(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1923919_1267219516628496_6323586252443078102_n.jpg?oh=6ace48365bd3f67426421a2f7322ee9f&oe=5A8786AF) (https://brianbilston.com/about-brian-bilston/)
Well shoot, I bet that Brian is a real pistol. Do you think he targeted America while riding the bullet train?
Did anyone else benefit from the 3.5% rise in American Outdoor Brands Corporation (owner of Smith & Wesson (they make guns)).
Guns, beautiful guns, let me slide, oh no, no I'm saving myself for Agatha.
From inside America, it does not seem like a gun to me. Las Vegas type events do happen, but that is not the predominant feature of the culture. We've also had three major hurricanes here recently - doesn't mean that "America is a hurricane". But maybe that's what it seems like from the outside to some, given the level of media attention that is given to these events. If you are predisposed to criticizing the country I suppose this provides an opportunity. But to say that "England is a cup of tea" and "America is a gun" seems a little overdone. Just my opinion.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on October 04, 2017, 09:42:22 PM
From inside America, it does not seem like a gun to me. Las Vegas type events do happen, but that is not the predominant feature of the culture. We've also had three major hurricanes here recently - doesn't mean that "America is a hurricane". But maybe that's what it seems like from the outside to some, given the level of media attention that is given to these events. If you are predisposed to criticizing the country I suppose this provides an opportunity. But to say that "England is a cup of tea" and "America is a gun" seems a little overdone. Just my opinion.
I took it as being tongue in cheek and perhaps less than fully in good taste at the moment. Not that good taste gets much of a look in where the predominant attitude seems to be that offending others is considered a human right.
Rather extensive discussion on NPR today. It appears that the country music crowd is more inclined to support the NRA than other people with different tastes. Not to indict the country music fan, just recounting the statistical evidence that was presented. Interestingly the C&W fans and the NRA supporters are not at all concentrated in the backwoods south. Who would have known that Wisconsin is a strong gun rights state. On the other side of the coin, a large majority of all the NRA members do support some kind of gun control.
The Las Vegas maniac was an apparent good citizen who could and easily did qualify for gun ownership. That he had at least 49 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition as well as some chemicals and fertilizers that are essential components of homespun explosive devices remains a mystery. I am a gun control guy but I am aware that no amount of legislation that is within reason would have prevented the perpetrator from collecting those guns and doing what he did.
For our not American members. NPR is National Public Radio, one of the less politically slanted media sources. NRA is the National Rifle Association whose members are mostly rational but whose leaders are completely out of touch with reality.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on October 04, 2017, 09:42:22 PM
From inside America, it does not seem like a gun to me. Las Vegas type events do happen, but that is not the predominant feature of the culture. We've also had three major hurricanes here recently - doesn't mean that "America is a hurricane". But maybe that's what it seems like from the outside to some, given the level of media attention that is given to these events. If you are predisposed to criticizing the country I suppose this provides an opportunity. But to say that "England is a cup of tea" and "America is a gun" seems a little overdone. Just my opinion.
:notsure: Well, the US does spend a lot of money on defence and the military...
But yes, it's not like the US is a warzone or anything.
ETA: I was surprised how it seems the whole country has something like PTSD when I visited the States back in 2014. Hypervigilant and on edge.
Based on these figures I'd say the Tea and Gun comparison is spot on.
UK population: 65m
US population: 330m
UK gun homicides: ≈ 50-60/year
US gun homicides ≈ 11,500/year
5x the population
210x the gun murders.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 01:13:37 AMI was surprised how it seems the whole country has something like PTSD when I visited the States back in 2014. Hypervigilant and on edge.
I'm going to guess that you visited the east coast.
Quote from: Recusant on October 05, 2017, 01:56:18 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 01:13:37 AMI was surprised how it seems the whole country has something like PTSD when I visited the States back in 2014. Hypervigilant and on edge.
I'm going to guess that you visited the east coast.
Yes, Manhattan. But I also spent some time in Las Vegas (midwest?) and felt that perhaps the people there had also been under 'red alert' a little too long.
We landed in Las Vegas first and saw there were military personnel patrolling the airport. When we were waiting for our flight back to Brazil in the JFK airport there was what seemed to be an abandoned bag on the floor and two soldiers were quite frightened around it. People rushed past and we didn't stick around. The whole Boston marathon episode came to mind.
There were posters with "If you see something, say something" in a variety of public spaces, the underground metro, and buses.
Quote from: Icarus on October 04, 2017, 11:52:54 PM
Rather extensive discussion on NPR today. It appears that the country music crowd is more inclined to support the NRA than other people with different tastes. Not to indict the country music fan, just recounting the statistical evidence that was presented. Interestingly the C&W fans and the NRA supporters are not at all concentrated in the backwoods south. Who would have known that Wisconsin is a strong gun rights state. On the other side of the coin, a large majority of all the NRA members do support some kind of gun control.
The Las Vegas maniac was an apparent good citizen who could and easily did qualify for gun ownership. That he had at least 49 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition as well as some chemicals and fertilizers that are essential components of homespun explosive devices remains a mystery. I am a gun control guy but I am aware that no amount of legislation that is within reason would have prevented the perpetrator from collecting those guns and doing what he did.
For our not American members. NPR is National Public Radio, one of the less politically slanted media sources. NRA is the National Rifle Association whose members are mostly rational but whose leaders are completely out of touch with reality.
I can see, but cannot adequately describe, the link between country music and the NRA. One might say that both are founded in a kind of semi mythical or legendary image. Both have a distorted view of that reslity and both try to live up to it. It is all part of the waking dream/nightmare world some Americans try to impose on the real world.
The distorted language the likes of Trump uses is part of the pattern. All politicians use rhetoric but the Trumps actually believe their own crap and try to make it reality. And all the other bozzos accept it into their empty minds.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 02:23:57 AM
Quote from: Recusant on October 05, 2017, 01:56:18 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 01:13:37 AMI was surprised how it seems the whole country has something like PTSD when I visited the States back in 2014. Hypervigilant and on edge.
I'm going to guess that you visited the east coast.
Yes, Manhattan. But I also spent some time in Las Vegas (midwest?) and felt that perhaps the people there had also been under 'red alert' a little too long.
We landed in Las Vegas first and saw there were military personnel patrolling the airport. When we were waiting for our flight back to Brazil in the JFK airport there was what seemed to be an abandoned bag on the floor and two soldiers were quite frightened around it. People rushed past and we didn't stick around. The whole Boston marathon episode came to mind.
There were posters with "If you see something, say something" in a variety of public spaces, the underground metro, and buses.
Airports in the US have been turned into centers of paranoia and suspicion in the US ever since 2001 (though to a large extent the same holds true for Europe--armed soldiers are a common sight in the big airports like Charles de Gaulle). The same for public transportation.
As for Las Vegas, it's a steaming pile of madness in the middle of the desert. It's very common on television in the UK for contestants of quiz shows, when asked what they would do with their winnings, to say, "take a trip to Las Vegas." I just shake my head in amazement.
You would not have got me anywhere near Las Vegas at any time. For any money. It was always my idea of Hell on Earth! But then, most "resorts" put me off. Noise, music, bright lights and masses of people? No thanks!
Quote from: Father Bruno on October 05, 2017, 01:53:27 AM
Based on these figures I'd say the Tea and Gun comparison is spot on.
UK population: 65m
US population: 330m
UK gun homicides: ≈ 50-60/year
US gun homicides ≈ 11,500/year
5x the population
210x the gun murders.
UK population is about 70m now but . . .
(https://imgur.com/JDUJmjl.jpg)
US intentional homicides: 15 700 UK intentional homicides: 600 (approx figures) ratio 26:1
(https://imgur.com/VkTQnyw.jpg)
Note: in Switzerland conscription and reserve military service are compulsory and all those trained retain their service weapon.
Sources
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41488081
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
See also:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate#
Re armed police and troops at airports: the UK suffered that during the IRA problems, think the police never went away.
Well, everyone has different impressions. I could say that the USA is a Road Trip and the UK is a Royalty Cult. Just depends on what aspect of a culture you want to focus on. I agree that Las Vegas is not high on my list of places to visit, but I'm not a gambler or a big party guy.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on October 04, 2017, 09:42:22 PM
From inside America, it does not seem like a gun to me. Las Vegas type events do happen, but that is not the predominant feature of the culture. We've also had three major hurricanes here recently - doesn't mean that "America is a hurricane". But maybe that's what it seems like from the outside to some, given the level of media attention that is given to these events. If you are predisposed to criticizing the country I suppose this provides an opportunity. But to say that "England is a cup of tea" and "America is a gun" seems a little overdone. Just my opinion.
I read that as not so much a reflection of mass shootings, but our attitude and fetish about guns in general. Taken that way, I would say America is very much a gun.
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on October 05, 2017, 09:06:18 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on October 04, 2017, 09:42:22 PM
From inside America, it does not seem like a gun to me. Las Vegas type events do happen, but that is not the predominant feature of the culture. We've also had three major hurricanes here recently - doesn't mean that "America is a hurricane". But maybe that's what it seems like from the outside to some, given the level of media attention that is given to these events. If you are predisposed to criticizing the country I suppose this provides an opportunity. But to say that "England is a cup of tea" and "America is a gun" seems a little overdone. Just my opinion.
I read that as not so much a reflection of mass shootings, but our our attitude and fetish about guns in general. Taken that way, I would say America is very much a gun.
And the media, including the film industry, historically, do not help. There are a lot of American films thst do not include gun violence and death - dome very good ones - but it is the fights against the natives,westerns, civil war and gangster type movies that tend to stick in the mind. This "inflates" the violent image, especially in the minds of the young, at home and in other countries. I would guess, they are often seen as expressions of The Great American
Fantasy Dream.
Then the news media propagate all the worst aspects, since they want to attract an audience amongst those already "semi-addicted" to similar news. This must have effects on certain tyoes of person, those with some kind of mental condition, whether inherent or due to adverse life experiences. From whst fikters into thus side of the Pond America seems to have more than its share of dis-advantaged people, addicts, mental illness etc. All in a country where guns sre compararively easy to come by, legally or illegally.
In the UK gun crime is slowly rising, mainly inter-gang, but gun availability is low. "Armourers" hire out illegal guns by the hour, I read somewhere a couple of yesrs ago, and sell the ammunition, it is a minor industry.
Quote from: Recusant on October 05, 2017, 04:56:39 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 02:23:57 AM
Quote from: Recusant on October 05, 2017, 01:56:18 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 05, 2017, 01:13:37 AMI was surprised how it seems the whole country has something like PTSD when I visited the States back in 2014. Hypervigilant and on edge.
I'm going to guess that you visited the east coast.
Yes, Manhattan. But I also spent some time in Las Vegas (midwest?) and felt that perhaps the people there had also been under 'red alert' a little too long.
We landed in Las Vegas first and saw there were military personnel patrolling the airport. When we were waiting for our flight back to Brazil in the JFK airport there was what seemed to be an abandoned bag on the floor and two soldiers were quite frightened around it. People rushed past and we didn't stick around. The whole Boston marathon episode came to mind.
There were posters with "If you see something, say something" in a variety of public spaces, the underground metro, and buses.
Airports in the US have been turned into centers of paranoia and suspicion in the US ever since 2001 (though to a large extent the same holds true for Europe--armed soldiers are a common sight in the big airports like Charles de Gaulle). The same for public transportation.
I'd imagine so.
QuoteAs for Las Vegas, it's a steaming pile of madness in the middle of the desert. It's very common on television in the UK for contestants of quiz shows, when asked what they would do with their winnings, to say, "take a trip to Las Vegas." I just shake my head in amazement.
I quite enjoyed my stay there, even though we only went there to visit the Grand Canyon, not far from the city. I think I must have visited every hotel/casino on the Strip. :shifty: I didn't gamble a penny though, I never gamble when the odds are so stacked against me, it seems stupid to do so. There were plenty of people, especially senior citizens, staring vacantly at their slot machines putting in token after token . It was such a sad sight.
Manhattan was better though. I loved it!