Shame

[Fungus]

Much of that is true if you're using Android, too. If you want to switch to iPhone, you've got subscriptions and dependencies that make it hard to switch. It's less restrictive, of course, because you have a much wider range of hardware. That last point is the worst part for me - I'd rather buy inexpensive midrange phones, and there's really no such thing with iPhones, at least not really comparable to what's available in the Android ecosystem.

I am a fan or opensource, and android ultimately open source, as it's often a long term insurance against commercial intereference with applications. Even if certain phone manufacturers add their own layer ontop of it. But I take lenghty measures to not lock my data into proprietary formats, or online services that will means it's gone of a company shuts down or discontinues a service. I have for years avoided also the microsoft glue, it's hard to avoid windows, but I reject all the 365 subscriptions, I have manged very well with all the open source alternative to office and email, and they are very compatible these days. I did alot of digital photoshooting some years ago as a hobby and while i know many love lightroom and photoshop, I managed quite well with gimp. It's not as polished, and but free and does a great job and have plenty of cool filters as well. There are also octave and plenty of open source science options to matlab.

I support the opensource and enthusiasts over commercial interest whenver I can, I can even take some extra pain for the good sake of not feeding the dragons.

 

[Steve]

The Queen’s English?

King’s English, I believe. Though I guess it’s possible the king is a Queen.

 

[gyoja]

King’s English, I believe. Though I guess it’s possible the king is a Queen.

Sorry, you’re right. I had a British Sergeant Major as an instructor at a school that I attended. I was the platoon guide, and he told us that we had to say a platoon motto when he called us to attention for the morning report. He specifically warned us not to say anything inappropriate about the monarchy. The next morning when he called us to attention, and with a smile on our faces, we yelled, “God save the Queen!”

 

[O'Malley]

Well, here are the facts:
- We haven't had a Napolean, a Genghis Khan, a Caesar, an Alexander the Great, a Hitler, or a Hirohito since World War II.
- Pay attention to the last one I mentioned: Hirohito. The results of his actions? Japan gets nuked twice. This sent a powerful message to the rest of the world.

As for small outliers getting their hands on nukes, either they'll get stopped by or kept on a leash by bigger nuclear powers (e.g., North Korea's relationship with China).

That's a gross oversimplification. Firstly, Hirohito was never in the same league as the others you cited, both in terms of territorial expansion and in terms of political power at the national level. The main driving force behind Japan's invasion of Manchuria were domestic political movements that led to the assassination of the prime minister and his replacement by an imperialistic military government.

As regards Europe, the era of peace we've known has perhaps less to do with nuclear weapons (although the Cold War did shape the world as we know it today) than with a change in diplomatic relations on the continent, with in primis the birth of the EU. That reflected a more global tendency towards multilateralism (with forums such as the UN) and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. That's why we've had a relatively calm period (although ISIS did commit attacks in Europe, including against nuclear powers such as France) until Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And here, we're seeing a nuclear power invade a neighbouring state and telling other countries "don't get involved, I have nukes".

 

[isshinryuronin]

Japan gets nuked twice. This sent a powerful message to the rest of the world.

That worked as our enemies feared the same could happen to them, so they were kept in check. We no longer have the resolve to use atomics, short of being hit with one ourselves, and even then, it will depend on the current gov't at the time.

As for small outliers getting their hands on nukes, either they'll get stopped by or kept on a leash by bigger nuclear powers

It's hard to keep a rabid dog under control. There are fanatic nuclear powers (or soon to be) that are unpredictable.

 

[Hot Lunch]

That worked as our enemies feared the same could happen to them, so they were kept in check.

It also worked on ourselves and our allies. If not immediately, then definitely after the Potsdam Conference.

The message was clear: the days of heads of governments trying to be the next Caesar or Napolean were over. Attempting to do so from then on could mean nuclear war - the war that everyone loses.

It's hard to keep a rabid dog under control. There are fanatic nuclear powers (or soon to be) that are unpredictable.

China seems to be doing it just fine. Any non-nuclear country that decides to acquire nukes is going to have to align with NATO, Russia, or China to create some probability that the country they nuke will be finished before they themselves get obliterated.

The only entities that may not go that route are non-state terrorist organizations, and I'm gonna need to see them upgrade to tanks from their Toyota Hilux's before I can be convinced that they'd ever have the infrastructure to even support tactical nukes, let alone strategic ones.

 

[Gyakuto]

So this is how the natives speak proper English?

Hoist by one's own petard!

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Can’t put a gun rack in the back of a Citroen.

Funny, I used to see rifles on racks in pickup windows everyday when I was a kid, never see that now. Shootings were less common then. Not making any connection between the two, just an observation. Maybe it’s people and culture that has changed.

 

[Steve]

Funny, I used to see rifles on racks in pickup windows everyday when I was a kid, never see that now. Shootings were less common then. Not making any connection between the two, just an observation. Maybe it’s people and culture that has changed.

Making a connection and then saying you’re not making a connection is pretty absurd.

Look, I’m not saying it’s the lead poisoning that kept people from shooting other people as often, but think about it. No more leaded gasoline. No more leaded paint. No lead in the drinking hoses anymore. More shootings. I’m not saying there’s a connection… but it’s something to think about. Just sayin’.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Making a connection and then saying you’re not making a connection is pretty absurd.

Look, I’m not saying it’s the lead poisoning that kept people from shooting other people as often, but think about it. No more leaded gasoline. No more leaded paint. No lead in the drinking hoses anymore. More shootings. I’m not saying there’s a connection… but it’s something to think about. Just sayin’.

lol! That was funny! You kill me sometimes, so extremely logical one minute and then BLAMMO! What would MT be without absurdity?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Making a connection and then saying you’re not making a connection is pretty absurd.

Look, I’m not saying it’s the lead poisoning that kept people from shooting other people as often, but think about it. No more leaded gasoline. No more leaded paint. No lead in the drinking hoses anymore. More shootings. I’m not saying there’s a connection… but it’s something to think about. Just sayin’.

On a more serious note, why do you think we have more shootings now? I really don’t know, and I don’t have an opinion. Guns were far more accessible and even available by mail order.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

On a more serious note, why do you think we have more shootings now? I really don’t know, and I don’t have an opinion. Guns were far more accessible and even available by mail order.

Even with the pandemic spike in gun deaths, the per capita rate was lower in 2021 than in 1974. Pre-pandemic (2019) it was much lower. Mass shootings are up, as is the coverage of crime in general.

What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Even with the pandemic spike in gun deaths, the per capita rate was lower in 2021 than in 1974. Pre-pandemic (2019) it was much lower. Mass shootings are up, as is the coverage of crime in general.

What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

Interesting. Most were suicides if what I read is accurate. Mass shootings account for about 500 deaths in the study I read. About half were rifles the rest were handguns. 100,000 overdose deaths and 50,000 MVA deaths. Cancer and Heart disease still come in on the top. Media likely contributes to perceptions, attitudes, and opinions of one type or another. I’m cautious about these types of studies, they tend to be funded and slanted to some degree to produce a desired result.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Even with the pandemic spike in gun deaths, the per capita rate was lower in 2021 than in 1974. Pre-pandemic (2019) it was much lower. Mass shootings are up, as is the coverage of crime in general.

What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

59% from handguns and 3% from rifles would suggest that the push to ban certain types rifles is misguided, if the goal is in fact to make people safer.

 

[Steve]

lol! That was funny! You kill me sometimes, so extremely logical one minute and then BLAMMO! What would MT be without absurdity?

Sarcasm is my love language. Everything I type is sarcastic, except the insightful stuff.

On a more serious note, why do you think we have more shootings now? I really don’t know, and I don’t have an opinion. Guns were far more accessible and even available by mail order.

That’s an interesting and important discussion, but not one we can have here.

 

[HighKick]

Making a connection and then saying you’re not making a connection is pretty absurd.

Look, I’m not saying it’s the lead poisoning that kept people from shooting other people as often, but think about it. No more leaded gasoline. No more leaded paint. No lead in the drinking hoses anymore. More shootings. I’m not saying there’s a connection… but it’s something to think about. Just sayin’.

Now that is a sssssssstretch!

 

[Steve]

Now that is a sssssssstretch!

It’s hyperbole. It’s supposed to be a stretch. Or are you referring to the gun rack leads to fewer shootings thing @Wing Woo Gar posted? If so, I’m with you.

 

[gyoja]

To get back on topic, does anyone here have problems with tourists in your location? The biggest problem we get is public urination during Mardi Gras.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

It’s hyperbole. It’s supposed to be a stretch. Or are you referring to the gun rack leads to fewer shootings thing @Wing Woo Gar posted? If so, I’m with you.

I never said that gun racks lead to anything. I think you maybe misunderstood me. But thanks for the gaslight, I can see more clearly now.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

It’s hyperbole. It’s supposed to be a stretch. Or are you referring to the gun rack leads to fewer shootings thing @Wing Woo Gar posted? If so, I’m with you.

That’s actually a little insulting that you think I’m that dumb, but I guess I’m used to that.