On Sun, 13 Jan 2013 13:49:54 -0800, I wrote:
<snip>
The links I provided in a way-too-long post show that there
are both organized groups of individuals and individuals
working hard to develop practical 3D printing capabilities
bent towards this aim. Particularly, a lot of time on the
idea of the lower receivers, which are what is the controlled
part of an auto weapon in the US.
<snip>
This article just appeared:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/01/16/congressman-says...
...with the idea of banning 3D printing of ammunition
magazines.
(Just "skip ad" when you get to the link.)
I _knew_ someone would recognize what 3D printing means to
this.
See this youtube video for the making of such a magazine:
Jon
It all seems crazy to me. (similar to fears over nuclear energy.)
Let's say that all the legislation reduces the number of 'wacko'
killings by 50%. So there will be 20-50 fewer people per year killed
by wacko's with guns.
We'll never notice the change!
I'm much more worried about my kids being killed on the highway.
George H.
That's very well-stated. Not only is the total number of _people_
lost to rifles very small, the number lost to "scary-looking" supposed
assault rifles[*] is a small fraction of that, and the fraction that
are children is even less. We're fixing nothing.
We lose far more kids to swimming pools, plastic bags, teen drivers--
even babysitters.[**]
* (which is what they mean by "assault," since those particular rifles
are no different in functionality or design than non-"assault", only
in styling)
** (I read in the FBI stats posted earlier that 39 kids died that year
at the hand of their babysitters. That's way more than the average by
"assault" rifles.)
I'm totally comfortable with my fellow citizens owning firearms. Good
people are no danger, and even criminals don't shoot for no reason.
If they use a gun (or a car) as part of a crime, the problem is the
criminal behavior to start with, not the implements.
Of course we want people to be safe. Rendering good people
defenseless at every turn doesn't help that a whit. And, around here
anyway, it'll prevent lots of lives currently saved.