A terrible, terrible tragedy.

[[wcip]Angel]

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech...ting/index.html

Words fail me.

[Occhidiangela]

Angel' date='Apr 16 2007, 04:48 PM' post='127724']
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech...ting/index.html

Words fail me.

A rogue wolf among sheep.

Occhi

[Taem]

Angel' date='Apr 16 2007, 02:48 PM' post='127724']
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech...ting/index.html

Words fail me.

Wow, that's seriously sick. What the hell is wrong with some people? I'm a little confused by the article - did the gunman kill himself afterwards? And if I'm reading it correctly, he opened fire on the dormitory first, then the classroom later in the day? The school should have closed down until he was caught after the first shooting! What were they thinking?

[Nystul]

Wow, that's seriously sick. What the hell is wrong with some people? I'm a little confused by the article - did the gunman kill himself afterwards? And if I'm reading it correctly, he opened fire on the dormitory first, then the classroom later in the day? The school should have closed down until he was caught after the first shooting! What were they thinking?

Well according to the article, the shooter in the classroom shooting did kill himself afterwards. Whether he was also the shooter in the dorm incident apparently remains to be seen.

For whatever it's worth, I don't see any reason that they would have closed school after the first shooting. If it were on a grade school campus, sure. On a college with over 25,000 students and 100 buildings, you can't go into disaster mode every time there is a violent crime on or around campus. Even if class is canceled, there are still going to be thousands of students on campus.

The really grim thing is, something like this could happen anywhere and there's not a darn thing we can do about it until after it's too late. Treat people right and hope they don't flip out, I guess.

[kandrathe]

Well according to the article, the shooter in the classroom shooting did kill himself afterwards. Whether he was also the shooter in the dorm incident apparently remains to be seen.

For whatever it's worth, I don't see any reason that they would have closed school after the first shooting. If it were on a grade school campus, sure. On a college with over 25,000 students and 100 buildings, you can't go into disaster mode every time there is a violent crime on or around campus. Even if class is canceled, there are still going to be thousands of students on campus.

The really grim thing is, something like this could happen anywhere and there's not a darn thing we can do about it until after it's too late. Treat people right and hope they don't flip out, I guess.

It is interesting the different reactions people have to mass murderers versus serial killers. I am curious as to what set this guy off. I suspect it is another psychotic narcissist who felt entitled to something he didn't earn. Like an engineering degree, or an A in his speech class. I don't think it is a matter of treating people right. What is wrong in our society is that we no longer tell people that there are winners and losers, or how to win or lose. What we teach now is "You are all special, and are all winners." When the reality of the world slaps them hard and they discover that they are in fact a loser in a particular area, that is when they flip out and take their anger out on whomever and whatever they think did them the injustice of exposing their weakness.

[ima_nerd]

It is interesting the different reactions people have to mass murderers versus serial killers. I am curious as to what set this guy off. I suspect it is another psychotic narcissist who felt entitled to something he didn't earn. Like an engineering degree, or an A in his speech class. I don't think it is a matter of treating people right. What is wrong in our society is that we no longer tell people that there are winners and losers, or how to win or lose. What we teach now is "You are all special, and are all winners." When the reality of the world slaps them hard and they discover that they are in fact a loser in a particular area, that is when they flip out and take their anger out on whomever and whatever they think did them the injustice of exposing their weakness.

While you're right about the "everyone's a winner" thing, I'm willing to bet this was a stress related breakdown.

As a student at Georgia Tech (sister school to Virginia Tech both in the ACC and through research collaborations), I can tell you the stress around this time of the semester is overwhelming. I remember my freshman year a girl killed herself with a sawed-off shot gun in her dorm room in the building right next to mine. I honestly think people who don't go to highly competitive tech schools will never understand the stress associated with the end of the semester. Every class is on a curve. You're always competing against your classmates. I get 50s on tests and am excited because the average is a 40. My professors are so consumed by research that teaching is a hobby.

Highly competitive school, finals coming up and he was Asian so he was probably taking 21 hours of engineering or math courses. That's enough to make anyone go off the deep end.

[Ashock]

I remember my freshman year a girl killed herself with a sawed-off shot gun in her dorm room in the building right next to mine.

Why can't more psychopaths be like that? You have issues, kill yourself before you kill others.

-A

[eppie]

It is interesting the different reactions people have to mass murderers versus serial killers. I am curious as to what set this guy off. I suspect it is another psychotic narcissist who felt entitled to something he didn't earn. Like an engineering degree, or an A in his speech class. I don't think it is a matter of treating people right. What is wrong in our society is that we no longer tell people that there are winners and losers, or how to win or lose. What we teach now is "You are all special, and are all winners." When the reality of the world slaps them hard and they discover that they are in fact a loser in a particular area, that is when they flip out and take their anger out on whomever and whatever they think did them the injustice of exposing their weakness.

In other words (I agree with you) people should realize that 'the american dream'does not exist. There can only be winners when there is a greater amount of losers. There can only be reach people when there is a greater amount of poor people.

And when succes is rated by the amount of money you have, I can imagine that people don't like to see some moron being incredibly 'succesful'. Succesful is what society says is succesful. In our western society you can be succesful by not doing anything else than going to parties without underpants and being drunk all the time. (of course this is for girls :)).

It turns out by the way that there was some realation breakup involved.
And, while I sometimes have the idea the lurkerlounge is an NRA sponsored website, I muts say the obvious comment of a non-american; the ease of buying guns also does not help. People will freak out everywhere all the time....but if you don't give them a weapon the damage is usually a lot less.

[Occhidiangela]

Wow, that's seriously sick. What the hell is wrong with some people? I'm a little confused by the article - did the gunman kill himself afterwards? And if I'm reading it correctly, he opened fire on the dormitory first, then the classroom later in the day? The school should have closed down until he was caught after the first shooting! What were they thinking?

The sheepdogs were thinking far more clearly than you were in that post, a manifestation of herd animal mode.

By your logic, you should lock down any small town of 20,000 people whenever a single homicide is reported. In Corpus Christi where I live, they should lock down 10% of the city of 300,000 anytime there is a homicide. Do you realize how ludicrous that is?

The initial report was apparently a homicide call, so the cops pursued a homicide and "question people and try to find who did it." Standard police procedure. Most homicides don't turn into a follow on mass slaughter.

Your appeal to hysteria, and the control freak impulse, reflects your infestation with the victim virus. I'd recommend you do something to root that out and kill it. In a related thought, John Cleese made a comment in the "Penguin Exploding on the TV" vignette of Monty Python that I have taken to heart:

"Don't be sentimental, Mother, people {die} explode every day."

Nystul presents a very common sense and applicable approach to deal with that. You treat people right and hope for the best. You, I, the sherriff, the DHS, can't control all of life. There is chaos, which is in general good, as chaos and change are children of the same father.

Once one accepts the existence of change and disorder as natural, one can accept the simple axiom that life is not fair. You can be the finest mother or father in the world, and your kid can still die in a car accident. A truck can jackknife and kill your sister. You can get food poisoning. All of this is beyond your control. Accept that you are going to die. (Yes, we mostly like to delay that some decades beyond college age) but don't fear the fact of death. That's a negative motivation. Embrace living and life, a positive motivation.

Life would be immensly dull and empty without risk. To get out of bed in the morning and leave the room is to risk that something bad might happen. Embrace it.

Occhi

[Pesmerga]

And, while I sometimes have the idea the lurkerlounge is an NRA sponsored website, I muts say the obvious comment of a non-american; the ease of buying guns also does not help. People will freak out everywhere all the time....but if you don't give them a weapon the damage is usually a lot less.

Can't agree with this more.

Look at Philadelphia and our rediculous murder rate right now. Hell, a week or two ago, a man was hit by a stray bullet while getting ready for work, and killed. All because some people decided to have a gun battle on the street outside his house.

What's Philly up to now? 120 homicides?

[Occhidiangela]

And, while I sometimes have the idea the lurkerlounge is an NRA sponsored website, I muts say the obvious comment of a non-american; the ease of buying guns also does not help. People will freak out everywhere all the time....but if you don't give them a weapon the damage is usually a lot less.

Eppie, this kind of hyperbole ought to embarrass you. If it doesn't, I wonder at your motivation. If the Lounge is an NRA sponsored website, you are a totalitarian, Cult of the Victim, Communist shill.

Are you?

I think not, even though the evidence is far stronger of your being one such than Bolty's site is of being sponsored by the NRA.

Why are you able to sleep securely in your bed at night? George Orwell has an answer for you.

Occhi

[Occhidiangela]

Look at Philadelphia and our rediculous murder rate right now. Hell, a week or two ago, a man was hit by a stray bullet while getting ready for work, and killed. All because some people decided to have a gun battle on the street outside his house.

What's Philly up to now? 120 homicides?

Where is the down side to this, Pesmerga? This homicide rate is good for the planet, as it reduces the carbon footprint of Philadelphia by 120, and thus reduces AGW. It is particularly good that it is happening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, where the per capita energy consumption is so high. You'd have to kill about 400 Chinamen, and maybe 2-3000 in Darfur, to make a similar dent in AGW. If you want bang for your buck in AGW prevention, then the high value target is Americans, followed closely by Europeans.

Do you find my observation ridiculous?

I find yours simple minded.

Occhi

[LemmingofGlory]

Angel' date='Apr 16 2007, 04:48 PM' post='127724']
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech...ting/index.html

Words fail me.

The best part about this is last night I just happened to run across the street to a convenience store for some small mundane food item, and it just happened to be on a night that Conspiracy Theorist Guy was behind the counter.

"Why didn't they shut down the school? They wanted it to happen. The media reports that they thought the dorm shooting was an 'isolated incident', but who controls the media? 9/11 proves that the government does. Did you know that on September 11th ...*pause*... 1991 Pres. Bush gave a New World Order speech? The New World Order is coming. I'm just trying to open your eyes to it. That's why I give 9/11 conferences."

I need to visit Conspiracy Theorist Guy every time there's a tragedy. He can really cheer you up. Just imagine standing there with a straight face listening to him.

Anyway. Murder-suicide rampages seem to be in vogue for some reason. (Why?) My recollection is that they're fairly rare at colleges, and that they tend to occur most often within engineering departments.

-Lem

[Occhidiangela]

While you're right about the "everyone's a winner" thing, I'm willing to bet this was a stress related breakdown.

As a student at Georgia Tech (sister school to Virginia Tech both in the ACC and through research collaborations), I can tell you the stress around this time of the semester is overwhelming. I remember my freshman year a girl killed herself with a sawed-off shot gun in her dorm room in the building right next to mine. I honestly think people who don't go to highly competitive tech schools will never understand the stress associated with the end of the semester. Every class is on a curve. You're always competing against your classmates. I get 50s on tests and am excited because the average is a 40. My professors are so consumed by research that teaching is a hobby.

Highly competitive school, finals coming up and he was Asian so he was probably taking 21 hours of engineering or math courses. That's enough to make anyone go off the deep end.

:rolleyes::rolleyes: Yeah, since being Asian is a fine precursor to suicide. :rolleyes: In other news, being an Arab predisposes you to strapping bombs around your waste and blowing up various places in Baghdad, while being European induces one to drink espresso. :whistling:

Occhi

[Pesmerga]

Where is the down side to this, Pesmerga? This homicide rate is good for the planet, as it reduces the carbon footprint of Philadelphia by 120, and thus reduces AGW. It is particularly good that it is happening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, where the per capita energy consumption is so high. You'd have to kill about 400 Chinamen, and maybe 2-3000, in Darfur to make a similar dent in AGW. If you want bang for your buck in AGW prevention, then the high value target is Americans, followed closely by Europeans.

Do you find my observation ridiculous? I find yours simple minded.

Occhi

We stand at an impasse.

Oh well.

[Occhidiangela]

We stand at an impasse.

Oh well.

Then the only answer is Iocain Powder. Do you have a bottle of wine and two glasses? :lol: *fumbles in pocket for the powder . . . *

Occhi

[Pesmerga]

Then the only answer is Iocain Powder. Do you have a bottle of wine and two glasses? :lol: *fumbles in pocket for the powder . . . *

Occhi

Well played.

[Occhidiangela]

The best part about this is last night I just happened to run across the street to a convenience store for some small mundane food item, and it just happened to be on a night that Conspiracy Theorist Guy was behind the counter.

"Why didn't they shut down the school? They wanted it to happen. The media reports that they thought the dorm shooting was an 'isolated incident', but who controls the media? 9/11 proves that the government does. Did you know that on September 11th ...*pause*... 1991 Pres. Bush gave a New World Order speech? The New World Order is coming. I'm just trying to open your eyes to it. That's why I give 9/11 conferences."

I need to visit Conspiracy Theorist Guy every time there's a tragedy. He can really cheer you up. Just imagine standing there with a straight face listening to him.

Anyway. Murder-suicide rampages seem to be in vogue for some reason. (Why?) My recollection is that they're fairly rare at colleges, and that they tend to occur most often within engineering departments.

-Lem

Phear the mad geeks. This story looks like a Revenge of the Nerds, gone ugly.

Check out Alex Jones website, Infowars. It's chock full of loopy, tinfoil hat, NWO, conspiracy theory, and much more. These maroons had the NWO behind this shooting within hours of it happening. They are also starting a campaign to defend Rosie O'Donnel from attack due to her recent proclamation that 9-11 was an inside job. I think she did it because she is hot for Charlie Sheen.

The internet is for porn, sure, but it is also for moonbats.

Occhi

[LemmingofGlory]

Check out Alex Jones website, Infowars. It's chock full of loopy, tinfoil hat, NWO, conspiracy theory, and much more. These maroons had the NWO behind this shooting within hours of it happening. They are also starting a campaign to defend Rosie O'Donnel from attack due to her recent proclamation that 9-11 was an inside job. I think she did it because she is hot for Charlie Sheen.

...she what? *sigh* I can only conclude that whatever weird platonic crush she had on Tom Cruise has somehow made her vulnerable to the insanity that now affects him.

The internet is for porn, sure, but it is also for moonbats.

Conspiracy Theory is what the internet turns into when users neglect to use it for porn.

-Lem

[eppie]

Eppie, this kind of hyperbole ought to embarrass you. If it doesn't, I wonder at your motivation. If the Lounge is an NRA sponsored website, you are a totalitarian, Cult of the Victim, Communist shill.

Are you?

I think not, even though the evidence is far stronger of your being one such than Bolty's site is of being sponsored by the NRA.

Why are you able to sleep securely in your bed at night? George Orwell has an answer for you.

Occhi

First my remark was made to state that I know we would not agree on this issue here at the lounge. It was not because I really think the Lounge is NRA sponsored, if I thought it was, I would not be here......I mean I'm playing solely diablo2 sinds the year 2000 only single player and have never made a character higher than level 85.....I mean not a serious gamer don't you think. :D

Second.....cult of the victim shill I'm for sure not. The other two.....I have to think about that.

Third...my understanding of english is not good enough to pick out all the irony...especially in your post.
But if you think 1984 is a complaint against communism I must tell you that you are so wrong, and didn't understand anything about the book. But because I have the idea that you are not at all stupid I guess you mean something else.

cheers