2008-07-24T01:30:36Z http://adventuresofcitizenx.com/comments/atom.aspx Quick Blog tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-15:1196145 melinda 2008-07-21T12:15:27Z 2008-07-15T10:48:49Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-15:1195579 Sheryl 2008-07-21T12:15:57Z 2008-07-15T06:22:00Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-15:1195281 Citizen X 2008-07-15T00:50:19Z 2008-07-15T00:50:19Z ]]> tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-14:1194737 melinda 2008-07-15T00:48:19Z 2008-07-14T19:06:24Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-08:1179694 Sheryl 2008-07-10T10:15:45Z 2008-07-08T17:01:07Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-06:1173567 Sheryl 2008-07-06T23:27:08Z 2008-07-06T08:55:13Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-07-03:1166923 Gorax 2008-07-04T17:49:49Z 2008-07-03T06:24:01Z
Loaded language makes me want to bang my head against the wall repeatedly. This is probably why I loved George Carlin's piece on soft language so much. (Warning: the link contains some vulgar language.)

R.I.P, George Carlin. You will truly be missed =(]]> tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-06-28:1156192 Ezra Smack 2008-06-30T11:08:03Z 2008-06-28T21:25:34Z One of the most effective ways of eliciting an emotional response this is to use "loaded" words and phrases.
Certain words have negative connotations that invoke an emotional response.
"Assault weapon" is a term with a strong negative connotation. This phrase carries the presupposition that these weapons are suitable only for committing a criminal assault. Our enemies in Congress knew what they were doing when they named the Assault weapons bill.
Using loaded language to exploit the subtle shades of words meanings, neutral or even pleasant things can become unpleasant. Conceder the difference between:

fragrant vs smelly, a mobile home vs a trailer inexpensive vs cheap, challenged vs retarded.

Using this method it's easy to take something as innocuous as your scoped mini 14 ranch rifle and turn it into a high capacity semiautomatic assault rifle with no legitimate sporting purpose, the weapon of choice of disgruntled snipers.
Suppose you read a news story that starts with the phrase "disgruntled former employee". You immediately start thinking "Another nut goes on a murderous rampage" simply because you have heard that word used so many times in that context even though the word disgruntled simply means disappointed and unhappy.
Even a purely technical term like "semi automatic" can evoke negative emotions in uninformed people whose primary exposure to that term has been in connection with story's about crime and mass murder. Semi-automatic might as well be
"Evil high tech killing machine" because that's what they hear.
Now how can we counter this? Let's look at some facts and reasons.

Since the invention of the musket, men have endeavored to make firearms more accurate, handier, faster to load and to increase the number of shots.
Muskets have to have long barrels to get even marginal accuracy. With the advent of rifled bores, this was no longer true. Although long barrels were retained for military rifles because no one wanted to give up the extra reach they afforded in a bayonet charge. Also, with iron sights the farther apart they are the more accurately they can be aimed.
Now days bayonet charges are no longer in vogue and improved sighting systems make long cumbersome barrels unnecessary.
Traditional firearm stocks were made of wood. With the development of synthetic stocks more ergonomic shapes evolved. pistol grip stocks feel more natural to many but were difficult to make out of wood which tends to split along its grain. That's not a problem with plastic.
Since the invention of the self contained cartridge faster and easier ways to load have evolved. Semi automatic operation and detachable magazines eliminated down time.
To put it all into perspective, these so called assault weapons are simply
MODERN FIREARMS.]]> tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-06-28:1156164 Ezra Smack 2008-06-30T11:09:09Z 2008-06-28T21:08:41Z tag:adventuresofcitizenx.com,2008-06-22:1139872 melinda 2008-06-23T10:02:55Z 2008-06-22T19:30:48Z