Gangsters in Voluntary Dissolution

Can you believe this? A bunch of gangsters in Japan went to a police station to tell the cops there that they've decided to dissolve their own branch of an infamous underworld organisation because their boss had murdered Mayor Iccho Ito of Nagasaki, Japan, and they did not approved of what he did.

Police said the gunman was Tetsuya Shiroo, 59, head of an underworld faction that is part of a national criminal syndicate called the Yamaguchi-gumi. The gunman was tackled by bystanders and police after firing the shots. Japanese crime syndicates have ties to some nationalist political organistions, and there was immediate speculation that the shooting may have been politically motivated.

I don't think this is going to happen anywhere in the world other than Japan.

Virginia Tech Massacre

The thing that amazes me most is that a mental patient (Cho was institutionalised in a mental institution for a short period of time) was able to buy guns and ammo (500 rounds) so easily in Virginia.

If you haven't seen Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, I think it's worth watching if you can get hold of a copy.

Virginia is one of the states in the US where one can buy guns in a most convenient way. One bank put up an ad that said come and open an account with us and we'll give you a rifle of your choice for free. Guns there are like credit card gifts in Hong Kong.

I think the politicians in the US should give that some thoughts.