Skier speed trap hell

[x10003q]

Not really.

What there is, are way fewer people who are going to affirmatively answer the question, "do you have guns in your home", when blindly called by a stranger representing a polling agency, for reasons that in 2018 should be abundantly obvious to you.

Because nobody thought of that before? It is accounted for in the survey.
http://www.norc.org/PDFs/GSS Reports/GSS_Trends in Gun Ownership_US_1972-2014.pdf

 

[Jcb890]

I was going to take the time to find the foolish post by JimG about how Americans are so unsafe and traveling is dangerous now, but I realized something. Because of foolish thinking like this I'm able to go to Europe every 6 months and tour the continent, be skiing the Alps the day after walking through Brandenburg Gate all while admiring the amazing public transportation systems across the continent and spending less than going to in comparison craptastic Denver(love Denver and CO, but compared to the great cities of Europe and the World it gets maybe a C+). You say you spent significant time in Europe, but I can't understand how anyone who has been to Europe for literally any time at all can think "oh I'm an American and have a target on my back." Maybe if you're a loud, obnoxious, ignorant, rude typical American coming in at 300-400 pounds sure you will have a very well deserved target on your back. If you're just a normal person and try to adapt to the culture of wherever you are then guess what, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU. People have lives man, they aren't looking around for Americans to hassle on the streets of Zurich or Paris. Do you think other nationalities "think oh boy I better not travel because I'll be a target for harrasment and terrorism by the baddies!"? Jesus, we Americans have such a sense of international self importance. Your government tells you this country is the best, this place is free, you are the best people, and then you say shit we're so good we're targets out there and it's so great here I'll just stay here. Then you never see the world, you never see other cultures, experience the world, never bring new ideas and concepts home with you to change your own culture or government. And don't say oh I did that back in the day I don't need that now. The world is changing every day and you need to see that with your own eyes. But hey thanks again for the cheapest transatlantic flights in decades!

Sent from my LG-H820 using AlpineZone mobile app

Apparently you have never been to Brazil then. We were treated poorly at resorts (not by locals in the local towns) because we were white Americans. Travel and life in general is very unsafe there, especially for white Americans because the locals think you have money. Which, compared to them, anyone visiting does.

We went to Brazil for a little over a week and wanted to spend part of it in Rio to visit and sight-see. We were out-voted and told not to go by my sister-in-law's family because it was not safe enough. Even just being out in a city at night was a bit scary with her family rushing us out of public and reminding us not to take cell phones or cameras out of your pocket.

In the end, we did not have any issues while we were there. However, my parents arrived 2 days prior to the rest of us and my mother was held up at knife-point on the beach boardwalk by a local teen trying to steal her iPhone. She apparently said "No!" and ran back to the house we were renting at the time.

Look at the Olympics - lots of bad stuff going on during that time and that's a time when there literally is never going to be more of a spotlight on the area/city/state. Athletes being kidnapped, murders, etc.

So, I can certainly understand the whole notion of having a target due to being American... depending on where you're traveling. In the Middle East or parts of South America, sure. Most of Europe? Like you said, nobody cares and you don't look that different from others.

A classmate of mine's father is currently being held hostage in a foreign nation.

Extraordinarily rare? Yes. Clearly. But to act like this never happens is at least as "foolish" as however foolish you believe Jim's opinion is.

For my money, there are certainly places I wouldn't go. And THIS time, it's definitely "fear" that's the reason. Or perhaps more accurately, an abundance of caution.

Damn, that's crazy! That is very rare. Do you have any details like where or why?

 

[BenedictGomez]

Because nobody thought of that before? It is accounted for in the survey.

Good luck with that! And the way they did it is by literally citing their own previous work.

In Excel, that would be called a circular reference & result in an error.

Do you happen to have in your home any guns or revolvers?

Yeah, I'm sure this question being asked wouldn't generate a bunch of false "no" responses in the survey. Nope; none at all.

 

[benski]

Good luck with that! And the way they did it is by literally citing their own previous work.

In Excel, that would be called a circular reference & result in an error.



Yeah, I'm sure this question being asked wouldn't generate a bunch of false "no" responses in the survey. Nope; none at all.

I am sure. Who is ashamed to be a gun owner? I am pretty confident this is your only foray outside the right wing echo chamber, but only a small group of people have a problem with normal people who own guns, and at most think they are a little trashy and red-necky, that is criminals and mentally ill aside.

 

[Not Sure]

Ignoring miniscule risks is not foolish. Spending your life in a concrete bunker because there is a non-zero chance of being hit by an asteroid or space debris is.

As mentioned by DHS he says the risk of an accident with a firearm is the reason he doesn't own one . Building a bunker can also be hazardous to your health. In a bizarre accident a former co worker of mine was overcome by paint fumes and died in the bunker which he hoped would save his life . I guess he didn't read the directions? Twilight Zone episode worthy .

 

[Edd]

In a bizarre accident a former co worker of mine was overcome by paint fumes and died in the bunker which he hoped would save his life . I guess he didn't read the directions? Twilight Zone episode worthy .

Paranoia will destroy ya. Cheap shot, I know, but for f***s sake it’s borderline comical.

 

[x10003q]

Good luck with that! And the way they did it is by literally citing their own previous work.

In Excel, that would be called a circular reference & result in an error.



Yeah, I'm sure this question being asked wouldn't generate a bunch of false "no" responses in the survey. Nope; none at all.

'Refusing to answer' was offered as a question on the survey. This would lower the false responses. There are formulas for this and percent errors. The trend is lower gun ownership no matter whether you understand the methodology or not, or whether you want to believe or not. That is why I also included the decline in hunting. There are other surveys that support this trend.

Less households have guns vs previous years and an even smaller number of gun owning households are responsible for a large portion of the guns purchased today.

 

[Domeskier]

I am sure. Who is ashamed to be a gun owner?

Kind of like expecting a vegan to deny being a vegan. If there're two groups of people who care more about broadcasting their life choices to other people, I cannot imagine who they are.

 

[cdskier]

I am sure. Who is ashamed to be a gun owner?

Not a matter of being ashamed...more a matter of wanting their choice kept private and not trusting where that information will go. I know people who own guns who without a doubt would only admit that to people they absolutely trust.

Kind of like expecting a vegan to deny being a vegan. If there're two groups of people who care more about broadcasting their life choices to other people, I cannot imagine who they are.

I disagree. Sure there are some gun-owners that broadcast it. However there are also others that keep their choice to have a gun very private.

I don't have a gun and have no interest in having one, but I also think it is pretty naive to believe that even all legal gun-owners would be honest about that in a survey in today's anti-gun climate. A "refusing to answer" choice is also not an answer I could see many people that want their choice private to use. I could see an outright lie of "no" being used instead. Surveys and polls are becoming incredibly unreliable on certain topics. I myself have lied on surveys and polls in the past.

 

[Domeskier]

As mentioned by DHS he says the risk of an accident with a firearm is the reason he doesn't own one . Building a bunker can also be hazardous to your health. In a bizarre accident a former co worker of mine was overcome by paint fumes and died in the bunker which he hoped would save his life . I guess he didn't read the directions? Twilight Zone episode worthy .

Yeah, I think the risk of a firearm accident is definitely significant enough to outweigh the benefits of gun ownership in many cases, particularly when the likelihood that the average American will ever need to use a gun in defense of self or family is so low. I am also now going to have to reevaluate the benefits of personal fallout shelters, too...

 

[Domeskier]

I disagree. Sure there are some gun-owners that broadcast it. However there are also others that keep their choice to have a gun very private.

The stereotypes never fit everyone in the group. I'm sure there are even one or two people who don't own televisions and never mention it to anyone!

 

[BenedictGomez]

'Refusing to answer' was offered as a question on the survey. This would lower the false responses.

Did you look at the data of the very study you posted? The "Refusing to Answer" and "Dont Know" (yeah, right) responses were incredibly low, which seems bizarre.

There were a number of things about that study you posted I thought highly unusual (including the only citations being one's own work), as well as commonly known to be overtly false (e.g. claiming female gun ownership has not increased over the last 25 years) so I went to pull their methodology, and I couldn't. Quite frankly, any polling "study" that doesn't release its' methodology raises a huge red flag.

Kind of like expecting a vegan to deny being a vegan. If there're two groups of people who care more about broadcasting their life choices to other people, I cannot imagine who they are.

You're WAY off base on this one, almost 100% the opposite. Most gun owners DO NOT broadcast or want ANYONE to know that they own guns. Actually, I dont know anyone who constantly "broadcasts" how they own guns, and I'm a hunter who also shoots clays and knows many people from shooting at various ranges - so I know a lot of gun owners, and dont know anyone who's constantly talking about them. That would be pretty weird actually.

 

[BenedictGomez]

a matter of wanting their choice kept private and not trusting where that information will go. I know people who own guns who without a doubt would only admit that to people they absolutely trust......I also think it is pretty naive to believe that even all legal gun-owners would be honest about that in a survey in today's anti-gun climate.

Exactly.

Which is why I would expect a study like that to get tons of "refused to answer" responses as well as "fake no" responses (though they claim they dont). And that effect will surely get much worse in a climate where some left-wing politicians are now seeking to actively ban commonly owned guns.

It also doesnt pass the common sense test to claim that gun ownership is at record lows during precisely the same time (literally) of record high gun sales, and then attempting to bat away that obvious massive contradiction by lamely claiming that everyone who's buying a gun must actually be buying tons of guns! lol

 

[Smellytele]

You're WAY off base on this one, almost 100% the opposite. Most gun owners DO NOT broadcast or want ANYONE to know that they own guns. Actually, I dont know anyone who constantly "broadcasts" how they own guns, and I'm a hunter who also shoots clays and knows many people from shooting at various ranges - so I know a lot of gun owners, and dont know anyone who's constantly talking about them. That would be pretty weird actually.

I work with 2 guys who constantly are talking about their guns. I also have a friend who owns at least one gun but never talks about it.

 

[Smellytele]

It also doesnt pass the common sense test to claim that gun ownership is at record lows during precisely the same time (literally) of record high gun sales, and then attempting to bat away that obvious massive contradiction by lamely claiming that everyone who's buying a gun must actually be buying tons of guns! lol

this maybe actually true. The 2 guys I work with are constantly buying new guns but I know of none of my non gun owning friends talking about buying one.

 

[Not Sure]

Paranoia will destroy ya. Cheap shot, I know, but for f***s sake it’s borderline comical.

Well the rest of the story is quite comical ,Al's been gone a while so a bit of humor no one will be any worse off.

Al was a reclusive ex Mennonite who lived a hermits life outside his full time job. He farmed his 3 acres and went to auctions and flipped heavy equipment.

After not showing up to work for a couple days with no answer from his phone. His supervisor sent out "Scott" to check up on him . Scott was in very poor health and had blood pressure issues and would frequently get eye hemorrhages. He arrived and found his lights on and "No Al" ? Small out building glanced in Nothing?

With a few more days "Scott" went back out and looked around ,Same lights on ? back to the out building ,this time he noticed light from a 2' hole in the corner . He looked down and there was Al , seated on the floor leaning against the wall.
He calls 911 in the meantime suffers eye hemorrhage again. EMT's show up and "Scott " has difficulty describing why they are there . He freaks them out with his no longer white's of his eyes that are red. The EMT's have a tough time getting Al out as he rarely bathed and was quite stiff.

Apparently Al had 40K in cash in mattress and according to his records that were found was buying an ounce of gold a month for some time . Scott lived nearby and was driving home , he looked over to see 3 Mennonites with a metal detector stop on a spot and digging frantically . Scott's curiosity got the best of him and he walked over just in time to see the jackpot . A septic tank lid . After watching a few more pieces of junk metal being un earthed he walked away laughing.
A week later the whole 3 acres was dug up , seems Al had anticipated someone finding his loot . He planted literally hundreds of decoy pieces.

Flash forward a few years , I was in the ER at the local hospital and ran into a friend and was having a good laugh about the relatives efforts .I had my back to the waiting room but heard a loud laugh being stifled quickly . I turned around to see a Mennonite woman holding in a laugh looking to her right . I looked to her left and there was the spitting Image of Al (with a beard" ) scowling .

 

[BenedictGomez]

this maybe actually true. The 2 guys I work with are constantly buying new guns

There are definitely people who collect guns of one type or another like people collect anything else. I collect WWII rifles, so I "inflate" the number (though those obviously arent in the lists counting "new" guns), but a vast majority of Americans are not "collectors", and in a climate of record high gun sales, practically everyone would have to be buying numerous guns to simultaneously have record low gun ownership.

 

[JimG.]

Good luck driving to Japan or New Zealand. And for that matter, Chile.

Been to Chile and Argentina.

 

[JimG.]

I was going to take the time to find the foolish post by JimG about how Americans are so unsafe and traveling is dangerous now, but I realized something. Because of foolish thinking like this I'm able to go to Europe every 6 months and tour the continent, be skiing the Alps the day after walking through Brandenburg Gate all while admiring the amazing public transportation systems across the continent and spending less than going to in comparison craptastic Denver(love Denver and CO, but compared to the great cities of Europe and the World it gets maybe a C+). You say you spent significant time in Europe, but I can't understand how anyone who has been to Europe for literally any time at all can think "oh I'm an American and have a target on my back." Maybe if you're a loud, obnoxious, ignorant, rude typical American coming in at 300-400 pounds sure you will have a very well deserved target on your back. If you're just a normal person and try to adapt to the culture of wherever you are then guess what, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU. People have lives man, they aren't looking around for Americans to hassle on the streets of Zurich or Paris. Do you think other nationalities "think oh boy I better not travel because I'll be a target for harrasment and terrorism by the baddies!"? Jesus, we Americans have such a sense of international self importance. Your government tells you this country is the best, this place is free, you are the best people, and then you say shit we're so good we're targets out there and it's so great here I'll just stay here. Then you never see the world, you never see other cultures, experience the world, never bring new ideas and concepts home with you to change your own culture or government. And don't say oh I did that back in the day I don't need that now. The world is changing every day and you need to see that with your own eyes. But hey thanks again for the cheapest transatlantic flights in decades!

Sent from my LG-H820 using AlpineZone mobile app

Wow dude, too dramatic.

I think you read a little too much into my post.

 

[abc]

Been to Chile and Argentina.

Did you drive there?