This year? I'm familiar with four incidents where a total of nine people died and one was left braindead. Two of the deaths were of the perpetrators. Oddly it seems to have been culminating to Valentine's day as they spanned from the eighth to the fourteenth of February. Of course, only the NIU incident appeared to be comparable to the incident the thread is discussing. The others look like good old fashion murder-suicide or attempted murder respectively.

Also, I'll once again note the influence of culture rather than that of guns. I'm first to admit that our nation has progressively been doing a worse job of raising children over the past few decades(school shootings came into view with people of my age group). Perhaps if parents and schools learned how to better raise and discipline children this wouldn't be such a problem.

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During the journey we commonly forget its goal. Almost every profession is chosen as a means to an end but continued as an end in itself. Forgetting our objectives is the most frequent act of stupidity.
-Friedrich Nietzsche, The Wanderer and his Shadow

All good socialists have villas in Southern France. That's not the point.
-Eurosocialist

When we talk about the "developed" world vs. the "developing" world, we're talking about economic development. It seems pretty clear that Russia is developing, not developed. The wiki article is actually pretty good, and I find this image particularly useful:

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Thanks for that. I see your point. (They do pump out some great scientists, though...some of the best I've seen, in my experience).

(And, going WAY off topic here, I am very disappointed about the direction I see Russia going. As an "in transistion" country (along with some of the previous Soviet blocks), I would hate them take that transition backwards. I have always had a great deal of respect for the spirit and strength of the Russian people (even as a child of the Cold War era). It is sad to me.)

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

I agree, SM. I fear that the transition from the USSR was way too fast, and that there are many that really feel a lack of security with their newfound freedoms. I think that this is why Putin is so popular; he gives the Russian people a sense of security in what turned into a VERY non-secure part of the world.

One of my good school friends is Russian. It's interesting to talk to her about politics. She and I went to see Bill Clinton speak when he visited campus. She was so excited to be so close to a past president - she noted that her family and friends back home would never believe it.

I hope that the Russians are able to redirect before they end up back in a totalitarian state.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

It speaks to the ineptitude of the average slacker Australian youth. They just don't have that 'can do' American spirit and attitude our thugs have.

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"Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves." ~ Lord Byron

Cool, you got better crims that us too. You guys sure love your bullshit huh!

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An exhaustive review of more than 600,000 Iraqi documents that were captured after the 2003 U.S. invasion has found no evidence that Saddam Hussein's regime had any operational links with Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terrorist network.

Right on.

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There is no secret ingredient.