No Guns please!!!

It doesn't help that the emotional, political and racial environments these days are tense. Allowing guns in such a free manner seems unnecessary to me and only serves to invite trouble.

Whether or not it's people who kill people or guns who kill people... ultimately, there seems to be more killing going on and having easily accessible firearms doesn't help reduce that statistic.

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

sob wrote:

can we get shark fin lobby to help push for sustainable harvesting?

Interesting point. What do you mean? Get the Industry to push for farm-raised sharks?

Not feasible to farm raise sharks, free range but quota for harvesting like blue fin or king crabs.
Sure beats no shark fin at all.

BTW have you seen the number of shark attacks in the papers the last couple of weeks, either they have nothing to eat(meaning the sharks are starving) or they are taking revenge.

Yes. I have seen the number of shark attacks recently. Well, many factors to it actually. Sharks tend to investigate by biting into things since they have no other way of sensing. But the thing is that once they smell blood (after biting into anything alive), they tend to go into a feeding frenzy and just eat.

Lack of food is a plausible cause. Shifting of earth magnetic field is also a conspiracy theory thrown out there before.

Revenge? I would rather see the whales do that in Japanese and Faroe waters. That would be interesting.

stickman wrote:

I really hope US look deep into their back yard problem even when they try to be the "police man of our planet".

I am not saying " be not involved with other countries affairs" but to tackle it in both front because 1 country's action will affect our neighbour.

Stickman,

If US didn't intervene in WW2 you would be speaking Japanese. If the US did not stand as a barrier to Communism, you would be reciting Marxism in school. If the US did not clear the way through Silk Worm Alley, no oil would get out. Everyone likes to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that the world is peaceful.
It is because some one in the US military is willing to take a bullet for everyone on this planet.
I know because I served in combat twice and nice to know there are people in Singapore don't appreciate the sacrifice we have to make to keep the world safe.

meia07656 wrote:

stickman wrote:

I really hope US look deep into their back yard problem even when they try to be the "police man of our planet".

I am not saying " be not involved with other countries affairs" but to tackle it in both front because 1 country's action will affect our neighbour.

Stickman,

If US didn't intervene in WW2 you would be speaking Japanese. If the US did not stand as a barrier to Communism, you would be reciting Marxism in school. If the US did not clear the way through Silk Worm Alley, no oil would get out. Everyone likes to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that the world is peaceful.
It is because some one in the US military is willing to take a bullet for everyone on this planet.
I know because I served in combat twice and nice to know there are people in Singapore don't appreciate the sacrifice we have to make to keep the world safe.

I also feel for u. if not for the US we wont hv mcdonalds, burger king and kfc..

At the end of the day, USA sends its troops out to fight, hand on heart, there must be a reason for doing so, just like WMD (anybody found em yet?)

Imagine if japs won WWII, how will it affect usa's economy?

The cynical part of me often wondered if N Korea has oil underground, what will transpire

2 sides to the coin. Just views differ. There are loads of conspiracy theories. Read with a pinch of salt

What I admire is the willingness of the US to make the first move to send its troops out, whatever it's reason and motivation. Sending your sons and daughters to fight a battle in foreign soil is not a decision to be taken lightly.

meia07656 wrote:

stickman wrote:

I really hope US look deep into their back yard problem even when they try to be the "police man of our planet".

I am not saying " be not involved with other countries affairs" but to tackle it in both front because 1 country's action will affect our neighbour.

Stickman,

If US didn't intervene in WW2 you would be speaking Japanese. If the US did not stand as a barrier to Communism, you would be reciting Marxism in school. If the US did not clear the way through Silk Worm Alley, no oil would get out. Everyone likes to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that the world is peaceful.
It is because some one in the US military is willing to take a bullet for everyone on this planet.
I know because I served in combat twice and nice to know there are people in Singapore don't appreciate the sacrifice we have to make to keep the world safe.

Hi there, that is why I say "tackle it on both front" i.e we tackle our backyard problems and also we tackle our neighbouring country/ another continent issues. If I read you correctly, we agree that we should not live with our heads in the sand.

Cheers bro

pocketace wrote:

At the end of the day, USA sends its troops out to fight, hand on heart, there must be a reason for doing so, just like WMD (anybody found em yet?)

Imagine if japs won WWII, how will it affect usa's economy?

The cynical part of me often wondered if N Korea has oil underground, what will transpire

2 sides to the coin. Just views differ. There are loads of conspiracy theories. Read with a pinch of salt

What I admire is the willingness of the US to make the first move to send its troops out, whatever it's reason and motivation. Sending your sons and daughters to fight a battle in foreign soil is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Pocketace,
I was in Singapore 30 years ago, it was no where nears what it is now. I came here last year and I was blown away the way Singapore is now. So I think that world stability has been very good to Singapore.

[/quote]

Hi there, that is why I say "tackle it on both front" i.e we tackle our backyard problems and also we tackle our neighbouring country/ another continent issues. If I read you correctly, we agree that we should not live with our heads in the sand.

Cheers bro [/quote]
stickman,

My bad if I misinterpreted your statement.

Guys, the argument have gone out of context to WW2 and WMD, which is not all this about.

All this is about is why USA still allow guns to be purchased without strict enforcement and evaluation of a person's mental health or background. We all know guns as dangerous as the next person carrying it. Despite that 3 or 4 shooting spree, I don't read or hear in news of anything being done. Doesn't the administration of USA cares? Why?

Khorkar, it's the gun lobbyists hired by the NRA and their supporters which form a large block of potential voters.......therefore, neither BO or MR will dare offend gun nuts in an election year or any year for that matter......i'm not knowledgeable enough on this subject but i suggest you watch Michael Moore's documentary, Bowling for Columbine, which tackles the subject on the easy availability of guns.......heck, watch all his documentaries, completely one-sided but entertaining as heck.....<<Republicans may want to avert their eyes>>

One of the greatest myths started by the gun nuts as mentioned above is that Guns don't kill people, people kill people.....well, wouldn't it be more difficult to commit mass murders without access to automatic assault rifles???? do hunters need machine guns to shoot deer???

Read the link below on a recent gun walking scandal in the US:
http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/06/27/fast-and-furious-truth/

Sadly, the only surprising thing about the mass killings in the US is that it doesn't happen more often given the easy availability of weapons.........I'm glad we don't have this issue in our part of the world......

Easy there KK, this is the Lounge, remember? Ok ok I respect your point about sticking to the subject, my bad for being carried away

I think the US administration cares, but they have other pressing issues to tackle like they are running outta money. So they are more preoccupied playing repo man and trying to protect their money (google Dodd Frank and FATCA and you'll understand more)

So Obama is caught between a rock and a hard place. To his credit, he has yet to start a war, compared to his predecessors. So this kinda domestic shooting will not be the last that we see. Collateral damage I guess sad but true.

Ps: on a separate note, I thought Sg has been pretty good to you so far. Dun tell me you are thinking of moving to state side? Why so concern with the domestic shooting news? I doubt we can change anything except for a healthy debate. Take it easy, mate.

Its not called the wild wild west for nothing ...

Gfool, P-ACE,

Not that I am going anywhere in US amd thank goodness, it occurs to me that all these helpless killings is just senseless. Lives lost that way wrong and so undeserving.

Sigh...life is tough!

I have read over this post with some interest and resisted replying till now. Being from the US I feel I can comment with a bit of accuracy.

First point I would like to make is that the US does have a gun problem, but I would argue that it is mostly from illegally purchased weapons, not legally purchased ones. While some crimes are committed by people with registered guns, a majority of crime is committed by people with illegal guns. Typically what you see in the news are extraordinary cases or massacres that sometimes occur with illegal guns or legal ones (Not sure if there is a correlation).

Many murders (not speaking about the isolated massacres) are committed in lower income areas that tend to be plagued with crime, drugs, and gangs. Most guns in those areas area acquired illegally.

A legal gun, depending on what state you reside, can be quite difficult to acquire. Equally if not more difficult is a concealed weapon permit. Both of these avenues would allow you to legally carry and conceal a weapon. While there are instances of bureaucratic mess ups where people who should not have guns got them, or shady people sold guns to people who should not have them (illegal), for the most part it is pretty hard to get a gun if you go through proper channels.

I can tell you that in high school I had the opportunity to purchase a hand gun from a guy that needed some cash. I declined as I had no use for it and it scared me at the time, but my point is that they are everywhere in the US and these are not the legal versions....these are strictly illegal ones. Ones that make there way to the street who knows how and that are super easy to get if you have a couple of bucks.

I will be completely honest here. I feel really safe in Singapore and I am grateful that this place is how it is. There are many things I would implement in the US, from here, if I had the ability or wherewithal to do so. But at the end of the day the US is a massive place that has a large criminal element that does whatever it can to get drugs or guns on the street as it keeps them ahead of the people who have to acquire guns legally.

If it was the case where the US had an all out gun ban and only the cops had them, that would be great, as then only people entrusted with your safety would have the advantage of firepower. Problem is how do do it? There are numerous instances of heavy handed gun control laws that go into place and crime and murder rates jump right after. Why is that? Is it coincidence or is it because the legal people find it impossible to get a gun and they are then easy pickings for the criminal element who thwart the law anyhow??

This is a really difficult topic and unfortunately there have been several instances lately that have highlighted how dangerous they are in the wrong hands. I personally don't think gun control against legally owning a gun is the answer, until they are able to rid all/most of the illegal guns that are out there. Otherwise it will literally be like, for law abiding citizens, bringing a knife to a gun fight.

ok, i agree with dan on this...

for those of you that have not been to the states, or have not lived there for an extended period of time, you will not be aware of the rules involved with getting a gun legally.

1. you have to go to the shop and show proof of your license (which you would have to take prior to even putting money down for the gun)

2. put a down payment for the gun

3. there is a 10 to 21 day "cooling off" period before you can collect your gun

however, you must also take into consideration that most of the crimes are committed with illegally purchased guns.

so gun control is not the issue here, the issue really is the fact that US is a country with such great publicity that any of these shootings come to light almost immediately.

how many countries around us, i.e. malaysia, indoneisia, thailand, myanmar, cambodia, vietnam have random shootings every other day. we just do not hear about them.

i for one happen to own 20 odd hand guns, 3 shot guns and 2 assault rifles while i was living in the US and trust me, with the safety issues in certain parts of town, you would want to have a gun as well.

btw, SF city has a no gun law and the lowest crime rate in all of US

Sham,
your process above is if you buy it in a store. Private sales do not require a cooling down period or any other checks. That is why "Gun Shows" are such a taboo subject Dealers at gun shows act as a private person and the buyer as another private person, not as dealer to person. You go to shows and walk off same day with firearm after payment.

ah yes, i forgot abt that... thanks for reminding me...

And where did the illegal guns come from? I am guessing some is from the legal ones?
With the economy doing not so well, i can imagine more people are short of cash. So wala, more guns offered on the streets.

illegal guns come from illegal sources... ok ok. I know that is like saying someone's dad is a guy.


variety of illegal sources can only vary as much as one's imagination go...

I have seen for myself; Guns smuggled in metal scrap shipments. Talk about ingenuity. This is their profession after all.

of course illegal guns originated as legal guns somewhere.

Sham, what happened to your 20 odd gun collections when you left the states? Must they be returned to the state ATF office or can they be sold privately?

i miss those old days of baseball bats, parang, chain....

More news on this..

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/sikh-temple-shooting-suspect-u-army-wade-michael-123748845.html

Duval_S wrote:

i miss those old days of baseball bats, parang, chain....

What? You don't go back to JB enough?

Technospaz wrote:

Duval_S wrote:

i miss those old days of baseball bats, parang, chain....

What? You don't go back to JB enough?

Nowadays JB also use gun... illegal ones of course.