Guns as a barrier to tyranny....

I'm open to input from USians on this one.

On a discussion on Facebook (with a liberal friend who is a bleeding heart, Cowboys loving, gun nut*) I'm hitting an impasse.  The impasse is coming from this: we have agreed that actually, yes, gun regulation including training and background checks is needed, but I need to meet the gun rights advocates half way and accept that private ownership of guns is something needed as protection of liberal society from tyranny...

So, is this piece of bollocks a new thing?  Or is it a recent justification?

Because no matter how I parse this logic, I can't wrap it into a sufficiently pretzel shaped volume to get my head around it.  I certainly don't think that position requires me to get halfway to anywhere, because it's so far out into left field for me that I'd get tired walking over there.

So, thoughts?  Anybody?

* I do wonder how his head doesn't explode.

AKICILJ: What should I call this?

Question for the brains trust... yes I mean you lot:

We are running a set of Location Tests where the API reports an accuracy in Metres, and where we know the actual accuracy in metres...  it's important to know when the reported accuracy is actually incorrect, in that it is better than the actual accuracy... i.e. reported accuracy 8m, actual 20m...

Can anybody think of a snappy thing to call that because I'm struggling....  Currently it's really long winded and I'd like to make it snappier.

Dave Rants about America - Toilet Cistern Design

Back in the UK, a toilet cistern is driven by a siphon system.  Pulling on the handle, generates a siphon that empties the toilet water.  A float, on the end of an arm, drops, allowing water into the cistern, which then shuts off the valve when it reaches the top.  Occasionally the siphon breaks and you have to replace it, or the float springs a leak, or the valve might break, but in many many many years of living in the UK I can think of precisely one time that's happened.

In the United States, they have a flapping valve thing on a chain, pull the handle, the flap is lifted and water flows out, the flap then 'flops' down and is held in place by water pressure.  Does it form a good seal you ask?  Does it fuck, I reply.  Besides, the failure mode is even more amusing that the flap gets stuck open and the toilet keeps running.  You replace the chain bit inside, it still does it.  You replace the flappy bit.  IT STILL FUCKING DOES IT.

You ask your plumber friend what the secret is to keeping it working.  They shrug and smile and explain that's how they put their kids through college.  GOOD GRIEF THIS TOILET IS DRIVING ME NUTS!

Anyway.  This rant has been brought to you by the plumbing of the United States of America and the word ARGHHHHH!