The NHL has few fans in a city that rarely freezes? That's not that surprising, especially if they mean "the Puget Sound region" when they say "Seattle." Which they must, if NASCAR is more popular. (I recall some failed effort to get NASCAR to come to Western Washington when I lived there, so either it's not that popular either, or they wanted some giveaway that local pols realized wasn't worth it - it's not MLB or NFL, after all.)
Regarding "Jesus," that just shows the power of unity. They could have been chanting "assfuck" and it would have scared off the robber just the same.
Re the Twilight Exit shooter- someone really should follow up on these recurring 'angry shooter' stories where a DV situation turns violent and a fireaem is used.
Was the shooter an NRA member?
How many guns did the shooter have?
Where did the shooter get them?
Any of them acquired illegally?
Any via the gun-show loophole?
Acquired recently? Or a long-time gun owner?
Law enforcement background?
The story notes that the nut with a gun was 'a very nice guy'. They almost always are, according to at least one source. The nutter concept that a 'good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun' would be shredded quickly, I think, if we had more data.
The 'good guy with a gun' is a mythical creature that does not exist.
I'm pretty sure that if I were trying to burgle a house, bursting in on a whole "jewelry party" in progress would scare me off MORE than enough by itself - no matter what they all started chanting.
Don't try to frighten us with your polar sports, Ms Seling. Your sad devotion to that ancient winter activity has not helped you conjure up a major league franchise, or given you enough clairvoyance to find a new skating rink.
@ 6, pretty sure Anaheim doesn't have a real big hockey base. Their success comes from having a good team, because good teams will always sell tickets, no matter what sport you're talking about. Let's check back when they become mediocre, as happens to every team after a while.
Also, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it turned out that NASCAR was more popular there, too.
Actually, I do need to correct myself @ 11 - the Phoenix Coyotes have been a pretty good team in recent years, and they're still doing poorly at their box office. But the NHL has really been trying to get pro hockey established there, and it's still possible that they'll succeed if the team's good fortunes continue. But it will never be as big as any of the other big teams sports.
@11-12: you're right, though, that having freezing conditions probably makes for a stronger hockey culture, amateur players, etc. Even if LA or Tampa Bay can afford good arenas and teams.
Regarding the Arizona Republican tool who got arrested for voter fraud - I can't gloat. This is not a case of an asshole caught in her own trap. Instead, this is a case of a dupe who bought too much of the mythology and rhetoric that her abusers were pushing.
The Republican party leaders pretended that their concern was voter fraud when it was really voter suppression. Only a true believing idiot would buy that line. This true believing idiot did. She should be an object of pity, not scorn.
Also, here's a good editorial on Marriage Equality in Rhode Island, which just passed the House by a huge margin while the Senate is dragging it's heels.
Also, an unscientific poll in which (at this time) more people have voted against marriage equality than for it. Everyone should go and vote!
Vancouver BC rarely freezes, but its NHL hockey venue, Rogers Arena, has regularly sold-out Canucks games.
NHL is not awesome. Gary Bettman sucks. Try to follow a hockey league that doesn't have a commissioner with a record of lockouts and cancelled seasons.
Skating after a puck looks like fun but the culture of violence in hockey is likely unnecessary and just plain disgusting. I can't stand watching crowds hooping it up. It makes my skin crawl.
Agree with Matt that the survey seems off. I think basketball is a lot higher in Seattle, and maybe not so much in Tacoma.
I think people like games they played or watched as kids. Where there's a lot of kids playing hockey, it's more popular. Where there's been a team for years, it's more popular. With that said, our beer league is second in size in the country, there's two junior teams and the Sounders seem to have built an audience in their second life.
Sure.
But only after the shootings have been converted to nice, sanitized statistics.
Individually, as long as the shootings are confined to someone else in someplace else they can be ignored.
But I do agree with #5 on most points BUT FOR EVERY SHOOTING INCIDENT (even wounding or just firing a gun inside the city).
Where did the shooter get them?
Any of them acquired illegally?
Any via the gun-show loophole?
Acquired recently? Or a long-time gun owner?
Law enforcement background?
AND
Magazine capacity.
Gun type (revolver, semi-automatic pistol, rifle, etc).
The point being to illustrate how the MAJORITY (over 50%) of shootings will not be impacted at all by the "reasonable" restrictions being suggested.
My father belonged to the NRA, back when it wasn't chock-full-o' nuts. I read the magazine, I know about the first inside page, it used to be called 'The Armed Citizen' and it detailed all the cases where someone with a gun stopped a crime. There'd be about twenty items each month.
So I'm curious to compare the two figures. How many actual crimes does an NRA member truly thwart, versus how many end up enraged and shooting a co-worker, loved one, or bystander.
The NRA already quashed Dr. Rivara's attempt to do a similar study, so we know they already believe there is something scary in the data.
The Seattle Times calling Twilight Exit a "popular Central District nightclub" makes them sound 100 years old.
@35 - I never knew about the NRA mag crime report thing. In retrospect, do you think they were legit reports, or did it read like more of a Penthouse Forum for gun lovers?
I'd also like to know, among the numbers of gun owners who tried to stop a crime, how many successfully stopped the crime, how many tried to stop the crime but failed, and how many got shot with their own gun or the gun of the perpetrator. I'd also like to see data on how many gun owners illegally use lethal force to stop a criminal, such as a gun owner using a gun to stop shoplifting or another type of crime that never calls for lethal force.
@35,
The "Armed Citizen" section of the NRA's magazine (my dad was a member and I read it as a kid) reads mostly like news snippets, although occasionally there are penthouse-forum-esque letters too.
Regarding "Jesus," that just shows the power of unity. They could have been chanting "assfuck" and it would have scared off the robber just the same.
When we watch English subtitled francophone films, let us now see "Fuck yeah!" appearing on screen with regularity.
Was the shooter an NRA member?
How many guns did the shooter have?
Where did the shooter get them?
Any of them acquired illegally?
Any via the gun-show loophole?
Acquired recently? Or a long-time gun owner?
Law enforcement background?
The story notes that the nut with a gun was 'a very nice guy'. They almost always are, according to at least one source. The nutter concept that a 'good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun' would be shredded quickly, I think, if we had more data.
The 'good guy with a gun' is a mythical creature that does not exist.
Talk about brilliant business planning.....NOT
Also, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it turned out that NASCAR was more popular there, too.
What the hell?!! Xenophobic, Mexican-hating Arizona has a team called the Coyotes?
The Republican party leaders pretended that their concern was voter fraud when it was really voter suppression. Only a true believing idiot would buy that line. This true believing idiot did. She should be an object of pity, not scorn.
http://www.france24.com/en/livefeed
There's also a very scientific poll on the right hand side of the page. I think we are to vote "Oui", right?
http://www.lcp.fr/
Marriage for all: does the law represent a projection for the children's rights?
Oui!
@17: She should be used as an example of what happens when you imbibe too much Fox News with no other input to help normalize your worldview.
Also, an unscientific poll in which (at this time) more people have voted against marriage equality than for it. Everyone should go and vote!
http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x19593…
NHL is not awesome. Gary Bettman sucks. Try to follow a hockey league that doesn't have a commissioner with a record of lockouts and cancelled seasons.
The vast majority of shootings are black males shooting other black males.
So what do you think are the likely answers to your questions?
Or did you only want to focus on domestic violence shootings? If so, why? Why not look at shootings overall?
I'm SHOCKED I tell you, shocked!
I think people like games they played or watched as kids. Where there's a lot of kids playing hockey, it's more popular. Where there's been a team for years, it's more popular. With that said, our beer league is second in size in the country, there's two junior teams and the Sounders seem to have built an audience in their second life.
"Why not look at shootings overall?"
Sure.
But only after the shootings have been converted to nice, sanitized statistics.
Individually, as long as the shootings are confined to someone else in someplace else they can be ignored.
But I do agree with #5 on most points BUT FOR EVERY SHOOTING INCIDENT (even wounding or just firing a gun inside the city).
Where did the shooter get them?
Any of them acquired illegally?
Any via the gun-show loophole?
Acquired recently? Or a long-time gun owner?
Law enforcement background?
AND
Magazine capacity.
Gun type (revolver, semi-automatic pistol, rifle, etc).
The point being to illustrate how the MAJORITY (over 50%) of shootings will not be impacted at all by the "reasonable" restrictions being suggested.
And rumors that hedge funds are buying up distressed homes in Seattle area.
So I'm curious to compare the two figures. How many actual crimes does an NRA member truly thwart, versus how many end up enraged and shooting a co-worker, loved one, or bystander.
The NRA already quashed Dr. Rivara's attempt to do a similar study, so we know they already believe there is something scary in the data.
@35 - I never knew about the NRA mag crime report thing. In retrospect, do you think they were legit reports, or did it read like more of a Penthouse Forum for gun lovers?
I'd also like to know, among the numbers of gun owners who tried to stop a crime, how many successfully stopped the crime, how many tried to stop the crime but failed, and how many got shot with their own gun or the gun of the perpetrator. I'd also like to see data on how many gun owners illegally use lethal force to stop a criminal, such as a gun owner using a gun to stop shoplifting or another type of crime that never calls for lethal force.
The "Armed Citizen" section of the NRA's magazine (my dad was a member and I read it as a kid) reads mostly like news snippets, although occasionally there are penthouse-forum-esque letters too.
http://www.nrapublications.org/index.php…
Thank you for getting it.