Guns, Animals and cuts
Jan. 27th, 2004 09:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sobriqueOn the news yesterday, I heard a very hyped article about how a glock 18 automatic weapon was discovered, and how it could fire 1000 rounds a minute.
Sigh, they're not even trying to put forward a balanced argument are they?
A glock 18 _is_ fully automatic. It's also a pistol and has a 19 round clip. This means it _doesn't_ fire 1000 rounds a minute, it _actually_ fires 19 rounds in about a second, and then you've got to reload. Hardly more effective than a 'standard' semi-automatic pistol for going postal.
Less so if you consider that the recoil and accuracy is such that it's pretty hard to use - Truly, a phone box gun.
And so we have more hype and FUDS spread by our media, about how a handheld automatic weapon can be used, and how terrible it is that this particular model of glock has reached our shores.
Sorry, I'm going to be about as scared of a glock 18 as I am any other kind of pistol, revolver or indeed any other gun. Although I might be hoping that it'll be true to form and miss entirely if a W!cKeD Gangsta let rip at me with one.
We also have in the news today, that the animal testing lab in cambridge is not going forward for financial reasons. Of course, there were the usual protesters claiming victory (apparently the real reason was money, and a 5 year delay).
Problem is this. What if the protestors _had_ stopped this. What right do they have to do so? Isn't that _exactly_ the same thing as terrorists are doing? Threats - ok vandalism and sabotage rather than suicide bombs and killing - but never the less, threats.
Who are these self appointed "activists" who decide that they're right, and the scientific community is wrong to build an animal testing centre? OK, so neurological research is probably not very good for a monkey. It's also a major bummer to anyone who has Alzhiemers (is that how it's spelt?), huntingdons, CJD or any of the other disorders that basically turn you into a mobile cabbage.
In life, I could probably cope with losing limbs, maybe even hearing, an eye or a few things. I don't want to be in the situation of having one of the above. I _really_ dislike the idea of someting changing who I am. Especially if it could have been prevented by some experimentation.
I think we need to start lumping "activists" with "terrorists" and send them to Guantanamo bay.
Politicians may be scum, but at least they're _elected_ scum.
[Poll #239341]
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Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 05:09 am (UTC)Re: Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 05:12 am (UTC)Re: Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 05:36 am (UTC)Ultimately speaking, despite the presence of an 'audience', an LJ belongs to the person who owns it (duh). For some people an LJ is an extremely personal thing, and that's why ultimately someone should write in their journal exactly how /they/ want. Yes, courtesy is a factor, but when it comes down to it it's yours and you get to write in it how you want. Most diaries aren't tailored to an audience; why should LJ be?
Personal preferences notwithstanding, mind you.
Re: Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 05:49 am (UTC)I was thinking more in terms of if you consider it mannerly to use Lj-cut's or not.
Re: Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 06:06 am (UTC)Also, hey, I just noticed, a poll. You got a paid?
Re: Pedant
Date: 2004-01-27 06:27 am (UTC)And then they stopped doing the codes. So I have a big fat $2.5 of credit.
Which is nice
Glock 18
Date: 2004-01-27 06:55 pm (UTC)