New Editor, Long Post

Hi Folks,

I am trying a new editor, called Qumana. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works out. The defualt editor is driving me nuts. I've been trying to get this post to look right for hours.

I added a new blog to my blogroll. Blogroll, sounds like it would be yummy with cream cheese or sweet and sour sauce.

I added Mike's blog. I enjoy reading what he has to say and anyone who reads me might enjoy his blog as well.

EDIT: I added one mother like all others weblog. After reading just one post I was hooked. Witty and a great writing style.

Back to Mike. He recently mentioned some stuff about gun control, so I thought I would comment on that. I did some research about gun related crime (because of an agenda driven and possibly biased statement by Noam Chomski) and I think that the information would be informative for anyone interested.

Written 15 August 2007, some facts may not be current.

Whenever you can identify the advancement of an agenda, it is clear that the underlying facts need to be examined.
For example: Noam Chomksi states that American crime is not off the scale except when it comes to gun crime. But high gun crime is a feature of America.
Curious, I had to look at the figures myself. It was not made easy because the obvious conclusion is that gun regulation will limit gun crime. Gun regulation varies by state, so while it might be useful to compare 'American' statistics to other countries, it is also useful to compare statistics from state to state to see how gun regulation is affecting gun crime.
First thing I noticed is that gun regulation does indeed seem to correspond to gun crime. Not the way you might think. The states with the highest gun related crimes like Washington D.C. also have the highest regulation. States like Alaska and Virginia that have very little gun regulation also suffer the least amount of gun crime.
This does not say anything at all about whether regulation affects gun crime however. It could simply be that regulation follows crime and D.C. has not had a sufficient amount of time for the statistics to catch up to the figures.
A comparison to Canada might help, as it has more stringent gun controls than the average U.S. state. The figure show that while crime is higher in Canada overall (7+% compared to 5+%), gun related crimes are indeed fewer. But again, if we take into consideration that not all areas of Canada have the same regulations and crime inputs, we find that some areas have more gun related crime. But overall, there may be evidence of gun regulation and crime reduction being linked, but it is too close to call.
A look at the UK gives us even better information, for they have had strict gun control laws for a very long time. Oddly enough, their crime reporting web page says that gun crime has been on the rise every year. And while they proudly remark that gun related crime is actually very low (.5% of all reported crimes) it actually compares unfavorably with American statistics (.3%).
Interestingly enough, gun crime is becoming such a problem in the UK, some gangsta wannabes actually field mock handguns because they cannot reasonably source a real firearm. Overall, the facts and figures seem to only indicate one thing about gun regulation. Criminals don't really care about regulations.

Well, I know that I have already posted a lot, but let's leave on a brighter note. Another piece of prose that reveals bits about me.

Written 18 June 2003

Boys Grow Up To Be Monsters

I love my mommy so much
why does she always cry?
I want her to be happy
I would give anything a try.

"I want to tell you a story,
so come here my little boy.
You've seen me cry and fret
because daddy treats me like a toy.”

He doesn't play, but is not mean.
Daddy is so nice, I thought.
He takes me out on his dates,
and it's nice to be brought.

"Daddy shouldn't go on dates
with anyone but me, my son.
He says bad things but also
it's everything that he's done."

"Men don't love and appreciate
women the way they are.
They never want the woman they have,
just the one they see from far."

"Their children are treated
like a pestilence they detest.
The won't cook, clean or help.
They just come home and rest."

"They don't talk or think
or really feel for their mate.
They learn to say whatever
is needed to manipulate."

"I love you dearly, son,
this knowledge I try to foster:
You'll grow up to be a man,
then you'll too be a monster."

I heard this spiel several times
from age of nine through fifteen.
The monster leaves me full of guilt,
no matter how good a man I've been.

Parents often do the most damage when they don't think about what they are doing at all.

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