Gun laws do they work

[adrianscotter]

I'd be genuinely surprised to find out that more than half of the UK population (roughly 64 million people) cares either way about fracking.

Back before I emigrated, I got the distinct impression that the only time oil made the headlines was when prices went up or there was a shortage of some kind.

Is fracking that big an issue now?

Well it's the same old story really, 'not in my backyard'. I was speaking metaphorically when I said half the UK population. It usually makes 2nd or 3rd item in the news if someone does a test drilling and you get the populace that lives within 20 miles plus the usual hardcore protesters that don't have jobs and feel they have an axe to grind with the government of the day. So yes, it can be big news here, everyone is scared of it for some reason.

 

[Alc]

Well it's the same old story really, 'not in my backyard'. I was speaking metaphorically when I said half the UK population. It usually makes 2nd or 3rd item in the news if someone does a test drilling and you get the populace that lives within 20 miles plus the usual hardcore protesters that don't have jobs and feel they have an axe to grind with the government of the day. So yes, it can be big news here, everyone is scared of it for some reason.

Yeah, that sounds familiar.

Where I live now, the fuss has (at various times) been about the building of a waste disposal incinerator, the construction of a new highway, and the extension of the train tracks. Noone objects too vociferously to them in general but 'not in my backyard'. Lots of 'This is my land. Back off government' signs on farms, etc. I often wonder if the people putting them up genuinely think the government's opinion is altered either way.

 

[adrianscotter]

Yeah, that sounds familiar.

Where I live now, the fuss has (at various times) been about the building of a waste disposal incinerator, the construction of a new highway, and the extension of the train tracks. Noone objects too vociferously to them in general but 'not in my backyard'. Lots of 'This is my land. Back off government' signs on farms, etc. I often wonder if the people putting them up genuinely think the government's opinion is altered either way.

We have the same with the incinerators (Kings Lynn), and the highways in the Northern Distributor Road. Considering the government is supposed to do our bidding as we elect them, I don't know what they have to complain about! And I meant to ask, where do you live now? US or UK?

 

[Alc]

We have the same with the incinerators (Kings Lynn), and the highways in the Northern Distributor Road. Considering the government is supposed to do our bidding as we elect them, I don't know what they have to complain about! And I meant to ask, where do you live now? US or UK?

Canada (so midway between the two, in many ways ).
Just outside Toronto.

 

[adrianscotter]

Canada (so midway between the two, in many ways ).
Just outside Toronto.

Ah! I have some friends (neighbours in Florida) who live in Mississauga, Toronto, and some who live in Renfrew, Ontario.

 

[Alc]

Ah! I have some friends (neighbours in Florida) who live in Mississauga, Toronto, and some who live in Renfrew, Ontario.

Florida is to the people here what Mallorca is to the Brits.

 

[adrianscotter]

Florida is to the people here what Mallorca is to the Brits.

Yep, I like Mallorca, I also like Florida though, and I need to as I live there six months of the year!

 

[Alc]

Yep, I like Mallorca, I also like Florida though, and I need to as I live there six months of the year!

I'm jealous. There's a lot to like about Canada but the weather in this part of the country isn't its best feature. I've been to Florida a few times since coming here in 2003 and while I don't know if I could handle the humidity all the time, it would beat December to April here. My son (6) does want us to move down to Orlando, but that's because he had his first visit to Disney World in July and he's convinced himself that I'd take him every weekend if only we lived there.

 

[adrianscotter]

I'm jealous. There's a lot to like about Canada but the weather in this part of the country isn't its best feature. I've been to Florida a few times since coming here in 2003 and while I don't know if I could handle the humidity all the time, it would beat December to April here. My son (6) does want us to move down to Orlando, but that's because he had his first visit to Disney World in July and he's convinced himself that I'd take him every weekend if only we lived there.

Well, if you're resident in Florida, you can get an annual pass for about $140! Best you don't let him read this discussion or you will be nagged half to death!!! How long did it take you to get residency in Canada?

 

[adrianscotter]

Best time in Florida is October to March, low humidity, very few storms in the afternoons and temperatures in the high 20's, hmmmmmm....

 

[Dick7Access]

See! Now that's why Americans aren't good with geography. You have such a huge and beautiful country that you have no need to know where anywhere else in the world is. Us 'poor Europeans' need to know where these countries are because we're so dependent on them. Here in the UK it's French electricity, Russian gas, Middle Eastern oil (we sucked most of our own oil fields dry and are looking at fracking, much to the chagrin of most of the UK population), our food comes in from all over the world but we can grow some of our own vegetables! As it turns out (from memory), Switzerland have some very liberal gun laws whereas France, Holland, Luxembourg and the UK have very Draconian gun laws. And, er, Blade, who are the big three?

You have the best fish and chips in the world, but of course that has probable changed since 1963. Oh no how did I get this old.

 

[Alc]

Well, if you're resident in Florida, you can get an annual pass for about $140! Best you don't let him read this discussion or you will be nagged half to death!!! How long did it take you to get residency in Canada?

Almost exactly a year, start to finish. Came over in the summer of 2003.
The only thing I didn't like was being told I wasn't allowed to work while the application was being processed - in reality, I could have worked, but I'd have been taxed at a higher rate, then gotten the difference back once the application went through. Meant I was licing off savings for the first year, which was a pain.

 

[Bladerunner]

See! Now that's why Americans aren't good with geography. You have such a huge and beautiful country that you have no need to know where anywhere else in the world is. Us 'poor Europeans' need to know where these countries are because we're so dependent on them. Here in the UK it's French electricity, Russian gas, Middle Eastern oil (we sucked most of our own oil fields dry and are looking at fracking, much to the chagrin of most of the UK population), our food comes in from all over the world but we can grow some of our own vegetables! As it turns out (from memory), Switzerland have some very liberal gun laws whereas France, Holland, Luxembourg and the UK have very Draconian gun laws.

And, er, Blade, who are the big three?

UK, France and Germany

 

[Bladerunner]

See!

Now that's why Americans aren't good with geography. You have such a huge and beautiful country that you have no need to know where anywhere else in the world is.

I once knew where everything was and the minute details of global History back to the late 1800's. It has been a long time and memory fails after so many years to some degree. As far as the youngsters of today, the schools do not teach them geography or history. Thus, they will not remember what not to repeat. We are on the verge of a world war and we don't remember enough to stay away from it.

 

[Bladerunner]

Yep, I like Mallorca, I also like Florida though, and I need to as I live there six months of the year!

You are what is called a "Snow Bird"

 

[Bladerunner]

Best time in Florida is October to March, low humidity, very few storms in the afternoons and temperatures in the

high 20's,

hmmmmmm....

bet that was high '70s'

 

[adrianscotter]

bet that was high '70s'

Yes, it is, high 70's - low 80's, beautiful, just beautiful. I'm a very lucky man to be able to spend my time in both countries. I have the good fortune to be able to travel around the UK, Europe, the US and the Caribbean. So yes, I guess that makes ma a Snowbird.

The Canadians, like us, use the metric system for measurement, with the exception of miles, we still use them in the UK but everything else is metric (and a pain), I like the old ways of feet and inches, pounds and gallons! I can visualise an 8' x 4' sheetrock or a 4" x 2" piece of lumber but 1200mm x 2400mm or 100mm x 50mm, really? It wouldn't be so bad but those sizes are 'nominal' meaning it's really 95mm x 47mm! Arrrrrgh! As for the history bit, you're absolutely right and history will bite you in the butt if you repeat it. What are we doing right now? You got it, repeating history. Just in case, it's been real nice talking by the water cooler...

 

[Galaxiom]

I like the old ways of feet and inches, pounds and gallons! I can visualise an 8' x 4' sheetrock or a 4" x 2" piece of lumber but 1200mm x 2400mm or 100mm x 50mm, really? It wouldn't be so bad but those sizes are 'nominal' meaning it's really 95mm x 47mm!

The imperial sizes were nominal too. eg 3&13/16 X 1&7/8.

I was in school when we changed so I am comfortable working with metric or imperial measurements.

A freind or mine was a boiler maker when it changed. He loved metric. No long did he have to divide a lengths and work in 64ths of an inch. In metric he did a simple division.

In metric there is no need to remmember the conversions.

 

[Dick7Access]

The imperial sizes were nominal too. eg 3&13/16 X 1&7/8.

I was in school when we changed so I am comfortable working with metric or imperial measurements.

A freind or mine was a boiler maker when it changed. He loved metric. No long did he have to divide a lengths and work in 64ths of an inch. In metric he did a simple division.

In metric there is no need to remmember the conversions.

I have trouble remembering "Their" and "There" and you want me to learn metric?????

 

[kevlray]

Metric is easy. Converting between metric and almost anything else is a pain. The US is slowly sliding towards metric (2 liter bottles of soda).