40 million guns

"A key component of the 1996 measure, which banned the sale, importation and possession of all automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, was a national buy-back scheme involving the compulsory forfeiture of newly illegal weapons. Between 1996 and 1998 more than 700,000 guns were removed and destroyed. This was one-fifth of Australia's estimated stock of firearms. The equivalent in the US would have been 40 million guns. Australia's action remains one of the largest destructions of civilian firearms."

- former PM John Howard opines in the SMH. Well, there had to be something he and I agreed about.

(no subject)

Getting brain shox tonight. Haven't had those for a while. Sleep deprivation? Damn mask keeps raining out, despite the heating thingumy. ETA: generally scrambleheaded and frozen.