News Stories

[escimo]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Are there many Finnish peeps firing guns and making promises or threats of things they wanna do to people too on youtube? They were right to be suspcious, in light of what happened, and while there wasn't any law to take the gun away (well different culture, since over there it's probably as freely acceptable as the US). They had mentioned that many were into hunting and the rest in Finland so *shrugs*

I'm i right in thinking that the laws won't change or be amended anytime soon then over there...?
(I'm under the entire 'possession will get you in trouble' rules over here, so my attitude on guns are somewhat different.)

The problem in this case was that the weapon was perfectly legal. Bought with license for sport shooting. Even as owning firearms isn't very common in Finland, but there are still many people that own them legally for hunting or sporting purposes and some that own illegal ones. Purchasing a legal weapon is actually fairly difficult. (though judging by these events not nearly difficult enough)

At the time that police questioned the shooter the only the videos of him shooting at the shooting range had been found. So legally confiscating the weapon would have been borderline impossible. As far as youtube is concerned there are quite a number of videos of someone shooting at shooting range. Determining their nationalities and how big of a threat they pose is again very difficult. To my knowledge posting shooting videos isn't very common among Finns but does happen, and mostly they're just harmless documentations of one's hobbies.

Hunting is fairly common in Finland, but so far legal weapons purchased for hunting have been used very rarely in criminal activities, at least to my knowledge. Though running around in urban areas with a .12 shotgun does have a tendency to draw attention and it's hugely illegal. Getting permits for handguns for hunting purposes is borderline impossible. Hunting actually is more regulated than sport shooting for some reason.

The real question is, IMO, who the hell gives out the weapon permits? Within a year, two very similar cases and both with a legal weapon.

"Sorry you seem to be mentally unstable. We can't give you a permit for .45, have .22 instead."

I'm quite sure that legislation about granting weapon permits and owning firearms is going to change. And the regulation of smaller caliber weapons for sporting uses is going to be seriously tightened. Don't know what can be done for already granted permits though.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Mystique

sad day...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7630969.stm

the part that struck a chord was this tho...

Gee, you think in light of the other finnish gunman who posted on youtube before going on a massacre less than a year ago, that they may wanna be a little cautious bout future peeps...
R.I.P to the students tho...

I dunno if anyone here surfs to /b/, but I saw a thread there made by anon about planning to execute this plan. I saw and read that thread around 1 AM Pacific time.

EDIT: I saw that thread 1 AM Pacific time September 23.

[escimo]

Originally Posted by mg1942

I dunno if anyone here surfs to /b/, but I saw a thread there made by anon about planning to execute this plan. I saw and read that thread around 1 AM Pacific time.

That would make it 11 AM here. About the time that the whole thing started.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Mystique

sad day...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7630969.stm

the part that struck a chord was this tho...

Gee, you think in light of the other finnish gunman who posted on youtube before going on a massacre less than a year ago, that they may wanna be a little cautious bout future peeps...
R.I.P to the students tho...

Originally Posted by escimo

That would make it 11 AM here. About the time that the whole thing started.

Is it archived in 4chan archive site?

[monir]

Liftoff.

Congratulation to China for another successful launch. I sincerely hope the Chinese astronaut will have a successful "space-walk". We need more competition other than US and Russia so the space age can come quick.

[Vexx]

I don't care anymore *who* gets out there.... I'll cheer anyone who is trying.

[Vexx]

We often have "White Rabbit" brand candy in our snack trays..... well, oops.

Probably ought to read this before your next run for asian sweets.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/9...2/6506872.html

[cors8]

I loved "White Rabbit" candy as a kid. So sad what's happening in China.

[Vexx]

The Chinese leadership had *better* get a grip on this problem --- you want to piss off "the people"? Don't do anything about threats to their *one* child you limited them to.
The earthquakes revealed the shoddy corrupt building practices permitted by local officials; the central government tried to hush it.... now they have this melamine crisis on their hands. Each time people are going to get more angry and once they lose their one child -- they really have nothing to lose by going ballistic. Playing with fire....

[Cherudim Arche]

It was bound to happen, China has a very long road ahead.

[cors8]

The worst thing about it is that the Chinese leadership, a select few dignitaries, former and current, and their families have special access to organic food of the highest standards.

[Cherudim Arche]

Originally Posted by cors8

The worst thing about it is that the Chinese leadership, a select few dignitaries, former and current, and their families have special access to organic food of the highest standards.

"Rank" and "Money" the only way method to get this. This is more or less screwing the entire high-middle class all the way to the bottom.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Vexx

We often have "White Rabbit" brand candy in our snack trays..... well, oops.

Probably ought to read this before your next run for asian sweets.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/9...2/6506872.html

I just ate one stick today.

I'm so gonna die!

[Cherudim Arche]

Originally Posted by mg1942

I just ate one stick today.

I'm so gonna die!

As long as you don't eat too much them or any at all, you should be fine. It isn't a instant death.

[cors8]

It takes a lot more to affect adults compared to small children.

[Cherudim Arche]

eat a whole extra big size

This is going to be as big as mad cow or worse

[Ledgem]

How is this the fault of the government? It shows that they need to put some regulations into place along with agencies to enforce them, but the government wasn't the entity that decided it would be great to add melamine to milk. I believe it was Hu Jintao, the president of the PRC, who was quoted as saying that the dairy companies were "heartless" and I'm afraid I'd have to agree. This was a rotten business decision. It's the government's duty to protect the people from things like this and the government certainly failed here, but I don't believe that businessmen should be forgiven for lacking ethics just because of their profession.

[Cherudim Arche]

Originally Posted by Ledgem

How is this the fault of the government? It shows that they need to put some regulations into place along with agencies to enforce them, but the government wasn't the entity that decided it would be great to add melamine to milk. I believe it was Hu Jintao, the president of the PRC, who was quoted as saying that the dairy companies were "heartless" and I'm afraid I'd have to agree. This was a rotten business decision. It's the government's duty to protect the people from things like this and the government certainly failed here, but I don't believe that businessmen should be forgiven for lacking ethics just because of their profession.

I don't think they prioritize ethics highly and also use this as a way to bypass regulation if there are any. Now would be a good time to actually establish a bureacy that acutally pays attention.

[Sides]

I heard about pirates seizing civilian cargoships in south east asia, but this is impressive, Somalia's pirates seize 33 tanks (BBC)

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Ledgem

How is this the fault of the government? It shows that they need to put some regulations into place along with agencies to enforce them, but the government wasn't the entity that decided it would be great to add melamine to milk. I believe it was Hu Jintao, the president of the PRC, who was quoted as saying that the dairy companies were "heartless" and I'm afraid I'd have to agree. This was a rotten business decision. It's the government's duty to protect the people from things like this and the government certainly failed here, but I don't believe that businessmen should be forgiven for lacking ethics just because of their profession.

I ... think you answered the question within your own post.
Government (or "the baron of the land") has an implied contract with the people ("serfs") to provide some modicum of protection in exchange for the right to rule ("see possible lynch mob"). If the people are threatened by bandits ("companies with vile idiots in charge") and the government does nothing or, worse, tries to shut anyone up who complains --- it often doesn't go well after that.

Its always a rotten long-term business decision to kill/hurt your customers.... but it comes from the decision-makers in the company just looking at their own personal interests.

I'd like to think the PRC government is learning after the earthquake nonsense... but more likely its just a different set of agencies more on the ball.