Since I watched my first science-fiction movie in the 1950s, I knew I was going to grow up to be a scientist. I loved biology in high school but knew I didn’t have the mindset of a biologist. A few years later, in fact, I became a vegetarian. I started in college as a chemistry major and might still be there (trying to pass physical chemistry, that is) had I not on a dare took Geology 101. (I was working for the college at the time so tuition was free.) One semester of Rocks for Jocks and I was hooked…
Just to put things in perspective. Gun-related deaths account for about 1.2% of all deaths in the U.S., far less than deaths attributable to heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, COPD, pneumonia, lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreas cancer, diabetes, septicemia, Alzheimer’s, or dementia. Of all gun-related deaths, about 60% are attributable to suicide. Less than 0.1% of gun-related deaths occurred in a mass shooting, about the same as dying in a lightning strike or a cave-in.
https://charliekufs.medium.com/we-die-many-deaths-473f0a09a250
Perhaps the biggest tragedy is the continuing fear and anxiety experienced on both sides of the debate that has made fellow Americans incapable of coming together to discuss their differences and find an acceptible solution.
Elizabeth Warren “You Didn’t Build That” Speech
I am one of those grizzled old timers. You didn't even mention religion. The industry of advertizing, PR, and marketing is BASED on deceptiveness. Even scientists lie to procure funding. I can't think of one aspect of society that is even mostly truthful. Help me out; can you think of any?
The parts I liked were:
1. You were in your home.
2. You didn't shoot.
IMO, the case that shows the need for better gun control isn't any mass shooting, it's George Zimmermen (and similar).
This is how one office of the Federal government revolutionalized their workspace for remote work a decade ago:
https://medium.com/the-innovation/wanderwork-an-unintended-consequence-of-telework-4073c3479c86
Causes of human deaths have been classified and recorded since the end of the 19th Century. In 1948, the effort was taken on by the newly created World Health Organization as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). In the current version of the classification, ICD-10, there are 20 major classes of causes of death, called Chapters. Within the Chapters, there are 6,121 more specific causes of death. Each primary cause of death can have up to twenty contributing causes of death (in the database, that is, life can be more complicated). …
"Evidence" has changed. You can no longer (if you ever could) get "evidence" from the media. It's no longer a matter of Fox News versus the NYT or the WaPo. All media is biased no matter what the ratings sites say. Furthermore, "evidence" is too often made up. The vaccine-autism link came from the Lancet, a highly-respected scientific journal. The government and other organizations have covered up and whitewashed information for generations. That's why there are whiistleblowers. Technology has exacerbated the problem with deepfakes. Some extraordinary claims turn out to be true; they can't just be dismissed outright. Watergate and false flag operations originated as extraordinary claims. It's not just a matter of doing a bit of research and coming to a conclusion anymore. You have to do a LOT of research on every side of an issue, not just the side you're predesposed to believe. It's exhausting.
"Hillary Clinton operated a covert laboratory, paid for by the Illuminati, in the basement of a pizza restaurant on the flat side of the Earth where they filmed the Moon landings in which lizard-people created 5G, human biochips, and viruses that cause flatulence, impotence, AIDS, and Covid-19. I fear for my life because she has already killed so many people but I have a reliable government source for this, my mailman. Prove me wrong."
I love this stuff. I wish Verizon had a "Conspiracy Channel."
Index it to the equivalent household wage of the Top 1% in each State. Simple. Dynamic. Equitable.
https://randomterrabytes.net/2021/03/08/putting-the-minimum-wage-in-a-whole-different-box/
I’ve analyzed data for over 40 years, written a book and over 150 blogs, been a trainer/public speaker, and was a PG and SSGB. Now retired, I worship cats.