British Comedy Guide

I read the news today oh boy! Page 441

Guns cause very few deaths compared with other things. Cancer and heart disease are the biggest killers in the UK, and poor diet is closely associated with them. Of course, a gang member will never come up to you and threaten you with a cream bun, so it's a different type of problem, but shops sell masses of processed crap which will probably cause most deaths if eaten, and incredibly, people are allowed to buy this stuff to feed to children. The kids have no choice; and anyway, adults are pre-programmed to seek out fatty, sugary, salty stuff, so they have as much hope of changing their eating habits as a psychopath has of resisting murdering.

The government puts out the odd campaign to re-educate people, while their capitalist system makes fat profits for them all out of this suffering.

If we really want to save lives, forget guns; ban ASDA.

Quote: Kenneth @ August 8 2011, 1:28 AM BST

Absolute bollocks. Sure, Israeli soldiers will let you play with their guns, but they won't lend you the gun or ammunition. Israeli police, who I have worked for, don't lend their guns and ammunition out.

No they don't loan them out to tourists.

But if you've served in the army and register as one of their equivalent of neighbour hood watch, it's pretty straight forward.

Quote: Badge @ August 8 2011, 1:59 AM BST

The argument goes like this: if you make something harder to do then fewer people do it. That's just regular statistics. If there are no guns, killing becomes harder. E.g. to kill someone with a knife you need proximity. So there will be fewer deaths from distance, for example.

There's a reason why drive-by stabbings haven't caught on.

You also miss out the disinsentive factor.

Fear of being shot discourages all but the most desperate crims from packing knives or guns.

Quote: sootyj @ August 8 2011, 7:06 AM BST

No they don't loan them out to tourists.

Thereby disproving your previous assertion that "pretty much anyone can go to a police station and ask to borrow an Uzi and a 100 rnds of ammo". Israel still has compulsory military service and after completion, Israeli citizens then have to do one month of military service every year until 45 (or they can continue beyond 45 if they wish), so most of the population is an army, trained in the use of guns and generally united against a common 'enemy'. Except for a lot of those nutty Haredim, who don't bother to join the army despite causing a lot of the problems. Remember the number one cause of death in the Israeli military? Suicide. Then accidents.

I remain concerned by your belief that England would be safer if people could buy handguns. I think that's absolutely bonkers and not even funny.

You got me there Keneth I absolutely believe anyone should be able to turn up at a police station and borrow a shooter.

Ok look it from the point of view of game theory.

If I'm a violent criminal in the UK what are the potential risks to assaulting someone?

They may fight me, the police may be called.

So I carry my crime out somewhere either far from police observation, or where they're over stretched.

Next my victim may fight me? Well I know most people are less agressive than me, so again I win.

Now in a society with potential for the person I am assaulting being armed or another person near by being armed.

It becomes, I may be overmatched.

This is why though the UK may have a modest (but significant) murder rate. Our ratings for GBH in the wealthy west, not to mention mugging, street violence and attempted murder are off the charts.

Perhaps fire arms aren't the option. Maybe I dunno looking at legalising pepper spray, or permitting people who take extensive courses to carry paintball guns loaded with rubber pellets? Or I dunno martial arts training and weight lifting classes for wimps.

Gosh knows I don't want to be armed myself.

But I do feel that our current situation puts the use of violence in the hands of criminals and an over stretched police force.

And that's not good a thing.

Why is it the more I read your posts Sootyj, the less sure I am what you actually think?

Anyone fancy a game of looting bingo? It's bound to spread to other towns and cities tonight. I'll go for Bristol, Leicester and Luton.

because I view everything and my views are nuanced,that's what you meant isn't it?

Thanks Badge

nb I think over the months DaButt has made a clear and reasoned argument for state supervised gun ownership. Not sure it would work the same in the UK, but something similar could.

I find the alternate arguments on these forums a little shrill.

Oh wow, people still arguing about guns this morning. Sheesh.

Two different cultures, that's it. They have guns, we don't; and that's the way it will and should stay.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 8 2011, 11:05 AM BST

Oh wow, people still arguing about guns this morning. Sheesh.

It fills the gap before Who returns and we're all banging the same old drum on that again. Bugger me, we're tedious!

Quote: chipolata @ August 8 2011, 11:14 AM BST

It fills the gap before Who returns and we're all banging the same old drum on that again. Bugger me, we're tedious!

I hope you and Marc are ready, I've been in training for the last few weeks and will come out of the blocks strong. You don't stand a chance.

If I call it looting lotto will it get more players?

Quote: chipolata @ August 8 2011, 11:14 AM BST

It fills the gap before Who returns and we're all banging the same old drum on that again. Bugger me, we're tedious!

No! Not the sound of drums!

Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 8 2011, 11:16 AM BST

I hope you and Marc are ready, I've been in training for the last few weeks and will come out of the blocks strong. You don't stand a chance.

Laughing out loud

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=213340815563635727642.0004a9f9e2c9bbcd71034&ll=51.541638,-0.076904&spn=0.170823,0.315857&z=11&source=embed

Just been looking at map of areas and shops involved in looting. Interesting that all these disenfranchised, poverty stricken people fighting for their rights can afford to live in areas with lots of accessible high street and independent shops. My area's just a little blank space in the midst of it all cos there's f**k all to break into

I bet Cash Converters get sold their whole inventory next week.

Quote: sootyj @ August 8 2011, 2:08 PM BST

I bet Cash Converters get sold their whole inventory next week.

Crack Converters, as it's called in places posh enough to have one :)

Hmm you've given me an idea for a brothel cum pawn brokers.

Gash converters

maybe even porn brokers

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