Japan and Guns

Article on how Japan's ban on gun ownership has resulted in an average of 2 gun homicide's per year.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/a-land-without-guns-how-japan-has-virtually-eliminated-shooting-deaths/260189/

Also, Fareed Zakaria looks at the reasons the US gun homicide rate is astronomical. It's because of all the guns in our country.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/fareed-zakaria-the-solution-to-gun-violence-is-clear/2012/12/19/110a6f82-4a15-11e2-b6f0-e851e741d196_story.html?hpid=z2 

Another common sense approach to guns in our society. Be sure to read the crazies comments therein.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-burns-assault-weapons-ban-20121220,0,6774314.story

2012 Movies

Ok, did not see as many movies this year as per last. Hopefully things will pick up in 2013.

1) "The Avengers" favorite comic as a youngster
2) "The Secret World of Arrietty" another fine Japanese anime from Miyazaki
3) "127 Hours" James Franco stars alone, good amount of philosophy
4) "Another Earth" saw on airline in China, Alternate Earths
5) "The School of Rock" 2003 comedy starring Jack Black
6) "The Grey" good deal of philosophical musing on death
7) "Rise of the Guardians" animated, excellent messages
8) "Skyfall" 007 coming to grips with an aging self
9) "Seven Psycopaths" great turns by Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken
10) "Brave" not the best of Pixar but very good messages

Others with something to offer.
Wreck-it-Ralph
The Help
Beasts of the Southern Wild
The Dark Knight Rises
The Master (Joaquin Phoenix)
Tree of Life (cinematography)
Django Unchained (Christoph Waltz)

Best TV for 2012
Homeland Season 2
Oliver Stone's Untold History of the US

Tom Toles does the Tea Party

Is the use of humor the best way to let someone know they are in the wrong?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/tom-toles/post/friday-rant-oh-those-teapartiers-edition/2012/12/06/9866d5d8-3fca-11e2-a2d9-822f58ac9fd5_blog.html

Argentina's Dirty War

22,000 killed or "disappeared" between 1975 and mid-1978.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2012/1207/Key-evidence-for-Argentina-s-largest-human-rights-case-found-in-Florida

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_War

Electronic Balloting

Great article on the manipulation of elections primarily done by the right. I used to think Chuck Hagel was a decent guy, no more. Ireland spent millions trying to move to electronic balloting and ended up throwing all the systems out in favor of paper ballots as all real democracies should.

http://harpers.org/archive/2012/11/how-to-rig-an-election/

Cancer/Food Links

Study states 80% of studies linking various foods and cancer are flawed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/30/pretty-much-everything-you-eat-is-associated-with-cancer-dont-worry-about-it/?hpid=z3

Stand Your Ground Redux

More craziness from the state of Florida. Sadly, is not limited to Florida. We have gun nuts galore in our country. There are too many people who believe things should always go their way and we permit them to carry guns. Walking talking disasters in waiting.

http://www.theroot.com/views/why-stand-your-ground-should-be-repealed

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2012/1129/Stand-your-ground-laws-Do-they-put-teens-in-greater-danger 

Also, an excellent article on why some may choose to stand their ground and why they probably should not be armed.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/12/the-seductive-dream-of-standing-your-ground/266052/