Rome wasn't built on the backs of slaves. Slavery really took off after they were already very large and powerful.

If you had left San Juan, you would find that PR's infrastructure is in terrible shape. The roads through the interior are insanely dangerous, the police are understaffed and corrupt, and poverty exists on a massive scale. Many Puerto Ricans think that becoming a state would mean better infrastructure, more development, a reduction in police corruption, etc. There isn't nearly as much tourism in the interior or even a lot of the coastal areas outside of San Juan, so the people are NOT perfectly happy sitting around collecting tourist dollars.

This is why more than half of Puerto Ricans voted FOR statehood the last time around.

What a bunch of bullshit. You have a source for that? No, because you just made it up? I thought so.

Relying on the rounds you're firing to not over-penetrate is a horrible replacement for knowing your backdrop. If you don't have a clear shot, don't take it. "I saw it on youtube" is a horrible plan for defending your family. If you think this link http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm supports using bird shot for self defense, you have terrible reading comprehension.

Unless you live out here in the middle of nowhere. My "broadband" choices are A:high latency, below-advertised-speed satellite, or B: cellular amplifier and antenna setup with an MVNO data plan.

No way! I wish we stupid yanks had thought of that. Amazing how we missed that fact that armed robberies only occur within our borders.

Or you can buy an AK. Charging an AK makes a noise at least as scary as a pump action shotgun. When you pull the trigger, it fires. Every damn time.

"And if you're worried about shooting through the walls with an AR-15 you can always use hollow point bullets."

Bullshit. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4499511&postcount=7

"Using a shotgun is a double edge sword. The good part is that is doesn't shoot through walls so you're not going to hit anyone in other rooms."

Again, bullshit of the worst kind. The kind that will lead you to kill a family member in a home defense scenerio. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

You need to spend less time watching TV and more time on the range. Read this, test some of your theories on the range, and stop spouting armchair soldier bullshit: http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

You use question marks? Too often?

Geopolitics. You don't understand it.

You spend this much time worrying about mass shootings? I can't imagine what would happen if you looked at traffic accidents. Ban the cars! Deaths due to medical practitioner negligence/fatigue. Ban the medicine! Ad nauseam.

I will never forgot the map of the eastern Mediterranean after playing the old game Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict:_Middle_East_Political_Simulator. It runs beautifully in dosbox and is available at abandonia http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/24764/Conflict+-+Middle+East+Political+Simulator.html Air Force Commander burned the map of the middle east into my brain at a very young age. It also runs in dosbox and I found it at the home of the underdogs if anybody is interested http://www.hotud.org/home/44-war/21074?lang=en%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_realtyna%2F%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_realtyna