No prob man, I am sure that you meant no harm!!!!

shaun, you are fine, it's the trolls I worry about.

Don't worry about it, it was their choice to respond to you. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

I will agree that it is hard to communicate certain things without body language. I recognized this when AIM came out and refused to use it for quite a while until I finally got one since it was the only reliable way for my group to discuss our biology project. The emoticons do help though...

As for guns, I'm of the stance that absolutely hates guns in one way, but am intrigued in another. My brother owns a gun (Sig P229 Pistol), and I went with him and my father to a gun range. My brother shot his own gun and my dad rented a glock. I was too much of a coward to shoot one. I didn't even pick the gun up. :oops:

The reason I hate guns is the sheer fact that so many stupid people own one, and because criminals seem to be able to get their hands on them (and much more powerful ones as well). In Britain you so much as have any type of firearm and you are BIG trouble - and few if any get shot each year as a result.

However, one of these days, I would love to work up the courage to shoot a gun (and eventually own one). I think if I was a little more familiar with one I wouldn't be so apprehensive. Though I wont leave it loaded in my nightstand or anything (probably have it locked in a case and hidden - or in a safe). If I were to go into mortal combat against someone I'd rather use fists, cause if he knocks me down and grabs my gun then I'd be screwed. But if it's just fists and he knocks me down I can get back up and kick his ass.

That being said, if I were to get a gun, I really like the FN Five-Seven Pistol. Without the California mag restriction, it comes with a 20 round clip and an optional 30 round clip. It shoots 5.7x28mm rounds and has an effective range that is 5 times greater than the average pistol. It also has very minor recoil. It is capable of using armor piercing rounds (obviously not available to the public) that will pierce NATO spec kevlar vests. It's generally considered as a small rifle. Because of this, anti-gun lobbyists call it the "cop-killer" gun and have tried (unsuccessfully) to put a federal ban on it. There's also speculation that it was used in the recent incident at Fort Hood, which is also unfortunate and doesn't help. :neutral:

So, in one way, I support the freedom to own a gun. Freedom is the ability to do what you want (within reason). If you want a gun for self defense, by all means have one. Have ten even.

The only thing against this is that with a gun available, when you are really angry, you might just bust it out before you can come back to your senses and land yourself in some deep shit (and obviously kill someone). Also, of course, all the retards that own one as I said before.

Because of this I'm a little torn about guns. At the very least I think the process of which you must go through to buy one should be more thorough. You should be evaluated by a professional in a one on one environment to make sure that no 2-bit wack-job is getting one. Also should probably go through a very thorough, mandatory training class of sorts. If everyone was a sharp shooter, maybe they could just shoot the person in the shoulder, rather than put a bunch of rounds into their chest and face...

As for all the politics about the president coming in, I think race should be kept out of it.

Who cares if Obama has Kenyan roots? Half of the morons out there think he is Arab (or actually, most are so F'ckin stupid they think "Muslim" is a race rather than the religion it is and call him that). But honestly, who cares that he's half black? What's so great about white people? Last I checked some white guy killed millions of fellow white people (Hitler).

The dude was born and raised in Hawaii. He's an American. Anyone who believes otherwise is a complete fool. You can call him under-qualified, you can call him an idiot, you can call him a liberal, but don't be ignorant and judge him by his skin color.

And as for the job he's doing, given the situation he walked into, I think he's doing fine. He's a million times better than the last retard who was in office (and if anyone want's to talk about election scandals, they should start with him, not Obama - don't even try to say Obama's election was more scandalous that the 2000 election).

Plus, you have to spend money to get stuff done, that's the way it is. At least money is being spent to help our economy rather than fight some stupid war and make a select few people rich. This way the money spent will eventually work toward paying off the debt, not just adding to it.

I think we need to stick to facts.

you said it all dude!

thx for posting the first sensible post

I'm so glad you just qualified your own posts as being non-sensible:lol:

but that would be arrogant of myself :lol:

"going to buy a rifle---advice?" What does the heading of this thread have to do with 90% of what you have said?

discussions, it can lead from one thing to the other, it's kinda interesting if you would read it. + what has your post to do with the heading of this thread? :)

but you're right, lets get back on topic, it seems the discussion about weapons has ended

To the OP. Sorry. Good bye Rico.