Friday, March 23, 2018
797. All tabs in Chrome get hung Downloading Proxy
I simply can't tell you whether a Proxy is even needed for Chrome! But, in the last month I must have at least 10-15 occurrences of pages not loading and Chrome hung trying to Download Proxy. Din't find a clue searching for fix, but I decided to turn off Proxy requirement in Chrome via Settings/Advanced/System/Open Proxy Settings/Lan Settings. When you get there, UNCHECK Automatically Detect Settings and OK out. Thing seem to work fine this way so far. I suppose if they fail again this way or some other way I'll have to CHECK it back on and find a different bypass/solution.
796. MyYahoo RSS Feeds won't load/display
About 50% of the time or more lately I go to my MyYahoo page and find that the RSS Feeds (All or occasionally most) won't load/display. A bypass to get them loaded and displayed I read is to disable any Ad Blocker extension. I use Fair Adblocker extension with the Chrome Browser. To get the feeds loaded and displayed when on MyYahoo page simply open the Fir Adblocker extension and hit the Whitelist Icon.. Unfortunately, this will allow all other blocked elements to reappear too. So I hit the Whitelist ICON again to Resume Blocking. The RSS Feeds continue to be loaded and displayed (or the cache image is simply being used) at least while it stays in cache). The permanent solution may be to keep MyYahoo Whitelisted. However, at least I know how to get them loaded and displayed again by doing the Whitelist Icon. Today I submitted a report to Fair Adblocked reporting the issue and asking if this is normal behavior and whether it could be fixed permanently.
Update 3/23/18: OUCH, not the solution or even a constant bypass. What did work this time was clearing Chrome Browser History and Cache.But I still wonder what creates the condition and stores the bad, not load RSS Feeds page in cache. So, now I am running with Whitelist AFTER clearing Browsing history and Cache. Stay tuned and I'll update if problem reoccurs. If so, addition debugging of CHROME will be next.
Update 3/23/18: Nope. NOT a Chrome problem specifically. Other browsers have same issue. Seems the sporadic hit or miss will continue. I have been successful clearing cache though to get them back. For Chrome do Ctrl-Shift-Del to get to the screen to clear things. Select only Cache and Browsing History and let her rip. Terrible we have to do this!
Update 3/25/18: Even clearing cache and Browser History doesn't work all the time! I think we are back to it being a Yahoo problem or an RSS Feed problem originating at the RSS Feed sites. I already tried deleting content (the RSS Feed) and adding it back. It also doesn't work. Sometimes I get the error adding it back. So, it's a hit and miss thing one or the other fesses up and fixes it. And yes, for those with the conspiracy theory that just conservative feeds are being blocked, I would not consider Reuters news conservative. Yes, Fox news and Business could be considered as such. But, isn't it funny that Yahoo's feeds work?
Update 3/23/18: OUCH, not the solution or even a constant bypass. What did work this time was clearing Chrome Browser History and Cache.But I still wonder what creates the condition and stores the bad, not load RSS Feeds page in cache. So, now I am running with Whitelist AFTER clearing Browsing history and Cache. Stay tuned and I'll update if problem reoccurs. If so, addition debugging of CHROME will be next.
Update 3/23/18: Nope. NOT a Chrome problem specifically. Other browsers have same issue. Seems the sporadic hit or miss will continue. I have been successful clearing cache though to get them back. For Chrome do Ctrl-Shift-Del to get to the screen to clear things. Select only Cache and Browsing History and let her rip. Terrible we have to do this!
Update 3/25/18: Even clearing cache and Browser History doesn't work all the time! I think we are back to it being a Yahoo problem or an RSS Feed problem originating at the RSS Feed sites. I already tried deleting content (the RSS Feed) and adding it back. It also doesn't work. Sometimes I get the error adding it back. So, it's a hit and miss thing one or the other fesses up and fixes it. And yes, for those with the conspiracy theory that just conservative feeds are being blocked, I would not consider Reuters news conservative. Yes, Fox news and Business could be considered as such. But, isn't it funny that Yahoo's feeds work?
Monday, March 19, 2018
795. Windows XP Revived
Okay. So I looked at my old Dell Dimension with 750 MB Memory and 2,1 MHz speed running Windows XP and asked "Why is this thing so-o-o-o slow? I already knew most of it was because processes like Windows Update and Avast when updating (included downloading) monopolize the system. But, even after that the enhancements I made, like FireFox instead of Chrome, removing a lot of programs, examining Memory usage and cutting back,etc. it still walked like a limp dog. My friend Sam knew some tricks to get it up and running like a puppy again.
One idea was to scrap XP and go with Linux. After some research I located what I believe the smallest and fastest performers would be for this "small" system. XUBUNTU was the choice. So, I said goodbye to my XP and everything else I built on this system rather quickly by reformatting. XUBUNTU was a slick install: Download the LTS ISO version, download UCS Installer and run it to install the ISO. Up it came including its FireFox and Thunderbird software with it. Rather nice it was. BUT, if I tried to use both applications, i.e., loading them into memory at the same time, the limping dog became a a crawling dog! It was SLOW! So, yes they acurately described their memory requirements by stating 512 MB is minimum. However, they forgot to tell you that they meant the operating system could load and everything else would be unusable until you get to 1GB! Don't be fooled. I even question 1GB for a workable, lively dog system.
Well, it only took about 2-3 hours of playing with XUBUNTU to discover that it doesn't come close to performance expectations, PLUS, dream on if you think you cold get around the nerdy coding and usage in months! If you are a PC tinkerer, then go after it. Otherwise, stay clear and rely on Microsoft despite its downsides.
With that said, I next needed to figure out how to get my Windows XP system back on doing a very clean install. I had only the XP SP2 disk to start with. It went on like a champ. Next I needed to get to SP3 and get all the latest, or should I say, last maintenance updates. That's when I went to connect to the Internet. well, that didn't work! Seems that the Dell (preinstalled system with discs provided) forgot to put the network adapter drivers on any of the disks. Now what? Fortunately I had my laptop and signed in to my Dell account and brought up support at Dell site. They had my configuration and noted the driver necessary. BUT it was no longer available. I had to go get the Intel Pro100+ Ethernet from Intel. Slapped it on and I thought my next stop would be Heaven. Well, it was still Hell. The very old Internet Explorer 4 that got installed would NOT connect. The network was fine, just Internet connectivity failed. Now what?
Now we search for the smallest and fasted browser to try. SlimJet came to the rescue and I am amazed by it! Installed SlimJet after downloading on laptop and carrying it over the the XP system and it I believe I heard trumpets in thee background when it came up like a charm.
Next stop SP3 from Microsoft. It took awhile, but it went on without a blip, as did some recent Security updates that Microsoft ws so kind to migrate down to XP users (randsomware protection). Following that, over another 130 updates to Sp3 and other installed products and drivers went on without a flaw.
O/S up and screaming. Browser and now Thunderbird installed along with CCleaner to keep things manageable. A few teaks here, a few there, and the browser and Thunderbird were customized, the desktop, start menu and taskbar were ready, and we're in production. The XP system on the old Dimension 3000 is wonderful! Memory usage is below 550 MB with both Thunderbird and SlimJet with 2-3 tabs opened -- memory to spare!
Wouldn't want, nor will, do it again, but the adventure was tolerable and the results exceeding expectations. Now my wife has her own PC to play with. Both SlimJet and Thunderbird continue to support XP versions, and AVAST and PrivateFirewall products give me the Anti-virus and firewall solutions and comfort for XP.
If your were reading some previous posts, this PC was going to be replaced by a 8gen Dell 5700 that, like others, had to use past generation fans (nothing new and ready for 8th generation machines) to cool the high heat of the 1T had disk and 4 processors. I've ready hundreds of complaint about noisy fans, noisy to the point of conciously not being able to ignore them, Mine was exacerbated by the constant Microsoft 10 Windows Update (see posts for that mess) processes that seemed to run constantly. The old Dimension is as quiet compared to the new machine that found its way back to Dell along with its 3 broken hard drives or attachment component.
Bottom line: If you want to extend use of an old machine, mine was from around 2005), DON'T go the Linux router. The headaches alone with learning a very unfriendly interface and operation is enough to stay away from it. But, like me, you might think it is a solution for small memory machines. It isn't! Try XP and continue to enjoy everything you learned in the Microsoft world. If Sam would have been a male, she would have lifted her leg and urinated on the Linux XUBUNTU installation! Now she rests in peace again, always with us.
Update 3/21/18: Now the downside:
Don't ever expect to use Internet Explorer as your browser on an XP system, even with last updates to SP3. You CAN use Internet Explorer, and required to, to get any updates, of which there aren't any except maybe for old drivers. But you can continue to use Windows Update to view your updates history. Now the bad news. Because of all the security breaches, security certificates along with encryption hashes have been modified appreciably. So much that the hashes and certificate authorization within IE 8 (the last workable IE for XP) do no longer support the newest hashes and certificates being used by websites and the providers such as Verisign (and about 4 others). Thus, if you try to go to a secure site (HTTPS:\\) you won't get there. Back in 2016 only about 25% of the websites moved on to newer technology. However, now I can't get to any of the sites. Also, the speed has increased so much for HTTPS that even those sites that provided a nonsecure site have gone to HTTPS! Even if you type in the full name beginning with HTTP:\\ it will be changed to HTTPS:\\ and you will not get there.
In short, I would expect NOTHING to be accessible with IE8 (or older IEs)! That will really be the death of XP and all those old processors that can't be upgraded to run a newer operating system. You might be able to get to the memory requirement, but those old systems have ancient components as well. For Example, I was unable to get the Intel Pro 100+ driver from my Dell manufacturer any more and had to hunt for one. Good thing I like to be challenged to find solutions to computer issues or I'd simply get a new one. And then, after the noisy fan problems (see older posts), I'll be waiting until a new technology cooling system becomes available, IF I can wait that long. PCs are still mimicking the IBM large system evolution, except they are not following IBM's focus that when you make a Faster Processor you have to have Faster Memory, ample cooling improvements, and support for all the new improved technological components to provide the best machine. The PC manufactures have so overlooked the cooling aspect requirements. On most machines by Dell today they also overlooked the number and speed of USB adapters. I am just not impressed with the configurations today. Here's another: Whay force 1T hard disks on people how will NEVER fill it? I could still tun on a 400MB one! Why? $$$$. 1T hard disks are cheap. However, cooling them is NOT. SO comes the high-speed cache drives which require even more cooling and quite a bit more issues to consider, like how long do they last, how to back them up, etc. Give me my Kindle that I only need to understand my APPs! Will Amazon push to replace the incompetent PC manufacturers? Remember when IBM had all propriety stuff and had to unbundle because the competitors couldn't compete! Well, that time might raise its head again for Amazon with its propriety configurations. But then, you have another competitor APPLE already doing this with being hassled. Enough of the soapbox. You get the point.
One idea was to scrap XP and go with Linux. After some research I located what I believe the smallest and fastest performers would be for this "small" system. XUBUNTU was the choice. So, I said goodbye to my XP and everything else I built on this system rather quickly by reformatting. XUBUNTU was a slick install: Download the LTS ISO version, download UCS Installer and run it to install the ISO. Up it came including its FireFox and Thunderbird software with it. Rather nice it was. BUT, if I tried to use both applications, i.e., loading them into memory at the same time, the limping dog became a a crawling dog! It was SLOW! So, yes they acurately described their memory requirements by stating 512 MB is minimum. However, they forgot to tell you that they meant the operating system could load and everything else would be unusable until you get to 1GB! Don't be fooled. I even question 1GB for a workable, lively dog system.
Well, it only took about 2-3 hours of playing with XUBUNTU to discover that it doesn't come close to performance expectations, PLUS, dream on if you think you cold get around the nerdy coding and usage in months! If you are a PC tinkerer, then go after it. Otherwise, stay clear and rely on Microsoft despite its downsides.
With that said, I next needed to figure out how to get my Windows XP system back on doing a very clean install. I had only the XP SP2 disk to start with. It went on like a champ. Next I needed to get to SP3 and get all the latest, or should I say, last maintenance updates. That's when I went to connect to the Internet. well, that didn't work! Seems that the Dell (preinstalled system with discs provided) forgot to put the network adapter drivers on any of the disks. Now what? Fortunately I had my laptop and signed in to my Dell account and brought up support at Dell site. They had my configuration and noted the driver necessary. BUT it was no longer available. I had to go get the Intel Pro100+ Ethernet from Intel. Slapped it on and I thought my next stop would be Heaven. Well, it was still Hell. The very old Internet Explorer 4 that got installed would NOT connect. The network was fine, just Internet connectivity failed. Now what?
Now we search for the smallest and fasted browser to try. SlimJet came to the rescue and I am amazed by it! Installed SlimJet after downloading on laptop and carrying it over the the XP system and it I believe I heard trumpets in thee background when it came up like a charm.
Next stop SP3 from Microsoft. It took awhile, but it went on without a blip, as did some recent Security updates that Microsoft ws so kind to migrate down to XP users (randsomware protection). Following that, over another 130 updates to Sp3 and other installed products and drivers went on without a flaw.
O/S up and screaming. Browser and now Thunderbird installed along with CCleaner to keep things manageable. A few teaks here, a few there, and the browser and Thunderbird were customized, the desktop, start menu and taskbar were ready, and we're in production. The XP system on the old Dimension 3000 is wonderful! Memory usage is below 550 MB with both Thunderbird and SlimJet with 2-3 tabs opened -- memory to spare!
Wouldn't want, nor will, do it again, but the adventure was tolerable and the results exceeding expectations. Now my wife has her own PC to play with. Both SlimJet and Thunderbird continue to support XP versions, and AVAST and PrivateFirewall products give me the Anti-virus and firewall solutions and comfort for XP.
If your were reading some previous posts, this PC was going to be replaced by a 8gen Dell 5700 that, like others, had to use past generation fans (nothing new and ready for 8th generation machines) to cool the high heat of the 1T had disk and 4 processors. I've ready hundreds of complaint about noisy fans, noisy to the point of conciously not being able to ignore them, Mine was exacerbated by the constant Microsoft 10 Windows Update (see posts for that mess) processes that seemed to run constantly. The old Dimension is as quiet compared to the new machine that found its way back to Dell along with its 3 broken hard drives or attachment component.
Bottom line: If you want to extend use of an old machine, mine was from around 2005), DON'T go the Linux router. The headaches alone with learning a very unfriendly interface and operation is enough to stay away from it. But, like me, you might think it is a solution for small memory machines. It isn't! Try XP and continue to enjoy everything you learned in the Microsoft world. If Sam would have been a male, she would have lifted her leg and urinated on the Linux XUBUNTU installation! Now she rests in peace again, always with us.
Update 3/21/18: Now the downside:
Don't ever expect to use Internet Explorer as your browser on an XP system, even with last updates to SP3. You CAN use Internet Explorer, and required to, to get any updates, of which there aren't any except maybe for old drivers. But you can continue to use Windows Update to view your updates history. Now the bad news. Because of all the security breaches, security certificates along with encryption hashes have been modified appreciably. So much that the hashes and certificate authorization within IE 8 (the last workable IE for XP) do no longer support the newest hashes and certificates being used by websites and the providers such as Verisign (and about 4 others). Thus, if you try to go to a secure site (HTTPS:\\) you won't get there. Back in 2016 only about 25% of the websites moved on to newer technology. However, now I can't get to any of the sites. Also, the speed has increased so much for HTTPS that even those sites that provided a nonsecure site have gone to HTTPS! Even if you type in the full name beginning with HTTP:\\ it will be changed to HTTPS:\\ and you will not get there.
In short, I would expect NOTHING to be accessible with IE8 (or older IEs)! That will really be the death of XP and all those old processors that can't be upgraded to run a newer operating system. You might be able to get to the memory requirement, but those old systems have ancient components as well. For Example, I was unable to get the Intel Pro 100+ driver from my Dell manufacturer any more and had to hunt for one. Good thing I like to be challenged to find solutions to computer issues or I'd simply get a new one. And then, after the noisy fan problems (see older posts), I'll be waiting until a new technology cooling system becomes available, IF I can wait that long. PCs are still mimicking the IBM large system evolution, except they are not following IBM's focus that when you make a Faster Processor you have to have Faster Memory, ample cooling improvements, and support for all the new improved technological components to provide the best machine. The PC manufactures have so overlooked the cooling aspect requirements. On most machines by Dell today they also overlooked the number and speed of USB adapters. I am just not impressed with the configurations today. Here's another: Whay force 1T hard disks on people how will NEVER fill it? I could still tun on a 400MB one! Why? $$$$. 1T hard disks are cheap. However, cooling them is NOT. SO comes the high-speed cache drives which require even more cooling and quite a bit more issues to consider, like how long do they last, how to back them up, etc. Give me my Kindle that I only need to understand my APPs! Will Amazon push to replace the incompetent PC manufacturers? Remember when IBM had all propriety stuff and had to unbundle because the competitors couldn't compete! Well, that time might raise its head again for Amazon with its propriety configurations. But then, you have another competitor APPLE already doing this with being hassled. Enough of the soapbox. You get the point.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
794. What about gun controls? Update.
Do we need gun controls? Do we need better protection from lunatics? How can anyone answer "No" after the Las Vegas and Florida shootings on top of the ones from the later past? But, remember, there are scores of others not considered mass shootings that result in death, and they shouldn't be neglected any more than the the ones the mass media swarm on.
I've been hearing about the following suggested controls so far: (1) Arming teachers, (2) Banning Bump Stocks, (3) Banning Assault Weapons, (4) Limiting high capacity magazines, (5) Raising age to buy a gun, (6) Cutting ties with NRA. Will these get the guns out of the hands of those who are lunatics and are totally obsessed with killing masses or even one person?
In my opinion, the lunatics who want to kill are so obsessed and angry that they will find a way. If not by gun, maybe by knife as we have seen elsewhere in the world, or explosives. They will continue to purchase or steal the supplies and equipment they need to do their deed, regardless of the obstacles and restrictions. We are as likely to stop these people as we are drugs. I think we can agree that we have failed there. Here's a suggestion that law enforcement can try, but even it will require sophisticated management and clever integration of data. No easy task: Create one huge database cross referencing all sales and/or sources of gun, weapons, materials and purchaser (legal) or acquirer (illegal).
One would think ATF already has this start for illegally acquired guns, manufacturers of materials, suppliers, criminals. I would hope they have this information at the minimum. However, the design of the all encompassing "Lunatics Will Kill " database (LWKD)needs far more.
For example, an objective might be to catalog all citizens who have obtained more 1 or more assault weapons (need to describe them all) and/or bump style stocks or other mechanisms that convert a gun to an automatic. Registration of these is mandatory and law enforcement will be instructed to eliminate any quantities of the existing population of destructive weapons in the database deemed excessive. There is absolutely no reason for a normal citizen in America to own automatic weapons. Certainly hunting is NOT a reason. Hunting is a sport, not a slaughter. I enjoyed grouse hunting despite missing many, many birds. They won. So what. However, shooting Bambi who laid down behind the shrubs to hide was my last straw!
If we want to ban automatic weapons of all type, assault or equipment to convert them, then we need to locate them all. It should be mandatory that all suppliers of these, dealers or all individuals including those selling at gun shows or personally, check before sale and then register the sale in the LWKD. Say our limit is 1 of these. Then a second sale should not be made to any person already in the database or anyone affiliated in any way to the an individual already owning one. Tough task. This would require cross connections be defined by sophisticated algorithms to create the connections. For example, the simplest case is within the same family. Or could it be same address? Or could it be same business? Or same gang? The task is monumental. How can we tie together connections when fake IDs could always be the workaround to let the lunatics continue their deeds? Makes this approach seem impossible too! Well, first we use fingerprints instead of names. That would help some until the really corrupt ones find a way around that.
The first objective of a LWKD can only be to provide a deterrent for the lunatics buying or supplying. All violating the registration and supply of weapons or materials need to be arrested and given very stiff penalties. I would imagine a project to create such a database and process, including the enforcement would take 3-5 years to complete. Sorry if there isn't an instant solution, but this is a permanent long-term solution to protect those beyond its effective management completion data. But, we can't kick the can down the road and NOT begin something now that can stop the can from moving forward at some time!
All proposals I have heard so far are short-term that, I am sorry to say, will not curtail the violence we are seeing. There are too many corrupt elements and people, sane or mentally disturbed. What is the comprehensive solution that will help us get the corruptness off the streets or at least quickly identify potential nightmares before they happen?
For example, Arming Teachers. Does putting a sign in front of you house declaring a security system deter criminals even though you have no system? Probably most of them. Would putting a sign at school entrances declaring that personnel within a school are armed and trained deter lunatics? Only if the lunatic plans to live. How many of these have we seen? Florida was an exception, and even then I question whether he cared about his life when he entered the school. So those arguing that alerting lunatics that they could be killed is crazy in itself. However, does this mean that more guns and trained people to use them should be in schools? Yes. However, how fast could they react even if armed? Would they carry them around where they could be hit over the head and gun taken from them to use in killings? Would the guns be locked up requiring the trained personnel to spend minutes to get to them only after the carnage is already done? How many school personnel would really commit to putting their life in danger to combat a lunatic with an automatic weapon when they have a pea shooter? Think about it.
I'll address some other short term solutions and knock-offs in later posts. I may still not be finished with the teacher one either. This post is simply an introduction to short-term vs. comprehensive long-term solution.
Update 3/21/18:
Today they nabbed and killed the serial Austin bomber. Kudos to the agencies in Austin for getting this nut off the planet! So, why are guns such an issue when someone can kill others with common household ingredients and a little knowledge that is provided in detail on the Internet? Should we be concerned with all this bomb-building knowledge on the Internet? I would venture that we need to get control of this even before guns! Accompanying this type of knowledge (and blueprint for killers) is of course the sale of guns legally AND glowingly illegally via the Internet. Why do we even have a Black Web! Don't we need some OFF to spray the spiders out there and a match to burn that web? What is the purpose of it other than mischief! I'll be long in my grave before the Millennials wake up to the menaces on the Internet and how they must be controlled instead of embracing them as neat , different, rad, etc. Wake up call!!!
Now, back to teachers. Instead of rereading my notes, I'll state here and now -- BAD idea! I'd much rather have a human like the one in Maryland High School yesterday (I believe) who reacted in a minute to get a shot at that nut and take him out! Heck, a teacher would still be trying to get his/her weapon from wherever it was stored SAFELY. That, plus the 3 incidents already with teachers shooting off guns in a classroom put this on my not-to-do list. I'll still go with the database to manage the whole gun, bomb, bomb-making ingredients, etc. system needed for the future. WHEN are we going to start! Again, I don't expect to see even a start of anything comprehensible like this in my life time. I do believe I have concluded on my long-term solution.
So, how about short-term, like NOW:
1. Background checks - only going to annoy the honest non-killers. Internet sales, gun shows, individuals, Black web, etc. will always be there to supply guns, ammo, and modifications to auto-weapons. Someone needs to gain access to distributions initiated by Internet actions. You know how some stores ask for ID and age before selling some products (Walmart, etc.). Well, why not REQUIRE all Internet distributors to comply with a list of possibly dangerous products too? Just asking for ID won't do it! We need identifying equipment, such as fingerprint, eye, camera access, etc. to order these products AND we need them to automatically update a government database. This isn't the comprehensible one I talked about, but simply a LOG until we get that database. All background checks should also be collected and standardized (government) so we have a log and include the biological identification elements.
2. Schools? How about churches too? How about movie theaters? How about Las Vegas open areas? Come on folks, let's not get sentimental and focus on just the kids at school.The same numbers of incidents can happen ANYWHERE. The is NO way to prevent nuts from hitting soft-targets. We can continue to protect as much as we can high-exposure venues and areas, such as a Super Bowl, large concert, etc. But, the only workable solution is to get the weapons out to people's hands. Make it more than tough for products like auto-weapons and bomb-making materials. I feel real bad that I can't come up with something that will work and reduce these incidents. Armed teachers will not prevent anything. Notice that shooters are usually PAST students. They would already know the details of who and where the additional "guards" are. I would then expect they, like ISIS for example, to still do there mischief but avoid what they have already discovered. SO, what am I saying? Stop throwing lots of money at solutions that won't work! Spend a little to randomly have armed guards show their presence. The key work, is random patrols and activities. Never the same routine, never the same number of people, never the same days and hours, etc. So, forget the full-time guards escalation that someone can learn and avoid. Use a minimal number more. Maybe increase the number for an entire area, not a school and rotate the guards randomly across the schools, events, etc. to a degree that anyone seeking harm cannot know if its safe or not to show up at any time! How about something like this for short-term?
3. BAN auto weapons: I could go for that. WHY does anybody need a weapon like that? I much rather have every neighbor with a rife/gun and a neighbor watch network than just me and an auto-weapon. I'm just going to have to depend on the government agencies and military units to protect me from foreign attacks. I, myself, can NOT expect to survive any other way! Ban also any modifications to make a gun automatic. Ban? STOP the manufacturers from making them! We need Crack-Down! Certainly we should know WHO the manufacturers are already. CLOSE them down! Don't have to ban and control them if they are not made and/or distributed. Let's put some hurt to them before they become a drug-dealer size operation!
4. Do you think even age 21 is high enough for the nuts? Why annoy the honest hunters? Hunting equipment needs to be available to all ages. Yes, maybe guns need to be supplied by the parents though. But, now we have the situation like we've seen where teen-killer used daddy's gun! And we have incidents where small kiddos got hold of daddy's gun and shot someone. Can't stop everything. How do we make parents more responsible? Limit them? Make them lock up guns? Must-have gun lockable gun-cabinets? Trigger locks? I vote to low-cost solution of trigger locks for ALL guns. Never sold without a trigger lock! But, once again, every player selling MUST comply with restriction and sale! So, part of log and control in #1 above is the requirement to have a trigger lock accompany it. Also, all owners of existing guns must purchase a lock and log to gun and lock serial numbers (1 lock serial number per assigned gun). I would think ANY parent with children would want this. Why risk not having a lock? Reminds me of a Dr. Phil episode yesterday where a parent has a destructive and respectfulness teen but still decides to leave on a vacation twice a year without the child INSTRUCTING him to not have a party. Right! You can almost not expect to have a trustful child go without a party. Only difference will be that of chaos. So, lock up those guns.
5. Cutting ties with NRA? Surely not. However, the NRA needs to step up and provide some solutions! How about those in this post? Stop lobbying and put some money into solutions that you are capable of performing and distributing. The money you save, plus government money to implement solutions, plus benefit to everyone is a reward NRA should seek hotly! SO, go to it NRA. Stop fighting the Dems over amendment rights and show to world some solutions that would boost your importance and membership!
Once again, I need a break. Go ahead and comment about what has been written so far. This is important to each one of us. Think and respond please.
I've been hearing about the following suggested controls so far: (1) Arming teachers, (2) Banning Bump Stocks, (3) Banning Assault Weapons, (4) Limiting high capacity magazines, (5) Raising age to buy a gun, (6) Cutting ties with NRA. Will these get the guns out of the hands of those who are lunatics and are totally obsessed with killing masses or even one person?
In my opinion, the lunatics who want to kill are so obsessed and angry that they will find a way. If not by gun, maybe by knife as we have seen elsewhere in the world, or explosives. They will continue to purchase or steal the supplies and equipment they need to do their deed, regardless of the obstacles and restrictions. We are as likely to stop these people as we are drugs. I think we can agree that we have failed there. Here's a suggestion that law enforcement can try, but even it will require sophisticated management and clever integration of data. No easy task: Create one huge database cross referencing all sales and/or sources of gun, weapons, materials and purchaser (legal) or acquirer (illegal).
One would think ATF already has this start for illegally acquired guns, manufacturers of materials, suppliers, criminals. I would hope they have this information at the minimum. However, the design of the all encompassing "Lunatics Will Kill " database (LWKD)needs far more.
For example, an objective might be to catalog all citizens who have obtained more 1 or more assault weapons (need to describe them all) and/or bump style stocks or other mechanisms that convert a gun to an automatic. Registration of these is mandatory and law enforcement will be instructed to eliminate any quantities of the existing population of destructive weapons in the database deemed excessive. There is absolutely no reason for a normal citizen in America to own automatic weapons. Certainly hunting is NOT a reason. Hunting is a sport, not a slaughter. I enjoyed grouse hunting despite missing many, many birds. They won. So what. However, shooting Bambi who laid down behind the shrubs to hide was my last straw!
If we want to ban automatic weapons of all type, assault or equipment to convert them, then we need to locate them all. It should be mandatory that all suppliers of these, dealers or all individuals including those selling at gun shows or personally, check before sale and then register the sale in the LWKD. Say our limit is 1 of these. Then a second sale should not be made to any person already in the database or anyone affiliated in any way to the an individual already owning one. Tough task. This would require cross connections be defined by sophisticated algorithms to create the connections. For example, the simplest case is within the same family. Or could it be same address? Or could it be same business? Or same gang? The task is monumental. How can we tie together connections when fake IDs could always be the workaround to let the lunatics continue their deeds? Makes this approach seem impossible too! Well, first we use fingerprints instead of names. That would help some until the really corrupt ones find a way around that.
The first objective of a LWKD can only be to provide a deterrent for the lunatics buying or supplying. All violating the registration and supply of weapons or materials need to be arrested and given very stiff penalties. I would imagine a project to create such a database and process, including the enforcement would take 3-5 years to complete. Sorry if there isn't an instant solution, but this is a permanent long-term solution to protect those beyond its effective management completion data. But, we can't kick the can down the road and NOT begin something now that can stop the can from moving forward at some time!
All proposals I have heard so far are short-term that, I am sorry to say, will not curtail the violence we are seeing. There are too many corrupt elements and people, sane or mentally disturbed. What is the comprehensive solution that will help us get the corruptness off the streets or at least quickly identify potential nightmares before they happen?
For example, Arming Teachers. Does putting a sign in front of you house declaring a security system deter criminals even though you have no system? Probably most of them. Would putting a sign at school entrances declaring that personnel within a school are armed and trained deter lunatics? Only if the lunatic plans to live. How many of these have we seen? Florida was an exception, and even then I question whether he cared about his life when he entered the school. So those arguing that alerting lunatics that they could be killed is crazy in itself. However, does this mean that more guns and trained people to use them should be in schools? Yes. However, how fast could they react even if armed? Would they carry them around where they could be hit over the head and gun taken from them to use in killings? Would the guns be locked up requiring the trained personnel to spend minutes to get to them only after the carnage is already done? How many school personnel would really commit to putting their life in danger to combat a lunatic with an automatic weapon when they have a pea shooter? Think about it.
I'll address some other short term solutions and knock-offs in later posts. I may still not be finished with the teacher one either. This post is simply an introduction to short-term vs. comprehensive long-term solution.
Update 3/21/18:
Today they nabbed and killed the serial Austin bomber. Kudos to the agencies in Austin for getting this nut off the planet! So, why are guns such an issue when someone can kill others with common household ingredients and a little knowledge that is provided in detail on the Internet? Should we be concerned with all this bomb-building knowledge on the Internet? I would venture that we need to get control of this even before guns! Accompanying this type of knowledge (and blueprint for killers) is of course the sale of guns legally AND glowingly illegally via the Internet. Why do we even have a Black Web! Don't we need some OFF to spray the spiders out there and a match to burn that web? What is the purpose of it other than mischief! I'll be long in my grave before the Millennials wake up to the menaces on the Internet and how they must be controlled instead of embracing them as neat , different, rad, etc. Wake up call!!!
Now, back to teachers. Instead of rereading my notes, I'll state here and now -- BAD idea! I'd much rather have a human like the one in Maryland High School yesterday (I believe) who reacted in a minute to get a shot at that nut and take him out! Heck, a teacher would still be trying to get his/her weapon from wherever it was stored SAFELY. That, plus the 3 incidents already with teachers shooting off guns in a classroom put this on my not-to-do list. I'll still go with the database to manage the whole gun, bomb, bomb-making ingredients, etc. system needed for the future. WHEN are we going to start! Again, I don't expect to see even a start of anything comprehensible like this in my life time. I do believe I have concluded on my long-term solution.
So, how about short-term, like NOW:
1. Background checks - only going to annoy the honest non-killers. Internet sales, gun shows, individuals, Black web, etc. will always be there to supply guns, ammo, and modifications to auto-weapons. Someone needs to gain access to distributions initiated by Internet actions. You know how some stores ask for ID and age before selling some products (Walmart, etc.). Well, why not REQUIRE all Internet distributors to comply with a list of possibly dangerous products too? Just asking for ID won't do it! We need identifying equipment, such as fingerprint, eye, camera access, etc. to order these products AND we need them to automatically update a government database. This isn't the comprehensible one I talked about, but simply a LOG until we get that database. All background checks should also be collected and standardized (government) so we have a log and include the biological identification elements.
2. Schools? How about churches too? How about movie theaters? How about Las Vegas open areas? Come on folks, let's not get sentimental and focus on just the kids at school.The same numbers of incidents can happen ANYWHERE. The is NO way to prevent nuts from hitting soft-targets. We can continue to protect as much as we can high-exposure venues and areas, such as a Super Bowl, large concert, etc. But, the only workable solution is to get the weapons out to people's hands. Make it more than tough for products like auto-weapons and bomb-making materials. I feel real bad that I can't come up with something that will work and reduce these incidents. Armed teachers will not prevent anything. Notice that shooters are usually PAST students. They would already know the details of who and where the additional "guards" are. I would then expect they, like ISIS for example, to still do there mischief but avoid what they have already discovered. SO, what am I saying? Stop throwing lots of money at solutions that won't work! Spend a little to randomly have armed guards show their presence. The key work, is random patrols and activities. Never the same routine, never the same number of people, never the same days and hours, etc. So, forget the full-time guards escalation that someone can learn and avoid. Use a minimal number more. Maybe increase the number for an entire area, not a school and rotate the guards randomly across the schools, events, etc. to a degree that anyone seeking harm cannot know if its safe or not to show up at any time! How about something like this for short-term?
3. BAN auto weapons: I could go for that. WHY does anybody need a weapon like that? I much rather have every neighbor with a rife/gun and a neighbor watch network than just me and an auto-weapon. I'm just going to have to depend on the government agencies and military units to protect me from foreign attacks. I, myself, can NOT expect to survive any other way! Ban also any modifications to make a gun automatic. Ban? STOP the manufacturers from making them! We need Crack-Down! Certainly we should know WHO the manufacturers are already. CLOSE them down! Don't have to ban and control them if they are not made and/or distributed. Let's put some hurt to them before they become a drug-dealer size operation!
4. Do you think even age 21 is high enough for the nuts? Why annoy the honest hunters? Hunting equipment needs to be available to all ages. Yes, maybe guns need to be supplied by the parents though. But, now we have the situation like we've seen where teen-killer used daddy's gun! And we have incidents where small kiddos got hold of daddy's gun and shot someone. Can't stop everything. How do we make parents more responsible? Limit them? Make them lock up guns? Must-have gun lockable gun-cabinets? Trigger locks? I vote to low-cost solution of trigger locks for ALL guns. Never sold without a trigger lock! But, once again, every player selling MUST comply with restriction and sale! So, part of log and control in #1 above is the requirement to have a trigger lock accompany it. Also, all owners of existing guns must purchase a lock and log to gun and lock serial numbers (1 lock serial number per assigned gun). I would think ANY parent with children would want this. Why risk not having a lock? Reminds me of a Dr. Phil episode yesterday where a parent has a destructive and respectfulness teen but still decides to leave on a vacation twice a year without the child INSTRUCTING him to not have a party. Right! You can almost not expect to have a trustful child go without a party. Only difference will be that of chaos. So, lock up those guns.
5. Cutting ties with NRA? Surely not. However, the NRA needs to step up and provide some solutions! How about those in this post? Stop lobbying and put some money into solutions that you are capable of performing and distributing. The money you save, plus government money to implement solutions, plus benefit to everyone is a reward NRA should seek hotly! SO, go to it NRA. Stop fighting the Dems over amendment rights and show to world some solutions that would boost your importance and membership!
Once again, I need a break. Go ahead and comment about what has been written so far. This is important to each one of us. Think and respond please.
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