Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Minneapolis

2007-06-04T19:52:51Z

Emptiness: ref

'''Minneapolis''' is the largest city in the state of [[Minnesota]]. Along side the state capitol, [[St. Paul]], they are known as the [[Twin Cities]].

The [[Mary Tyler Moore show]] took place in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis was recently named by ''Forbes Magazine'' one of the top 5 cleanest cities in the world. <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2007/04/16/worlds-cleanest-cities-biz-logistics-cx_rm_0416cleanest_slide_6.html?thisSpeed=22000]</ref>

In sports, Minneapolis is the home of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, the MLB's Minnesota Twins, and the NFL's [[Minnesota Vikings]].

== Reerences ==
<references/>

== Links ==
[http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/index.asp Official Site]

[[Category:Minnesota]]

Calorie

2007-06-04T19:48:11Z

Emptiness: precisions

{{stub}}

A calorie is a unit of measure of the [[energy]]. One calorie is equal to the amount of energy necessary to warm one gram of water from 14.5 degree [[Celsius]] to 15.5 °C at sea level. The "Calorie" on a nutrition label is actually different from the "calorie" or unit of measure for energy. The upper case "Calorie" is actually a kilocalorie, or 1,000 calories.

The unit has been replaced by the Joule (1 cal = 4.1855 J )as standard unity of energy, it is not longer used except to express the amount of energy in food.

[[Category:Unity]]

Equator

2007-06-04T19:41:18Z

Emptiness: united states are not the whole of America

The [[Equator]] is a line of [[Lines of latitude|latitude]] that goes around the middle of the [[Earth]]. The Equator is equidistant from both geographical poles at all locations along it. It measures 24,902 miles in distance and is represented as 0° of latitude.

The Equator goes through some countries, like [[Ecuador]] (which is named for it) and [[Zaire]], but it does not go through the United States. [[Florida]] is the state closest to the Equator in the States (except for [[Hawaii]]).

Just as Polaris is almost exactly on the celestial North Pole, the "belt" of the constellation Orion is almost exactly on the celestial equator. If you see Orion's belt is directly overhead, you know you are on the Equator. Early Polynesian seafarers may have used it for navigation.

In the British and U. S. navies, a long-standing naval tradition calls for a fraternity-like initiation ceremony when a sailor crosses the equator for the first time.

[[Category:Navigation]]
[[Category:geography]]

Orson Scott Card

2007-05-31T06:48:37Z

Emptiness: stub

'''Orson Scott Card''' (born August 24, 1951) is an American author, best known for his novel science-fiction serie Ender's Game and its many sequels. The novel ''Ender's Game'' and its sequel ''Speaker for the Dead'' were both awarded the [[Hugo Award]] and the [[Nebula Award]]. A follower of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], his books usually tend to religious themes.

[[Category:Writer]]

Rembrandt

2007-05-31T06:38:51Z

Emptiness: typo

'''Rembrandt''' (full name ''Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn'') (1606-1669) was the most acclaimed painter in the [[Netherlands]]—the greatest of the "Dutch Masters." He considered himself a religous painter, but he is most famous for his portraits. Rembrandt produced about 600 paintings including his 50-60 self portraits, he made 300 etchings, and an estimated number of about 1,400 drawings. Most of his drawings look unfinished, but he stated a drawing is finished when the artist has fulfilled his intentions.

Rembrandt's paintings are known for their depiction of light and shadow. The increasing number of portraits by Rembrandt and others demonstrated the new emphasis on individualism in the Renaissance.

==External links==
*[http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/rembrandt/1640/night-watch/rembrandt.night-watch.jpg The Night Watch], Rembrandt's most famous painting
*[http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/rembrandt/1640/emmaus.jpg Supper at Emmaus], one of his religious paintings

[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Painting]]

Great Artists R

2007-05-31T06:37:31Z

Emptiness: +Rembrandt

Salt Lake City

2007-05-30T11:34:34Z

Emptiness: ref

'''Salt Lake City''' is the capital city of [[Utah]]. It had a population of just over 178,000 as of 2005. <ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US4967000&_county=Salt+Lake+City&_cityTown=Salt+Lake+City&_state=04000US4&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010]</ref> It was founded on July 24, 1847 by 148 Mormon pioneers. <ref>[http://www.utah.com/cities/slc_history.htm]</ref> The city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Cities]]
[[Category:US State Capitals]]

Singapore

2007-05-28T13:18:26Z

Emptiness: typo

[[Image:Singaporeflag.gif|thumb|100px|Singapore flag]]'''Singapore''' (Malay: ''Singa'' (lion) + ''pura'' (city)) is a small island state situated at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula. Its population of about 4 million people is 76% ethnic Chinese, 14% Malay, 7% Indian and 3% others.

==History==
Singapore was an ignored, swampy island with only a few fishing villages until 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles of the British [[East India Company]] was given permision to establish a trading station by the Sultan of Johor. Raffles had spotted its strategic location as a crossroads on the shipping routes to the East and set about turning the island into a free trading station.<ref>[http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/brief_history.html] Uniquely Singapore - Brief History</ref> Alongside the British colonial presence it attracted many entrepeneurs from China, India and the Middle East and within 5 years the population rose from 150 to 10,000. In 1824 the British bought the island outright from the Sultan. Following the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, the Dutch, who had largely been the dominant colonial power in south-east Asia, withdrew any objections to the British occupation.

The British tended to congregate round the river waterfront and many grand buildings in the Palladian style were built largely with the help of Irish architect George Coleman.<ref>Visitors' Guide to Singapore, 13th Edition, 2006/7, pp.20-21</ref> With the opening of the [[Suez Canal]] in 1869, the invention of steamships and the laying of long-distance telegraph cables Singapore became increasingly important as a port and trading centre.

At the outbreak of the World War II, Singapore was regarded as a well-defended base for the Allies in the Far-East. However, on February 15, 1942 Singapore fell to the Japanese after six-days of fighting. The occupation of the next three and a half years was brutal with many attrocities and war-crimes being committed. The island was renamed Syonan (Light of the South) until the defeat of Japan. The occupying forces formally surrendered to the British at the Changi prison-camp in September 1945.

In 1946, Singapore became a British Crown Colony. However, the communist insurgency in Malaya of 1948 put Singapore in a state of emergency for 12 years. There was a rise of nationalism during the 1950s as the merchant classes wanted to have a say in government and in 1959 Singapore was granted self-government under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew. In 1963 Singapore merged with Federated Malaya and the Borneo states of Sarawak and North Borneo (Sabah) to creat Malaysia. The third Borneo state of Brunei opted for independence. This merger was actively opposed by the neigbouring states of Indonesia and the Philippines. The union did not last long owing to ideological differences between Lee Kuan Yee's PAP (People's Action Party) and the federal government in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore was obliged to withdraw and became a sovereign, independent nation on August 9, 1965.

With only a small land mass and limited natural resources Singapore was forced to industrialise and develop its technical prowess alongside its trading role. Government policies emphasized the role of education especially in computer science.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Asian Countries]]

Gun control

2007-05-28T13:17:50Z

Emptiness: the situation in Singapore - no opposition in talk page

'''Gun control''' is the regulation by governments of [[gun]] ownership and the right to carry, conceal, or use [[firearm]]s.

Such measures can range from a total prohibition on civilian ownership and possession of firearms and ammunition to specific restrictions on certain firearm features, "waiting periods" for gun purchases, licensing of gun owners, registration of firearms, etc. Increased "gun control" is generally promoted by pacifists and [[liberals]] as a remedy to [[crime]].

Increased "gun control" is generally promoted by pacifists and [[liberals]] as a remedy to [[crime]]. Conservatives, on the other hand, argue that whether or not guns are officially controlled by the government, criminals will commit crimes, and a black market will exist to provide them with firearms. For instance, despite the prohibition of handgun ownership in the [[United Kingdom]], an island nation without any neighboring "gun culture" nations, handgun crime has been steadily increasing there for many years. As of 2005/06, the total deaths by shooting in the UK had increased to 50.<ref>http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0207.pdf</ref>. Comparably, the United States suffered 11,350 gun deaths in 2005.<ref>http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_01.html</ref>However, it should be noted that the USA has a population approximately 5 times greater than the UK, <ref>http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0004997.html</ref> and the number of murders by shooting is approximately 200 times higher.

Gun control laws have been enacted at the federal, state, and local level with the intent of placing restrictions on the right of individual private citizens to own [[firearms]].

Gun control laws are often seen to conflict with the [[Second Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], which recognizes the right to bear arms.

The Second Amendment reads: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

The "right to keep and bear arms" is a right guaranteed to the American citizen by the Bill of Rights through the virtue of a selective reading of said Bill. The phrase "a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state" precedes the statement, and most federal circuits [[courts of appeals]] have held that this phrase requires that the "right to bear arms" relates to the collective rights of state militias, as opposed to the individual's rights to have any weapon desired. Just recently, the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit went against nine other circuits in holding that the Second Amendment constitutes an individual right.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/washington/10gun.html?_r=1&oref=slogin, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258067,00.html</ref>

==Overview==
The end effect of gun control laws is the reduction of gun crime.

"Gun control" is the use of legislation to place restrictions on the right to bear arms right. This can include:

* Restricting which persons can own firearms.
* Restrictions on the number of firearms a person may own, or purchase during a given time period
* Requirements that privately owned firearms be registered with the government.
* Bans on certain types of firearms; for example, "handguns" or assault rifles
* Restrictions on where firearms may be carried, for example into restaurants or post offices
* Requiring a "background check" and/or a "waiting period" to purchase a firearm
* Restricting when and where firearms may be bought and sold, for example banning their sale through the mail
* Requiring licenses or some other form of permission from the government to buy and/or sell a firearm
* Requiring some form of permission from the government to carry a firearm in public, either concealed or openly
* Laws granting special gun rights for some people, for example retired law enforcement officers, which are denied the rest of the public, which was used in several southern states.
* Outright bans on carrying firearms in public
* Outright bans on private possession of firearms, though this has never occurred in the United States

In the United States the three primary federal gun control laws are:
* National Firearms Act (1934)
* Gun Control Act (1968)
* Brady Bill (1993)

These laws have further been amended by other laws such as the Firearms Owners Protection Act (1986) and the Omnibus Crime Bill (1994).

==Objections to gun control==
Studies by John Lott and others indicate that gun control causes higher crime rates<ref>http://www.johnrlott.com/</ref>. [[Washington, D.C.]] has one of the highest crime rates in America even though it completely bans private handguns <ref>http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/dccrime.htm</ref>.

After decades of increasing gun control laws, the current trend in the USA is in the direction of more gun rights. The 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill included a ban on certain new rifles labeled assault rifles solely because of features of their appearance, and on new high-capacity magazines. This law recently expired and was not renewed by Congress. Also, Washington D.C.'s gun ban was struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Court of Appeals on March 9, 2007.<ref>http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20070309-102401-2730r.htm</ref>

==Constitutional Debate==
The [[Second Amendment]] reads:

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Most constitutional scholars agree that since the amendment refers to "the right of the People" instead of the right of the militia, it protects an individual right to own guns. The extent of that right has been debated.

==Racism of gun control==
In the [[United States of America]], gun control has a strong racist origin and reasoning. Before the Civil War ended, State "Slave Codes" prohibited slaves from owning guns. After President [[Abraham Lincoln]] issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and after the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery was adopted and the Civil War ended in 1865, States persisted in prohibiting blacks, now freemen, from owning guns under laws renamed "Black Codes." They did so on the basis that blacks were not citizens, and thus did not have the same rights, including the right to keep and bear arms protected in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as whites. This view was specifically articulated by the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] in its infamous 1857 decision in ''Dred Scott v. Sandford'' to uphold slavery.

The United States Congress overrode most portions of the Black Codes by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866. The legislative histories of both the Civil Rights Act and the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as The Special Report of the Anti-Slavery Conference of 1867, are replete with denunciations of those particular statutes that denied blacks equal access to firearms. [Kates, "Handgun Prohibition and the Original Meaning of the Second Amendment," 82 Mich. L. Rev. 204, 256 (1983)] However, facially neutral disarming through economic means laws remain in effect.

After the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1878, most States turned to "facially neutral" business or transaction taxes on handgun purchases. However, the intention of these laws was not neutral. An article in Virginia's official university law review called for a "prohibitive tax...on the privilege" of selling handguns as a way of disarming "the son of Ham," whose "cowardly practice of 'toting' guns has been one of the most fruitful sources of crime.... Let a negro board a railroad train with a quart of mean whiskey and a pistol in his grip and the chances are that there will be a murder, or at least a row, before he alights." [Comment, Carrying Concealed Weapons, 15 Va L. Reg. 391, 391-92 (1909); George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal (GMU CR LJ), Vol. 2, No. 1, "Gun Control and Racism," Stefan Tahmassebi, 1991, p. 75] Thus, many Southern States imposed high taxes or banned inexpensive guns so as to price blacks and poor whites out of the gun market.

Today, "gun control" laws continue to be enacted so as to have a racist effect if not intent:

* Police-issued license and permit laws, unless drafted to require issuance to those not prohibited by law from owning guns, are routinely used to prevent lawful gun ownership among "unpopular" populations.
* Public housing residents, approximately 3 million Americans, are singled out for gun bans.
* "Gun sweeps" by police in "high crime neighborhoods" whereby vehicles and "pedestrians who meet a specific profile that might indicate they are carrying a weapon" are searched are becoming popular, and are being studied by the U.S. Department of Justice as "Operation Ceasefire."
* Some U.S. cities with high minority populations, such as Washington, D.C., are singled out for gun bans.
* "Project Exile" began in the U.S. city of Richmond, Virginia and mandated that people arrested for technical firearms violations (note: not for violent crimes committed with a firearm, but for technical violations of the law) be tried in federal court where they would be subject to lengthy mandatory minimum sentences rather than in state court under the more lenient Virginia laws. As with many other restrictions this was aimed primarily at the city's Black residents. It has since been copied in many other cities.

== Gun control outside the USA ==
In [[Singapore]], which has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, the capital punishment is mandatory for "arms trafficking", i.e. owning more than two weapons under the Misuse of Arms Act, and caning is mandatory for any person found in posession of a weapon (not even a firearm).

==Other terms==
Other terms sometimes used by those who are opposed to gun control include:
* Rights restriction
* Victim disarmament

==External Links==

*[http://www.nra.org/ The National Rifle Association]
*[http://www.nrapublications.org/armed%20citizen/Index.asp Armed citizens defending themselves.]

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Liberal Falsehoods]]

Pluto

2007-05-27T18:58:26Z

Emptiness: removing unsourced statement

[[Image:Pluto3.gif|left|thumb|Pluto(center) with moon [[Charon]]. NASA image]]
{{Solarsystem}}

The dwarf [[planet]] '''Pluto''', named for the [[Roman]] [[god]] of the [[Underworld]], was discovered in 1930 by [[American]] [[astronomy|astronomer]] [[Clyde Tombaugh]]. In 2006, the [[International Astronomers Union]] demoted Pluto from the status of a planet to that of a dwarf planet. Recently there have been efforts to restore Pluto's status as a planet.<ref>http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-pluto.artmar15,0,4959275.story?coll=hc-headlines-life</ref> Pluto has at least three [[moon]]s, the largest of which is [[Charon]].

Pluto is the second-largest known [[dwarf planet]] in the solar system and the tenth largest observed body directly orbiting the [[Sun]].{{fact}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Planets]]

Infrared radiation

2007-05-27T18:45:24Z

Emptiness: details

The '''infrared''' portion of the [[electromagnetic spectrum]] consists of light which has a longer wavelength than the human eye can detect (that is, above 800 nm). ''Infra'', meaning ''below'' in latin, is used because the [[frequency|frequencies]] of the infrared are below those of the red colour. Infrared is used in communications by [[optical fiber]]s (wavelength 1550 nm), in lamps to keep food warm, in military detection equipment (for example because the heat of the human body can be perceived as an infrared radiation around 10 µms).

==See also==
*[[microwaves]]

[[category:physics]]

Perestroika

2007-05-27T18:34:14Z

Emptiness: +link, typo

'''Perestroika''', which means "restructuring", was a new policy introduced by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] in the [[Soviet Union]] to allow the people to own small businesses. Gorbachev tried to transform the stagnant, inefficient command economy into a decentralized, market-oriented economy. Under "Perestroika", open elections were held, and industrial managers were granted greter automony. It also contributed to the complete collapse of the [[Soviet Union]]. See also [[glasnost]], its social and cultural counterpart.

[[category:Soviet Union]]

Thermosphere

2007-05-27T18:29:48Z

Emptiness: some useful links

The '''thermosphere''' is the region of the atmosphere between altitudes of 80 kilometers and 460 kilometers.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref>. It is just above the [[mesosphere]] and below the [[exosphere]].

==References==
<references/>

Cellulose

2007-05-25T17:58:56Z

Emptiness: some details, one typo.

'''Cellulose''' is a substance made of [[sugar|sugars]]. It is common in the [[cell wall|cell walls]] of many [[organism|organisms]]<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Biology''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998</ref>, most notably in the wood of trees, and other [[vegetal]]s. It is therefore one of the main component of [[paper]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Biology]]

20th century

2007-05-25T09:41:27Z

Emptiness: ...just a letter missing

The '''20th century''' (1901-2000) is the century in which most of us were born. It has been called "The American Century" and "The Bloodiest Century", because during most of it [[America]] was fighting wars for [[democracy]]. The 20th century was the century of [[World War I]], [[World War II]], [[Korea]], [[Vietnam]], and [[Iraq]], as well as smaller conflicts such as [[Rwanda]] and the [[Falkland Islands]].

However, the 20th century was also a century of inventions. The electronic [[computer]] was invented in the 20th century, and popularized by pioneers like [[Bill Gates]] and [[Microsoft]]. The [[automobile]], invented in the nineteenth century, was popularised, and the [[refrigerator]], and many other items that the world takes for granted today. On the other hand, some inventions, like the [[telegraph]] and the [[steamship]], went out of style and were forgotten.

Presidents in the 20th century included [[William McKinley]], [[Gerald Ford]], and [[George H. W. Bush]] among many others.

Fox, the company in charge of [[Fox News]], used to be called [[20th Century Fox]], but they changed their name shortly before the century was about to change.[http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/stories/studiologos/page3.html]

The 20th century came between the [[19th century]] and the [[21st century]], that we are in now.

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Centuries]]

20th century

2007-05-24T14:04:59Z

Emptiness: first year of a century always ***1 (for their was no 0th year after Christ)

The '''20th century''' (1901-2000) is the century in which most of us were born. It has been called "The American Century" and "The Bloodiest Century", because during most of it [[America]] was fighting wars for [[democracy]]. The 20th century was the century of [[World War I]], [[World War II]], [[Korea]], [[Vietnam]], and [[Iraq]], as well as smaller conflicts such as [[Rwanda]] and the [[Falkland Islands]].

However, the 20th century was also a century of inventions. The [[computer]] was invented in the 20th century, and popularized by pioneers like [[Bill Gates]] and [[Microsoft]]. The [[automobile]] was invented, and the [[refrigerator]], and many other items that the world takes for granted today. On the other hand, some inventions, like the [[telegraph]] and the [[steamship]], went out of style and were forgotten.

Presidents in the 20th century included [[William McKinley]], [[Gerald Ford]], and [[George W. Bush]], among many others.

Fox, the company in charge of [[Fox News]], used to be called [[20th Century Fox]], but they changed their name shortly before the century was about to change.[http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/stories/studiologos/page3.html]

The 20th century came between the [[19th century]] and the [[21st century]], that we are in now.

[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Centuries]]

World Wide Web

2007-05-24T14:03:07Z

Emptiness: ref

The '''World Wide Web''' is a distributed system of hyperlinked documents accessible via the [[Internet]]. Users access web servers via a client called a [[web browser]]. The WWW was invented by [[Tim Berners-Lee]].

Documents on the WWW are uniquely identified by a [[Uniform Resource Locator]] (URL). URLs are used to allow users to browse from one website, such as [[Conservapedia]], to another.

Conservative [[Jew|Jewish]] intellectual Abraham Silberschatz, in 2005, called for the closing of the Internet to corrosive foreign influences, especially those of the [[China]]: "Accepting [America's] commitment to online freedom should be the price that foreign governments must pay for the [[blessing]] of the [[Internet]] in their lives." <ref>[http://www.wgig.org/news/Web%20of%20the%20Free.html]</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Information technology]]

March

2007-05-24T14:00:58Z

Emptiness: march was the first month of the year during roman era

'''March''' is the third [[month]] of the [[year]], coming after [[February]] and before [[April]], named after the Roman god of war, [[Mars]]. During the roman era, it was the first month of the year, thus explaining the names of [[september]], [[october]], [[november]] and [[december]] (respectively seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth in [[latin]], referring to their former relatives positions in the roman calendar).

[[Category:Months]]

Talk:Gun control

2007-05-23T09:20:50Z

Emptiness: Somewhere else in the world

Quote: "This right is a natural right which we are endowed by our Creator with, and the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution explicitly recognizes this pre-existing natural right of individuals to own and carry tools useful for self-defense."

This assertion requires citation to comply with the Commandments, as, no matter how rational and obvious, it is a personal opinion. Additionally, it would be useful, and would strengthen the assertion, if a clearer explanation of the constitutional right to carry tools really exists, vis-a-vis pre-existing natural rights. If a constitutional scholar is available, it would be great if he could comment here, as the Second Amendment is of the utmost importance and we should support it more clearly.

:I agree, the wording of the Second Amendment is hardly explicit. Also, Jesus reprimanded Peter for trying to defend them with a sword, so whether our Creator wants us to defend ourselves with guns is debatable. --[[User:Daniel B. Douglas|Daniel B. Douglas]] 12:57, 17 March 2007 (EDT)

:Besides: the "natural" sic for (inalienable?) right stems for the [[Declaration of Independence]] not from the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]]. --[[User:Cracker|Cracker]][[User_Talk:Cracker|talk]] 13:06, 17 March 2007 (EDT)

I think my version was more clear and accurate, but it's your site.
[[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 09:05, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

The Second Amendment gives 'The People' - that is The American People (not persons as in individuals) the right to arm itself, specifically against the British who claimed sovereignty over the American People, forbidding them to bear arms except under the King.

Countries with gun control have fewer homicides, as do US states with gun control. And as Daniel B Douglas points out Jesus requires his followers to turn the other cheek: I certainly don't remember God asking us to arm ourselves to the teeth. KT

The Bill of Rights is specifically about INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. If you think Jesus Christ, the Son of God is a pacifist then you should read about His second coming in the Book of Revelations. In all countries without a similar version of our 2nd Ammendment right have fewer individual freedoms and rights. Gee, if only we were like other countries, sigh.--[[User:Roopilots6|Roopilots6]] 19:04, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

==Patriot Act==

Cut:
:Interestingly enough, the USA PATRIOT Act is another law that restricts liberties in the name of safety, yet those in favor of the PATRIOT ACT are often opposed to gun control.

What does "another law that restricts liberties" mean? Is it a "restriction" that any overseas phone call I make to a suspected terrorist will be monitored?

Where is the contradiction between wanted terrorists thwarted, and wanting to defend oneself against muggers and rapists? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 09:00, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

== VIRGINIA TECH ==

So - is NOW a good time to discuss things like waiting periods (I beleive Virginia has none), conceal laws(Virginia lets you do that) and other such unpleasantries???? [[User:Jacobin|Jacobin]] 20:22, 16 April 2007 (EDT) 20:22, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:Any time is a good time to help craft a balanced article presenting arguments for and against gun control laws. I have seen arguments on both sides enough to fill up several books.

:Can you boil it down to 2,000 words or less?

well, cars still kill wayyy more people.[[User:Jaques|Jaques]] 21:55, 16 April 2007 (EDT)
:Uhm... So anything that kills less that cars per year should be legal to have and use? [[User:Timppeli|Timppeli]] 22:00, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

::47,000 fatal car accidents per year in the U.S. versus around 1,000,000 non-fatal uses of guns in self-defense. I'd ban cars on that basis, but there's obviously much more to it. Do we have an article summarizing the findings of [[John Lott]], the statistician who wrote ''[[More Guns, Less Crime]]''? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 22:08, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:::'''Question''': What happens if one of the students who was shot had a gun with which to defend himself? '''Answer''': there would be less people dead then there are now. --[[User:CPAdmin1|CPAdmin1]] 22:21, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

::::'''Counter question''': How many students would be killed every year in shootouts in schools, if we allowed people to carry guns there? I bet even the accidental shootings would kill more people nationwide, not to mention all the things people can do when they are angry, gang related stuff and so on. [[User:Timppeli|Timppeli]] 22:40, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

'''Question''': what happens if the murderer hadn't been able to get a gun? '''Answer''': there would be ''many'' less people dead then there are now. -'''AmesG'''[http://www.conservapedia.com/User_talk:AmesG yo!] 22:25, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:'''Question''': Who are and who are not prevented from getting guns by gun control laws? '''Answer''': Law abiding citizens are prevented from getting guns and criminals are not. --[[User:HSDad|HSDad]] 22:36, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:::::'''Reply''' Regardless of what the laws are a criminal who wants a gun will be able to get one. Look an how effective (not very) the laws against illegal drugs are. gun control takes the guns out of the hands of the law abiding citizens but not the criminals. --[[User:CPAdmin1|CPAdmin1]] 22:31, 16 April 2007 (EDT)
::::::::More likely he would use some other weapon to kill. Like run over someone with his car.[[User:Jaques|Jaques]] 22:30, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

::::Well they have so-called "motor-voter" laws that enable people who get driver's licenses to register to vote. Perhaps they could draft a "motor-toter" law, to issue every driver a handgun? Carjackings would go WAY down.[[User:Rob Pommer| Rob Pommer]][[User_talk:Rob_Pommer|talk]]

The argument that criminals would still get guns if they wanted them has some foundation in logic, however, it has no foundation statistically. A comparison to England will suffice. It bears out the conclusion that while some criminals still get guns, it is fewer - the mental & physical block of having to break another law just to get a gun actually deters gun crime :-) -'''AmesG'''[http://www.conservapedia.com/User_talk:AmesG yo!] 22:42, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:Allso should be concidered where the criminals get their guns, those dont show up from nowhere. Most are stolen from those who have legally purchased them. Less gun owners, less weapons around to be stolen. [[User:Timppeli|Timppeli]] 22:44, 16 April 2007 (EDT)
:::or stolen from a cop. ya, all cops have guns. [[User:Jaques|Jaques]] 12:40, 17 April 2007 (EDT)

Guys, all of this is good stuff, but please consider before posting whether it's better to go to the [[Debate topics]]. Are you planning to help write a balanced article here? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 22:47, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

* Read [http://hotair.com/archives/2007/04/16/where-did-the-shooter-get-his-guns/ this] information via Hot Air. -- [[User:AmeriCan|AmeriCan]] 03:45, 17 April 2007 (EDT)

We've got a discussion going on here already: http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservapedia:Would_the_repeal_of_gun_control_laws_make_incidents_like_today%27s_shooting_at_Virginia_Tech_less_likely_to_occur%3F [[User:DanH|DanH]] 04:01, 17 April 2007 (EDT)

== Gun Control Leads to gun confiscation. ==

I am planning to remove this because it has no reference.
-Brian

If everyone, including children old enough to pull a trigger, owned a gun, would there be more or fewer shootings of human beings, accidental or intentional? I'm including felons, mentally ill, illegal aliens, legal aliens, and aliens from outer space.

== Somewhere else in the world ==

I'm wondering if it would be useful to add something about Singapore, which has some of the most extrems laws about gun control. Something like :
:"In Singapore, which has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, the capital punishment is mandatory for "arms trafficking", ie owning more than two weapons under the Misuse of Arms Act, and caning is mandatory for any person found in posession of a weapon (not even a firearm)"
Any comment? [[User:Emptiness|Emptiness]] 05:20, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

Gun control

2007-05-23T09:17:26Z

Emptiness: typo

Gun control laws have been enacted at the federal, state, and local level with the intent of placing restrictions on the right of individual private citizens to own [[firearms]].

A common use of firearms is to defend one's life, though accidental death of those who are attacking often occurs. In fact,out of all guns used in the home last year, only 2% were used against an intruder. Gun control laws are often seen to conflict with the [[Second Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], which recognizes the right to bear arms.

The Second Amendment reads: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

'''Gun control''' is the regulation by governments of [[gun]] ownership and the right to carry, conceal, or use [[firearm]]s. Such measures can range from a total prohibition on civilian ownership and possession of firearms and ammunition to specific restrictions on certain firearm features, "waiting periods" for gun purchases, licensing of gun owners, registration of firearms, etc. Increased "gun control" is generally promoted by pacifists and [[liberals]] as a remedy to [[crime]]. In fact, whether or not guns are officially controlled by the government, criminals will commit crimes, and a black market will exist to provide them with firearms. For instance, despite the prohibition of handgun ownership in the [[United Kingdom]], an island nation without any neighboring "gun culture" nations, handgun crime has been steadily increasing there for many years. As of 2005/06, the total deaths by shooting in the UK had increased to 50.<ref>http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0207.pdf</ref>. Comparably, the United States suffered 11,350 gun deaths in 2005.<ref>http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_01.html</ref>However, it should be noted that the USA has a population approximately 5 times greater than the UK, <ref>http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0004997.html</ref> and the number of murders by shooting is approximately 200 times higher.

The "right to keep and bear arms" is a right guaranteed to the American citizen by the Bill of Rights through the virtue of a selective reading of said Bill. The phrase "a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state" precedes the statement, and most federal circuits [[courts of appeals]] have held that this phrase requires that the "right to bear arms" relates to the collective rights of state militias, as opposed to the individual's rights to have any weapon desired. Just recently, the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit went against nine other circuits in holding that the Second Amendment constitutes an individual right.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/washington/10gun.html?_r=1&oref=slogin, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258067,00.html</ref>

==Overview==
The end effect of gun control laws is the reduction of gun crime.

"Gun control" is the use of legislation to place restrictions on the right to bear arms right. This can include:

* Restricting which persons can own firearms.
* Restrictions on the number of firearms a person may own, or purchase during a given time period
* Requirements that privately owned firearms be registered with the government.
* Bans on certain types of firearms; for example, "handguns" or assault rifles
* Restrictions on where firearms may be carried, for example into restaurants or post offices
* Requiring a "background check" and/or a "waiting period" to purchase a firearm
* Restricting when and where firearms may be bought and sold, for example banning their sale through the mail
* Requiring licenses or some other form of permission from the government to buy and/or sell a firearm
* Requiring some form of permission from the government to carry a firearm in public, either concealed or openly
* Laws granting special gun rights for some people, for example retired law enforcement officers, which are denied the rest of the public, which was used in several southern states.
* Outright bans on carrying firearms in public
* Outright bans on private possession of firearms, though this has never occurred in the United States

In the United States the three primary federal gun control laws are:
* National Firearms Act (1934)
* Gun Control Act (1968)
* Brady Bill (1993)

These laws have further been amended by other laws such as the Firearms Owners Protection Act (1986) and the Omnibus Crime Bill (1994).

==Objections to gun control==
Studies by John Lott and others indicate that gun control causes higher crime rates<ref>http://www.johnrlott.com/</ref>. [[Washington, D.C.]] has one of the highest crime rates in America even though it completely bans private handguns <ref>http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/dccrime.htm</ref>.

After decades of increasing gun control laws, the current trend is in the direction of more gun rights. The 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill included a ban on certain new rifles labeled assault rifles solely because of features of their appearance, and on new high-capacity magazines. This law recently expired and was not renewed by Congress. Also, Washington D.C.'s gun ban was struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Court of Appeals on March 9, 2007.<ref>http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20070309-102401-2730r.htm</ref>

==Constitutional Debate==
The [[Second Amendment]] reads:

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Most constitutional scholars agree that since the amendment refers to "the right of the People" instead of the right of the militia, it protects an individual right to own guns. The extent of that right has been debated.

==External Links==

*[http://www.nra.org/ The National Rifle Association]
*[http://www.nrapublications.org/armed%20citizen/Index.asp Armed citizens defending themselves.]

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Liberal Falsehoods]]

Talk:Sperm

2007-05-23T09:16:26Z

Emptiness: cell vs. fluid

== What exactly are we talking about ? ==

It seems to me that this article relates to the cell, spermatozoon, and not the sperm, fluid containing ''among many components'' spermatozoon. Souldn't it be renammed ? [[User:Emptiness|Emptiness]] 05:16, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

List of bodily organs

2007-05-23T08:05:54Z

Emptiness: fat is not an organ

*[[Adrenal gland]]
*[[Aris]]
*[[Bladder]]
*[[Brain]]
*[[Carpal]]
*[[Diaphragm]]
*[[Ear]]
*[[Esophagus]]
*[[Eye]]
*[[Gall bladder]]
*[[Gristle]]
*[[Heart]]
*[[Jap's eye]]
*[[Kidney]]
*[[Kneecaps]]
*[[Knob]]
*[[Lady lumps]]
*[[Large intestine]]
*[[Liver]]
*[[Lung]]
*[[Moobs]]
*[[Mouth]]
*[[Muscle]]
*[[Nose]]
*[[Pancreas]]
*[[Pituitary gland]]
*[[Radius]]
*[[Scalp]]
*[[Shatner's Bassoon]]
*[[Sphincter]]
*[[Stomach]]
*[[Skin]]
*[[Small intestine]]
*[[Spleen]]
*[[Thyroid gland]]
*[[Thymus]]
*[[Toe]]
*[[Tongue]]
*[[Trachea]]
*[[Ulna]]
*[[Uterus]]
*[[Vermiform appendix]]

The [[soul]], the essence of each individual, is not rightly considered a bodily organ, but rather a spiritual entity, whose relation with the physical body is a matter of some contention.

Torture

2007-05-23T08:04:16Z

Emptiness: not restricted to punishment

The term torture refers to the act of inflicting severe pain or mutilation on prisoners. Governments, armies and tyrants have inflicted torture on opponents throughout recorded history, chiefly against [[slave]]s and [[rebel]]s, but also against political or religious dissidents.

It is a matter of dispute whether it serves any valid purpose to distinguish between degrees or levels of torture. To some opponents, "torture is torture" and should always be prohibited.

In the West, the best known cases of torture were inflicted by ecclesiastical and political authorities during the Middle Ages. A well-known example from historical fiction occurs in ''[[Ivanhoe]]'', and well-known examples from real history can be found in the [[Malleus Maleficarum]]<ref>[http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/ The Malleus Maleficarum]</ref>, a manual for [[Witch Hunt|Witch Hunters]].

In the 20th century, opposition to torture on [[human rights]] grounds began, yet torture persists in countries as diverse as [[China]] and [[Sudan]]. 

The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment defines torture as:

"...any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions." <ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureDefinition</ref>

Torture is widely practiced in many countries throughout the world as a means of intimidating the ruling regime's opponents. Since 1997, incidences of torture or ill treatment by the police have been reported in over 140 different countries, according to Amnesty International in Asia & the Pacific. <ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureContext</ref> By far most commonly reported method of torture is physical beatings - other commonly reported methods include: <ref>http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/apro/aproweb.nsf/pages/knowTortureMethods</ref>

* [[Rape]] and [[sexual abuse]] in custody

* [[Mock execution]] or threat of death

* Prolonged [[solitary confinement]]

* [[Electric shock]]s

* [[Suffocation]]

The US maintains that its [[coercive interrogation]] techniques are not "[[torture]]". President [[George W. Bush]] vetoed the [[McCain Amendment]], which was intended to tighten the definition of torture.

The signatories to the [[Geneva Convention]] <ref>[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/lawofwar/geneva03.htm]</ref> in 1949 defined relative classes of persons who may be considered "prisoners". The Bush Administration has classified [[terrorist]]s as [[Unlawful combatant]]s not associated with any signatory power and maintain previous International Conventions have not addressed this classification.

== References ==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/14/2devos.pdf?rd=1 Mind the Gap: Purpose, Pain, and the Difference between Torture and Inhuman Treatment] by Christian M. De Vos

[[Category:Barbaric practices]]

Ivanhoe

2007-05-23T07:59:47Z

Emptiness: typo

'''Ivanhoe''' is a novel set in [[Medieval]] [[England]] during the late 1100s. It was written by Sir [[Walter Scott]] in the nineteenth century, and portrayed the conflict betweenthe Norman lords who ruled England and the Anglo-Saxon peasants who suffered under their rule. The hero of the novel is Robin Hood, a Saxon who became an outlaw for hunting on the King's land, which had once belonged to his family before the Norman conquest of England.

[[Sir Arthur Sullivan]] based an [[opera]] on the novel.

[[category:book]]

Guy Fawkes

2007-05-23T07:56:44Z

Emptiness: typo

'''Guy Fawkes''' was born on April 13, 1570 in Stonegate, York. He was an English soldier who had fought as a mercenary for the Spanish and part of the [[Roman Catholic]] [[terrorist]] group who tried to act on the [[Gunpowder Plot]] on November 5th. The plot was to assassinate the [[Protestant]] rulers of [[England]], including King James I and the whole of [[Parliament]], by blowing up the Palace of Westminster during the opening session of [[Parliament]] in 1605. This would have created a power vacuum, supposedly allowing the Catholic Church to seize power. Fawkes was caught before he could put this plan into action. He was interrogated through [[torture]]. Normally torture would have been forbidden, but James I decided that the country was at war and therefore torture was acceptable.{{fact}} Fawkes was ultimately put to death along with his co-conspirators for treason and attempted murder. He died on January 31, 1606, by being hanged, drawn and quartered.

His death is celebrated in England every year on [[Guy Fawkes Day]], 5th November with fireworks and bonfires, it is commonly known as "Bonfire Night"

:''Remember, remember, the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot...''

[[Category:Terrorists|Fawkes, Guy]]

Empress Dowager Cixi

2007-05-22T20:19:55Z

Emptiness: typo

{{stub}}

'''Empress Dowager Cixi''' lived from November 29, 1835 to November 15, 1908. She was a consort of the Xianfeng emperor, mother of the Tongzhi emperor, and adoptive mother of the Guangxu emperor. She is suspected of having ordered the murder of the last of these, the day before she died. Certainly she had kept him captive under house arrest since his abortive attempt to bring about reform in China during the 'Hundred Days' of 1898 {{fact}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cixi, Empress Dowager}}
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:China]]

Ulrich Zwingli

2007-05-22T20:15:54Z

Emptiness: typo

(1484-1531) Leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland; founder of Swiss Reformed Churches. He was also one of the most accomplished musicians of the reformation era. His last words at his death bed in 1531 are said to be "Not to fear is the armour!"

{{stub}}