kal (Andrew)]

They should make this un-named 9 year old girl the poster child of the NRA


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Charles_Vacca

[xelasnave]

Her ability could be transfered to more profitable sports say pool...maybe we will see her in future olipmpics. ..then after a medal go on the pool circuit.
She could make a fortune promoting the happy image of the shooting family the training the equipment.
Its all too much when you think about things for a long time.. I think there should be an Olympic medal for the mini gun ...you would have to train hard to keep a good grouping. And would help sales of mini guns...
If you are trying to stop your government turning on you they will think twice if all citizens have mini guns.
Alex

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by sil

Who said anything about Australia? We can't possibly compete with the level of dumbness Americans consistently show while never showing the world they can be anything more.

Judging by the long list of blithering idiots and white collar criminals that we routinely elect to public office, I wouldn't be so quick to call pot, kettle black.

2c

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by clive milne

Judging by the long list of blithering idiots and white collar criminals that we routinely elect to public office, I wouldn't be so quick to call pot, kettle black.

2c

Sadly, the simple truth is a nation gets the politicians it deserves.

I have only contacted my Federal member directly once in a decade (it was to do with an airport in my backyard...which despite being a brain dead proposition was only canned after a $2million EIS survey found it was indeed brain dead ).

But there is sooo much more ineptitude shown by our local member on other, shall we say, less pressing issues that I apathetically let go to the keeper.

I can only look in the mirror and say...give the buggers hell, or stay silent.

[AndyG (Andy)]

I think it's a real pity that sports shooters get lumped in with nutbags on the regular. The US is a whole other country, so I try not to jump at automatic comparisons between their problems/solutions and our own. Suffice to say that the "nutbag" quotient amongst both gun owning populations is astonishingly low. So low in fact, that with all the media coverage of the nutbags, any attempt to prove the "low nutbag" quotient is typically met with disbelief.



We could all give examples of other groups and their percieved assumed habits and behaviours, but the thread would be locked within 15mins. <edit>Mods are watching this thread - make that 2mins.<edit> I'd rather see this thread live to a ripe old age

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Come generalising is not helpful.

The little girl thing points to a problem of how parents start training kids at an early age to do this or that and that approach is not limited to the USA.

At least she is being trained , hopefully in responsible gun (rifle) management.
Alex

Hopefully she is getting just that opportunity. The pessimist in me says she's just a cash cow for her parents in the internet celebrity age. But in saying that, I risk being as bad as the presumptiousness I hinted at above.

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Her ability could be transfered to more profitable sports say pool...maybe we will see her in future olipmpics. ..then after a medal go on the pool circuit.
She could make a fortune promoting the happy image of the shooting family the training the equipment.
Its all too much when you think about things for a long time.. I think there should be an Olympic medal for the mini gun ...you would have to train hard to keep a good grouping. And would help sales of mini guns...
If you are trying to stop your government turning on you they will think twice if all citizens have mini guns.
Alex

In the "internet celebrity age" (yeah, I just made that up), anything can be profitable. Think of something astronomically lame, give it a paying audience, and watch the money roll in. I'm happy she's doing something constructive, as long as her head is screwed on right.


I got a bit of a giggle seeing her holding that SCAR-H. I'd imagine the kick of a 7.62 would send her to the physiotherapist in a jiffy. Not hanging on her though - her stance and method are good. She's seems like the real deal.



I like your idea for the olympics Alex. Your gift for the whimsical remains firm. Sadly, at last (unofficial) count there were only 6 individual GAU-2/XM-134s in civilian ownership. Since 1986 there has been zero purchases of such on the "new" market. Maybe the Army could sponsor the event?

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Sadly, the simple truth is a nation gets the politicians it deserves.

I can only look in the mirror and say...give the buggers hell, or stay silent.

Absolutely right. The erosion of what we hold dear as individuals is subtle, and none of us care enough to do anything about it on a given day. Australian resiliance is a great thing, but "She'll be right Mate", works against us sometimes...

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by OICURMT

Versus Australia? Or are you just wanting an opinion on the US only...

Either way... Both our countries have genius types and absolute numpties but the U.S. beats Australia hands down at the moment, in regard to the later at least..

- Your "president" would be a world wide joke if he wasn't so dangerous and deluded.... but someone voted for him... apart from Putin of course
- Anyone who thinks your gun "laws" are sane just ain't dealing with reality... Just one name should have ended any argument to the contrary "Sandy Hook" and yet, how many thousands of children have been slaughtered since in the name of whatever amendment to the constitution let to this insanity?

- and I wont mention the other elephant in the room. Even Syria ratified Paris!

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by el_draco

Either way... Both our countries have genius types and absolute numpties but the U.S. beats Australia hands down at the moment, in regard to the later at least..

- Your "president" would be a world wide joke if he wasn't so dangerous and deluded.... but someone voted for him... apart from Putin of course
- Anyone who thinks your gun "laws" are sane just ain't dealing with reality... Just one name should have ended any argument to the contrary "Sandy Hook" and yet, how many thousands of children have been slaughtered since in the name of whatever amendment to the constitution let to this insanity?

- and I wont mention the other elephant in the room. Even Syria ratified Paris!

My poke at Aussies was a bit tongue in cheek, as I notice there is a trend toward a less tolerance on almost any subject here on IIS... just wondering if IIS is becoming the new FaceBook for Amateur Astronomers.


Overall, I tend to agree, but quite simply, the problem regarding guns here is a little more complex that "take them away"... The 2nd amendment was created for a reason, which IMHO now no longer applies. There is not enough support to pass a referendum and executive orders do not work when it impedes a constitutional right. I personally think that Australia has struck the right balance in gun ownership. I owned four when I was living there and the process was easy to obtain them. As the saying goes... "walk a mile in someone else's shoes", Australia has shown me it can work.



The US is currently 10th to 13th (source dependent) for deathrate by guns (3.85/100k) and tops the list of developed countries. The next developed country is Finland at 3.25/100k. FYI, Australia sits around 1/100k. This in my mind proves that proper gun legislation can and does work without trampling the rights of the individual. If the US would only perform a mental assessment prior to purchase, then we could probably halve the deathrate. Our laws are based on the reality of the consitution, which you should read, particular the 4th amendment, which at times can play into the 2nd and the 14th amendment, which can conflict with Federal laws where there is no specific clarity of jurisdiction. It is the 14th amendment which states use to control things like magazine size (as this is not specifically stated in the 2nd amendment).



Trump is problematic, period... but his base of voters is strong, probably stronger than you hear in the AU media. His approval rating has risen significantly due to three factors 1) Low unemployment (lowest in 17 years); 2) Bull run on the NYSE; and 3) the current NK negotiations... which many here (on both sides of the aisle) think may lead to a Nobel Prize.


Lastly, the Paris agreement... the US still has a significant number of deniers. Just as you can't speak to Apollo Hoax conspiracy believers, you can't convince people that pissing in the bathtub results in tainted water... The most recent view here relates to the current trend of the solar cycle which might result in a deflection from the warming trend. I read a very good article yesterday stating that if the solar cycle trend continues, that a cooling effect would negate the warming (think Maunder or Dalton mimunum).


In closing, thanks for your pithy jabs at the US, keep us honest. We are approaching the mid-terms, which should create some interest abroad. Then, two more years to another prez-cycle... I'm personally hoping that someone challenges Trump for the seat on the Republican side. The Democrat's have no serious contenders so removal of Trump will have to be an internal thing unless someone from the left comes up to challenge.


Regards,
OIC!
<Disclaimer> I'm a registered Independent. Economically conservative, socially liberal, fiscally responsible.

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by OICURMT

My poke at Aussies was a bit tongue in cheek, as I notice there is a trend toward a less tolerance on almost any subject here on IIS... just wondering if IIS is becoming the new FaceBook for Amateur Astronomers.

I gathered that

Originally Posted by OICURMT

Overall, I tend to agree, but quite simply, the problem regarding guns here is a little more complex that "take them away"... The 2nd amendment was created for a reason, which IMHO now no longer applies. There is not enough support to pass a referendum and executive orders do not work when it impedes a constitutional right. I personally think that Australia has struck the right balance in gun ownership. I owned four when I was living there and the process was easy to obtain them. As the saying goes... "walk a mile in someone else's shoes", Australia has shown me it can work.

I lived in Nevada for some time. Day I arrived there, they were mortified that I was not armed and within 24 hours, I had a "truck" and half a dozen guns on board including a 9mm military grade hand gun.

They couldn't believe I didn't own a gun in Australia so I know where you are coming from. I just cant fathom how any country could tolerate this culture, the thousands of children killed each year for nothing.

Originally Posted by OICURMT

Trump is problematic, period... but his base of voters is strong, probably stronger than you hear in the AU media. ... the current NK negotiations... which many here (on both sides of the aisle) think may lead to a Nobel Prize.

I am hoping a disgruntled postal worker delivers the invite myself....

Originally Posted by OICURMT

In closing, thanks for your pithy jabs at the US, keep us honest.

... Only to happy to comply

Originally Posted by OICURMT

We are approaching the mid-terms, which should create some interest abroad. Then, two more years to another prez-cycle... I'm personally hoping that someone challenges Trump for the seat on the Republican side. The Democrat's have no serious contenders so removal of Trump will have to be an internal thing unless someone from the left comes up to challenge.

Michelle Obama, hands down... amazing woman.
Failing that....

...Alec Baldwin

[LewisM]

If Trump get's the Nobel, it makes the award COMPLETELY irrelevant and worthless. Obama getting one tarnished the award enough, giving one to Trump will seal it's fate to ridicule and worthlessness.

[Octane (Humayun)]

John McAfee will be running in 2020. I’m not sure whether to be impressed or scared.

H

[LewisM]

I heard Kaspersky is too H

Hell, the REAL Donald Duck could run and win, seeing there is no democracy in the US anyway, since the REAL POTUS is Pompeo and VP Bolton...

[AndyG (Andy)]

I always claim to not care for American Shannanigans, but I can't help myself this time...


https://www.democracynow.org/2000/6/...s_for_congress


The Ficus is dependable. The Ficus listens. The Ficus does not judge.