NationStates Jolt Archive

By MIKE SULLIVAN
Crime Editor
THIS five-foot martial arts sword capable of beheading a man was recovered by shocked cops in a house raid.

The terrifying Batleth weapon is identical to one wielded by Klingon aliens in the Star Trek sci-fi films.

Officers seized the three-handled sword — which has huge pointed blades at either end — at a home in Gloucester.

It was shown yesterday at the start of a five-week national knife amnesty. Cops hope 30,000 blades will be handed in, with owners free from prosecution.

Local Insp Mac McGarry wielded the sword, which he said had been sharpened to kill.

He said: “It is a particularly nasty weapon which could easily take someone’s head off.”

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker launched the amnesty in St John’s Wood, North West London. He said: “We are determined to get the scourge of knife crime off our streets.”


But Victims of Crime campaigner Norman Brennan, a serving cop, branded the initiative a “futile PR stunt”.

He said: “It is likely to be supported by the law-abiding public and not those who carry knives for criminal activity.

“Knife crime will only get worse if we don’t introduce a five-year mandatory sentence for anyone carrying a knife.”

THE Queen’s grocer Fortnum & Mason was fined £2,000 by Horseferry Road Magistrates in London for selling a knife to a child under 16.
Link

Hint hint buddy: Fantasy weapons are all look and no show.

It's flippin' 200 hours in the morning and I'm laughing about the brits.

This is pretty dumb, I remember reading about it in a local paper. Regardless, it's 0800 and I've been laughing at Yanks for several years now.

Wow, that seems very different, living as I do in the US where guns are like holy relics which would be defiled if the government were to try to do anything to curb some of the highest firearm homocide rates in the industrial world...

This is pretty dumb, I remember reading about it in a local paper. Regardless, it's 0800 and I've been laughing at Yanks for several years now.
well, its 9:08 here, and I've been laughing at the whole human race for 20 years now...:D

Local Insp Mac McGarry wielded the sword, which he said had been sharpened to kill.
Sharpened to kill? As opposed to what? Sharpened to merely annoy?

Hint hint buddy: Fantasy weapons are all look and no show.
Then I take it, you'd have no qualms about being hit by one of them.
I'd love to watch that.

It's 8:10, I've been laughing at the entire universe for three years.

Bloody Klingons always coming by and chopping heads off!

I hope this great cleansing of blades from the land rids us all of the current scourge of drive-by bayonettings too!

Sharpened to kill? As opposed to what? Sharpened to merely annoy?blunted to hurt really, really bad...
"I'll carve your heart out with a spoon!"
"why a spoon milord?"
"because it's dull... It'll hurt more!"

Hint hint buddy: Fantasy weapons are all look and no show.

While unwieldy and impractical, the weapon still consists of very large blades. Killing someone with it would be a trivial exercise.

While unwieldy and impractical, the weapon still consists of very large blades. Killing someone with it would be a trivial exercise.
While unwiedly and impractical, my monitor still consists of 20kg of face-smashing POWAH. Killing someone with it would be a trivial exercise. Now, if I carried my monitor around, that'd something else entirely. It's called intent, baby.

A batleth doesn't really sound like the sort of weapon a criminal would use in a knive fight..
I don't really see the problem with owning knives or swords anyway, as long as people aren't carrying them around on the streets. And are they trying to ban other kitchen implements than knives too? You could easily poke someones eye out with a fork, after all.

While unwieldy and impractical, the weapon still consists of very large blades. Killing someone with it would be a trivial exercise.

Not killing or maiming one's self at the same time is the tricky bit.

A batleth doesn't really sound like the sort of weapon a criminal would use in a knive fight..
I don't really see the problem with owning knives or swords anyway, as long as people aren't carrying them around on the streets. And are they trying to ban other kitchen implements than knives too? You could easily poke someones eye out with a fork, after all.What about toilet seats & bits of string? It's a lynching waiting to happen! Won't somebody please think of.. Eh.. My bum!

The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Gartref, was to carry Excalibur. Then the cops nicked it. Bastards.

Won't somebody please think of.. Eh.. My bum!
No I won't.

Garggghhh!

I just have! Get it out of my head! Oh God, I'll never be clean now.

A batleth doesn't really sound like the sort of weapon a criminal would use in a knive fight..
I don't really see the problem with owning knives or swords anyway, as long as people aren't carrying them around on the streets. And are they trying to ban other kitchen implements than knives too? You could easily poke someones eye out with a fork, after all.


Or a finger! Maybe requiring everyone to wear fuzzy mittens in soothing colors is the way forward in this anti violence crusade. That and individual eating booths with the flatware tethered so diners are unable to attack one another with implements of destruction. Victorinox will be the death of us all unless strict laws are in place which are strongly and universally enforced. It's for our own good.

I imagine that a mugger using a batleth would have a hard time of it, he'd always pretty much have to use it providing he could actually 'get the drop' on anyone with it. ("Sweet crap, what's that guy got on his back?" "Fuck it, let's just cross the street.") Not to mention the problem with witnesses. ("You see anyone carrying a huge cresent blade around here, ma'am?" "Oh that guy? I thought he was on his way to a convention. Yeah, he went that way...") But he'd pretty much always have to use it, becuase if he sprang out of nowhere and brandished it no one would take him seriously until he cut them. ("Give me your wallet." "Whatever there, 'Worf.' Look, I got to get to work so why don't you have scotty beam you up and I can get on with me-hey! You just cut me, prick...Ow, stop it-fine here, have my wallet, try not to spend it all on action figures. Fuck, you guys where a lot easier to deal with when you where shut ins living in your mom's basement."

It's just past 1 AM (military time is for people in the military talking to other people in the military and posers.) and I'm phlemy...

I imagine that a mugger using a batleth would have a hard time of it, he'd always pretty much have to use it providing he could actually 'get the drop' on anyone with it. ("Sweet crap, what's that guy got on his back?" "Fuck it, let's just cross the street.") Not to mention the problem with witnesses. ("You see anyone carrying a huge cresent blade around here, ma'am?" "Oh that guy? I thought he was on his way to a convention. Yeah, he went that way...") But he'd pretty much always have to use it, becuase if he sprang out of nowhere and brandished it no one would take him seriously until he cut them. ("Give me your wallet." "Whatever there, 'Worf.' Look, I got to get to work so why don't you have scotty beam you up and I can get on with me-hey! You just cut me, prick...Ow, stop it-fine here, have my wallet, try not to spend it all on action figures. Fuck, you guys where a lot easier to deal with when you where shut ins living in your mom's basement."

...


It happens all the time!

http://www.romm.org/conv05/conv070205_25.jpg

I don't really see the problem with owning knives or swords anyway, as long as people aren't carrying them around on the streets.

Fuck that!

I demand the right to brandish my blades in public!

(I'm serious...I'd like to walk down the street carrying a sword and not have to worry about being harrassed by cops.)

While unwiedly and impractical, my monitor still consists of 20kg of face-smashing POWAH. Killing someone with it would be a trivial exercise. Now, if I carried my monitor around, that'd something else entirely. It's called intent, baby.

Please, do not bring common sense into a debate on NS general. It is scary ;)

Fuck that!

I demand the right to brandish my blades in public!

(I'm serious...I'd like to walk down the street carrying a sword and not have to worry about being harrassed by cops.)And you wouldn't mind running into unsavory types wielding swords either?

And you wouldn't mind running into unsavory types wielding swords either?

Not at all, so long as I too get sword-bearing privleges.

Bloody Klingons always coming by and chopping heads off!

I hope this great cleansing of blades from the land rids us all of the current scourge of drive-by bayonettings too!

Best. Line. Ever.

The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Gartref, was to carry Excalibur. Then the cops nicked it. Bastards.

Look, strange women lying on their backs in ponds handing out swords - that's no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

Fuck that!

I demand the right to brandish my blades in public!

(I'm serious...I'd like to walk down the street carrying a sword and not have to worry about being harrassed by cops.)

What are you, some kind of commie? Go back to Somalia.

that would be kinda big to cary around, also what physcho would do that, I love star trek and i'm offonded by this, heh.

And you wouldn't mind running into unsavory types wielding swords either?
If everybody has weapons the unsavory types will either learn to behave themselves or end up dead.

If everybody has weapons the unsavory types will either learn to behave themselves or end up dead.You'd hope so, but history tells a different story..

You'd hope so, but history tells a different story..
Current crime statistics in states with concealed carry laws back up my position. Let's not compare armed people in a modern society with armed cattle and sheep herders far away from civilization and law, mkay?

Fuck that!

I demand the right to brandish my blades in public!

(I'm serious...I'd like to walk down the street carrying a sword and not have to worry about being harrassed by cops.)


Well my friend then become a Sikh huh!

Current crime statistics in states with concealed carry laws back up my position. How do you reckon that? Murder rates are generally higher there than in nations where people aren't allowed to carry gun.

Well, I guess this does prove one thing: the NRA is dead-on right.

First, they take your long-arms. Then your handguns. Then you can't carry knives. Then they'll take away your knives anyway...

Eventually, I guess you'll be safe. From everyone but the government, at least...

Well, I guess this does prove one thing: the NRA is dead-on right.

First, they take your long-arms. Then your handguns. Then you can't carry knives. Then they'll take away your knives anyway...

Eventually, I guess you'll be safe. From everyone but the government, at least...

Yeah....so when are you Patriots going to rise up and dispose of the corrupt government of Bush?

Or the 'Feds' even....you lot love bitching about them far too much and then spout crap about having guns to proect you from the 'evil government'....

well I say its about fucking time you lot put your ammo where your mouths are and kick off the revolution....

How do you reckon that? Murder rates are generally higher there than in nations where people aren't allowed to carry gun.
Comparing different nations is like comparing apples and oranges. Compare different US states. Some have strict gun control, like my home state of NJ. We'll kill you as soon as look at you. Then in places like Virginia they have concealed carry permits and everyone's real polite.

Yeah....so when are you Patriots going to rise up and dispose of the corrupt government of Bush?

Or the 'Feds' even....you lot love bitching about them far too much and then spout crap about having guns to proect you from the 'evil government'....

well I say its about fucking time you lot put your ammo where your mouths are and kick off the revolution....

I hope they do. I'll be first in line to join the US Army to put the nutters down.

Don't make the mistake of assuming you understand WHY someone supports something. I support the NRA because they support the Second Amendment, and I am a strict constructionalist - the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say, no interpretation needed or wanted.

It may be that some time in the future we will need to destroy the government in Washington DC to preserve the liberty of free men and women. We're nowhere near that point yet.

I hope they do. I'll be first in line to join the US Army to put the nutters down.

Don't make the mistake of assuming you understand WHY someone supports something. I support the NRA because they support the Second Amendment, and I am a strict constructionalist - the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say, no interpretation needed or wanted.

It may be that some time in the future we will need to destroy the government in Washington DC to preserve the liberty of free men and women. We're nowhere near that point yet.

You have invalidated yourself.

Sorry.

Que?

Que?

You made two mutually exclusive statements yet supported both...

You made two mutually exclusive statements yet supported both...
I ditto the 'Que?'
:confused:

I hope they do. I'll be first in line to join the US Army to put the nutters down.

Don't make the mistake of assuming you understand WHY someone supports something. I support the NRA because they support the Second Amendment, and I am a strict constructionalist - the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say, no interpretation needed or wanted.

It may be that some time in the future we will need to destroy the government in Washington DC to preserve the liberty of free men and women. We're nowhere near that point yet.

I'm sorry but it sticks out like a sore thumb...lets look at the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say....well either it does or it does not....seem does not exist in this B & W world...

There is more there....you would join the army yet support an organisation that uses its image to foster militia activity....that militia that uses the 2nd admendment to argue that they are armed just in case the government starts taking away liberties....

Ok....so NSA spying on US citizens, Echelon, lying to congress about Iraq, numerous lobbying scandals...etc etc .... all the things the 'normal' NRA supporter hates....

So yes. You have invalidated yourself.

Meh, I remember a fantasy merchanise store in Manchester which sold blunt items like that. So some guy decided it would look better on his wall sharpened. And handed it in for whatever reason. Big deal.

The knife amnesty is a load of crap really. Buying real fighting knives is legal, just go into any army surplus store, you probably won't even get IDed, and owning them is legal too. Just not carrying them on your person in a public place. And there's not much to prevent criminals from doing that.

I'm sorry but it sticks out like a sore thumb...lets look at the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say....well either it does or it does not....seem does not exist in this B & W world...

There is more there....you would join the army yet support an organisation that uses its image to foster militia activity....that militia that uses the 2nd admendment to argue that they are armed just in case the government starts taking away liberties....

Ok....so NSA spying on US citizens, Echelon, lying to congress about Iraq, numerous lobbying scandals...etc etc .... all the things the 'normal' NRA supporter hates....

So yes. You have invalidated yourself.

I see your point. But I do not agree with it.

Yes, the NRA does foster militia activity, at least by it's image. I don't see this as necessarilly a bad thing - and would remind you that not all, or even a majority, of militias in the US feel that the overthrow of the Federal Government is a good thing. Only the most extreme right-wing elements do -and thet're the ones I referred to as "nutters". Many militias exist simply to provide a organization in which their members can enjoy their constitutionally granted rights to bear arms, safely and sensibly.

And while I have no time for the Shrub and the rest of our worst government since Harding, they haven't acted to seriously abridge the Second Amendment, or any other, unlike the much more efficient and effective Clinton administration. But even Clinton's actions were not of a sufficiently dangerous manner as to require any sort of military action to prevent.

The NRA stands as a bulwark for our rights, and thus I support them. The NRA has never advocated destruction of the Federal Government.

You have basically fallen into the trap of assuming your image of an NRA supporter as a wild-eyed, hill-fort dwelling radical is correct. That is hardly the case.

blunted to hurt really, really bad...
"I'll carve your heart out with a spoon!"
"why a spoon milord?"
"because it's dull... It'll hurt more!"

Y'know, so we all love Robin Hood. To me, that doesn't say much for people.

BEST MOVIE EVER

I hope they do. I'll be first in line to join the US Army to put the nutters down.

Don't make the mistake of assuming you understand WHY someone supports something. I support the NRA because they support the Second Amendment, and I am a strict constructionalist - the Constitution says exactly what it seems to say, no interpretation needed or wanted.

It may be that some time in the future we will need to destroy the government in Washington DC to preserve the liberty of free men and women. We're nowhere near that point yet.

Yea, here's what rots me about the second amendment: it's an AMENDMENT, meaning it is a CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION. The original document contained no second amendment, because it is an amendment. Meaning it can be amended away.

Now. Laws are in the works in florida to allow people to bring concealed weapons to work, no matter what the policy of their company or wishes of their boss.

As you can see, your country has lost its mind, and in my opinion, bulletts come from guns and kill people that would not be there but for the grace of God and the NRA.

So, fuck your NRA. Individual members aside, it is and always will be run by rascist confederates.

Yea, here's what rots me about the second amendment: it's an AMENDMENT, meaning it is a CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION. The original document contained no second amendment, because it is an amendment.




I dont think that you know as much as you think you know.

Meh, I remember a fantasy merchanise store in Manchester which sold blunt items like that. So some guy decided it would look better on his wall sharpened. And handed it in for whatever reason. Big deal.

.


He mightnt have handed it in exactly

"Officers seized the three-handled sword — which has huge pointed blades at either end — at a home in Gloucester."

Yea, here's what rots me about the second amendment: it's an AMENDMENT, meaning it is a CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION. The original document contained no second amendment, because it is an amendment. Meaning it can be amended away.

Now. Laws are in the works in florida to allow people to bring concealed weapons to work, no matter what the policy of their company or wishes of their boss.

As you can see, your country has lost its mind, and in my opinion, bulletts come from guns and kill people that would not be there but for the grace of God and the NRA.

So, fuck your NRA. Individual members aside, it is and always will be run by rascist confederates.

Clearly, you know nothing of the history of the US Constitution. When the original document was sent to the states for ratification, twelve amendments were sent at the same time. These twelve were controversial pieces that it was felt should be dealtn with individually, rather than possibly poisoning the chances of the main document being ratified.

As it happened, ten of the amendments passed, and these became the sacred "First Ten", the Bill of Rights.

But even if these had been later alterations and not dealt with simultaneously with the main document, they would still be equally as important as the main document. Any aspect of the constitution can be amended - and every amendment and clause is equally important.

If the united States has lost it's mind, it is in allowing our people the freedom to make their own choices and suffer the responsibilities therof. A fine madness indeed.

I am not entirely sure that seizing a five foot bladey thing will lead to a reduction in KNIFE crime....

Unless the definition of a knife has been changed whilst I didnt notice...

What has never been said is that unlike lightsabers, a bat'leth does not need for mankind to advance in technology in order to work as envisioned :D

Old Klingon proverb...

"From my cold, dead hands". Or did that one happen on earth? :p

Anyway, when you follow this through, you'd have to confiscate hammers and pencils as well. That's just stupid.

I'm wondering when the Tommies start confiscating the disruptors, too. Then you will be in for a Klingon uprising.

http://www.pixeljoint.com/files/icons/klingon.gifQ'apla!http://www.pixeljoint.com/files/icons/klingon.gif

What are you, some kind of commie? Go back to Somalia.

Yeah, cause it's not like communist take away your weapons so you can't resist. :rolleyes:

Clearly, you know nothing of the history of the US Constitution. When the original document was sent to the states for ratification, twelve amendments were sent at the same time. These twelve were controversial pieces that it was felt should be dealtn with individually, rather than possibly poisoning the chances of the main document being ratified.

As it happened, ten of the amendments passed, and these became the sacred "First Ten", the Bill of Rights.

But even if these had been later alterations and not dealt with simultaneously with the main document, they would still be equally as important as the main document. Any aspect of the constitution can be amended - and every amendment and clause is equally important.

If the united States has lost it's mind, it is in allowing our people the freedom to make their own choices and suffer the responsibilities therof. A fine madness indeed.
While at it, if we remove the second amendment, why don't we take away the first and tell them to shut up?:sniper: