Will certified e-mail stop spam? (was: unsubscribing... etc)

[phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org]

> Given your association with the so-called "Coalition" for Gun Control
> propaganda machine, I'm hardly surprised that you would drag in guns
> into the discussion and then attempt to frame the discussion in
> certain ways by using words like "obviously" in order to reinforce
> the self-serving "guns, scary - guns, bad" message.

If TLUG was ambivalent about a discussion of Microsoft intrigue, I'm sure
they are *really* ambivalent about a debade on guns. So I'll respond to a
couple of points here (because they have been made in public) and then we
can move the debate off list. (Anyone who is fascinated by this topic is
welcome to email me: I'll put you on the CC list. I don't expect there
will be too many.)

My association with the Coalition for Gun Control is as Secretary and one
of the founding members. I'm quite proud its achievements. Reading the
quote marks around "Coalition" as a 'so called', I draw readers attention
to the Coalition web page:

http://www.guncontrol.ca/English/Home/Home.htm

Notice that there are 350 organizations - including police associations
and public health organizations - that have endorsed the Coalition. In my
book, that makes it real.

I feel a bit foolish saying this - it does seem a bit obvious -  but I
think most people would agree that guns are more dangerous than say,
radios or computers - or emus. Sure, radios and computers are like
anything, they can be used for a nefarious purpose. You could bury people
under a pile of dead emus, for example. But computers and radios - and
probably emus - have other uses. On the other hand, the primary purpose of
a gun is to maim or kill something, at a distance. (Yes, I know about
Practical Shooters, Target Shooting, Collecting. I argue that those
applications are not the Primary Purpose.)

Incidentally, before I get accused of this, I'm not in favour of banning
guns. (There are some exceptions: you can't own a Uzi submachine gun, you
can't own a grenade launcher..) People are welcome to own and shoot, as
long as they store the guns properly and obey the regulations.

> I contend that, silly "safe storage" laws aside,

<snip>

Having met parents who have lost a kid because the safe storage rules
weren't followed, I don't see them as silly at all.

<much, much deleted>

I've been in many debates on this topic, some public, some private, and
I'm willing to continue the discussion - off list, and if the temperature
can be kept to a reasonable level.

If anyone would like to read the arguments for gun control, there are many
documents on the Coalition web page.

Peter

-- 
Peter Hiscocks
Syscomp Electronic Design Limited, Toronto
http://www.syscompdesign.com
USB Oscilloscope and Waveform Generator
647-839-0325

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