Messages

The attitude that just because it's a derringer anyone ought to be able to carry it around safely and be able to use it properly if they absolutely had to is irresponsible. It's still a gun and shouldn't be in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

Balls.  Things get more interesting when idiots have firearms.

AtD,
wishes they'd make comfortable and affordable bullet-resistant clothes already.

Takes all the fun out of it, AtD.

Though I'd be lying if I said I don't own an SCII.

Yeah, "avant-garde" should not be a self-described term.  It only makes you look like a prick.

Plus you have to hold your cigarettes backwards, and that makes your wrist get sore after a while.

The attitude that just because it's a derringer anyone ought to be able to carry it around safely and be able to use it properly if they absolutely had to is irresponsible. It's still a gun and shouldn't be in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

Balls.  Things get more interesting when idiots have firearms.

It's the movement that's behind the art,

There is only one "artistic movement", and I did it about 20 minutes ago, having eaten Indian food last night.

An artist that identifies himself as "avant-garde" is bloviating, and probably doesn't produce anything, or anything worth looking at...It reminds me of "experimental music".  In both cases, what usually happens is an untrained person does some pineal-arsed shit, and calls it "art".  Yoko Ono comes to mind in both cases.

CAN WE

         Still create original stuff? That's a question which has been around for a while. The 'avant-garde' is not identifiable when it happens, by its nature. It isn't 'shock-art' either, by any necessity. The avant-garde inspires, which is the purest form of art, because it presents a new possibility, or perspective. Possibly it upsets some people, or makes a lot of people go - WTF(?), but to someone it says "fuck yeah". A little later on a genre begins.

ALTHOUGH, YES

         Our "modern" age accesses every excess, that's not to say our spirits aren't striving ever onwards. Or, perhaps, looking around at the wreckage surrounding us, we're searching to find a meaningful creative expression even more. Much of art is a process of self discovery (or recovery). Mostly I think 'art' becomes recognized or important when more than one person gets something out of an action.  

The thing to remember about original art is that Sturgeon's Law still applies, and you have to wade through 90 pieces of shit to see 10 things that wow you...since most people are too lazy to do that, they assume there's nothing out there.

maybe it's just a difference in cultural backgrounds, but I know FAR more people who have saved life/limb/property with their firearms than I know people who have accidentally injured/killed themselves or others with a firearm.

I just know more dumb people, I think.

you DO know what a Derringer is, right?

it's a single-shot (sometimes two shots in a double-barrel configuration) palm-sized pistol that is meant to ONLY be used at point-blank range.

If you can miss your target when your gun is jammed into the target's guts, well, evolution does not favor you.

I have one, a .38 reproduction.

And you're right.  At point blank range, you really can't miss.

But you CAN blow your johnson off getting it out of your jacket pocket.

Good, original art happens all the time.

It just doesn't go on MTV, so nobody sees it.

The best defense is not being there, tbh.

Also, you need a special license in Canada if you want a handgun.

no, you need a special license in Canada if you want the government to be OK with you owning a handgun.

big difference.

Yeah, but who wants to wind up in one of their reeducation camps near Yellow Knife?

Not that this doesn't work, as long as you pull faster, but it limits working with other solutions, and take situation right into a kill / be killed one.

Pulling slower is actually better, Richter.  The very best gunfighters are (and were) the guys who have the nerve to take an aimed shot while someone blazes away at them.  Fast and accurate is best, but just accurate is better than just fast.

Oh no.  I'm just pointing out how hilariously inept we are.  And yet we're convinced now we're better than ever before.

The high point of American military might was 1990-1991.  If we'd been more careful after that, we'd still have an aura of invincibility.

Ok, I think you guys are missing the point.

This doesn't apply to people who have been arrested or apprehended. This applies to a situation where an American citizen is abroad and happens to be taking part in military operations against their own country. It's a fail-safe for a situation where, if there wasn't an American citizen, they would just strike. Instead, they go and confirm that they have permission to strike because a U.S. citizen is involved. If this wasn't in place, they'd just go ahead without consulting anyone.

This is not a fucking clandestine assassination, it's a military strike. When al-Qaeda operatives are taken out, the government announces it and tells people what was done and why it was done.

I'm okay with that, AtD.  It's just that these things creep, you know?

Yeah, I know what you mean and it's supposed to be our job (Americans anyways) to make sure they don't creep. Sadly we seem to be doing a piss-poor at making sure there's a good balance of power between the branches of our government and that they accurately represent the people. I guess we all find television more important than ensuring our government functions properly.

Boooooooriiiiing.
\

That's a polite way of saying "51%+ of Americans think we have an emperor".

There were a series of studies done that showed the odds of being injured by your own weapon are greater than the odds of successfully using it in self defense. Can't find it at the moment but I will try to link it later. For now I'll say that, unless you have been trained, it's a very stupid idea to carry a gun. Shit, it's a bad idea to even own one. If you own one and have no training, get some. The NRA offers a wide variety of firearms training. This isn't directed towards you Hustle, but to anyone who has a gun or is considering one and doesn't have any training. I'm guessing you've already been schooled on firearms safety, etc.

I've heard of these studies, but never seen them.  I can, however, state that in my personal experience, I have only known two people who successfully used a pistol to defend themselves, and I've known more than a dozen that have killed or injured themselves or others accidentally or through stupidity.

That's anecdotal as hell, I realize, but there you have it.

Well, dumb enough to play by our rules and with 1% of our capabilities.  After all, if a war was fought against someone with long range missiles and a decent air force...well, it'd be the Battle of Britain all over again.  And God forbid a capable, modern commander implemented some of the ideas suggested in the Unrestricted Warfare manual...most of which are extremely cheap on a national budget.

But how many countries have that capability, Cain?  The ones that do typically have nice stuff, and don't want to risk losing it.

For example, I don't see Russia or Germany picking a fight with England or the USA anytime soon.

Ok, I think you guys are missing the point.

This doesn't apply to people who have been arrested or apprehended. This applies to a situation where an American citizen is abroad and happens to be taking part in military operations against their own country. It's a fail-safe for a situation where, if there wasn't an American citizen, they would just strike. Instead, they go and confirm that they have permission to strike because a U.S. citizen is involved. If this wasn't in place, they'd just go ahead without consulting anyone.

This is not a fucking clandestine assassination, it's a military strike. When al-Qaeda operatives are taken out, the government announces it and tells people what was done and why it was done.

I'm okay with that, AtD.  It's just that these things creep, you know?