Stumpy

No one does, which basically means there isn't one, so its best not to do it. I was spanked a couple times as a kid, and it never did me any harm, HOWEVER was i a less emotionally stable/ adjusted kid, that might have caused me real problems. These days we understand this stuff much better and there are a myriad of ways to discipline children without beating them.

Yeah but you lot use it as a compliment and an insult all at the same time. "He's a funny C*** isn't he!?"

At this point, from the outside, the US is looking more and more irredeemably broken. What is so mystifying is that at least half the country doesn't seem to be aware that they are throwing a lot of the principles the country was founded upon away. What REALLY worries me is that other governments in places where I DO live or spend time (or oppositions, depending on the country) are starting to use the activities in the US as a template to strangle democracy.

So many words to demonstrate how staggeringly little understanding you have of the entire subject.

It's painful watching how much you have to twist or misrepresent the facts to fit your narrative. Really not sure what you hope to achieve by it. For those intellectually less challenged individuals wondering what BS Brent is spouting this time, it's a very short term response to impending russian gas shortages. From the same article: "Germany, a long-time heavy user of Russian gas, began cutting down on imports after the latest invasion Ukraine. Its climate target to phase out coal by 2030 remains in place, as does its policy to shut down its three remaining nuclear power plants by 2023. Berlin also plans to expand its renewable energy generation - already one of the most ambitious countries - and improve gas storage and energy efficiency measures."

I know I know!!!!! Pick me!

No angst here - you are the one who can't help himself from responding. You clearly subsist on a diet of right wing UK media nonsense and haven't quite yet realised you are the mark in the BoJo con.

Yet here you are. Pop off back to 'spoons now.

He doesn't make a scientific argument. He makes a bunch of assertions with no real evidence behind them. If you don't understand this I can't help you.

Even oil and gas companies are now admitting that human driven climate change is a thing. He is in a very small population that hasn't even evolved that far yet.

Ah yes. From Wikipedia: "He is a member of the academic advisory council for climate change denialist pressure group The Global Warming Policy Foundation,[25] " "He is currently the non-executive deputy chairman of KEFI Minerals since 2006,[31] independent non-executive director of Ivanhoe Australia Limited since 2007,[32] chairman of TNT Mines Limited since 2010,[24][33] non-executive director of Niuminco Group Limited (formerly DSF International Holdings Limited) since 2011,[34][35] and non-executive director of Silver City Minerals Limited since 2011.[3][30][36][37][38] Plimer was appointed director of Roy Hill Holdings and Queensland Coal Investments in 2012.[39] According to a columnist in The Age, Plimer earned over $400,000 (AUD) from several of these companies, and he has mining shares and options worth hundreds of thousands of Australian dollars.[40] Plimer has stated that his business interests do not affect the independence of his beliefs.[36] He has also warned that the proposed Australian carbon-trading scheme could decimate the Australian mining industry.[19][41]" I wouldn't place too much weight on anything he says. His income is literally dependent on saying this sort of stuff.

Looks like all time for everywhere else, and just this year for the US if thats true.

If someone asked me that now? No of course not. But I have now known enough people who have gone through horrible shit like this to understand that if it happens to you, you don't have any choice in the matter, and you probably don't even realise what is happening. It's got nothing to do with being weak, or cowardly, or any of those other words that are used to stigmatise people with mental health issues. It's an illness, to do with brain chemistry. People suffering from depression can't "cheer up" or "snap out of it". If you have never been down that road you can't understand what it's like. The thing that has changed over the last probably 20 years or so, is that we are beginning to understand how commonplace this is.

Now you are starting to get it. Even people who think they are are completely normal (like you) can have something happen to them that ends up with them turning their guns on their loved ones. if you think that this can't happen to you, you are in denial.

Political affiliation does not matter one Iota in this conversation. Attitude to guns, does. And in that you and he are identical.

The distinction between the two in this context is largely irrelevant. In the 18 year old mass shooting scenario a semi-auto is probably more dangerous because a non-military 18 year old probably doesnt have anything like the training or control needed to keep something FA pointed in the right direction while he holds the trigger down. In fact, for a largely untrained user, something like a semi auto AR-15 is probably the most effective gun on the planet for killing a lot of people quickly, because thats exactly what it was designed to do. (Just as an aside - its a while since I have been stateside but I'm sure some jumpers used to go down to a range near Eloy somewhere and shoot fully auto things on weather hold days - is that a thing or have I made it up in my head?)

Be honest - the economic upheaval bit is moot - you'd have to actually care about poor people for that to be a problem. You just want your cheap gas and don't give a shit about the environment OR the poor.

I am nothing like billy Vance, my attitude is completely different. Nope - a lot of what you have said is EXACTLY the same. You just think you are a "gun guy" so therefore that makes it OK.

Just for clarity - in the UK you could have guns for shooting (targets/game) but "carry" in the concealed/open sense is a no no.

And hence the problem. Change will only come gradually. There are loads of things that could be done to restrict firearm usage and availability in the US without an outright ban coming anywhere near the table, however the argument against is always "they are coming to grab your guns - resist at all costs!". Nothing is going to solve the problem overnight - that genie was out of the bottle decades ago, but small changes, well implemented, could slowly (very slowly) reduce the toxic, fear driven gun ownership culture you have.

Huh? Who is suggesting that as a solution?

Ahhh yes. Of course. You are special.

Yeah wouldn't it be good if someone passed a bill to prevent price gouging.

Billy said almost exactly this a few days ago. As long as you understand that the gun you own is FAR more likely to be used against you and yours than you stopping any imagined "threat", then at least you have the facts. You can lead a horse to water etc.....

sorry yes - was including that as well.