It's not just that. The fact the the USSR and USA are separated by thousands of miles mean that after a suspected launch there was time to think and figure out whether it was real (which is one reason we're all still here.) Two nuclear-armed enemies sharing a border don't have that luxury. That's one reason that India-Pakistan is so scary. Israel-Syria-Iraq-Iran-Turkey would be far worse.
Their existence is hypothetically a kind of self-defense (the MAD doctrine.) But that goes only so far; their are far too many loonies who think a nuclear war is "winnable" to put much faith in it. And there have been far too many instances where a nuclear strike was almost ordered because of a mistaken belief that the other side had already launched to put any faith in it.
If humanity is going to have a future, we need to control the spread of the damned things, and where possible get rid of them. It's an area where talk about rights is just damned irresponsible foolishness.
There's a lot of concern about Israel having nukes, just not here in the U.S.
Also, there's little evidence that Iran's government is nuts (as opposed to very unfriendly.) It's difficult to point to something it's done that's harmful to its own interests.
If yes, why do you limit this to non-nuclear arms?
Because of their effect. Likewise. weaponized smallpox. There is a right to the sort of arms that could conceivably be used for self-defense, but not for those which amount to global mass murder.
I don't think the 2nd gives the right to own nuclear weapons to any individual, no matter how responsible. And I think the more countries that have nukes, the more likely they are to eventually be used. (If we could get rid of the damned things entirely, that would be fantastic, but I don't see that happening.) So I don't see anything inconsistent about trying to prevent their spread, not just to Iran, but to any country that doesn't already have them.
I would say that even for a maximally responsible gun owner, there is a non-zero chance that he will at some point do something irresponsible. Obviously, with more cars on the road, there are going to be more car-related deaths. Denying the same is true of guns is magical thinking.
And, obviously, the communists were simply aping capitalist techniques. They created nothing, they discovered nothing, they innovated nothing. Or if they did, it was things that would have been created, discovered, and innovated even faster under a free market. Obviously.
I set up shop in an impoverished location. Since it's better than the alternative (nothing), I can pay starvation wages. Also because it's better than the alternative (nothing), I don't bother putting in fire exits. The result is a hundred people burning to death. By the logic being offered, I did nothing wrong, because people freely chose to work in the firetrap. And if you tried to coerce me into observing basic fire safety laws, and as a result I moved someplace more lax, you would be guilty of hurting the people who, as a result, lost their jobs.
Also because Disney welcomed (or at least didn't chase away) gatherings of gay folk. I recall reading this, though I can't find the cite (and I once again am not making this up):
A group of Southern Baptists was trying to find a new spot for a group get-together, having rejected Disney World for gay-friendliness. They were considering Cuba, because at least Castro knew to deal with Those People.
On “BIBI, Armed Bears edition”
It's not just that. The fact the the USSR and USA are separated by thousands of miles mean that after a suspected launch there was time to think and figure out whether it was real (which is one reason we're all still here.) Two nuclear-armed enemies sharing a border don't have that luxury. That's one reason that India-Pakistan is so scary. Israel-Syria-Iraq-Iran-Turkey would be far worse.
"
If we could negotiate this with the other nuclear powers, hell, yes.
"
One is a chronic problem, the other is very, very, very acute. I'll worry less about the low-grade fever than the heart stoppage.
"
Sure, which is why I went on to argue that the self-defense aspects of nukes are illusory.
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There is very little worth making that slope more slippery.
On “Beyond Showroom Diversity and Other Thoughts”
Fire escapes cost money.
Uh-huh. I'm done here.
On “BIBI, Armed Bears edition”
Their existence is hypothetically a kind of self-defense (the MAD doctrine.) But that goes only so far; their are far too many loonies who think a nuclear war is "winnable" to put much faith in it. And there have been far too many instances where a nuclear strike was almost ordered because of a mistaken belief that the other side had already launched to put any faith in it.
If humanity is going to have a future, we need to control the spread of the damned things, and where possible get rid of them. It's an area where talk about rights is just damned irresponsible foolishness.
"
There's a lot of concern about Israel having nukes, just not here in the U.S.
Also, there's little evidence that Iran's government is nuts (as opposed to very unfriendly.) It's difficult to point to something it's done that's harmful to its own interests.
"
Do you believe in a self-evident right to arms?
That's pretty much part of being a nation-state.
If yes, why do you limit this to non-nuclear arms?
Because of their effect. Likewise. weaponized smallpox. There is a right to the sort of arms that could conceivably be used for self-defense, but not for those which amount to global mass murder.
"
I don't think the 2nd gives the right to own nuclear weapons to any individual, no matter how responsible. And I think the more countries that have nukes, the more likely they are to eventually be used. (If we could get rid of the damned things entirely, that would be fantastic, but I don't see that happening.) So I don't see anything inconsistent about trying to prevent their spread, not just to Iran, but to any country that doesn't already have them.
On “Meet Buffalo Wild Wings”
I would say that even for a maximally responsible gun owner, there is a non-zero chance that he will at some point do something irresponsible. Obviously, with more cars on the road, there are going to be more car-related deaths. Denying the same is true of guns is magical thinking.
"
I think gun-worship is as real a religion as Scientology.
On “Beyond Showroom Diversity and Other Thoughts”
And, obviously, the communists were simply aping capitalist techniques. They created nothing, they discovered nothing, they innovated nothing. Or if they did, it was things that would have been created, discovered, and innovated even faster under a free market. Obviously.
"
I set up shop in an impoverished location. Since it's better than the alternative (nothing), I can pay starvation wages. Also because it's better than the alternative (nothing), I don't bother putting in fire exits. The result is a hundred people burning to death. By the logic being offered, I did nothing wrong, because people freely chose to work in the firetrap. And if you tried to coerce me into observing basic fire safety laws, and as a result I moved someplace more lax, you would be guilty of hurting the people who, as a result, lost their jobs.
This is not a hypothetical.
On “A comments culture to strive for…”
Burt can give you my coke.
"
I'll give you my New Yorker when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.
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Ecclesiastes 9:11
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Well, keep telling him that. You may have to escalate to name-calling and obscenities, but eventually he'll break down and admit he's a damned liar.
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That loses its sting about the third time someone plonks the same person.
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an unlimited comments policy simply allows commentors to post all their jokes and witticisms.
Why do you hate America?
On “Meet Buffalo Wild Wings”
Anyone who, out of all the food available downtown in The City [1]. chooses Carl's Junior deserves exactly what they get.
1. Entirely deliberate.
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the Lakers jersey on the wall.
Now, there's a reason to carry a gun.
"
Also because Disney welcomed (or at least didn't chase away) gatherings of gay folk. I recall reading this, though I can't find the cite (and I once again am not making this up):
A group of Southern Baptists was trying to find a new spot for a group get-together, having rejected Disney World for gay-friendliness. They were considering Cuba, because at least Castro knew to deal with Those People.
"
You owe me a coke, or however that works.
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“I changed banks for the same reason.”
I am, as Dave Barry would say, Not Making This Up.