Gun Culture & Fatalities. Who is to blame? Lessons from the USA and Singapore

The first time I went to the USA and saw a gun, on a policeman, I asked how many people had guns.
I think I was in Florida. He replied, 'Every household around here has a gun. Most people have several.'
After reading about the Sandy Hook School massacre of 6-year-old schoolchildren in late 2012, I read several more stories about children being killed, some deliberately, some accidentally.
The debate is raging about whether you should lock up the guns - away from households, lock guns within households, or lock away the people the authorities deem insane - before the dangerous ones kill anybody else.
Today I read two reports. One of a muttering woman who pushed a man, a stranger, onto a railway track in New York.
My reaction to that is: lock up the insane; and put barriers on platforms like in Singapore. Trains have to slow down to a crawl within the station to line up with the barriers.
The other tragic story was about the father with a child - the two-year-old grabbed the parent's gun and shot himself.
Should the gun carry a warning? It probably does. Small type. Matter of fact.
The warning must be more strongly worded. It should make it clear that leaving guns out leads to prosecution. It should list the numbers of fatalities to show it's not just a possibility but a probability.
Some parents are under average intelligence. (If average is the half way point, half are under average).
Some parents are young. Some gun owners are new gun owners. Some are new parents. New parents are tired by sleepless nights. Some are worried about something else - such as intruders, burglars.
Every gun should come with the instructions in large type to this effect:
Do not leave a gun or ammunition in reach of children. Place a lock and strong barrier between the gun and the child. A child is not legally responsible and should not have access to guns. A child can grab a gun or imitate you or set it off accidentally. You could set it off accidentally.
Even if you are in the same room, the child can grab the gun and play, injuring itself or others.
If you leave guns available to children, you are liable to criminal prosecution.
Many others have made a fatal mistake.
Numbers and names of children killed this way include: Sincere Smith, age 2, South Carolina, grabbed gun on Christmas Day, 2012. Father Rondell Smith, 30, arrested Wed 26 Dec 2012, Daily Mail newspaper report Dec 29. Do not add your family name to this list. The father got the gun after 'an intruder broke into the home'.
So indirectly should we blame the intruder? Make burglary, with or without a weapon, an offence which causes deaths indirectly?
Prevention is better than cure. Remove any one cause to reduce the casualty list. Remove two or more dangers to bring the numbers of lives lost nearer to the ideal of zero.

Train Passenger safety in the USA, UK, Singapore and worldwide

Yes, of course - trains should slow to a stop before the station and then edge forward slowly. Stations should have a stop train emergency button and an SOS arm signal passengers can give to a train as warning. How about sunken grab handles so people can climb out. What about barriers to stop commuters approaching until train doors align with platform doors (as in Singapore).

Prank Calls - My View Differs

Following the news that a nurse committed suicide after an Australian station made a prank call.
a) Prank calls aren't funny when you're upset and don't know who made them. I don't find them funny. I would never do this. I've received prank calls. You can be frightened or annoyed by strangers and worry what they will do next.
b) Where was the apology immediately after the prank call? The request for permission? Many programmes which televise prank calls tell you nobody was hurt and that people who were 'victims' then told it was a prank found it funny and agreed to being televised. If the radio station had apologised and got permission from the nurses, their managers and the royal family the nurse wouldn't have committed suicide and would have been a celebrity not a victim.
c) Clearly nursing was this nurse's life. Her moment of pride and joy at working with the royal family was turned to ashes.
d) Suicide: Your family should come first, before the royals, a job, outsiders.
e) The queen, my late mother and I would not make prank calls. Would people you trust do so?

What To See and Do in Brighton

Brighton's famous 'old' buildings are Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Pier and Sussex University. I went back to Brighton with an alumni of Sussex university to hear Asa Briggs talking about the history of the university. He was also signing and selling copies of his books including one on Bletchley Park (which we bought).

The Brighton Wheel

On the front beside the pier which is floodlit at night, is the Brighton Wheel. The Lanes, as quaint and winding as ever, contain amusing street art such as a mural of Alice on the side of a small building. I spotted clocks in the shape of dogs with wagging tails, I presume going up and down every second.
The numerous jewellery shops are high priced, most rings cost three figure sums, three hundred pounds or more for a silver ring, up to four figure sums. The smart clothes and leather boot shops had sales but still not for the low end budget. However, the rest of Britain has budget shops with peeling paintwork, so it's good to see Brighton boutiques so smart and chic, even if you stick to window shopping.
 We opted for the tried and tested places for coffee and cake at tea time, a branch of Cafe Rouge, offering mulled wine.  Around the corner is one of Britain branches of Jamie Oliver. (He has about twenty five now I believe.) I was amazed how large it is, on two floors but near Christmas and at weekends you'll still be safer if you book a table. The restaurant serves prosecco and Italian food. The kids menu can be viewed through what look like binoculars (?).
Drive along the seafront and you'll see the hotels and blocks of apartments. A statue of Queen Victoria stands surveying the sea at the junction as you drive west towards Hove. Inland attractions include Port Lympne.
More information from:
Jamie's Italian, Black Lion Street, Brighton.
Jamie's Italian, 19-21 Nile Street, London N1 7LL.