Category Archives: Technology and Society

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Science And Society, Social Commentary, Technology and Society

Hillary’s Gun-Confiscation Proposal

7 Comments

…will probably backfire in a big way:

As AP already noted, this is a winning strategy for Clinton in the primary because her base has largely been sold on the idea of things like expanded background checks at the federal level and a national gun registry. (!) How they will react to actual gun confiscation from law abiding owners remains to be seen. But when it comes to the general election, Clinton has a serious storm brewing on the horizon. Regarding a ban on all semi-automatic weapons, including handguns, the public has been consistent in their response for decades. As of last year there was 73% opposition to such a ban, and 63% said that a home was safer if there was a gun in the house.

Those numbers don’t shift when there is a mass shooting. They never do in any significant way. So with all that in mind, I think we need to encourage Hillary to pick up this flag and run with it. In fact, I’m going to go on record as supporting Hillary to be the nominee for the Democrats next year. This is just what the Democrats need and I look forward to her explaining her gun confiscation plans to the public when she debates the eventual GOP nominee.

Yup. And as noted, crime rates, and particularly armed robberies, when up in Australia after the buy-back.

Culinary, Health, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Science And Society, Social Commentary, Technology and Society

Food Preferences

14 Comments

Stop calling them allergies.

Yes, I think that, while some people have serious health issues, much of this is just fad.

[Update a while later]

I should note that I’m allergic to tree nuts, but it’s never been life threatening, as far as I know. It’s just that if I eat them, the linings of my mouth and throat itch.

One more point. I’m not normally into censorship, but I think that the “Food Babe” moron should be banned from the Internet.

Business, Space, Technology and Society

SpaceX Return To Flight

2 Comments

Orbcomm is going to go first:

SpaceX on Oct. 16 said it had changed its return-to-flight plans and would first launch 11 small Orbcomm messaging satellites into low Earth orbit, and then test reignition of the redesigned second-stage engine during the same flight before launching SES’s heavier telecommunications satellite into higher orbit, a mission that will need the reignition capability.

Luxembourg-based SES said the company was comfortable with ceding its slot to Rochelle Park, New Jersey-based Orbcomm, especially since SpaceX has said it can launch the SES-9 telecommunications satellite into geostationary orbit in late December.

So December may be an interesting month, with two landing attempts.