Comments on: More on Gun Safety in the USA (plus Tweets)

By: Diane G.

Diane G. — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 09:01:38 +0000

In reply to nicky. Srsly! How can you suspend credibility when the feats are always so preposterous?!

By: Diane G.

Diane G. — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 08:58:42 +0000

In reply to rickflick. "Living in the US is so, so embarrassing and frustrating." You said it, pal!

By: Heather Hastie

Heather Hastie — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:10:37 +0000

In reply to nicky. I expect the issue to be handled much better by SA too, and Cyril Ramaphosa seems to be reliable. And they can see what happened when it wasn't handled well in other countries and avoid the same mistakes.

By: nicky

nicky — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 10:34:45 +0000

In reply to Heather Hastie.

At least Ramaphosa ordered an inquiry into what has been done with the lands already handed over, I quote: “The real issue, though, is that most of the redistributed land is lying derelict at the moment, it’s not being worked.” This official survey should be done before the end of August, when the proposal is up for discussion and vote in parliament.
I think he’s personally quite opposed to expropriation without compensation, but he has to support the ANC policy decision at Nasrec about 2 months ago.
Since it would need a change of the constitution about a subject that affects the core of the constitution, a 3/4th majority and at least 6 of the 9 provinces need to agree.
Note, the IRR (Institute for Race Relations) survey shows that land reform is considered an priority issue by less than 1% of the population (down from 2% a year ago). 92% of all beneficiaries chose a financial compensation over actually taking possession of the land.
Understandable: the life of a small farmer is a harsh and often poverty stricken one.

By: Heather Hastie

Heather Hastie — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 23:40:17 +0000

In reply to nicky. Pretty much what happened in Zimbabwe. All those previously productive farms now worthless because those taking them over didn't know how to run a farm.

By: nicky

nicky — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:14:04 +0000

In reply to Mark R.. You mention Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. There are many more: JC Van Damme, V Diesel, B Willis and worse: S Seagal and his ilk. In my modest opinion Chuck Norris is the worst of them all by far. Even as a youngster I thought his exploits totally incredible and with really stupid story lines. Taking on automatic guns with a simple revolver, or even bare hands! And, of course, always winning:boring!!!.

By: nicky

nicky — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:56:24 +0000

The Reagan-Palin-Romney-Obama illustration indeed gives us reason to believe that serious gun regulation measures must come from a GOP-er. If not, it will be voted down out of sheer petulance.
Makes me think of the EFF (‘Economic Freedom Fighters’ a far left political party) who were in a coalition in several metropoles in SA with the DA (a kinda centrist party*) reneging on that coalition in PE (Port Elizabeth). The reason given was to ‘punish’ the DA for not supporting their proposal for ‘land expropriation without compensation’**. It hence logically follows that the DA mayor of PE (Mr Trollip) did not do a bad job, that was not mentioned.
* In say Holland, Denmark or NZ it would be considered slightly right of centre, in the US quite leftist.
** an asinine measure, immo, not only because not necessary, [the problems of land reform in SA are not about ‘lack of land’, but about expropriated lands (with compensation until now) not being put to proper use; no ‘mentoring’ of the new owners, there are scores of expropriated, formerly productive, farms derelict now], but also asinine because it is a certain way to get SA graded down even deeper into ‘Junk’ status by the rating agencies. It is not through yet though, it would need a change in the Constitution.
But I’m diverting from the subject….

By: nicky

nicky — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:22:14 +0000

I also like tha comparisons with the Simpsons. I guess several of them are not coincidental, but drawn to life.
The “Not Simpsons…but seriously perfect” is kinda … seriously perfect? 🙂

By: nicky

nicky — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 17:45:12 +0000

I knew about the Jaguarundi’s because they figured in a cat book I had when I was about 7. One of those books where you had to stick the coloured picture in the box on the right page. From those pictures I know there is a melanic morph (comparable to the black morph in leopards?). Although not afraid of climbing, they are considered one of the most terrestrial of small cats
They are indeed a bit mustelid-like, with short legs, long body and tail, flattish skull, round ears, short-ish whiskers etc., but apparently -from your photograph- retractable claws.
I haven’t a clue whether those are ‘retained characteristics’ (the common ancestor of carnivores is supposed to have been a bit weasel-like) or convergence, I’d bet on the latter, but that is an uneducated guess.

By: Heather Hastie

Heather Hastie — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 00:25:34 +0000

In reply to Mark R.. No worries. You've just reminded me to get rid of one. I'll make the correction if it's the wrong one we've been chatting on too.