In wartime applications, this is true. A single guy with a rifle and little more, sneaking into an enemy area in order to take one or two well placed shots that can influence an entire battle or campaigne, and then trying to escape with his life to fight another day is a brave person.

This sniper, so dubbed by the press, in Maryland is not a brave person. He's a thrill killer using stealth techniques.

In wartime applications, this is true. A single guy with a rifle and little more, sneaking into an enemy area in order to take one or two well placed shots that can influence an entire battle or campaigne, and then trying to escape with his life to fight another day is a brave person.

This sniper, so dubbed by the press, in Maryland is not a brave person. He's a thrill killer using stealth techniques.</font>[/QUOTE]then, he doesnt fit in to be a sniper. long range killer, or simply shooter.

[ 10-09-2002, 09:39 AM: Message edited by: 250 ]

I understand your strict interpretation, but people are using the term sniper in the generic sense, which is exactly how the term started.

Originally, a "sniper" was anyone who was a good shot. It started as a nickname for British soldiers who were especially good at shooting the snipe(sp?), a quick moving game bird. They where called snipers(the British are so original ;) ). Snipers were considered great shots, and over the years the term developed into the title of today's military field sniper. At least that's what the History Channel said in it's episode on snipers last week. [img]smile.gif[/img]

This guy is a sniper in that sense. He's a very good shot. It's a commonly used and understood word, that describes this situation immediately to those hearing about it. It may not be correct in the strictest sense of today's military sniper, but that's not the common usage of the word.

I'm talking about the definition.

snipe
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): sniped; snip·ing
Date: 1832
1 : to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage
- snip·er noun

You're talking about a military/law enforcement job title. I do hope someone with that job gets to stop this idiots rampage! :D

[ 10-09-2002, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

the bird was called snipe :D

250, I'm sure you've heard of the infamous "snipe hunt" where you take someone completely clueless into the woods and have them scare the snipe towardsthe group who will be waiting to pick it off, the main group usually leaves at this point to go get beer or other refreshments, returning several hours later to poke fun at said clueless individual

and?

<font color=orange>Boy this thread has gone every where now! We're talking about snipe hunts and cow tipping! Jeez loueze!</font>

Okay, I deleted my post. We'll keep it a gun-fetish thread. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color=orange>I was just kidding! You didn't have to delete it.

BTW, here is a quote from CNN about this nut case.</font>
<font color=yellow>
"James Fox, a professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University, told CNN's Connie Chung he believes the killer is shooting people "for sport."

"This is an insignificant nobody that, through this killing spree, feels very much important," Fox said. "He feels that he's overpowering the whole community. He feels very good about the fact that he can outsmart the police."

<font color=orange>I thought this pretty much summed up my opinion of this guy. </font>

Why does everyone think that it's a guy doing it?