Well, I'm doing my part to help boost the stastics! My car was stolen from just around the corner from my house yesterday after I came home from church... The police apparently found it and had it towed, but it does not seem to be DC police policy to notify crime victims when their property has been recovered. I had to learn this through my insurance rep this afternoon...
this is the point where I get really bothered that I cannot (after a thorough background check, waiting period, and robust registration process) keep a handgun in my own home. come on, Supremes!
I'll take the over on your prediction. My prediction: favorable ruling by the Supremes. DC takes its sweet-ass time putting together a handgun law that, when finally implemented, will put every legal road-block possible to handgun-ownership.
And even if you’re home, you can still be a victim and have the burglars run off before the police arrive...scary. I’ve never even held a gun, but if ever faced with the situation of having to protect my babies, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
Surveillance technologies are going to eventually drastically change crime patterns in DC. As commercially available technology becomes cheaper and better (come on, now, let's all go ahead and admit that the military has technology that can tell when each and every one of us picks our noses anywhere, anytime), you'll see more and more of it implemented on the streets of DC.
We already have the 'scattershot' technology, which pinpoints within feet where a gunshot comes from. We already have crime cameras on some streets.
It's only a matter of time before we become more like London, with most public spaces, including streets and alleys, being monitored.
The libertarian in me used to cringe at such an idea. But it's become clear to me that DC is never going to do reduce crime to what most would consider acceptable levels (accepting that you will never actually eliminate crime) using methods we've used so far.
The only question is how we choose to implement the new technology. Will we put in adequate privacy and security safeguards? Given the fact that this is DC government we're talking about, it'll be up to citizens to demand accountability.
I want aliza's "really smart gun" that shoots only the bad guys who come to rape and pillage. It would be a bonus if "really smart gun" also liked to go to sleazy clubs and drink Bourbon.
Smart guns have existed for over 10 years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Gun
and the criticism has remained the same - the technology is unreliable. Personally, I don't buy it. Critics act as if linking a gun's operability to an authorized user (be it RFID or something else) is akin to traveling to Pluto. It's not, and I have suspicions that the denigration of smart guns is driven by other interests.
9 comments:
Well, I'm doing my part to help boost the stastics! My car was stolen from just around the corner from my house yesterday after I came home from church... The police apparently found it and had it towed, but it does not seem to be DC police policy to notify crime victims when their property has been recovered. I had to learn this through my insurance rep this afternoon...
this is the point where I get really bothered that I cannot (after a thorough background check, waiting period, and robust registration process) keep a handgun in my own home. come on, Supremes!
-not a gun nut
Prediction: In June the Supreme court will announce the decision, in favor of gun-rights and by late this year we should be able to get guns.
I'll take the over on your prediction. My prediction: favorable ruling by the Supremes. DC takes its sweet-ass time putting together a handgun law that, when finally implemented, will put every legal road-block possible to handgun-ownership.
Not going into the pro/anti-gun argument here, but owning a gun won't help in the majority of these cases...
The majority of robberies are happening in daylight, when no one is home.
So, unless you have a really smart gun, are home during the day, or want your gun stolen, the 2nd Amendment doesn't come into play here.
And even if you’re home, you can still be a victim and have the burglars run off before the police arrive...scary. I’ve never even held a gun, but if ever faced with the situation of having to protect my babies, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
Surveillance technologies are going to eventually drastically change crime patterns in DC. As commercially available technology becomes cheaper and better (come on, now, let's all go ahead and admit that the military has technology that can tell when each and every one of us picks our noses anywhere, anytime), you'll see more and more of it implemented on the streets of DC.
We already have the 'scattershot' technology, which pinpoints within feet where a gunshot comes from. We already have crime cameras on some streets.
It's only a matter of time before we become more like London, with most public spaces, including streets and alleys, being monitored.
The libertarian in me used to cringe at such an idea. But it's become clear to me that DC is never going to do reduce crime to what most would consider acceptable levels (accepting that you will never actually eliminate crime) using methods we've used so far.
The only question is how we choose to implement the new technology. Will we put in adequate privacy and security safeguards? Given the fact that this is DC government we're talking about, it'll be up to citizens to demand accountability.
I want aliza's "really smart gun" that shoots only the bad guys who come to rape and pillage. It would be a bonus if "really smart gun" also liked to go to sleazy clubs and drink Bourbon.
Smart guns have existed for over 10 years:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Gun
and the criticism has remained the same - the technology is unreliable. Personally, I don't buy it. Critics act as if linking a gun's operability to an authorized user (be it RFID or something else) is akin to traveling to Pluto. It's not, and I have suspicions that the denigration of smart guns is driven by other interests.
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