I really do not understand the fuss being made by non-Americans. The U.S experiences regular mass shootings. By the time this one dies down, another one will have occurred; it's what they do. Nothing OLO posters say or think will make an iota of difference. Americans have the constitutional right to bear arms,and that's that. They lived and died by the gun in the Old West. They are obviously determined to keep on doing it. The nutter in this particular event had the usual checks, and nothing untoward about the man showed up.

Get over it folks, we have more important and dangerous things to think about in Australia, which will do us much more permanent damage than guns.

Hi o sung wu, long time no talk. There are lots of issues we most likely don't agree on, you being an ex copper and conserve, in many respects not similar to myself, and most unlikely to vote for the Greens. I have to say on this gun control issue however, you seem to be most intuitive. I think we both can agree at the end of the day the best people to have guns on our side, and the best people to enforce gun control measures are the boys and girls of law enforcement. The politicians must give them the tools (laws), and the necessary support to carry out that function effectively.
We can all sleep a bit more soundly if we know the state is out to protect us from the criminal class. People like Issy are not the problem, they never will be, what's not known is who are the potential problems and how to disarm them in the first place, Unfortunately many good folk, like Issy, have to pay a penalty, for us not knowing, then the rest of us can feel safe.

Going to an 'Island Jamb' tonight, maybe I'll see the boys in blue late on. Nah, they are surprisingly well run affairs, no trouble at all. Plenty to eat and drink, music, (Cook)Island dancing etc. Its a fund raiser, so a "koha" at the door will be necessary, $50 to $100 generally covers it. "T" tells me there will be a few coming.

Late news, "T" tells me there is "fire walking" on the program tonight, late about 11 o'clock, seen it before but not in Australia, but its interesting, Don't know if "fire walking" is legal in Oz. Is it o sung wu? I'll stick to the "limbo" and "hula" contests.

Paul1405,

You just be watching out for those nice police doggies that your 'Boy' Sh**bridge, the one swings from Lee Rhiannon's skirts and the NSW 'Watermelon' Greens are so worried about.

Wherever authoritarian Greens and Labor prevail in government the organised drug gangs and their imported guns and their drive-by shootings and home invasions are there,

"Man suffers gunshot wounds to legs in Canberra bikie shooting, police say"
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-14/man-injured-in-canberra-bikie-shooting,-police-say/8944962

"Tweed bikie shooting: Man arrested over Tweed Heads slaying of Ace Hall"
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/crime-and-justice/tweed-bikie-shooting-seizures-in-bikie-case-amid-payback-fears/news-story/805c6eebe04c82778c4231bd05fb0791

Paul,

Firewalking, whilst interesting, is a con.

Just ask the practitioners to walk on a heated piece of sheet iron that is 300 degrees or so cooler than the fire; none of them will be fool enough to give it a go.

Hey there PAUL1405...

My name's 'Billy' not 'Silly'; if you think you can talk me into going 'fire-walking' with you, you gotta be joking! At my age, walking is a mere memory I'm afraid. Still if I were to be lowered onto an area of hot coals, I'd do more than walk; be more like dancing I should think? Anyway please enjoy yourselves.

And on the awful LV gun issue, our thinking is along very similar lines. Allow legitimate shooters, who render themselves available to appropriate checks, to possess and use 'a' F/A of a type they've applied for. And under the conditions they've sought. Severe limitations should be mandated, on the number of F/A's licensed to each individual. With a special category made for all semi-automatics, both 'Longs & Shorts'. With a maximum of one F/A only, to be licensed, for each discipline sought by the applicant. As an example; 1 x Rimfire, 1 x Centre-Fire, 1 x Shotgun, and 1 x Big Game (Express) Rifle. Similar with all pistols.

Will it stop these dreadful massacres? No it won't, but it might just calm things down a little, whenever a potential killer sees the number of hoops, he still has to encounter?

Thanks Paul and enjoy yourself with the 'fire-walking' tonight. Oh, your question, is it legal? From memory I really don't know, sorry about that. As long as a 'sober' adult is doing the 'fire walk' and it's not done during a complete Bushfire Ban, I can't really see the harm myself? As long as the 'walker' has all his faculties in place and is aware of the risks? I just can't say accurately, I'm sorry Paul.