http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682 With the recent release reports regarding the Virginia Tech shooting last spring, as well as a new story here on TnT on the subject, I thought I'd address a flawed article I found soon after this happened.  This is from <a href="http://www.treesandthings.com/user/DEMachina/diary">my diary</a>, but I got a request to submit it as a story, so here we are.<p> I came across <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18246417/site/newsweek/">this article</a> from Newsweek, entitled "A Day in the Life of a 9mm." L en-us Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:40:05 EST Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:36:14 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#20 DARE was the single most effective public policy campaign in the history of the world...at raising awareness of drugs and making sure everyone knew to try at least once. Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:36:14 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#19 True enough about DARE.  Honestly, during my brief period of marijuana use back in high school, it was not uncommon for us to sit around, stoned, and make fun of DARE.  So yeah.<p> Fortunately I live in the South (Virginia, specifically), where y Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:06:27 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#18 <i>Supposedly taking people shooting converts folks a large percentage of the time which brings up some interesting questions as to why they were against it in the first place.</i><p> We're Americans...principles will always take a back seat to FUN. Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:01:37 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#17 <i> I don't really know the details of this, obviously.  That said, I think about how ineffective DARE is, and I wouldn't expect much out of an analogous program for guns. </i><p> Yeah, DARE sucks. I think the only thing it was good for was teaching k Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:23:19 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#16 Actually, funny you should mention that.  This same instructor mentioned an attempt at that as a study at some kind of community center (don't remember those particular details).  What I do remember is that a very small percentage of kids actuall Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:05:53 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#15 Wow, that link is .. special.<p> Honestly size only makes but so much difference (tee hee).  From what I've seen, full-size handguns are totally carryable (I've seen people do so).  The trend seems to be making weapons that are more compact, even Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:53:29 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#14 <i> I heard an interesting (albeit anecdotal) factoid awhile back.  I was taking a defensive handgun class and the instructor (who wasn't a cop, but does do similar things, e.g. a bail bondsman) was talking about educating kids about guns.  Even Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:13:56 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#13 Isn't concealment and comfort something else to consider, as well? I don't know how big some of these can get, but doesn't caliber size proportion to the total volume of the gun that would need to be attached to your waist or <a href="http://www.thunderwea Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:08:01 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#12 I heard an interesting (albeit anecdotal) factoid awhile back.  I was taking a defensive handgun class and the instructor (who wasn't a cop, but does do similar things, e.g. a bail bondsman) was talking about educating kids about guns.  Even if y Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:52:50 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#11 Clearly more celebrities need to carry guns so that tabloids can run "this month's hot gun" stories because Jennifer Aniston has a cute little 9mm in her purse that is just <i>so</i> darling. Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:38:29 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#10 Unfortunately I'm not sure there's any way to figure that out, but that's a good question.  All the advice I've seen is basically, "carry the largest caliber you can shoot accurately."  Basically the conventional wisdom seems to be that it's bett Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:14:31 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#9 Good point. I think the media and special interest groups find it pretty easy to portray gun owners (even random people who only own a 12 gauge shotgun for hunting or target shooting) as extremists and survivalist nutjobs to the uninformed. Fear breeds ign Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:14:39 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#8 Bubble cars now! Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:17:56 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#7 Exactly! I mean, I don't own a gun and even I know that the woman's claim was completely BS. Yet, a reporter in a War Zone, someone who should know something about guns, passes it along to the AP wire. If that picture getting onto the wire is any indicatio Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:36:55 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#6 Comparing it to deaths in Iraq is irrelevant.  Try comparing it to deaths by vehicle (40,000 people every year killed by motor vehicles every year.)   Heck, compare it to death by drowning, or any other method.  Gun deaths are big news becau Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:52:03 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#5 Given that the 9mm is a small round, it's sort of odd to complain about it's popularity. Would these complainers rather have criminals blazing away at us with .44 mags? I also am always baffled by complaints about the Tec-9. I've shot the Tec-9. The Tec-9 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:29:20 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#4 <blockquote><a href="http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafp070814211100.kkqbxpk2p3&show_article=1&catnum=2&ch=BNImagesWorldhttp://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafp070814211100.kkqbxpk2p3&show_article=1&catnum=2&ch=BNImagesWorl Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:17:26 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#3 What does the average gun owner carry on a day to day basis? What are the more popular models? <p> Do these conflict from what the gangbangers and criminals seem to prefer? Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:16:17 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#2 <i>Anyway, my wife was told last night (by a 75 year old Veteran, of all people!) "People with guns will end up getting shot by other people with guns." What prompted this? She mentioned in passing that next month she has to pick up her grandmother's old . Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:49:49 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/9/9/182031/5682#1 Quoting myself:<p> <i>I agree...sadly, unlike you, I don't that day will ever come.  Between the hyperbole of modern reporting and the insatiable appetite of the majority of news "consumers" it will only get worse.  <p> Seriously...which of the f Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:09:11 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/