The problem isn't this bill, which won't pass. The problem is that bad ideas like this, once introduced, have a life of their own. They keep getting reintroduced until they do pass. (good ideas, on the other hand, get shelved and are never heard from again).
So which type is health care reform?
No, the problem isn't the bills themselves, but politicians. Laws are written by people who have no experience relevant to the content of the law, and whether or not they pass is purely a political issue, not one of what is the right thing to do.
It used to be that the government used to pay people with salt*. Now they're "banning" its use. Make up your minds!
* Actually, that is quite possibly an urban legend. See the History section and this article, too. But I couldn't let that get in the way of a joke, could I?
But had he left the keys in, car on, in drive, no brake, on a hill, knowing his kid was in the front seat, and the kid happened to step on the gas and crash into a tree....
That's the level of negligence we're talking about here.
Except it's not just a phone... it's a "smart phone."
The term may be vague/undefined, but it's understandable that some think it implies a more general computing environment. Apple's "app" concept doesn't help that perception. Why should multitasking be such a foreign concept?
Thank you for taking the initial precautions -- gun safe, some target practice, and a desire to learn more. You definitely should take the next step: educate yourself as much as possible. Ignorance leads to negligence and accidents.
If a firearm safety course isn't available, find a hunting safety course or something similar. If nothing else, find a firearm or hunting club.
Go to the firing range regularly: it takes skill, and a gun isn't something you want to learn how to use at 3:00am.
Even if you don't plan to carry, the concealed-carry permit usually carries classes and a minimum ability along with it, giving you experience with your gun.
Lastly, take the classes with your kids (if they're old enough). Even though it's locked up, they need to know how to respect something so dangerous. If they're too young, make sure they know to not touch it (don't keep the safe where they'd be tempted to open it).
I misread this at first and figured I should clarify:
You should always assume a gun is loaded, even if you "know" it isn't. You should also assume that it will go off at any time, even if you "know" that the safety is on.
And what's so shocking is the extensive negligence shown.
He left a loaded, cocked, unattended weapon gun in his house next to a toy gun, where an unsupervised, uninformed 3-yr-old has access to it.
It's surprising how little negligence it takes to cause an accident. It's not surprising that an accident occurred in this case.
Guns should never be loaded in a house. Guns should never be cocked while loaded unless you mean to fire. Guns should never be unattended unless locked in a safe. Fake/toy guns can be easily mistaken for the real thing. 3-yr-olds should be supervised at all times, regardless of whether gun is involved or not. Children should be taught to respect guns (toy or not)
My father owned guns when I was growing up. He taught me from day one never to touch them unless he was there with his permission. He taught me never to point a gun at something unless I planned on killing it (It's so ingrained in me, I refuse to play paintball because of it).
I was taught exactly the same way by my father, grandfather, and older brother.
I can't point a toy gun at anybody for the same reasons.
Not that I'm afraid of guns (I'm actually a decent shot), but there's a certain level of respect you have to have for a gun, when talking about safety.
The step-father in question obviously did not have that respect, nor did he pass it on to his child, with tragic results.
Still, I don't think further punishment is necessary because it won't have any preventative effect. The guy isn't likely to make that mistake again, and the chance that prosecuting him will scare others into being more careful is also just not there.
Unfortunately, experience shows that humans do learn from their mistakes... but they tend to learn the wrong lesson.
So, while it's completely possible that the parents in this case will never make this particular series of mistakes, I cannot make that judgment myself. I don't think the parents need any more punishment, but can society take the chance and let them be in the same position again?
But yes, investigate, find out what went wrong and how to avoid a repeat.
We already know what went wrong and how to avoid it: don't leave loaded guns around children.
My brother prided himself on modifying the trigger mechanism to work on the slightest pressure possible.
Of course, this was a hunting rifle, so too much force on the trigger can throw off your aim. You have to balance the need for accuracy and the need for safety.
What I want to know is why the safety wasn't set on the gun.
Does it matter? When it comes to gun safety, you never assume that a safety works. Nor do you assume that a gun is unloaded. You do assume that it could fire at any time.
There are a few common sense rules of gun safety which get violated far too often. Obeying them religiously is a good idea. For anyone unfamiliar, here are the utter basics:
Not only are they violated, but they seem to be virtually unknown. We teach our kids to look both ways when crossing the street... why don't we teach them to respect a loaded gun properly?
I first shot a gun when I was 4 or 5 -- I believe it was a.357. I was taught those exact rules and more. The rule then was to treat any gun like it had a fuse, ready to go off at any time. That pretty well summarizes all of the rules you gave.
the kind that is actually illegal here in holland, because it looks so much like a real gun, it could be used in hold-ups and the like
I've never understood this. What difference does it make if the gun is made of steel, plastic, or cheese? In the end, it is still an armed robbery. In fact, you might even say it's even better if the gun is fake, as nobody will actually be hurt. Who decides to not commit a crime because they can't find a fake gun?
I agree that the natural consequences of his actions, in this case, are sufficient punishment.
However, pressing charges is about more than just punishment: this guy should never be allowed to touch a firearm again, much less own one. He needs something on his criminal record to trigger on background checks, too.
This isn't intended to punish, only to protect the rest of us from someone so irresponsible.
Absolutely. I am a conceal-carry holder and I have a number of handguns. I also have a one year-old and a seven year-old. I have an electronic safe which all my guns go in, as well as trigger locks. It's called being a responsible gun-owner.
You're missing the most important safety step of all: education.
Keys can be found, codes can be discovered... I've learned to never underestimate the potential for a kid to get into trouble. But every child that will be exposed to firearms needs to know how to respect them. While I don't have any guns in my home, both my brother, father, and father-in-law do. Once my kid is old enough, we'll sit down with him and show him what a real gun is and how to handle it (assume it's loaded at all times, use but don't trust safeties, never point at a person -- only at something you intend to shoot, etc.).
And you know what? Kids like guns, even before video game consoles.
But maybe, just maybe, they can be taught to respect them, even if their dad is criminally negligent.
Troyak is based in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, according to whois records.
Taking down the servers is a political matter, not a technical one (in general). But I would imagine that clearly harboring illegal activity would be sufficient motivation for anybody. Imagine if we classified servers like we do countries that support terrorism?
But even if we got all 249, it's like playing whack-a-mole or cutting off the head of a hydra.
Oh, so it's an anomaly in the space-time continuum, getting larger as it goes backwards in time, eventually preventing the existence of life on Earth? Once again, life imitates Star Trek...
The complication being that legislation is often a series of compromises.
So, while I agree with you in principle, defining what is "directly necessary to implementation [sic] of a bill" is not easy without destroying much of how the legislature currently operates.
So basically, every time we get the election results, I am highly confident that they do in fact represent the wish of the majority of my fellow citizens. They usually elect the wrong guy.
That's how I verify voting results too: if the wrong guy is voted in, I know that no significant tampering occurred.
The day an intelligent, honest, moral politician (I know, oxymoron) wins an election is the day we need to rethink our voting system!
Alternative theory: Programmers who've learned in BASIC must learn how to work around its limitations.
The ability to surpass the language itself makes for great programmers. Case in point: assembly language, especially simple ones like PIC. Learning how to create if/then/else, while, for, switch, and other constructs from the very limiting "test and skip next if zero" instruction is very educational.
Spaghetti code is not inevitable when limited to GOTO. An organized mind will find ways to create meaningful code.
Slashdot Mirror
If two sexually scrambled chickens get together, will one lay scrambled eggs?
The problem isn't this bill, which won't pass. The problem is that bad ideas like this, once introduced, have a life of their own. They keep getting reintroduced until they do pass. (good ideas, on the other hand, get shelved and are never heard from again).
So which type is health care reform?
No, the problem isn't the bills themselves, but politicians. Laws are written by people who have no experience relevant to the content of the law, and whether or not they pass is purely a political issue, not one of what is the right thing to do.
Ironically, in some places you can use hash in a restaurant!
Now I'm confused!
It used to be that the government used to pay people with salt*. Now they're "banning" its use. Make up your minds!
* Actually, that is quite possibly an urban legend. See the History section and this article, too. But I couldn't let that get in the way of a joke, could I?
Of course not.
But had he left the keys in, car on, in drive, no brake, on a hill, knowing his kid was in the front seat, and the kid happened to step on the gas and crash into a tree ....
That's the level of negligence we're talking about here.
Except it's not just a phone ... it's a "smart phone."
The term may be vague/undefined, but it's understandable that some think it implies a more general computing environment. Apple's "app" concept doesn't help that perception. Why should multitasking be such a foreign concept?
Thank you for taking the initial precautions -- gun safe, some target practice, and a desire to learn more. You definitely should take the next step: educate yourself as much as possible. Ignorance leads to negligence and accidents.
If a firearm safety course isn't available, find a hunting safety course or something similar. If nothing else, find a firearm or hunting club.
Go to the firing range regularly: it takes skill, and a gun isn't something you want to learn how to use at 3:00am.
Even if you don't plan to carry, the concealed-carry permit usually carries classes and a minimum ability along with it, giving you experience with your gun.
Lastly, take the classes with your kids (if they're old enough). Even though it's locked up, they need to know how to respect something so dangerous. If they're too young, make sure they know to not touch it (don't keep the safe where they'd be tempted to open it).
Furthermore, a gun is always loaded. Always.
I misread this at first and figured I should clarify:
You should always assume a gun is loaded, even if you "know" it isn't. You should also assume that it will go off at any time, even if you "know" that the safety is on.
And what's so shocking is the extensive negligence shown.
He left a loaded, cocked, unattended weapon gun in his house next to a toy gun, where an unsupervised, uninformed 3-yr-old has access to it.
It's surprising how little negligence it takes to cause an accident. It's not surprising that an accident occurred in this case.
Guns should never be loaded in a house.
Guns should never be cocked while loaded unless you mean to fire.
Guns should never be unattended unless locked in a safe.
Fake/toy guns can be easily mistaken for the real thing.
3-yr-olds should be supervised at all times, regardless of whether gun is involved or not.
Children should be taught to respect guns (toy or not)
I'm hoping you're being a bit facetious here.
Firearm Safety Rule #1: A gun is never under your own control unless it's in your hand, safeties on, and you personally verify that it is not loaded.
My father owned guns when I was growing up. He taught me from day one never to touch them unless he was there with his permission. He taught me never to point a gun at something unless I planned on killing it (It's so ingrained in me, I refuse to play paintball because of it).
I was taught exactly the same way by my father, grandfather, and older brother.
I can't point a toy gun at anybody for the same reasons.
Not that I'm afraid of guns (I'm actually a decent shot), but there's a certain level of respect you have to have for a gun, when talking about safety.
The step-father in question obviously did not have that respect, nor did he pass it on to his child, with tragic results.
So if some completely unrelated people _might_ rob a bank or commit murder with a gun, nobody should be allowed to have guns?
... and both of my kids shoot with me.
Society should thank you: teaching your children how to properly handle firearms is the best way to avoid accidents like this.
Please, continue teaching firearm safety to them.
Still, I don't think further punishment is necessary because it won't have any preventative effect. The guy isn't likely to make that mistake again, and the chance that prosecuting him will scare others into being more careful is also just not there.
Unfortunately, experience shows that humans do learn from their mistakes ... but they tend to learn the wrong lesson.
So, while it's completely possible that the parents in this case will never make this particular series of mistakes, I cannot make that judgment myself. I don't think the parents need any more punishment, but can society take the chance and let them be in the same position again?
But yes, investigate, find out what went wrong and how to avoid a repeat.
We already know what went wrong and how to avoid it: don't leave loaded guns around children.
My brother prided himself on modifying the trigger mechanism to work on the slightest pressure possible.
Of course, this was a hunting rifle, so too much force on the trigger can throw off your aim. You have to balance the need for accuracy and the need for safety.
What I want to know is why the safety wasn't set on the gun.
Does it matter? When it comes to gun safety, you never assume that a safety works. Nor do you assume that a gun is unloaded. You do assume that it could fire at any time.
There are a few common sense rules of gun safety which get violated far too often. Obeying them religiously is a good idea. For anyone unfamiliar, here are the utter basics:
Not only are they violated, but they seem to be virtually unknown. We teach our kids to look both ways when crossing the street ... why don't we teach them to respect a loaded gun properly?
I first shot a gun when I was 4 or 5 -- I believe it was a .357. I was taught those exact rules and more. The rule then was to treat any gun like it had a fuse, ready to go off at any time. That pretty well summarizes all of the rules you gave.
the kind that is actually illegal here in holland, because it looks so much like a real gun, it could be used in hold-ups and the like
I've never understood this. What difference does it make if the gun is made of steel, plastic, or cheese? In the end, it is still an armed robbery. In fact, you might even say it's even better if the gun is fake, as nobody will actually be hurt. Who decides to not commit a crime because they can't find a fake gun?
I agree that the natural consequences of his actions, in this case, are sufficient punishment.
However, pressing charges is about more than just punishment: this guy should never be allowed to touch a firearm again, much less own one. He needs something on his criminal record to trigger on background checks, too.
This isn't intended to punish, only to protect the rest of us from someone so irresponsible.
Absolutely. I am a conceal-carry holder and I have a number of handguns. I also have a one year-old and a seven year-old. I have an electronic safe which all my guns go in, as well as trigger locks. It's called being a responsible gun-owner.
You're missing the most important safety step of all: education.
Keys can be found, codes can be discovered ... I've learned to never underestimate the potential for a kid to get into trouble. But every child that will be exposed to firearms needs to know how to respect them. While I don't have any guns in my home, both my brother, father, and father-in-law do. Once my kid is old enough, we'll sit down with him and show him what a real gun is and how to handle it (assume it's loaded at all times, use but don't trust safeties, never point at a person -- only at something you intend to shoot, etc.).
And you know what? Kids like guns, even before video game consoles.
But maybe, just maybe, they can be taught to respect them, even if their dad is criminally negligent.
From the article:
Troyak is based in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, according to whois records.
Taking down the servers is a political matter, not a technical one (in general). But I would imagine that clearly harboring illegal activity would be sufficient motivation for anybody. Imagine if we classified servers like we do countries that support terrorism?
But even if we got all 249, it's like playing whack-a-mole or cutting off the head of a hydra.
Oh, so it's an anomaly in the space-time continuum, getting larger as it goes backwards in time, eventually preventing the existence of life on Earth? Once again, life imitates Star Trek...
The complication being that legislation is often a series of compromises.
So, while I agree with you in principle, defining what is "directly necessary to implementation [sic] of a bill" is not easy without destroying much of how the legislature currently operates.
And that might be just what we need, anyway.
So basically, every time we get the election results, I am highly confident that they do in fact represent the wish of the majority of my fellow citizens. They usually elect the wrong guy.
That's how I verify voting results too: if the wrong guy is voted in, I know that no significant tampering occurred.
The day an intelligent, honest, moral politician (I know, oxymoron) wins an election is the day we need to rethink our voting system!
Alternative theory: Programmers who've learned in BASIC must learn how to work around its limitations.
The ability to surpass the language itself makes for great programmers. Case in point: assembly language, especially simple ones like PIC. Learning how to create if/then/else, while, for, switch, and other constructs from the very limiting "test and skip next if zero" instruction is very educational.
Spaghetti code is not inevitable when limited to GOTO. An organized mind will find ways to create meaningful code.