Though actually the weapon of preference in Britain now seems to be the knife - every week or two I seem to read about another stabbing there. No ammunition.....

pedro2 - unless you're really interested, they're probably not worth the read!

I believe there are effective ways of reducing violence. I just don't believe the curtailment of private gun ownership is one of them.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....Hope Springs Eternal........

I used Belize in the past as a good example of what strict gun control does.
In the states the papers read "shooting, Shooting , Shooting, and in Belize ,especially Orange walk the papers read 'Choping, Choping , Choping.
Its human nature that can't be regulated.

It's true that people who want to kill or maim will find a way. But knives don't kill as effectively as guns. And I don't have statistics at my fingertips, but I'd guess guns result in more "spur of the moment" deaths.

I agree Guns are more effective.
spur of the moment is part of our choping problem in Belize , every one seems to have a machete, in orange walk especially. Guys waiting for the bus to go to work in the fields carry one , its the tool they use and after work when its 5:00 and time to have a few beers its still with them.
I used to notice chop wound scars on people and ask them if they where from Orange walk, most of the time I was right.

Some advice: If yer in a bar and see machetes lying around...LEAVE!

Don't think too many kids get hit by a stray machete on their way to school... and kinda hard to wipe out a whole office (or classroom) full of people with a knife.

Interesting statistic on handguns:

More than half firearm deaths are suicides.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/30/guns.suicides.ap/index.html

“Krusty” the crime fightin’ kitten says…” Come take my guns!! If you dare!!”