7 ms·

This blog is somewhat absurd. Yes, the "hit by a meteor" claim is lame but the other side of things is even more terrible. If we're actually worried about the

This blog is somewhat absurd. Yes, the "hit by a meteor" claim is lame but the other side of things is even more terrible. If we're actually worried about the things that are going to be likely to kill us -> Drowning, Cars or even being hit by blunt instruments.

CharlesW 7y ago
> This blog is somewhat absurd. Assuming you mean this blog post (rather than the whole blog), what's absurd about fact-checking? > If we're actually worried about the things that are going to be likely to kill us… The post is a critique of the misuse of statistics. Whatever gun critique you're reacting to, I'm not seeing it.
- hirundo 7y ago
  "What is it about gun advocates and math? Are the deceptions deliberate? Or does the excitement of grasping a sleek stiff tool in one’s hand cause a depletion of cognitive coherence?" That's more than a narrow critique of a particular statistic. And the success of that narrow criticism does little to support that leading statement, which is a broad smear of a large subculture. So a response that extends beyond the meteor comparison seems appropriate.
- jerf 7y ago
  I've never heard anyone make the referenced argument. You can find stupid idiots on any side of any issue. Trying to impute the stupid idiots to the entire side of the issue is an entertaining past time, but all heat and no light.
ajuc 7y ago
Opportunity cost of banning cars is huge. Opportunity cost of gun control is negligible (as showcased by the rest of the world). Gun control is the low hanging fruit of death prevention.
- jakeogh 7y ago
  Only the criminals get non-DRM 3D printers in the future?
  - bifrost 7y ago
    Likely accurate. People will have to resort to regular metalwork after that. Or going to Home Depot.
  - Junk_Collector 7y ago
    This is getting beat up but it's prescient. There have already been calls for DRM inclusion on 3D printers and consumer CNC machines. The bans start with objects of violence, i.e. guns and knives. Next it will be to prevent copyright violations. No more printing your own warhammer figurines or Micky Mouse Novelty phone holders. Then we move on to objects of sexual deviance, gotta think of the kiddos. Eventually it leads to the day where you are buying 3D printers that only print from a pre-approved and monitored repository of models. But don't worry, you can upload your owns models to Google-CAD!
    - bifrost 7y ago
      Nobody needs a 19 inch long dildo of hate, think of the children! We must save the children!
- geggam 7y ago
  I think you dont understand the cost of democide. Being disarmed by your govt is a very dangerous position. What do you put as the value of human life ? How about 262 million lives ? His research shows that the death toll from democide is far greater than the death toll from war. After studying over 8,000 reports of government-caused deaths, Rummel estimates that there have been 262 million victims of democide in the last century. According to his figures, six times as many people have died from the actions of people working for governments than have died in battle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democide
  - 7y ago
masonic 7y ago
likely to kill us -> Drowning More children under 3 drown in buckets than are killed by rifles of all types (not just AWs).

CharlesW 7y ago

> This blog is somewhat absurd. Assuming you mean this blog post (rather than the whole blog), what's absurd about fact-checking? > If we're actually worried about the things that are going to be likely to kill us… The post is a critique of the misuse of statistics. Whatever gun critique you're reacting to, I'm not seeing it.

hirundo 7y ago
"What is it about gun advocates and math? Are the deceptions deliberate? Or does the excitement of grasping a sleek stiff tool in one’s hand cause a depletion of cognitive coherence?" That's more than a narrow critique of a particular statistic. And the success of that narrow criticism does little to support that leading statement, which is a broad smear of a large subculture. So a response that extends beyond the meteor comparison seems appropriate.
jerf 7y ago
I've never heard anyone make the referenced argument. You can find stupid idiots on any side of any issue. Trying to impute the stupid idiots to the entire side of the issue is an entertaining past time, but all heat and no light.

ajuc 7y ago

Opportunity cost of banning cars is huge. Opportunity cost of gun control is negligible (as showcased by the rest of the world). Gun control is the low hanging fruit of death prevention.

jakeogh 7y ago
Only the criminals get non-DRM 3D printers in the future?
- bifrost 7y ago
  Likely accurate. People will have to resort to regular metalwork after that. Or going to Home Depot.
- Junk_Collector 7y ago
  This is getting beat up but it's prescient. There have already been calls for DRM inclusion on 3D printers and consumer CNC machines. The bans start with objects of violence, i.e. guns and knives. Next it will be to prevent copyright violations. No more printing your own warhammer figurines or Micky Mouse Novelty phone holders. Then we move on to objects of sexual deviance, gotta think of the kiddos. Eventually it leads to the day where you are buying 3D printers that only print from a pre-approved and monitored repository of models. But don't worry, you can upload your owns models to Google-CAD!
  - bifrost 7y ago
    Nobody needs a 19 inch long dildo of hate, think of the children! We must save the children!
geggam 7y ago
I think you dont understand the cost of democide. Being disarmed by your govt is a very dangerous position. What do you put as the value of human life ? How about 262 million lives ? His research shows that the death toll from democide is far greater than the death toll from war. After studying over 8,000 reports of government-caused deaths, Rummel estimates that there have been 262 million victims of democide in the last century. According to his figures, six times as many people have died from the actions of people working for governments than have died in battle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democide
- 7y ago

masonic 7y ago

likely to kill us -> Drowning More children under 3 drown in buckets than are killed by rifles of all types (not just AWs).