If you sleep very light because of your paranoia of home invasion, monsters under the bed / in the closet or even your spouse’s craziness while he / she is dreaming, the ‘Safe Bedside Table’ might make you feel safer and give you the rest you deserve.
from James McAdams portfolio:
It is reported that 50% of people in London are worried about security and sleep with some form of self-defence to hand, for use against intruders.
The ‘Safe Bedside Table’ has a removable leg that acts as a club and a top that doubles as a shield for self-defence. This is for people who are willing to take on an intruder, providing an extra sense of security whilst in bed.
James McAdam is a designer who is trying to make this world a better place with his multi functional ideas. I don’t know if any of his designs actually made it to serial production but some are definitely worth looking into. Not sure if this is one of them but I had to share it with you.
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[...] the “Safe Bedside Table”. For those who plan on taking on the intruder when he enters… [...]
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[...] G: looks like a good one is coming up J: i’m there now. G: I’m gonna buy you this: http://www.katize.com/2007/08/11/sleep-tight-with-the-safe-bedside-table/ G: http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/128292638767933750ihaetusohard.jpg J: this [...]
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[...] 28th, 2007 by Chris Check out this bedside table that turns shield and club from the James McAdam collection. It’s home security [...]
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[...] September 18, 2007 in design by lars In recent times, every time I surf the net (or in 99,9% of these particular cases, StumbleUpon sites), I catch myself becoming more and more fascinated with furniture which is designed in a clean, simple and very functional manner. Remember, the Safe Bedside Table? [...]
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[...] Sleep Tight With The ‘Safe Bedside Table’ | katize.com - weblog of Kat and Lars (tags: funny interesting table security shield bedside) [...]
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[...] read more | digg story [...]
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[...] Do you usually end up rooming with the “mean” kids from your group on overnight trips? Take this nightstand for extra security. Nightstand [...]
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[...] like to read a design blog by a fun creative Los Angeles couple, Lars and Kat called Katize. As I was perusing the site last night, I saw this table posted by Lars (who also hosts a sweet [...]
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[...] Today, 07:12 PM The ‘Safe Bedside Table’ has a removable leg that acts as a club and a top that doubles as a shield for self-defence. This is for people who are willing to take on an intruder, providing an extra sense of security whilst in bed. Sleep Tight With The ‘Safe Bedside Table’ | katize.com [...]
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[...] duerme del tiron con la mesilla de seguridad www.katize.com/2007/08/11/sleep-tight-with-the-safe-bedside-… por AwarenesS hace pocos segundos [...]
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[...] Since people in London can’t keep a gun this is what they have at their bedside. Sleep Tight With The ‘Safe Bedside Table’ | katize.com __________________ Nemo me impune [...]
wow, just wow… I mean… wow
Reply to jorgeLol….a one legged table….how funny
Reply to StumblerNow that is an incredibly novel idea
With the amount of break-ins happening in my neighbourhood I sure could use a side table like that. It comes with a shield even, bet it would make me look like a gladiator … LOL!
Reply to Nick Phillipsmaybe if it was a …I don’t know, semi-auto shotgun disguised as a… GUN YOU MINDLESS BRITS!!! Then that would work better. In this day and age, or any day and age, for that matter; you should have a gun at hand to deal with intruders. You sheepole should have never allowed your “government” to take away ANY of your guns. Now you have to use a ‘efin club… sweet. Die screaming from a gunshot wound inflicted by the intruders. They’ll(my government) have to kill me before they get my guns. “If all else fails, vote from the rooftops.”
Reply to Ohno Jojogun laws in england are waaaaaaay more strict than in the US
Reply to evegYet another piece of evidence that the U.S.A is a disease on the face of this planet.
Reply to OakmanOr a piece of evidence the rest of the world has lost its balls- YOU decide! =P
Reply to RonnieHey, he doesn’t speak for me. South of the Mason-Dixon line = idiots.
Reply to AndrewHow would the intruder shoot someone if they don’t have guns? While I do support gun rights, using a gun to stop a petty burglar is just insane. With all the executions and shootings going on lately, I’ve started to understand why the UK has such strict gun laws; they’re ahead of us in every other issue anyways…
Reply to Jackalhahahahahahahahahaha
-awesome.
Reply to tThere is no need whatsoever to post a comment like that. This isn’t a representation of an entire group of people, it’s self defense. I’d buy that, and I live in the US. My father still keeps a bat in the house as protection. You’re ignorant and annoying. Bye.
Reply to taciI like that it also has a shield!
Reply to piping girlHA HA HA HA HA! HE’S GONNA DIE SCREAMING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND!!! YOUR FATHER IS GOING TO DIE SCREAMING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND!!! Unless, he was a samuai. Then he could probably deflect the bullet with his super aluminum batting-style ameri-samurai skillzz.
Reply to JACK.its a work of art great imagination
Reply to steveThe shield has +5 mana on it as well!
Reply to Bobbie Ozellalolol +5mana hahaha you play WoW or something?
Reply to LocoYes I really wish the UK government hadn’t reduced gun crime to the tiny number it currently is. I’d much rather have my neighbourhood filled with the brand of gun toting lunatics that you get in the good ‘ol US of A.
Seriously, if you think some form of gun control is a bad thing you’re more brainwashed than you could possibly know.
Reply to Demoliwell, i live in canada…
Reply to Othenia Grazalicapacosand a bat would be an effective way to defend yourself, yes.
but how long would it take to effectively disassemble the table, keeping in mind you are probably in a panic because all of your paranoid nightmares are coming true? wouldn’t it just be more effective to have a bat under your bed or whatever, so that you can just grab it? or a gun under your pillow?
clever design, yes.. but not really practical, if you picture it in a real-life situation.
Well, speaking as a fellow canadian, you should know that the only gun a civilian can own must be licensd through a long process and even then it’s generally only hunting rifles and guns of that sort. You need special permits and a better reason than paranoia to be able to wield small-arms…’course, you could always just sneak one from the US, and not bother with legalities, right? they sell ‘em like candy anyway.
Reply to anonthe perfect table for the man with a one-legged woman in his life
Reply to jackWhat a great table. I’d buy one (if they weren’t too expensive!)
Reply to Tara: Graphic Design Blogguns are pointless
Reply to charleyif you actually knew how to defend yourself the intruder wouldnt have time to see you as you whack him round the head with a bat large enough to kill the f***er anyway.
couldnt you just hit them with a normal table?
Reply to jeffI don’t want turn this into a discussion about the US… but what the hell - I enjoy it.
How many yanks have actually responded to this taking about how useless this is against guns? How terminally screwed up is the USA if that comes to so many minds? WE DON’T HAVE GUNS, YOU IDIOTS! The burglars don’t have them because we don’t have them, and vice-versa. That’s why we are all a squillion times less likely to get “a cap in our ass” than you. That’s why we (the rest of the Western world who aren’t terminally paranoid) get to sleep soundly while you lot tool up as if some imaginary enemy is going to invade you! NEWS: t’ain’t gonna happen, Bubbah! Squeal! Squeeeeealll!!
Meanwhile, is it just me, or does the idea of twatting a burglar with a custom-made table leg really sound like fun?
Reply to BritNutThe vast majority of our intruders do not *have* guns! That is the point of our gun control laws. When there is any form of gun crime it makes our national news, that’s how rare it is. Our muggers use knives or just their fists.
And we didn’t let our government take our guns away…we never had any in the first place. Except for members of gun clubs who are still allowed to have them…providing they are kept at the gun club. This all prevents burglars stealing guns and selling them on the streets to other criminals.
Note I am not advocating gun control in America. I don’t live there and understand there are 2 sides to the argument. Yes, if you had gun control there would be less accidental deaths and less spontaneous murders (when we row with our spouses plates get thrown, when there’s a gun in the house, things sometimes go further alot easier). Lets also add that lot of police in America are shot by their own guns while wreslting to apprehend suspects. But also yes, there are so many guns already out there that it is trivial for a criminal to get a gun. And the founding fathers did want people armed. Partly to make sure us Brits never came back, partly because they had just had to overthrow an oppressive goverment and realised that one way to keep a government from going too far is to make them afraid of their own citizenry.
As to the design, I like it. Assuming those pegs just slip on and off as opposed to screw, it wouldn’t take long to dump the clock and books off the top and pull apart.
Reply to AyaronYanks, please…
In the U.K. it is illegal for anyone to own a gun and it is therefore quite difficult to get hold of a gun, it is also quite expensive to purchase one and purchase ammunition.
The majority of people who break in to homes are drug addicts. They are living in squats, they have no possessions but the stinking, piss stained clothes they are wearing and they want to steal your possessions to sell at cash converters or trade with a dealer for smack… Fact.
I would say that nine times out of ten this would be an adequate defence against any intruder as they aren’t going to be armed with a gun.
Gun crime in the U.K. is so low because no-one is allowed to carry a gun, gun crime in the U.S. is so high because you put guns in the hands of people not even capable of working behind the till in a Mc Donalds…
Seriously… Think about this… For example :
I walked in to a shop the other day and purchased goods from the young chap behind the counter whose value equated to a sum of £9.26. I handed the lad a £10.00 note and before he had managed to count up the change I said “I have the 26p here”… He stared at me blankly for a few seconds and then said “I’ve already rung it in the till.”.
Now, all the guy needed to do was give me a £1 coin and everything would be fine… He couldn’t grasp the concept and I made no attempt to dive in to his stupid little mind any further than necessary to make him understand, I took my 74p and left.
You think people with that level of intelligence should own a gun ?
People who can’t even perform sums which I learned before I went to primary school ?
What am I saying… Look who you elected President…
[ Back on Topic ]
Nice table, I can see how it might be a struggle to dismantle in a crisis but it’s a great idea and if it comes apart as quickly and easily as it looks… Yeah, I think I would buy one.
Reply to Guns, in the U.K..?Problem with such weapons is that the criminal will take them and use it on you. Unless you are a large confident male I suggest an air horn and bright flashing lights. criminals are frequently crazed addicts and should not be engaged unless you are well trained.
Reply to RenomanIf the shield was gun proof then it’d be delightful.
Reply to Soupmaybe if it was a …I don’t know, semi-auto shotgun disguised as a… GUN YOU MINDLESS BRITS!!! Then that would work better. In this day and age, or any day and age, for that matter; you should have a gun at hand to deal with intruders. You sheepole should have never allowed your “government” to take away ANY of your guns. Now you have to use a ‘efin club… sweet. Die screaming from a gunshot wound inflicted by the intruders. They’ll(my government) have to kill me before they get my guns. “If all else fails, vote from the rooftops.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reply to charlesAre you American?
The gun Proof bit is that how many people with a gun would react instantly when confronted with what looks like in the half light (not many intruders turn the lights on) a medieval Knight with a mace and shield, for added effect run at them screaming.
If you can close on them and get just one hit in, in the time it takes them to get their thoughts together, you have won.
Reply to wilIt’s a fact that more gun owners get shot & killed with their own weapon than any other method of being attacked. Stupid gun owners don’t even know how to use their own guns so it’s no wonder they don’t know how to use a baseball bat. HAHAHA
Reply to Fredi think its bloody brill i mean for protection it is ok but find the right spot put some padding on e.g hochy,crickit and you bash each other on a layered battlefield and toughfen up its f***ing brill well thats what i think and im ten
Reply to phantom pandagotta love the commentary on guns in itself. dont know about most of you, but a gun is not the point of this… the point is a little something that looks nice and can be used (possibly) to defend yourself. Great jjob and innovation to whomever created this
Reply to KeithOK where can I buy this… i really need one.
Reply to GuamoelOn behalf of all decent, intelligent Americans I would like to apologize for the morons that have posted here. We are not all brain-dead, tiny-penis, gun-fetishest in this country. Some of us are well aware that the likelihood of being shot by your own gun far exceeds the chances of either using it against an intruder or having an intruder use his against you.
But we do have several gun problems in the US. Not the least of which is how do we wean ourselves from guns since we have seeded the criminal element with so many of them? Getting limp-dicks like those who posted above to stop trying to compensate for their terrible inadequacies is further down the list.
Reply to franklyThis is a really good idea, and perfect for someone living on their own in a ground floor flat. Or of course you could the follow the route I went down. Instead of having some defensive weaponry made into bedroom furniture, I keep my glass of milk and night time book on a Challenger II main battle tank. That’s deterrence!
Reply to Charlie2gun proof shield. that’s a dope idea.
I just wanted to take a second and thank you all for your comments. Honestly, I didn’t think that this table could turn into a controversial topic, but I’m loving it.
When you check out the designers site you’ll see that this table is ‘just’ part of his portfolio, just like the other items which are great ideas but not necessarily always practical.
I’m sure the wheel wasn’t exactly round in the beginning either
thank you again and stay tuned for more.
Reply to larsLars
i understand the argument that if there are no guns no one can assault you with one. how ever there are knives. not to worry because your a ninja. but is your wife or mother. most women and/ or old people wouldn’t be able to use that kind of weapon against little ol’ me much less a crack fiend.
guns are useless unless you cant use anything else effectively to defend your self.
Reply to a ninja tooi have a simple solution to the get-shot-in-the-face-by-your-own-gun-problem. get a shotgun,why? because if you’re breaking into a house in the middle of the night and as you walk about the property finding what to take, the scariest thing you can hear, is a shotgun being loaded,and you having no idea were it came from, and in close coaters, you know its deadly. see,you dont even need to buy ammo, just cock it and once they hear you, they are out the door
Reply to lars13Well i think its a cracking idea! as a brit i would do the whole ‘gun arguement’ thing but its pretty much all covered so im just gonna say that i can imagine myself twatting sum drug crazed maniac over the head, catching his knife thrust on my little wooden shield and then tossing the evil git out of the window mwahahahaha!!!
Reply to Muddy Monster (hi mum)O.K, I agree with the Canadian…eh! But I have to wonder how many people reside in Bobbie Ozella’s head. He (?she) comes arond 180 degrees with those comments . Funny though…+ 5 mana, that’s great.
Reply to RobbyCliff says he would just as soon buy a gun. I think I would rather buy a good dog that loves to eat buttholes.
Reply to HybieLove the table, got something similar but not as cute, awsome job Kathy & Lars, love Ur other stuff too.
re all but a few of the american posters: I’m really glad U guys have guns, cos lets face it 1 of these days you lot are gonna wipe yourselves out, so maybe the world can be a happier & safer place. To hell with American gun control, just get all the sane non-bush voting reasonable Americans out, then lock all the exits & add many more guns. If you warmongering jerks wanna blow eachother to shit thats fine by me, I’dve thought you wouldve learned something from your own history but then again your probably too busy to reflect on past mistakes what with all the bullying & opressing your government seems preoccupied with.
Darwin bless America
Reply to Jock(please & quickly)
To: Bobbie Ozella…No, I’m not ignorant… I’m just not a victim. I hope you never find yourself in need of that little “bat”. hope your wife and kids can take care of themselves. Best of luck, swinger.
Reply to Ohno JojoTo: Renoman…I am 6′3″, 260 lbs and am a trained crowd control manager and ex-military(Army). However, I see your point. I do believe that anyone who owns a gun should be required to take the training necessary to use it properly.
To:Soup…ROFLMAO!!!
Re: The shield has +5 mana on it as well!
OMFG…that was VERY funny.
Look you guys, when a troll posts an obviously provocatory message, do not reward him/her/it by responding.
Reply to KickahaA bigger version would make a good table for pubs. An army of four bat-swinging
Reply to Eruhooligans. Yay!
a claymore would be more effective
Reply to phattiphatti2x4Oh… Wow…
Wow. Heh, heh. Wow.
I totally want that.
Reply to AluminumSome of these comments had me rolling off of my chair laughing..especially “dogs that love to eat buttholes”…LMAO!!
Thank you so much for the kind words Jock….I’m glad you like.
It’s just a simple and sad fact that it’s too easy for people to get their hands on a gun in the US. And many times guns end up in the wrong hands. The homicide rates are rising in many cities and every year we have to deal with school shootings, mini-massacres, gang violence, robberies..etc.. It will only get worse unless our gov. decides to change and enforce stricter laws… Sadly, I don’t see this happening anytime soon..
Reply to katsince this has devolved into a political debate
1 america became america BECAUSE everyone had a rifle and could use one so despite the fact we no longer need em to feed ourselves, fend off Indian attacks, or to run off the parasitic Brit overlords and their merc troops WE are partial to em
2 IF it was SO hard to aquire firearms in the UK WTF did it take so long to put down the Belfast ISSUE- oh yeah they all had guns too!
Reply to anonymous3 and i can just see it now it becomes a best seller with heavy sales to footballer fans for the post game rampages thru town
Reply to anonymousAnother apology from America for the morons above.
I’m one of those Bible-thumpers from the feared American south. And I think responsible gun ownership is a good thing.
Trouble is, too many gun owners are not responsible. My guess is that 85% of the guns in America are not stored properly or owned by people who fully understand the danger in their midst. And don’t get me started on the idiotic concept of conceal and carry laws- as if grannies with .38 specials in their purses isn’t a disaster waiting to happen. We’re truly through the looking glass here.
I personally have never owned a gun and probably never will. I don’t hunt, I’m not farmer or rancher w/ livestock to protect, and since I’m 6′1″ 275lbs, I’m not worried about an intruder.
I don’t want to see our country adopt the UK’s gun policy, but I think we could learn a great deal from Canada where gun ownership is fairly common but gun violence is decidedly rare. I suspect the difference is how we treat our poor- most of our gun violence in this country happens among the poor.
Reply to Jack from TexasHaha… that table is awesome… i would so buy one, to hell with guns, a burglar wouldnt be to likely to use one around here, to loud with to many neighbors up all around the clock.
Reply to FrogI always thought a chainsaw would be a fantastic home defense weapon. If you think hearing a shotgun cock would be nerve wracking, think about being in a quiet house and hearing a chainsaw fire up. You’d know that homeowner was one crazy MoFo and you’d leave via the nearest exit, ASAP. This reduces the chances of any actual contact, and is probably safer for both parties. Sure, you’d have to keep it tuned up so you’re not fussing with it trying to start, but, it could also be useful around the yard.
No?
Reply to LeatherfaceLove the table, I know i would never need to use it but it would be nice to have it round.
Lets just pack it in with the whole gun thing. Here is some stats:
Gun related deaths 2002
UK: 81
Canada: 816
US: 30,242
I know maths levels are low over there but I’m sure most can understand the difference. If not here’s one of your own, Bill Hicks descibing it:
“Gun Control? “England, where no one has guns; fourteen deaths. United States — and I think you know how we feel about guns; whoo! I’m getting’ a stiffy — 23,000 deaths from handguns. But there’s no connection, and you’d be a fool and a communist to make one.”
To the Americans who feel they need to appologise: Don’t worry about it, we know not all Americans are stupid. GW Bush may be stupid but hey, he’s smarter than the 51% who voted for him!.
Reply to dib (UK)I love the chainsaw idea, only probs is im not sure i could find the choke on the damn thing in the dark, let alone turn it on in a panic situation.
I reckon your best bet is too give your ass lovin dog some prozac and caffeine pills and dnt feed it before bed time. lets see if the burglar likes that.
As for the IRA with their guns, Mr Anonymous, they were funded by Wall Street rich jerks and exported them illegally from USA cunningly hidden in ship containers. So many containers reach the shores each day that only 2% are checked.
So in conclusion to my ramble, us Brits need to check more containers, and certain American citizens need to stop worshipping guns and expecting others to do so. I expect that many of you have no idea what gunshots actually do to people, and as a member of the British Army who has seen this happen, i will assure you that it is incredibly unpleasant and the less guns there are in the world the better.
Reply to Muddy Monster (hi mum)They should sell this stuff here in South Africa.
Reply to esvlIts hilarious that these Brits actually think there are NO guns in the UK. Gun related crimes have risen in the UK over the past decade…bigtime! A lot of it can be faulted to crack, but nonetheless, there are guns in the UK. And they’re in the hands of robbers, drug dealers, and the ‘bad guys’ who you would need to defend yourself from.
You think people who use guns for crime related reasons are part of “gun clubs?” NO! They get the guns the same way every other jack ass criminal gets them…smuggled / black market (i.e. hot, serial numbers welded off etc).
You guys need to open your eyes. The days of billy clubs and fancy coats is over. The days of bullet proof vests and automatic assault rifles is here.
Its just sad that in your country(s), you have no way of legally defending yourself against someone with a gun. And no “being a sneaky ninja with your tiny club” is not going to beat a bullet traveling at 450m/sec. And if you think your government will somehow magically get rid of the guns you are sadly mistaken. The drug industry fuels the violence, which requires the guns, which comes from the trillions of dollars they make yearly. No government can stop this super power…ever. All they can do is try to feed propaganda to the public to give a false sense of security.
Reply to booyaI lived in the USA for ten years and actually mostly it is a great place and quite safe. A land full of extremes but unfortunately more extreme than most other countries (opinion) Extremely kind…extremely nasty….extremely clever…extremely stupid…extremely rich…..you get the idea…so when I first arrived…I decided to wear a sleeveless T shirt….when anyone asked my why I told them I really liked the idea of the right to bare arms….some laughed some thought me stupid….
On July 4th each year I would be teased about what they were celebrating and would always reply…”so you think we don’t celebrate it?” - Again…some laughed and some took offense.
So what is my point? Well above is a table that whether or not you think it is good or bad has turned into a debate/banter/slug fest of comments regarding guns, culture, who is better etc. I suspect the need for the guns and possibly the table stems from exactly this sort of egocentric. jingoistic and moronic display of chest beating.
If you STUMBLE a good deal you may have stumbled upon Monkeyspheres have a read…it may make you think just a little more about the comments we make and why…
OK soap box over….the table is a fantastic idea…I love creativity just a shame it is needed…
Reply to RafflesAt the risk of starting a whole new debate…
“The drug industry fuels the violence, which requires the guns, which comes from the trillions of dollars they make yearly. No government can stop this super power…ever.” - booya
Yes they can. Simply legalise most of the recreational drugs and allow people to get clean, measured doses with accurate informatin about how to take it safely.
The prohibition of alcohol in America prooved that if you ban something people want to take you create powerful, organised criminal syndicates exploiting the need. And if people who wanted to take drugs didn’t have to go to criminals to get them, perhaps less would get hooked on the really nasty stuff or die of contaminated supplies. Alcohol and tabacco are both addictive (psychologically for most when it comes to alcohol, but still, try suggesting to the average person they aren’t allowed any for a month) and kill plenty of people in related deaths (accidents and desease) yet legal. There is an argument that used sensibly weed, opium and herioin can be no worse.
Just a thought. Not a fervently held opinion.
Reply to Ayaronmy question is: why would you try to resist a burglar in the first place?? he can only steal things. if someone would enter my house, i wouldn’t go as far as to try to fight with them, i would just let them steal. it would be only material things they can steal from me. If on the other hand they’d came with the intention of harming me or my loved ones, probably I wouldn’t stand a chance anyway, and to get killed wouldn’t be good for them either. I wouldn’t get something like this to prepare to defend myself or my family. That’s why I live in a society where we are organized to prevent and deal with these situations (police and laws). I’m not a fighter, and I wouldn’t harm someone to stop them taking things from me.
Reply to GabrielNo one says there are no guns, but if you think about it, the majority of petty criminals are not the same as the people that carry guns. Most people who are desperate enough to stoop to that level are drug addicts or poor. The drug addicts would most likely spend what money they have on drugs - I can’t see an addicted person saving money for a gun - and the poor simply cannot afford a gun. Especially since they’d be more expensive and harder to get when it’s illegal to own one.
Do you think robbers, drug dealers and gangsters/Mafia will really be bothered with stealing from an average Joe’s family home? No probably not. Drug dealers get a lot more selling drugs than robbing a home, if robbers had guns, they’d probably go for something worth more than you flat-screen tv, and as for gangster/Mafia, they’re usually similar to drug dealers, or if you’ve somehow managed to really piss them off, gun or not, you’d be a dead man anyway. It’s not propaganda, firearms, just aren’t necessary for a common citizen in a country where there are strict firearm laws.
I feel sorry for those of you who think guns are a necessity. If everyone and their mum had guns, and an armed invader enters your house. Who do you think would have the advantage here: the armed invader, or you who just woke up in a panic? Most likely the invader. And who do you think an invader will most likely fire at, a man with a shield, or a man with a gun? Probably a gun. All it takes is basically one shot to kill or seriously hurt a person; and you’re deluded if you think a bulletproof vest will protect you. One shot to a bullet proof vest would wind you, or at least make you flinch. How long do you think it takes before they fire again? Probably before you manage to fire back. Think about it, guns really don’t help at all.
Reply to IceBooya - remind me again who made the drug industry such a profitable enterprise for criminals? Ever heard of prohibition?
Keep drinking the kool aid gun-nuts - according to you, the solution to gun violence is to give everyone guns. Well, I can’t argue with that sort of *logic*
But I digress, let’s get back to discussing the merits of this impractical and ugly table shall we?
Reply to Anonymous cowardYou’re right, booya, that we have guns “in the wrong hands” in the UK. Gun crime is rising. However at this moment in time it’s rising in specific sectors - young blacks shooting young blacks, for the most part.
As has been said above, if someone breaks into your house in the UK then they’re likely to be looking for something they can carry easily and sell easily. For drug money. They won’t be armed. Even if they HAD owned a gun it’d be the first thing they’d sell to buy more drugs.
Personally I think most burglars are going to scarper as soon as they hear the occupant stirring. So no real need for this product.
Reply to JonBooya
Reply to suepsNobody said there were no guns in UK just that they are very rare and hardly ever used in burglery.
The odd bank raid and gang shooting in the city ghettos and that’s about it.
Maybe 5 a year hits the news.
The average guy on the street need not worry about guns and has probably never seen one except on TV.
I know this is a hard concept to grasp for an american but its true honestly.
We don’t need to worry about guns in our daily lives, just something we dont even think about thank the lord.
mm now let me see, a guy is in your house and he has a gun,mmmm all you have is a poxy table which you have to unscrew set up like a gladiator and brandish it in the air to scare him off somehow i think the gun would win
Reply to maccadooi’m partial to katanas
http://www.cheatcc.com/ccc_newsserver/Article.aspx?PostID=373931
or holes in the floor covered by leaves. that always works.
Reply to America **** yeah!C’mon, Maccadoo, read what’s written, not what you want to see. You said “a guy is in your house and he has a gun”, but don’t you see what’s being said? In a country that doesn’t have a gun culture, the guy in your house doesn’t have a gun.
Reply to HAL9000Gun crime is truly rare in the UK (and most of Europe) because we’ve never seen a need for it. Your founding fathers had a lot of nasty things to contend with and thought it necessary to use guns - a lot. But the frontier days are over, and I don’t think you’re going to meet a Grizzly bear in downtown LA any more. So maybe it’s time for the US to join the civilised world and reject guns?
And yes, after 24 years in the British armed forces, I do know how to handle one.
I love this table! Practical or not, it’s still quite entertaining.
Meanwhile, as a Yank (born and raised) I tend to feel that we would be much better off with heavily increased gun control. One person above stated that gun related crime is up in the UK. Perhaps, but I imagine it’s up most places in the world, and they’re still nowhere near the level the United States has managed to reach. All anybody has to do is look at some very basic statistics to realize that the amount of gun deaths and gun violence in the U.S. is vastly disproportionate to the amount of people we have compared to other countries. Now this could be because we, as Americans, are just more violent as a people, but I somehow feel that, just maybe, it’s because other countries have stricter gun control laws than we do. If you want to talk about “providing a false sense of security”, well, that’s all guns do. They give you the illusion of safety, while, in fact, doing the opposite. They’re far more likely to put the lives of the wielder and those around them in jeopardy than save anybody.
Also, in terms of our President, please remember that scarcely half of us voted for him. Still, far too many, but it is something to keep in mind. We did not all elect him, and we most certainly do not all want him. There are those in this country who are too ignorant, hateful, and/or stupid to realize or care, but the majority of us realize that we are, currently, being led by a dangerous moron, and that the situation must be rectified.
Until such time, however, let me simply offer my apology both for the actions of our President and the behavior of many traveling Americans. Let’s all hope we’ve got better days ahead.
Reply to Morgan Halethe table should be kevlar..
Reply to HAL9001How bad ass is this
Reply to pixel??
I never said for anyone to get a bullet proof vest, or to run out and buy a gun. I’m saying the bad guys have the vests, and the guns now…in the UK. Gun related crimes in the UK was like 21,000 just a few years ago. Thats not a measly 4-5 isolated incidents. Granted most of the crimes are in the ghetto…whats to stop them from driving a few miles out of the way to loot someones house and get a quick buck? It happens everywhere. Guns are now easier to get in the UK - and not because of relaxed laws, but because there is a huge market there for drugs. Guns always follow drugs, and then they get into all kinds of criminals hands of every branch.
If you think mafia/gangsters don’t rob people you are foolish. Mafia from day one have done home invasions to rob people. They don’t just run one racket and stick to it…they make money every way possible.
In the end some of you guys are right. Even having a gun isn’t going to be the end all be all of protection…but this table is a far fetch. Get a can of mace to stick on top of it…
Reply to booyaMorgan:
“They give you the illusion of safety, while, in fact, doing the opposite. They’re far more likely to put the lives of the wielder and those around them in jeopardy than save anybody.”
An armed society is a polite one. It has been proven again and again in the US that states with right-to-carry laws have lower crime rates. Real crimes, not the statistical propaganda that the gun-control lobby wants to foist off on people too lazy to obtain or stupid to understand the facts.
And, an armed society is one that knows how to handle their weapons. Switzerland is not “right-to-carry” but “required-to-carry” and they have less gun-crime that in the UK.
If you own a gun, know how to use it, store it, and educate those in the household to be as proficient in it’s use and care as you are. Protection from the weapon is as important as protection by the weapon.
The Swiss solution is not one that would work in the US immediately, as there are too many morons out there that don’t understand the power and deadliness of a .22 pea-shooter, let alone a cannon .50 cal.
But to penalize those of us that do, in the interests of protecting the stupid from themselves isn’t the solution either.
Reply to JeffBy the way, the table is nice
Reply to JeffOi!
Reply to TaraHal9000 what regiment are you with? Also what rank are you? im with worcestershire and sherwood foresters.
Reply to Muddy Monster (hi mum)I would like one just so I can feel like a gladiator.
Reply to Hyrumomg.ohno jojo. you are a fuckin idiot. im not even british, but i feel the need to tell you how much of an idiot you are. There are a lot of you americans out there (im presuming youre american) who think protecting yourself with a gun is a way to go. But what are you doing in the process? You are arming yourself with a weapon that gives the guy breaking in every more reason to shoot you. even worse, kids, family members and even yourself are in no position to use the gun if you havnt been trained with it.
The American government has to much money invested in firearms, for them to have stricter gun laws would mean less profits. So even when something like the Virginia tech incident is not going to change the gun laws, for columbine didn’t. The reason these things are happening is because the majority of you are paranoid of everyone else around you.
“get off my property” —Boom—… wtf..
I agree with morgan hale. up above, who is one of those worldly americans who seems to get the big picture. A quick search on google could give you a data comparison of the number of deaths per year from america to the world.
its sad that the majority of people don’t understand the false security of guns.
“as there are too many morons out there that don’t understand the power and deadliness of a .22 pea-shooter, let alone a cannon .50 cal.”
… get a life pal…
Reply to canadian in argentinaThis is a great idea, although if someone had a gun and knew how to use it…
Reply to sexy lingerieHave any of you considered getting a dog???? You don’t need some vicious attack thing - just a reasonably loyal creature that barks at strangers in the night. If the barking doesn’t scare any attackers away then one should have sufficent warning to prepare an array of improvised defensive weapons.
Reply to K.Hannah“Real crimes, not the statistical propaganda that the gun-control lobby wants to foist off on people too lazy to obtain or stupid to understand the facts.”
Jeff, what works for the Swiss is not generalisable to everywhere else. The population, density, economical standing, percentage of poverty, and numerous other factors are vastly different. Not to mention that your argument is based entirely on controversial ‘facts’; How can you say that, the gun control idea is based on “statistical propaganda” when the arguement used FOR guns are on the same type of statistics? Not to mention that your argument is flawed.
Firstly, your definition of ‘real crime’ is ambiguous, is shooting someone not a real crime now? Secondly, a lowered rate of ‘real crime’ can be attributed to a multitude of other reasons. Maybe it’s simply because the advancement of science and communication in the the world has made it more difficult to commit crime without being found. Maybe, the face of crime shifted simply because there are different ways for them to be committed now. Thridly, a tazer-gun, is usually just as effective in stopping a criminal, but with less damage.
Maybe guns do not need to be outlawed completely. Maybe tazer-guns have a whole new set of problems, and simply banning guns will not solve USA’s problems ( especially when there are already so many around). But it sure seems to me that the current system is not working.
“But to penalize those of us that do, in the interests of protecting the stupid from themselves isn’t the solution either.”
It’s not to protect those who are stupid from themselves, but to protect the rest of us from the stupid people. Personally I think guns are pretty awesome in a way, but don’t you think that’s rather selfish reason to want guns kept legal?
Reply to IceIce:
“Jeff, what works for the Swiss is not generalisable to everywhere else.”
I believe I said this when I stated that the Swiss solution is not one that would work in the Us immediately.
“Firstly, your definition of ‘real crime’ is ambiguous, is shooting someone not a real crime now? Secondly, a lowered rate of ‘real crime’ can be attributed to a multitude of other reasons. Thridly, a tazer-gun, is usually just as effective in stopping a criminal, but with less damage.”
Shooting someone is a “real crime”. In reading some of the anti-gun propaganda a bit ago, I found they were combining other crimes and calling it “gun” crime. Both sides are guilty of skewing the numbers, NRA has done straightline-averaging and Brady, et. al., have made the 43:1 claim (a gun in the home is 43 times more likely to be used to kill a family member than a criminal.)
43:1 is BS and FUD because they only count the times a home gun kills a criminal, not how many times a crime is prevented. This is skewing the numbers. NRA should have calculated using a weighted average per state.
You’re gonna have to take my word on the inclusion of other non-gun crimes, because I’ve tried to find that bit I read, and I can’t find it. It may have been on the Brady site, or might have been pointed out by the NRA.
And yes, it is possible that the crime rate lowered due to other reasons. But we don’t know for sure, even the anti-gun people admit that. I do know that Florida, where I live, has issued over 1.2 million permits, but revoked only 157 (0.01%) due to gun crimes by permit-holders. (NRA, from FDLE.) Elsewhere I read that only 5 Florida permit-holders have been convicted of a gun crime. Right after the law went in effect (before I lived here) Tourists were targeted, until the car rental companies quit making rental cars easy to spot.
This speaks volumes. If RTC laws don’t work, why did the criminals target the people that they were reasonably sure had no gun??
And using a tazer? If someone is in my home, attempting to harm me or my family, they need to die, not be stopped by a tazer, spit out by the courts and out on the street to come harm maybe you and your family. Or better yet, to sue me for any injuries resulting from the tazer. If I were to shoot someone, you can bet it’s for good reason and they they will be dead afterward.
“It’s not to protect those who are stupid from themselves, but to protect the rest of us from the stupid people.
I don’t need to be protected from stupid people, except the ones that make laws. And if you add criminals to the list of people that are stupid, they won’t obey laws anyway, so why make me a criminal for protecting myself from them?
And I suppose it’s selfish to want guns kept legal, but it’s also selfish to want a democratic form of government, a safe area to live and a chance to enjoy the freedoms given me by my forefathers. As the society I live in doesn’t appear to be perfect, and taking away my right to have a gun will leave me more vulnerable to the too many guns in the hands of criminals, yes, I want them kept legal.
For an example of the US without guns, look at Washington D.C. Highest gun-crime rate in the nation. If we were to pass laws prohibiting guns, it would indeed be a bloodbath, unless the guns in the hands of the lawless were first gotten rid of. That’s not happening soon.
Reply to JeffI wanted the bat to be a sword
Reply to LinkThis…is…..SPARTA!!!!!
Reply to JamesYou could have ran away by the time you’ve finished unscrewing that hideous table.
Reply to Ron MoralesOhno Jojo:
DEY TUK ARR JUBBS
Reply to Anonymousbooya’s right, of course; guns can actually be found in the UK.
However, exclude all replicas, deactivated weapons, air rifles and similar used only for pest control, and those used by the armed forces, you’re really only left with a threat of one pissy little 9mm per 8-10,000 people.
Negligible.
Reply to CAPITALLETTERSI have to agree that this table is unfortunately ugly, and suspect it is impractical as a functional table. However, I think the novelty value is fantastic. Given a redesign to look and function better - as both table and shield/club - I would be very tempted by it.
With regard to all these - some frankly risible - arguments for and against gun control, I think I can understand (despite glaring grammatical and spelling errors - don’t be so lazy, it makes you look stupid and demeans your argument) where the pro-gun people are coming from. In a situation where the majority of people carry guns - both to defend and attack - I can see where one might be unable to understand why we Brits would be satisfied with a club and shield. However, why should an intruder carry a gun, except in a situation where the homeowner might be carrying one, and shoot them at will?
Despite rising gun crime in the UK, most people should be more concerned about the knife crime, which is rising at a far greater rate - because kids can’t get guns as easily. I guess that if we had looser gun control like the US, we would have kids being shot instead, getting their hands on family owned weaponry - I’m presuming that it would have to be readily available, not locked away, as otherwise what use is it in defending your home? It is illegal to carry knives on the street, yet they do. If they could get their hands on guns, they would.
I find it incredible that one should feel the need for a gun to protect oneself and loved ones from intruders. Surely, you should look to make it as difficult as possible for them to do so, to deter them from it, not look to dish out your own sense of “justice”. This kind of behaviour only leads to litigation, especially in a society such as that in the US. Remember, that drug crazed addict you shoot dead, who actually turns out to be unarmed, has a family too. Is the value of small items in your home (the most likely to be stolen) so great as to be worth more than a lawsuit? Not to mention the grief it should cause to you, knowing you killed someone.
Lastly, I think you need to look at the division of the arguments - there don’t seem to be any violently argumentative pro-gun individuals from the UK posting, whilst the American camp appears to be divided. We’re almost all happy without guns. Why should we listen to the rantings of paranoid psychotics?
Reply to A.N. OtherbritI promised myself I wouldn’t come back into this, but…
A.N. Otherbrit said “I think you need to look at the division of the arguments - there don’t seem to be any violently argumentative pro-gun individuals from the UK posting, whilst the American camp appears to be divided. We’re almost all happy without guns. Why should we listen to the rantings of paranoid psychotics?”
Perhaps the phrase “paranoid psychotics” is a little strong, but I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed. Remember that the pro-gun lobby whose views - or in some case rants - we’ve seen on this forum are just as much the product of their upbringing as are those of us who believe that a gun only makes you a target. The difference is that the pro-gun philosophy is fuelled by Hollywood, where the biggest gun always belongs to the good guy. We Brits, on the other hand, run more along the Jack Warner line of “Hand it over, lad” (Anyone who doesn’t understand that reference - or the British stance on this issue - should watch “The Blue Lamp”, a 1960s movie about a policeman in London).
This really shouldn’t be a US v. UK discussion. We’ve had some comments from Canadians who propose a compromise position - are there any other nationalities out there who would like to comment?
By the way Lars and Kat - I like your table because it’s fun, but i wouldn’t stake my life on being able to dismantle and reassemble it in time.
Reply to HAL9000Apologies for the “paranoid psychotics” comment, I didn’t mean it to sound like I believe all the pro-gun lobbyists to be as such, merely a minority. I guess I found it a little difficult not to get carried away.
I may yet retract my apology if anyone should happen to retaliate with an argument that slots them into just such a description.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritI’m not sure if it’s just me, but when I initially saw the shield and club I couldn’t help but to think of Zelda. Thanks for sharing this entry, quite interesting.
Reply to Dockwats“The shield has +5 mana on it as well!”
Win.
Reply to BobYou could throw the silver base and slice their head off cleanly!!
Reply to janicepepperya ya at least it is better to have some thing than nothing because some people don’t believe in guns me my self i have three and they are 44’s so let some poor dimwit try and break in i will not pity the fool but be my luck i will be charged with attempted murder because we are suppose to stand aside will the crook takes what they want
Reply to CarlosAbove is an example of what I might refer to as a paranoid psychotic - paranoid suggested by owning 3 guns, psychotic suggested by not expecting to show remorse for shooting someone. And clearly American, due to owning guns yet being incapable of using punctuation. Just the sort of person who should be in possession of a firearm or three.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritAll I have to say is..wow! I would have never thought this table would stir some international controversy. 90 comments and still counting…
Reply to katWe appreciate all your comments and the lively discussion.
psychotic-paranoid be real lets see you using punctuation when some has broken in too your place and you have two kids living with you then we will see who is being paranoid and besides what in H*LL would you do probalt S**T down both legs and another thing it don’t hurt to be a cop
Reply to CarlosI hate to have to retaliate Carlos, but… Oh, no I just can’t. It’d be like shooting fish in a barrel. Pun intended.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritCarlos are you trying to say that somebody has broken into your home AS YOU TYPE? Thus rendering grammar irrelevant as you frantically finish your comment so you can defend your home? Also why do you have three guns? surely one would do the trick? Or do you hand them out like toffee to your kids when your home is threatened? That sounds like a fantastic way to ensure the safety of your family.
Reply to Muddy Monster (Hi Mum)yes some one has broken into my house but that ain’t the point the point is home security and that becomes a major thing when you have children in the home and no i do not hand them out like toffee it is that i sleep in different parts of the house i have one in my bedroom one in my living room and one in the basement all in a locked cases when i am in those rooms getting ready for to sleep i unlock them and load them my house is four stories tall so the amount of guns is appropriate that is not counting the guns that I have for work so you might think that i am overprotective but lets put it this way my house has not been broken into my house for years now so don’t start pointing figures
Reply to CarlosThe guns that you have for work, Carlos? What do you do? Obviously something that has ingrained a sense of fear and the idea that only a firearm or three can help to reduce it. Might I suggest a home security system that is a deterrent as well as an early warning system in case of break-in? Something that doesn’t require setting up firearms around the house which might actually be used against you by intruders or children who might happen to stumble across them? Something that could be credited with for your house being unsullied for years, as opposed to the expectation that intruders might somehow know that you had loaded firearms to hand?
I’m afraid that your reaction only serves to further strengthen the gun-control arguments put forward by my fellow countrymen, where such a fear is not rationally held by the majority. For any who did, the table above might give some piece of mind. I certainly know I would rather have one against a knife or even the same table shield/club combo than have to carry a gun for fear of the same being wielded against me.
And please, some punctuation would really help your argument at least sound barely intelligent instead of just barely legible.
Reply to A.N. Otherbritso it’s come to this has it?
Reply to paranoidwe got burgled last year - nothing drastic, just an opportunistic twat passing by who stole my wifes’ handbag while she was watching tv.
Any way, the police (eventually) moseyed along and gave us one useful top tip:
you can go to prison for the use of “excessive” force when confronting an intruder. The definition of “excessive force” is a difficult one to call, since it’s likely to be decided in your case in front of a jury of peers - 12 good and true.
So you have to ask yourself if a little old dear on the back of a bus would consider your actions to be excessive. The fact that you’d bought a table that doubled up as weaponry would probably not help your case.
I took the coppers’ advice and now sleep with a 4-cell aluminium (”aloominum”) torch under the bed - can’t wait to be visited again…
Reply to Maglite forever...Do you want punctuation? Well here it is at its finest. The fire arms that I have for work are my 12 Gauge Pump and my 9 mm Glock. I am a State Police Officer, we are supposed to leave our weapons in the cruiser, but since there have been some vandals going around I am not taking the chance of any one of them being stolen. Now about the weapons being used on me or my children is not the point, because I have two Patriot Hand Gunner safes and one Protector for my working guns. There is an intercom system setup through out the house so if my children need anything they ring before they come down. For more information the security systems that are out now you can bypass with a piece of aluminum and gum, and another thing I have my house wired What I mean is if I or my wife hit any of the four buttons every door in the house will shut and lock with a 6 in’’ deadbolt these doors are solid wood except for a ½ in’’ steal plating.
Reply to CarlosCarlos, wow, I am honestly sorry that you live in a society where you feel all that is necessary. Thank you for the punctuation.
So, as a representative of law enforcement in America, do you feel that America would benefit from gun control such as found in the UK? I know that it is not immediately plausible for implementation, but wouldn’t you rather that controls were a little stricter, such that this elaborate set-up was unnecessary?
I feel that it would be inappropriate to omit an extension of sympathy for the recent shooting dead of an 11 year old, Rhys Jones, in Liverpool yesterday. However, I think it only serves to highlight the need for strict gun control.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritNow i know your profession Carlos i understand you have a healthy respect for what a gun can do to somebody. That was my main concern, that people are happy to own what seems to a Brit an excessive amount of firearms. Also I can see why you would be so careful with children in the house in a society in which there is so much crime, presumably the effects of which you see first hand.
Reply to Muddy Monster (Hi Mum)Hello everybody! I made the suggestion on the 16th about getting a dog as a means to hold off intruders. Please take a minute and consider my reasoning. I’m a retired police officer. My training and experience show that about 1/2 the buglars in the US are armed. Interviews with convicted burglars (experience and training films) indicate that about 1/2 of those armed burglars would use their weapons if they encountered the home owners etc. I also experienced about 12 cases in a 20 year career where groups of “kids” broke into homes and then beat the occupants (usually elderly folks) half to dead because they thought it was fun. There are times when guns could be very useful but the average citizen does not have sufficent training in gun safety, marksmanship and tactics. There is also a major issue with safe storage of firearms if the household has children. Going back to the convicted burglar statements - these burglars indicate that the biggest single deterrant to a burglar is a dog. The size of the dog is not that important as long as it barks.
Reply to Kenneth HannahThat may be true but, the up keep of a gun is a lot easier than a dog. I mean that you have to keep them clean and feed on a daily bases ,and it don’t cost as much as to clean a gun and feed it some rounds. Don’t forget that some people are scared of dogs and don’t like guns.
Reply to CarlosCarlos scares me, his children have to contact him on the intercom if they want to move from room to room. Am I reading that right?
Reply to suepsHow can a family live like that?
I’m sat upstairs in my computer room, my son is in his bedroom chatting on the net. My back door is wide open as its warm and it lets the dog go in the garden when he likes. My front door is closed but not locked.
I’m quite relaxed and happy about this state of affairs and just realising how lucky I am.
*cough* *ahem* American vs. Brit?!?
Okay! The gun is a nice idea, but not practical here in the land of the “true north strong and free” (fricken right wingers!). The table idea, sure; a few tweaks and it comes apart faster than I can build an igloo or club a baby seal (because that’s the only thing we do in Canada).
A BETTER IDEA: the knife I keep in my right cowboy boot at the foot of my bed will help (no brokeback jokes please, as I have friends here in Calgary who worked on the IATSE 212 film crew for the movie).
THE BEST IDEA: Crack that new 1.14L bottle of whiskey with the crook, than when he/she is on the floor (hopefully before me), call the cops.
Anyway, the whiskey is kicking in, so I’ll say good night!
Reply to C S MartinCarlos, thank you for sharing with us an insight into your life. I will admit that at first I thought you were an uneducated redneck with an IQ in single figures. I will now happily admit that I was wrong.
Can you see why I, A. N. Otherbrit and others are worried about your lifestyle and the effect it must be having on your kids? For the kids to have to call you on the intercom before they can come downstairs in their own home; for you to have to load and distribute various firearms about your house before you retire for the night?
Let me tell you a little about my lifestyle: One reason why I left the UK was because I felt it was becoming too violent; at the same time I felt that the “nanny state” was trying to turn us into a risk-free society without tackling the major risks to an unworried life. I came to the TRNC - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - along with a hell of a lot of other Brits who feel the same way about the “Mother Country”.
All the usual cliches about not locking doors and never feeling threatened apply; if you want to return a hire car, you leave it in the town centre car park with the window down and the key in the ignition. The other day there was an attempted handbag snatch in the town centre (by an immigrant, needless to say). It made the national news! I can walk down a dark alley in the harbour area and KNOW that the gang of teenagers I meet will part for me to pass, with a polite “Good evening”.
I ask you; which is the better way to live - in permanent fear that you will be attacked and must take violent precautions to prevent it, or sleeping safe in your bed, secure in the knowledge that the only people that may attempt to harm you are immigrants - who will be swiftly dealt with?
Reply to HAL9000I am a 30 year old woman, 5′0 who has a concealed carry of weapons permit in the US. I was trained, by choice, on respecting, owning, caring for and shooting a firearm. I do not believe that everyone in the US is ignorant, nor do I believe that everyone in the UK is smart. Take a look at glock talk dot com sometime, you’ll see that many americans respect and enjoy their firearms. You see people ranging from everyday americans to police officers and the like, all getting along because of their respect and enjoyment of weapons, defense and parctice shooting. Many of you have a lot of strong opinions on guns in the US, but before you shoot (no pun intended) your mouth off, think of the 5′0, 30 year old woman living alone in a right-to-carry state with a lot of illegals (southwestern US) and what good a bat is going to do when her opponent is 12 inches taller and 100 to 150 lbs heavier than herself.
Reply to AZGRLmost of the ones with guts either came over here or died in the wars…. and their offspring gave up guns on account of ONE PEDOPHILE..
i weep for the gutless cousins whose ancestors paid blood and tears for freedoms they quiveringly disdain.
those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who didn’t.
in our own cities, the fewer guns, the more crime.
when you gave up your rights, your crime increased horribly.
happened here too, happens everywhere.
thank god for the remnants of american freedom, and may britain whimperingly reap it’s just deserts.
Reply to mitchshraderSeriously, it seems that many Americans who are pro-gun are simply missing the point - reading the postings here without actually understanding the arguments being put forward. Take some time to consider the arguments being put forward by others before making your mind up.
I understand that America is a nation that has done very well for itself on the backs of the other nations the original settlers oppressed, aided by the use of superior firepower (that was specifically aimed at mitchshrader). The point is still being missed however; in order for the few who might arguably benefit from having firearms for self defence, the cost is ease of obtaining firearms by the criminal elements. For many of us here in the UK, that is simply too much of a cost to bear.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritP.S. Carlos in your “punctuation at its finest” message I count at least 5 errors, and that is me being lazy and half-cut (one for you Brits out there to comprehend), if not simultaneously pedantic (one not for you Rednecks out there).
Please, give a retort. We miss your well-considered remarks!
Reply to A.N. OtherbritWhen I wrote that I was just getting off of a 36 hour shift. So I am sorry if it was not the finest. And for all of those out there that says that my kids have to contact me before moving from room to room. That is a lie I had that system installed in case some one was to breaks in. And all i have to do is hit the button and the whole house is under lock down. But lets be serious for a minute if I get shot I will proceed and set the system. And it don’t matter if I die or not as long as my family is safe.
Reply to CarlosI just read the whole thread out of boredom.
Don’t you brits find it ironic that you point out the prohibition is empowering criminals when it comes to drugs but believe it will work for guns?
There are an estimated 200 million firearms in the United States. If we were to announce a ‘prohibition’ of guns (gun control) tomorrow, those guns will not just dissapear into the government vaults. The criminals will ignore the new law like all the other laws they break and lawful gun owners such as myself will feel violated.
Guns are a good self-defence tool in the hands of a responsible and trained operator. The problem we have here is that too many gun owners are ignorant rednecks. The only additional gun law we should enforce is a mandatory marksmanship and safety program.
When you eliminate guns, the person with the most muscle wins, and that’s not always the good guy. Eliminating guns eliminates a citizens chance to defend him or herself against street-hardened criminals.
Aside from the self-defense issue, how do you brits feel that your government doesn’t trust you with dangerous things? In the United States, our government treats us as responsible adult citizens because we are a land of liberty without ‘nanny laws.’
Reply to PaddyPlus, what happened to your self-respect? What’s with all these comments about worrying about the health and comfort of some bum who busted into your house to steal your hard-earned possessions?
Nobody forced them to break into your house, death should be considered an occupational hazard of taking what is not yours.
If a criminal decides to take what is mine, it will be the last mistake he or she will ever make.
Reply to PaddyAh, I see. Life is cheap in America. One should keep a gun to hand in order to maim or kill anyone who breaks into your home, as their life is worth less than our material possessions. It doesn’t reduce you to the level of a street thug to be prepared to kill someone for material possessions, when they may never have had any intention of harming you.
I don’t think any Brits have suggested that our way could ever be enforced in America, just that the situation of relative gun freedom is not appropriate here. To most of us, the situation is working at the moment. It may be that in the future, it does not. But we’re largely content at the moment.
I think the argument has spiraled rather out of context, and I must confess to being a guilty participant. However, if people don’t like the idea of guns, but would like something akin to the above table, then I don’t think they should be ridiculed or abused for it. We all take our chances, and even a gun is no guarantee of safety. If it provides some measure of reassurance, then so be it, and likewise the table/club/shield setup above.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritForget the table - this is what you need.
http://www.magicglassinc.com/Bullets.html
Reply to JimTo my British friends (and many of my American ones):
It isn’t about the _merits_ of gun ownership. Governments do not grant rights; rights are intrinsic. The government does not “give” you the right to express your opinions, or write books, or paint pictures. You have that as your birthright.
If freedom of speech were conditional on a person’s ability to say something useful and intelligent, bloody few of us would have the right of freedom of speech.
Guns may or many not be a “good” idea, but it doesn’t matter - they are a right.
So, to my fellow American gun owners: stop trying to “justify” our gun laws - it’s self-defeating, because to argue the point is to ACCEPT the idea that we can only have guns if it’s a good idea to have them. We have guns because it’s a RIGHT, not because it’s a useful priviledge.
Cheers!
Reply to reads-the-fine-printWe have the right not to have to expect anyone we confront to be easily capable of purchasing and carrying a gun.
You have the “right” to wield a firearm even though you are incapable of wielding prose to proper effect.
On that basis alone, America scares me.
Gun ownership is not a right, it is a privilege. Just as the opportunity to express your opinions, write books and paint pictures would be considered a privilege to many people in the world today, as well as throughout history. I’m afraid that your argument stands as a fallacy. The question of whether or not guns are a good idea is actually the entire crux of the argument. It has been conceded that they are sadly necessary in the current American climate, and that they may become so in the UK in the future. However, I believe that it would be a sorry day if it does, and not by any stretch of the imagination one for rejoice.
Reply to A.n. OtherbritLets just say that i would rather defend myself with this table against an unarmed opponent than defend myself with a firearm against an intruder who also has a firearm. I call it self preservation. I am more than able to defend my home in the current climate of fear, but if every man and his granny had a gun i wouldn’t even try. Sure you might be the lucky guy who gets his shot off first, but what if the intruder does?
Reply to Muddy Monster (Hi Mum)Thats Crazy! Huh!
Reply to spaxInteresting how this seems to have turned into a USA/UK conflict. We Brits appear to have become some tight-assed pedants who believe that everyone in America is a stupid, gun-crazy redneck, and you Yanks seem to believe that we live in the 19th century, drinking tea and wishing that the colonies would behave.
Believe me, that’s not true. I’ve worked with American servicemen for many years - and a good few NSA spooks - and found that there’s a good proportion of intelligent, gentle people amongst them. There would have to be, given the sheer size of the population!
But, please - have a look at the video at http://www.megavideo.com/?v=GW398WXW
Reply to HAL9000and then ask yourself who is perpetuating the image of the stupid redneck?
Hal 9000. Touché. Brilliant.
All I can possibly add to that is:
Daisy, daisy…
Maybe it would be appropriate for the American nation to adopt as a new national anthem. Except that the large majority of their higher functions seem to have been stripped already.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritThis couldn’t function as a table. Or, if it did, you couldn’t really use it’s secondary purpose at all, since there’d be shit all over it. This product is made of fail and aids.
Reply to AnonymousLol! That’s brilliant, and might be useful if you hear a noise down stairs, how ever, if they’re by your bed, it won’t do a lot of good…
Reply to skeritIf they’re by your bed no weapon in the world would help you. What you need is a dog lol.
Reply to Muddy Monster (Hi Mum)Great thread eveyone. Let’s do Darwinism versus Creationism next!
Reply to Sambobi love pepper
Reply to uioI like it! Sweden is a pretty safe place, but you never know what could happend….
Reply to tildaFirstly, congrats to the designers who created such a piece as to invoke a month’s worth of (a sometimes 5th grade level of) debate. That is true art!!
I live in the second most densly-populated Canadian city. I grew up in a household where our front door was almost NEVER locked. We’d even come home to find a friend pouring himself a cup of coffee, waiting for one of us to arrive.
After all of those years living with my family, never once was there a break-in and more importantly never once did I ever see or hear a gun.
Now having lived on my own for about 10 years I must admit that I have been a victim of a break-in. Yes…..And they were the 3 biggest racoons I have ever seen in the city!!! All crazy-eyed, they wanted my butter like something fierce. Luckily my dog was up for the challenge of defending house and home. No firearms were used.
I know of 3 racoon thugs who’ll think twice about home invasion.
This is a true story!!
You create the world you wante to live in. Most people want peace and are good-intentioned. I base how I live my life on that, am fear free and all the happier for it.
Reply to birdieThis will be the perfect defense if I’m ever attacked by American Gladiators in my own home.
Reply to tojo2000My goddess! I live in the US, I’m 6′ tall and 260#, and a disabled woman of 62. I am all for gun control and socialized medicine. I did not vote for GW, and no, he wasn’t elected. The first time he was appointed by the Supreme Court, who are all in league with the Bush/Saud family, and the second time with a nice assist from the makers of the new voting machines. I am appalled at the idiocy shown by the shrub, and I am neither a “redneck” or a true believer. Just so you know, I have more friends who have become expatriots than those who have remained here. If I were one of the “haves”, I would be in Belize or the Philipines with the others.
Reply to BeauAh, so many intelligent comments on the point of A.N. Otherbrit and those who see fit to trip all over themselves to praise this person. You’re so absolutely right! There are certainly no intelligent Yanks and no stupid Brits. And this whole colonial, “Americans obviously believe in nothing but oppressing other peoples and using other societies for their benefit argument,” again, is brilliant, because we who’ve actually read history have never come across any sayings to the effect of “The Sun Never Sets on Britain.” How quickly we can forget the past when it doesn’t flatter us…
The problem with these arguments is that you live in a completely different society and have a basic prejudice against gun ownership. You cannot comment on what it is like to live in areas where the majority of people carry, and even if you did live where I live, your anti-firearm feelings border on a religious fervor. It’s like trying to debate abortion, we’re simply not going to agree here, because you’re very set in your opinion and can’t see where you could possibly be wrong. I have my own beliefs, but I’d like to flatter myself that I can see both sides of this issue.
Whether guns actually do or don’t make one safer is not the issue, the issue is that we wish to have the right to carry, not only for personal safety, but also to pursue hobbies (such as target shooting, etc.) which require one.
And as to the issue of personal safety–do I carry a gun with me everywhere? No, of course not. I wouldn’t live in a place where I felt I had to. But I do live in a large city, and in a state where a huge percentage of the residents have guns. Extrapolate the number of probable illegal guns from the legal registered ones, and you have a staggering amount of armed people milling around me every single day. Security systems, as mentioned earlier, are easy to bypass, and you still have to wait for the Police to arrive–what do you do in the meantime, hide in your closet, behind a hollow door? I’m not worried about burglars, because I can replace my material possessions. If someone broke into my house while I was there, I would call the Police, then probably grab a pistol as backup, but being a decent size, fairly strong, and a martial arts expert, I’m much more likely, if necessary, to handle things with my bare hands, rather than risk having blood on my conscience over some guy who was just likely going to make off with my DVD player or laptop.
No, when I think about my firearms in the context of “home protection,” I’m concerned about the potential rapist breaking in when I’m gone, and my wife, who is quite small, being home alone. I’m thinking about the chance of an intruder being armed with an illegal handgun, which is inexpensive and far too easy to obtain on the street. I’m worried about Methamphetamine users who are so desperate to get another fix that they would just as soon kill someone as look at them (I know from prior experience working with addicts that this is not hyperbole). Granted, the chances of these things aren’t extremely likely, but it does happen, and I’d rather be safe and accused of being a bit paranoid than vulnerable, thank you very much.
By the way, why is there so much insulting and impugning of intelligence on this board? Why pick on somebody’s grammar? I personally don’t care what you wish to say about me, I know my own intelligence, hold a demanding job, and went to college. But why needle somebody over their use of punctuation and grammar to insult their IQ and, by extension, their argument? For all you know, they’ve just come off of an extended shift and are exhausted, or they could be very intelligent with a learning disability such as dyslexia. Why must we descend to the level of six-year-olds, calling someone stupid because we don’t like what they say?
Reply to MorganAh, bless. It’s so nice to see a properly thought out argument, well delivered. That last argument started so promisingly, yet failed to hit the mark. Poor marksmanship.
It failed to realise that the anti-gun arguments had the relative likelihood of facing a gun in the UK in mind. It failed to address the argument of the worth of the above item in defence ( I bet the missus would appreciate it when home alone rather than a gun, with the statistics on gun home use). It also, and annoyingly for me, failed to realise that arguments on grammar were really intended to undermind someone who made fantastical claims on home defence, and that those arguments were made due to inability to prove the individual wrong. Despite the fact that it was clearly bollocks.
By the way, I have a deal of martial arts experience. I have also had the regrettable experience of being mugged by a large gang. Thank goodness I didn’t have a weapon. People could have died unnecessarily, instead of my insurance company feeling a bit of a sting. Jah bless, UK has gun control.
Reply to A.N. OtherbritWow, holy waves of animosity coming my way from across an ocean, Batman! Calm down, and can I offer you some dip…
Look, it’s sad, because I can tell you’re intelligent, and you’re really trying, but I’m afraid that while you’re so working to hit your point home, you’re missing really large chunks of the picture.
I realize the difference in the respective gun situations facing the UK and Europe on the whole. My father lived in Hamburg for nine years, and having jumped a few of the ocean-sized puddles once or twice, I am fairly well-aware of much if not all of the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between this rock I live on and the one you live on that you’re so happy about, among them the greatly differing likelihood and clamor for firearms. I distinctly said the argument was that we, having more guns here along with more crazy pinheads who have guns, wish to have the right to carry. I didn’t say you need to carry, and didn’t even come close to implying it. All I was pointing out is that not everybody agrees with your assessment that a gun is the most dangerous thing in the home. I myself have made it as long as seven days between shooting myself in a random body part, so you see, we Yanks can manage relatively easy to not have mishaps. There are lots of stupid people everywhere, and I refuse to be held responsible even for just the morons of this city, let alone this country.
2) Actually, “the missus” has a Glock G23C .40 Cal pistol which I bought her for her birthday. She is a very proficient target shooter, who would probably just be confused if I gave her this absolutely ridiculous table. It looks like the start of an interesting yet silly Halloween costume, but for home defense, it’s ridiculous. And really, after a few inches of type, the conversation went off that topic pretty quick, clear down to discussing security systems and guns, so I don’t feel too terrible about not addressing the table or hurting its feelings by not making it a central part of the conversation again.
To be honest, spelling and grammar mistakes make me cringe probably more than the next person. I’m a professional writer, you see, so I always feel some mixture of annoyance and worry for the writer of any post which seems to have no need of punctuation, proper use of capitals, spelling, etc. But I also realize that some people just cannot write normally, and don’t think it’s the only true arbiter of intelligence. But let’s see, the argument was:
“It also, and annoyingly for me, failed to realise that arguments on grammar were really intended to undermind someone who made fantastical claims on home defence, and that those arguments were made due to inability to prove the individual wrong.”
I think anybody who reads this forum and has two brain cells to rub together realized your goal was to make fun of him and discredit his argument. But in the end, he made claims you don’t believe. At an impasse? How to solve? Insult! Of course, what was I thinking with the whole “return to decent behavior” argument? Wow…
Look, sorry you were mugged, I know from experience how much it sucks. Sorry you don’t agree and think it’s great that only the truly hardened Brit crooks have guns, and atrocious that intelligent, stable, normal people like me have guns stateside and wish to continue to have the right. But my point was that decent behavior has completely deteriorated on this blog, and maybe that the invectives and other BS which have made this so bad should slow down if not stop. And maybe that we could agree to disagree, realizing that we were all worlds apart on this one based on where we each live.
Reply to Morganthis is awl bs roflolololololmao gtfo club n sheeld rofl.
Reply to Calum StewartThat table would be sweet if it had a layer of kevlar. Cause if not it would be useless to me since I live in the U.S. Anybody could just shoot a whole in it and kill me.
But I think in order to get a gun you should have to take an I.Q. Test. Cause if you can’t even pass a Math Test you don’t deserve to own a gun. And some of the U.S. citizens probably can’t even do that.
Reply to CyclonusI think that the table is cool and interesting.
Reply to MikeAs for the gun debate I am a very pro gun man myself however I understand that the majority of home invaders are not armed with guns so this would be a perfectly effective means of defending yourself from an intruder. Although having a gun would still work better. If the criminal is armed with a gun himself you would be at a huge disadvantage. If the intruder is not armed with a gun and you point yours at him he is most likely to either run or give up. So this table is great for people who either dislike or are unable to obtain a gun, however I would still sleep better at night knowing that I had a gun I could reach for.
I find a machete to be a good weapon for home defense.
Reply to Alex simmons‘Course to get to me or the valuables you have to come up that squeaky, narrow stairwell with the blind turn. I have guns for the house. Guns have an effective range, generally over 10 feet. Get them closer, then let a knife, machete, club, your fists, a lamp, the Oxford English Dictionary or whatever other heavy item you can find sort the mess out.
All this UK vs US crime rate talk…check out
http://wheelgun.blogspot.com/2007/01/crime-in-uk-versus-crime-in-us.html
Reply to ThatGuyIf guns cause crime, can someone explain Switzerland to me?
Reply to JoeNow if only the shield was bulletproof as most criminals use guns these days………………
Reply to Andri Kyrychok@Oakman: Yet another moron that confuses the US with something undesirable.
Reply to MrByteI would kill for one of these. Literally.
Reply to r10t3rOk I know there’s people who hate guns and there’s people who feel unsafe enough in their home which drives them to purchase a gun. As for me, I don’t feel like I’m going to be attacked or threatened with a gun. I don’t live in that kind of city or state. But…I do love guns. What is your opinion on people owning guns just for the thrill of shooting a powerful weapon? I know its more dangerous than a bow and arrow sort of fascination or having a knife and sword collection. But I do feel I have the right to own a gun because I like the feel of a gun. Does this make me an ignorant person or a paranoid psychotic? To consider it a sport to hunt or a recreational activity to go to a shooting range to master this weapon, would that be considered a bad thing? I feel its the same feeling as wanting to learn kickboxing over karate. Its more powerful and it gives you the thrill you need as an individual who needs a stimuli as such. Like choosing to cliff dive rather than hiking on a hiking trail.
Reply to piedpiper909