I studied homicide rates at a graduate level and have to counter DB's link. I love you DB but Columbia is #1 in that list. I know you said "many of the other countries have other reasons for the killings" but comparing Columbia to Canada is truly apples to oranges.

What you have to realize (and I'm not directing this at you, DB) is that the US appears FIRST on that list when you're talking about developed countries.

I actually nodded when I read what Aqua wrote - the ease of gun ownership in America is so different than your neighbours to the north.

And osuche, I would think most Cleveland residents would have preferred the Cleveland Indians take the "global" spotlight over this tragedy.

That's the most interesting degree I've ever heard of. I can't even imagine the stress that must have put you under - studying information about homicides and statiscics for years on end.

Stistics do lie, I understand. Better to work with the raw data - and I don't like the data I see coming out of either the US or Canada. It feels a little like we're rearranging chairs on a sinking ship.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

Your spelling mistakes aside, I'm not sure where you're going.

I SPELLED out where I was going there. I did a FEW courses on homicide.

There was no stress. I had no EGO (though it's hard for you to imagine, I would assume).

I didn't say that was my degree. I'm telling you I studied homicide rates in First World Countries.

I'm finding it hard to talk to you via the Internet when you're feeding me:

Stistics do lie

And you're jseal's friend.

Please tell me how you're adding to this conversation.

Yeah, I guess I should add a new thread spitting invective at someone - that adds a lot to the conversation.

My point - as stated - was that we're rearranging chairs on a sinking ship. I don't care whether America or Canada or Zimbabwe is statistically worse when it comes to homocides via guns. I think we should spend some time figuring out how we solve the problem. The aggregate data have too many causalities - access to guns, population density, state of local government, socioeconomic disparities, etc (just to name a few).

The bigger question - the one we all need to be discussing - is how to we contribute to a solution. That's bigger than invective.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

Steph,

You caught me! I should have known it would be impossible to state that violence in American society (and gun violence in particular) is a topic which has justified scores of studies over decades by many sociologists. Well, impossible to state without being criticized for doing so.

Sorry about that.

When I have taken a few more courses at a graduate level – this time in sociology and, perhaps in criminology, I will provide some “PERSONAL experiences”.

__________________
Eudaimonia

I suggest everyone who has posted in this thread go back and read posts #7 & #8.

This is a debate that has no place in this forum. Aqua & I agreed to disagree and let it die.

I consider myself an expert on this topic, and could throw numbers and statistics with anyone.

However, as I said earlier, we could debate this topic until we were blue in the face. It would change no one's mind, and would probably create bitterness that would bleed over to other areas of the forum.

Let it go.

Too late...can't unring the bell.

__________________
Though I am different from you,
We were born involved in one another.

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

Complete surrender should not just come at moments in which one faces overwhelming odds, but in the calm when it seems one is personally in complete control of one's life.

OMG.... We had Chinese food for supper (i know--whoopie!).....

I just ate my fortune cookie now (another -- yeah, so?).......

Here's what it said: Work on your diplomatic skills and avoid conflict at all costs.

Lets leave the guns and all the bad feelings outside of Pixies and resume the perving.


For Steph: (come chill out with teddy)

Attached Images

teddy -Steph - bear.jpg (5.2 KB, 253 views)

((((Teddy))))

Peace and love to all....and to all a good night.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

I need a Hershey bar!!

[QUOTE=osuche]That's the most interesting degree I've ever heard of. QUOTE]

Honestly, I have to revisit this.

Ms. Berkelely, I'd have thought you'd have more perspective.

I'm waiting with baited breath to hear how you EVER thought I said I had a degree in a subject.

Your ignorance, as is jseal's, is showing.

Aren't you awesome?

And since we're going there,

if you're helping a company, you're in school, AND married to an Indian, tell me about how you find the time to be here.

Methinks you're fronting.

AND

OH

YES

You ASSUMED a lot of shit about me.

Waiting for your answer, sweetheart.

/me backs slowly away from this thread, as I know it's really not worth it.


la dee dee, la de daa, life goes on...

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

I think i opened a can of worms here that i shouldnt have,

__________________
its all fun and games till someone lose's a bollock!

No, it was a fair, if explosive, question.

We have our say, listen to the others and then go on.

"*gnod gnid*"

Can I have that in stereo please?

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

__________________