An examination of the effects of concealed weapons laws and assault weapons bans on state-level murder rates

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504851.2013.854294?journalCode=rael20#.UsbyJ_RDvec

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of state-level assault weapons bans and concealed weapons laws on state-level murder rates. Using data for the period 1980 to 2009 and controlling for state and year fixed effects, the results of the present study suggest that states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murder rates than other states. It was also found that assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level. These results suggest that restrictive concealed weapons laws may cause an increase in gun-related murders at the state level. The results of this study are consistent with some prior research in this area, most notably Lott and Mustard (1997).

The Lott and Mustard study is here:
http://www.law.uchicago.edu/files/files/41.lott_.final_.pdf

Well, you know, if you have to say it, then…...

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/climate_desk/2014/01/climate_change_deniers_cite_snowstorm_debunking_donald_trump_et_al.html

As Groucho Marx would say:


Update:
"Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey say that the melting of the Pine Island Glacier ice shelf in Antarctica has suddenly slowed right down in the last few years, confirming earlier research which suggested that the shelf's melt does not result from human-driven global warming."
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/03/antarctic_ice_shelf_melt_lowest_ever_recorded_just_not_much_affected_by_global_warming/


Kongsberg NSM anti-ship missile test


Video by Norway's Kongsberg of a flight test of its Naval Strike Missile (NSM), basis of the Joint Strike Missile under development for the F-35 JSF.  Here, the fire-and-forget missile is launched from land at the Pt Mugu, Calif., test range and is filmed by a chase aircraft as it sea-slims a few feet above the Pacific, flying over an island to acquire and attack a target ship on the otther side.  Kongsberg says this mission profile gave the NSM's imaging-infrared seeker just 1.5 seconds to acquire and identify the ship as its pre-programmed target.