Knife control means not cutting your fingers off...

Ok, so first, read this:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0612/p07s01-woeu.html?page=1

If you're too lazy to read, I'll sum it up:

Great Britain, once the home of such technological marvels as the oil-leaking-headlamp, has decided that it has a "knife violence problem" among teens, highlighted by the recent stabbing death of a Harry Potter actor.

So in response, they've launched a 6 million dollar campaign about the dangers and pitfalls of carrying a knife, outlawed the carrying of a knife with any blade over 3" (I carry a knife on my friggin' keys that violates that regulation) and decided that the police can search anyone, without prior cause, to see if they have a knife in violation of the law. In the last two weeks in May, they "recovered" 193 knives...from 4,000 stops.

Recently, a woman in the UK was arrested for having a kitchen knife in her car on the way home from her work... as a cook in a fast food joint. She claimed innocence based on that she needed the knife for her job, but the city council couldn't determine if she had a license so she was held until someone came forward recalling her at work handling a sausage. Reference, here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2071537/Woman-arrested-with-knife-'saved-by-sausage'.html

So, what does GRM think? Is this kind of response justified by the UK's government? Assuming that violent teens started using ratchets and screwdrivers to kill each other, do you think the UK would pass a law forbidding the possession of a ratchet without cause?

Really what I want to know is: Does anyone here actually think this is OK, and if so, what's your justification?

well this makes perfect sense.

they banned guns, so now instead of using a gun to commit a crime, people are using knives.

"SEE?!? PROBLEM SOLVED!! NO MORE GUN VIOLENCE!!"

Not okay, people will find ways to kill each other with anything, including their bare hands. I'm all for weapon control and keeping citizens from having access to crazy-ass super-weapons, but all-out weapon bans on things you might reasonably keep for self-defense (or even a tool, I mean 3"?) are just plain stupid.

The UK has gone batE36M3 insane.

I took some courses in Toronto for food service and bartending. High end stuff, like lighting your food on fire tableside. Had to open lots of wine bottles. Carried a "waiters knife", aka a bottle opener. Had a fairly dull blade (cutting the foil on bottles dulls them REAL quick), approx 1.25 inches long. Was stopped by a police officer on my way to class, who asked me to empty my pockets. He then tried to take my knife as a "weapon." I walked on that one. Issued a complaint with the police board, but had left town before it came up for review. Now, if a gang of youths all have box cutters, hanging out at night, that's not-so-ok.

knives are illegal. Just carry a box cutter

I hope the kids turn to hatchets, there'e something about a hatchet swinging madman that just sounds cool.

I had a friend in college who decided that when he lived in NYC, if he went out at night, he should carry an axe. That way, when he was cornered by an axe murderer in an alley, he could come back with "But I'm an axe murderer too. We should really stick together, instead of killing each other." Bit of an odd bird, he was.

I can't wait until they ban fists because they're dangerous.

Just think what will happen when they come for Chuck Norris!

Shawn

to play devils advocate.. They have realized that losing 250 people per year to idiots is worthwhile doing something about. It's nice to know there are cultures out there that care that much about the lives of their citizens.

I think we should ban graduate students. They obviously are all violent nutcases. We could easily save a couple hundred lives a year. And if we banned MBA's altogether, we'd save a million lives a year right there. We could get a grad student to come up with a study that supports that hypothesis.

When grad students are outlawed only outlaws will have grad students?

This is a completely logical next step. They will need to keep tightening the restriction to include "anything sharp and pointy" to crack down on smaller knives and other deadly implements (boxcutters, screwdrivers, etc.) They will clearly need to restrict the carry of blunt weapons as well. Criket bats have no place in an evolved society.

When will we learn how to defend against pointy sticks?

Dr. Hess wrote: When will we learn how to defend against pointy sticks?

In board with nails through it school.. DUH

Right after we ban all cynical right wing nut job doctors...

mistanfo wrote: I had a friend in college who decided that when he lived in NYC, if he went out at night, he should carry an axe...

Buck: Well, well, well, they certainly are scraping the bottom of the barrel for cheerleaders these days.

Tia: What are you doing here?

Buck: We were just driving by to get some ice cream. Thought you might like to join us.

Tia: I said I would be home at 10. It's not even 9!

Buck: Who said anything about that? I thought you might like to join us for some ice cream. Maybe your Bug here can join us. We can talk about burying the hatchet. You know what a hatchet is, don't you, Bug?

Bug: It's an ax?

Buck: Sort of, yeah, yeah. I got one in my car if you'd like to see it.

Bug: I'll pass.

Buck: Fair enough. I like to carry it, you never know when your going to need it. A situation may come up say for example, someone has been drinking, and about to drive a loved one home, then I'd like to know I have it. Not to kill, no. Just to maim. Take a little off the shoulder. Swish! The elbow. Slash! Shave a little meat off the old kneecap. Fowap! Ooooo! You got both kneecaps? I like to keep mine razor sharp. Sharp enough you can shave with it. Why I've been known to circumcise a gnat. You're not a gnat are you, Bug? Wait a minute, bug, gnat. Is there a little similarity? Whoa, I think there is! Ha ha ha. You understand what I'm talking about? I don't think you do. I'll be right back. Heh heh heh heh.

[walks away]

Tia: I'm sorry.

Bug: Look, I think you'd better split. I don't exactly want him to go berserk with an ax on me.

Tia: He's all talk.

[Buck pulls out a small hatchet from his car]

Buck: Here it is! Come over, come on, I want to show it to you. Maybe later. Okay.

How to defend yourself against the banana...

"Now we EAT the banana, thus rendering him harmless"

... Sgt.: We haven't done them, have we? Right. Bananas. How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. Now you, come at me with this banana. Catch! Now, it's quite simple to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. First of all you force him to drop the banana; then, second, you eat the banana, thus disarming him. You have now rendered him 'elpless.

Palin: Suppose he's got a bunch.

Sgt.: Shut up.

Idle: Suppose he's got a pointed stick.

Sgt.: Shut up. Right now you, Mr Apricot.

Chapman: 'Arrison.

Sgt.: Sorry, Mr. 'Arrison. Come at me with that banana. Hold it like that, that's it. Now attack me with it. Come on! Come on! Come at me! Come at me then! (Shoots him.) Chapman: Aaagh! (dies.)

Sgt.: Now, I eat the banana. (Does so.)

Palin: You shot him!

Jones: He's dead!

Idle: He's completely dead!

Sgt.: I have now eaten the banana. The deceased, Mr Apricot, is now 'elpless.

Palin: You shot him. You shot him dead.

Sgt.: Well, he was attacking me with a banana.

Jones: But you told him to.

Sgt.: Look, I'm only doing me job. I have to show you how to defend yourselves against fresh fruit.

Idle: And pointed sticks.

Sgt.: Shut up.

Palin: Suppose I'm attacked by a man with a banana and I haven't got a gun?

Sgt.: Run for it.

Jones: You could stand and scream for help.

Sgt.: Yeah, you try that with a pineapple down your windpipe.

Jones: A pineapple?

Sgt.: Where? Where?

Jones: No I just said: a pineapple.

.... (Full script at http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_scripts/fruit.asp )

OK, I apparently need to get updated on current affairs.

What Harry Potter actor got knifed & what has Miley Cyrus done to offend so many people?

carguy123 wrote: OK, I apparently need to get updated on current affairs. What Harry Potter actor got knifed & what has Miley Cyrus done to offend so many people?

an extra in the upcoming one

she took pictures with her bare back showing (too risque)

carguy123 wrote: What Harry Potter actor got knifed & what has Miley Cyrus done to offend so many people?

Rob Knox got knifed. He plays a character I don't remember from the books in the movie that hasn't been released yet.

Miley Cyrus "sings" and plays the character Hannah Montana. Oh, and there was something about her taking clothes off for a photo shoot, but I don't see how that would be offensive in comparison.

Kang and Kodos would be proud:

Kodos: It looks like the Earthlings won.

Kang: Did they? Right now they have a board with a nail in it. But they won't stop there. Soon they will make bigger boards with bigger nails until they make a board with a nail in it so big it will destroy them all!

Dr. Hess wrote: ... Sgt.: We haven't done them, have we? Right. Bananas. How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. Now you, come at me with this banana. Catch! Now, it's quite simple to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. First of all you force him to drop the banana; then, second, you eat the banana, thus disarming him. You have now rendered him 'elpless. . . . (Full script at http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_scripts/fruit.asp )

Hey! Bananas can be quite dangerous. Someone post this as a pic if you can. I cannot now.

http://www.explosm.net/comics/1322/

Some Aussie guy: You call dat a knoife, dis is a knoife

Lisa Simpsons: No, that's a spoon

Some Aussie guy: I see you've played knoify spoony befoh'