Some Joke !
 

http://news.sky.com/story/962756/bat...t-im-the-joker

Another mass shooting in the US by a guy calling himself the Joker.
The police are now worried about the possibility of copycat killings.

The gun debate will roll on but it appears that this guy purchased 6000 rounds of ammo online and 4 different guns elsewhere.
He has also set up a complicated booby trap device that has yet to be dealt with.

As we have seen this can happen anywhere,but surely the amount of weaponry so easily available in the States increases the risk factor considerably, be it for planned attacks such as this or spur of the moment loss of self control.

In any event a change in the law would likely make little difference now as the country is already awash with guns and it could well take at least 50 years or so to take most of them out of circulation

Re: Some Joke !
 

50 years and a revolution. Like it or loathe it, most Americans are not prepared to see only the criminals and government authorities armed. Your mention of 50 years is fairly accurate. However that would require a significant shift in public opinion. That has not been evident from the occasional mass shootings. Interesting side note rarely reported... US Violent crime rates have been dropping steadily for 35 years. Not just per capita but total.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Strangely enough the same trend in the UK with the lowest crime figures for almost 30 years.

A decrease in murders and violent crime especially, with only minor crimes showing any increase.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Interestingly, the crime figures in Spain have also fallen. What do the US, UK and Spain have in common?

I can't answer for the US, and people may not like this answer for the UK and Spain, but both have had socialists running the country in recent years. They both have 'feel-good' factors due to generous benefit systems; yes, Spain has them too.

I can't think of any other factors and have always thought that extreme poverty leads to a lot of crime, and we no longer have extreme poverty.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Good to see! Some hope for the western world yet?

Re: Some Joke !
 

I think you know the answer well enough for the US.
As for the UK the trend is over a 30 year period, not 13 under socialism.
The trend in Spain I havent checked out, but likewise over the longer term there have been govts from both sides of the house.

Generous benefits in Spain ?
I fancy there will be some who will take you to task on that dodgy claim as well.

One of the reasons I heard put forward for the UK improvement is the much better detection systems making life much more difficult for criminals.

Re: Some Joke !
 

I think violent crime is on the increase in Spain especially domestic violence an drug related crimes. I would be very surprised if this wasn't directly linked to unemployment, poverty and stress. As for Spain's generous benefits I wonder if HBG could live on €420 a month?

Re: Some Joke !
 

I could if I lived at home with my mum, and I would get much less in the UK.

Re: Some Joke !
 

To get back to topic the police still haven't managed to get into the guys house yet because of the elaborate booby traps he left behind.

They are also still worried about the possibility of copy cat actions.
It doesn't even bear thinking about as the Joker was only one of about two dozen enemies of Batman, incl such names as the Riddler, Catwoman and Mr Penguin.
At least it answers the long running question regarding wether or not films can influence the committing of violent crimes.

Re: Some Joke !
 

I wonder what the trigger is, to do somthing like that?

Re: Some Joke !
 

Your poor mum ... :ohmy:

If you haven't been working for a few years and paying into the SS of course, you will get precisely nada. A food parcel from the nuns, if youre lucky and say your prayers.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Mental illness + constant exposure to violent TV, films and video games. Lethal combination.

Re: Some Joke !
 

It's nearly always the quiet withdrawn ones who seem to do those crimes.

Re: Some Joke !
 

I think it is that the populations of these countries are getting to be older, we just don't have the energy to put our problems in to action:unsure:

Re: Some Joke !
 

It caused the Paris premier of the film to be cancelled in case of copycat actions.

Re: Some Joke !
 

It's all Maggie's fault.

Re: Some Joke !
 

The US isn't getting older, That is a European issue.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Yes, you are correct. I will just have to think about it for a bit longer, by which time at least I'll be a little older though perhaps not much wiser!

Re: Some Joke !
 

James Holmes (alias the joker) just appeared in court for the first time.
He looked a strange sight with bright red and orange hair and looking sort of spaced out as the presenter described it.
He seemed somewhat dazed and half asleep repeatedly closing his eyes and beginning to nod off giving the appearance of someone who hasn't slept or been allowed to sleep for a few days and mostly unaware of what was happening around him.
He could have been putting it on,but I don't really think so and IMHO he didn't look to be in any fit state to be charged.

Re: Some Joke !
 

It's too soon to say about Holmes obviously, but huge numbers of American kids are prescribed mind-altering drugs for ADHD, depression and other behavioural "problems". These are linked with erratic and violent behaviour. The kids who did the Columbine shootings were doped up on legal drugs.

The Real Lesson of Columbine: Psychiatric Drugs Induce Violence

Re: Some Joke !
 

Easy on the generalizations. Too many? yes. Huge numbers, not what I have seen. However most people don't get the news from Michael Moore. The best description I have heard of yet of how to limit these incidents, is for the press not to do exactly what they do, over expose it. Don't make the assailant infamous.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Absolutely

In the US its socially unacceptable to be a child with energy and a lust for life. If you wont sit down, do as your told and watch lots of mind numbing TV to make life easy for your parents and teachers then they dope you up

Domesticated children gone bad..

Re: Some Joke !
 

You know nothing about family life in the USA do you. Families are always out and about doing sporting activities. Facilities are second to none. Don't compare it all with trailer parks.

Not in a fit state to be charged:blink: Who gives a toss. According to an inmate of the prison he is in he is spitting all the time, mainly in the guards faces. He said other prisoners are plotting how to get at him.

Re: Some Joke !
 

I think you are right ,along with drug abuse ,it `s a cultural thing, many other countries have much easier access to firearms than in the US but dont get nutters who flip out and massacre people indiscriminately.

Re: Some Joke !
 

Except for that guy in Dunblane, the one in Sweden, Japan and germany:lol:

Re: Some Joke !
 

I totally agree, don't give them their 15 minutes of fame. But presumably there is no control over the media in such cases.

NB This academic article from 2010 suggests 8 million kids in the US take one or more psychotropic drugs (no Michael Moore in sight!). That's a huge number by any standards. Even if just a tiny percentage showed the unwanted side effects that's a lot of potential disasters waiting to happen.

Psychotropic Medications Overprescribed to Children, Study Suggests

Re: Some Joke !
 

He wasn't exactly a kid though, he lived alone.

Re: Some Joke !
 

If you included quotes with your posts we may have a clue as to what you are on about.;)

Re: Some Joke !
 

There are nutters everywhere, but that doesnt change the fact that there are more murders in the US "per capita" than in any other developed country

Canadians have just as many guns as Americans but dont go shooting everyone

There are lots of reasons

Re: Some Joke !
 

In Switzerland anyone doing national service has to keep a full auto assault rifle at home!

Re: Some Joke !
 

I have some concerns about the gun laws in Spain and how easy it may be for people who have mental health issues to get access to them.

A few weeks ago (on the day of the Spanish victory in Euro 2012) the 32 year old son of a local family who own a number of businesses shot himself in the head (at their home) with a handgun. We had been aware for some time that he was exhibiting signs of mental illness, and seemed to be aggressive and quite hostile towards foreigners. A few times he had spoken angrily to my OH and other people sitting having a drink outside a bar opposite one of his family's shops, as they were talking and laughing and he seemed to have the idea they were laughing at him which was quite untrue. We were shocked when we heard what had happened, it would have been so easy for him to walk out into the street and start shooting at someone else instead of turning the gun on himself.

I know hunting with guns is very popular in Spain and a lot of people might keep shotguns at home, but a handgun? And his family must have realised he was ill, why wasn't it kept more securely. I don't know if the police are investigating further, but his funeral took place the day after his death in the normal way so there doesn't seem to be any kind of inquest procedure. Quite scary.

Re: Some Joke !
 

How horrible. I have read that suicide levels are rising in Spain amongst young men but its always a bigger shock when it happens on your doorstep.

The Spanish gun laws are very strict, and I think they include psychiatric assessment, but as you know, laws are often ignored here. There are millions of unlicensed guns kicking around.

However it's still very unusual to see guns turned on the public. I can't think of any such events and I've been here over ten years.

Re: Some Joke !
 

A sad story

There are often cases in the news of someone in Spain shooting themselves, their partner or sometimes their business partner

However, there are very few shootings and (fingers crossed) no maniac random shooting sprees that I know of. But there are shootings, usually by people who have become mentally ill

Re: Some Joke !
 

Someone was arguing with Brian Moore (a complete twonk in my humble opinion) about gun laws in the US and they stated that it wasn't guns that needed to be sorted but people and BM replied, quite well I felt, that man, without guns, cannot kill from a great distance, cannot slaughter people and cannot unleash a thousand rounds in a few seconds. Its the guns that are to blame and their accessibility, and this from someone who is more than happy to handle guns.

Re: Some Joke !
 

True , its more difficult to get a firearms certificate in Spain than the UK although the psychiatric assessment is a joke as you simply give the answers you know they want to hear, for hunting you have to go on a hunting course and firearms handling course both with a simple exam at the end , hunting days are then overseen by the GC who regulary check your documentation at the begining of a hunt, none of this will stop a nutter loosing it and going on a shooting spree , if someone is hell bent on killing people they can do it without firearms , be it by home made explosives , driving a car into a crowd, arson etc etc


Millions of unlicensed guns kicking around ? info from your local bar?

Re: Some Joke !
 

Er ... not far off !!!

I live in a farming community, shotguns are passed down through the generations without bothering to apply for new licenses. Some people still have their grandparents' weapons from the civil war!

Re: Some Joke !
 

OK there was a (relaxed) system of regulation before Dunblane, Hungerford having been seen as an "anomoly". But it didnt stop Cumbria.
All it did was to impose massive restrictions on those who enjoy shooting for hobby, relaxation, skill honing etc. More people are killed by cars but then they are a special case :frown:
It has never stopped young kids driving past a bus queue spraying lead from a sub-machine gun.

If you want a gun you can get one, there will always be someone out there ready willing and able to supply - at a cost.
How did Steven Greenoe smuggle 60 handguns into the UK from US without being caught ??

http://www.gun-control-network.org/IN0111.htm

Re: Some Joke !
 

It will always be impossible to control guns as crooks/nutters have no regard for the law ,it really is that simple , eastern europe is one place where firearms are almost freely available on the black market ,any crook could smuggle them in without to many issues , dogs cant sniff out clean guns!

Strict gun laws only hinder law biding sportsmen and women.

Re: Some Joke !
 

I dont generally trust internet statistics as they seem to vary site to site but this make intersting reading .....

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/spain