"Gun-free zone" is a constructed NRA propaganda phrase that means very little.

I hear you on issues around the bans. We must target supply and demand of the gun companies, and make it less attractive for them to produce and flood communities with so much high-yield assault weapons. That alone will reduce the deaths from them, at least the numbers of deaths per gun/clip. That's basic math.

We're suffering from gun inflation, as I like to call it. In school shootings in the 1990s, more people would have likely died if they used the weapons the mass shooters use now. So it's not just about the number of violent people and how likely they are to commit a violent act; it's how potentially lethal the act is depending on the tools they can easily access.

No, Welty. My personal favorite branch.

I'm not wrong, Library_lover. We had four books out and called to renew over the phone. They said we had to bring them in. I couldn't get there because I had the flu. Today our executive assistant took three of the books (the other is at home), which were several days late by now, to renew. They made her call me, and I got on the phone to tell them it was me even though she had a JFP check to use for the fines. Then they didn't want her to pay all the fines including on the book I have at home because she did have it physically with her; the impression we got from the phone call and her visit there is that they only renew books or take fines on them if they physically can touch them. It was a cluster-you-know-what for her.

jhlibrary, I appreciate hearing that, but the folks who work at the libraries might need to hear it as well. Thanks much. I don't plan to give up on y'all yet; I like libraries too much to stay away. But it doesn't need to be a royal pain the ass to renew four books and try to pay the fine.

I love libraries. But I will say that what we just went through to renew four books I took out for story research here was remarkable. You have to go there to renew, for one thing. Fifteen years ago, when I was a freelancer in Colorado Springs, I used the library all the time. I could call the library to renew books.

There must be a better way, involving a telephone if not a computer or the Internet.

Here are [photos and write-ups of all the victims][1], may they rest in peace.

[1]: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/…

Just saw this interesting piece:
[factcheck: Do concealed-weapon laws result in less crime?][1]

[1]: http://tinyurl.com/bq5ehsu

Bubba, I'm fully aware of the studies. Predictably, you're cherrypicking them. Here's one report by Justice, done in 1999. My suggestion is that everyone read it because it offers a mixed bag and suggestions about problems with the ban and what could happen:

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/173405.…

No one argues that the assault weapons ban before was a perfect law, and we don't have to replicate it exactly. We can learn from its failures to do it better this time.

Also, it would be extremely ignorant to argue that the ban didn't save even one life -- which is all that matters.

nb, since assault-weapon defenders are so worried about "automatic" weapon semantics, we did some research including on gun-maker sites, etc. Indeed, automatic weapons come in two levels: fully automatic and semi-automatic. Some of you want to say that only fully automatic are automatic, but that's not technically accurate. Or particularly logical when you think about it.

Also, at this stage in the game, that is probably the least important part of the debate and the one that is going to least interest most people. Just a heads-up. Call them what you: assault weapons are now under a serious spotlight.

And it is remarkable the guns Walmart is willing to sell. I wonder how long that is going to last n ow.

In mass shootings, Bubba, assault weapons are becoming very popular, and they kill more people (and babies) faster. I like to think of it as gun inflation. It's common sense that the kids who are mentally disturbed and want to play their favorite movie or videogame shooter are going to arm themselves with the meanest (or meanest-looking) assault weapons they can find. The one this guy used to kill the children is one of the most popular in America right now, I understand.

A ban would also reduce production by gun companies, which is a huge part of this. Fewer guys, fewer people killed with them. That's basic math.

And what is your source in saying that the assault weapons ban "did nothing to reduce crime." It coordinated almost exactly with a period of dramatic crime reduction across the country, including in cities like Jackson. I'm not saying that's causal -- there were a variety of causes -- but you sure can't say violent crime didn't drop during the decade the assault weapons ban was in place. You are dramatically wrong on that.

Thank you, aeroscout. I've been astounded at how little understood "conflict of interest" is in the state. And people will just ignore ethics until someone takes them to task. That was true with Two Lakes and in so many situations here. The lack of public challenge is very dangerous.