We’re just here to help you — come out with your hands up. – unnamed Virginia cop, just prior to the addressed party’s murder by another cop
This week was a bit better for Halloween links, though by the time you read this Halloween is over; c’est la vie. All three of the links from Jesse Walker (above the first video) certainly count, as does the two-part “free horror” link (from Laura Lee and Neil Gaiman) and of course the videos themselves (the second of which was provided by Mike Siegel); both of those occupy the same niche, namely the intersection of birth and death. The links between the videos were contributed by ClarkHat, Radley Balko, Lenore Skenazy, Formerly Dave, Franklin Harris, Popehat, Sabrina Morgan and Aspasia (in that order), and Nun Ya gave us “engineer” and “parking lot”.
- The Devil’s map of the USA.
- Famous monsters of Congress.
- The history and psychology of the Ouija board.
- Cops “help” man by murdering him, driving armored truck into his house.
- Cop who murdered boy for holding toy gun calls police violence “sport”.
- “Threat” follows “bullying” and “trafficking” into total meaninglessness.
- 267# Florida cop tases handcuffed 100# woman into brain death.
- Bullying is not on the rise and it does not lead to suicide.
- Man arrested for mentioning toy guns on Facebook.
- Cosmo sex tips presented by Gollum.
- Poetry comics: “Annabel Lee”.
- University bans Greek alphabet.
- “I’m not an engineer, but I played one in a movie.”
- Seattle steals 103-year-old woman’s parking lot to build a parking lot.
- 22 horror movies & 9 contemporary horror stories available free online.
- Every business in Florida must now inspect its furniture every 6 months.
From the Archives
- Fall guys, soul murder, spam, smartass whale, Offense 101, goblin porn, horror comedies, skunks, Dutch artists, galaxies, cops & more.
- In my country buying sex is much more stigmatized than selling it; how do I avoid feeling guilty?
- What should I do if a girl I love wants to be an escort, but I think it’s the wrong choice for her?
- Court protects civil rights; politicians make a law overruling the decision.
- Take a good look at the prohibitionist company the US prefers to keep.
- Busybodies can’t resist interfering with other people’s business deals.
- Muscatine, Iowa. 16 LE agencies. 2 months. 27 misdemeanor arrests.
- Politicians who can’t resist cutting off their noses to spite their faces.
- 97% of those charged in Illinois “end demand” crusades are whores.
- The War of the Worlds panic and another H.G. Wells comparison.
- A meaningful opportunity to speak up for sex worker rights.
- The TSA presumes everyone is a terrorist drug dealer pimp.
- Florida criminalizes strolling, waving and asking questions.
- Another generally-balanced profile of several sex workers.
- The US locks up more prostitutes than sex traffickers do.
- Apple happily licks China’s boots for the almighty dollar.
- The ten scariest horror movies and my ten favorites.
- The Lancet comes out in favor of decriminalization.
- A sign of the deep Western weirdness about sex.
- A satisfied husband makes a happy marriage.
- A national alliance of sex workers in Malawi.
- The history of the Contagious Disease Acts.
- The intimate relationship of sex and fear.
- My two previous columns for Halloween.
- Why we need a day to celebrate death.
- Detroit’s persecution of private parties.
- “Why are feminists so afraid of sex?“
- Umpteenth verse, same as the first.
- A disgusting yogurt-tainting creep.
- Swanee Hunt’s private pogrom.
- The Mexican goddess of death.
- Taiwanese funeral strippers.
- Another TSA pedophile.
- An app for arrestees.
I took a look at two of those story about police killings and saw an awful lot of internet loudmouths talking about how cops like the ones in those stories will be “the first to go” when revolution comes.
While I agree and understand their sentiments, I couldn’t help thinking:
/sarcasm on
“yes, the cops; many of whom are veterans of our most recent wars which were centered around urban and guerilla fighting, who will have first crack at the most powerful and effective weapons compared to the rest of the citizenry and will probably discard what little respect for the rules they have left when the chips are down. SURELY they will be the first to go.”
/sarcasm off
I don’t like hearing about these stories, however I wonder if after typing these comments, these people actually change their behavior or thinking, or heaven forbid, actually go out and think of a way to change things? A way that does not involve martyring themselves in an ineffectual blaze of glory?
Some one will probably take issue with this, but when faced with dumb brute force and overwhelming firepower, brains and strategy will be what increases your chances of winning out.
I know we hate cops around here – but when the “Revolution” REALLY comes – they will have to be our allies.
And – it can be so. The fact is, if it went down today – the cops, at least Southern cops – are more likely to support the State and Local governments than they are the Feds. And there’s absolutely no way the State and Local governments would support the Feds – not in LA, MS, TX, AL at least.
And the cops have the automatic weapons – and at that point we might be thankful that they do. They would be the only really credible threat to armed Federal forces.
So I don’t burn bridges with Cops – and that’s coming from a guy who is often harassed by the cops. I get profiled all the time for my long hair and my build. Every time I see a Cop I can read his mind when he looks at me and he’s thinking – “How would I take this big dude down if he gets violent?” The answer, of course – is a Taser … cuz most of ’em are too out of shape to do it any other way.
The Cops that get to know me though … like me. Fuck, what’s not to like! 😛
I should probably clarify my initial remarks to say that I don’t ‘hate’ cops. In all honesty I have never been in a position where I’ve had interaction with them at all. I think the closest was when I was a kid and my mother had a friend who was a policeman who also dabbled in professional photography.
I think you have a very good point about who policemen are more likely to support. I’d venture one step further and ask who many federal troops would support when it came right down to it.
I also think you are absolutely right to not burn bridges with police. You sound like a guy who actually takes the time to get to know people others would ignore. We here rightfully condemn those who seek to de-humanize sex workers and other supposedly “undesireable” minorities. Well, I can see such an attitude cutting both ways. Underneath all that military gear is another human being, with a heart and mind that might be just as capable of being swayed by reason as destroyed with a bullet.
“Nineteen female Dixie State University students are being forced to fight their own school for the right to use Greek letters in the name of their organization.”
Christ – is there anything that isn’t a “right” anymore?
Are you kidding us? People shouldn’t need to assert a “right” to do something as obviously harmless as use whatever name they want. The default assumption is supposed to be that we’re each entitled to do as we please unless it violates a right belonging to someone else. And the school has yet to make a reasonable case that it has any such right in the question at hand.
The students want “recognition” from the school. You can name your organisation whatever you like, but that doesn’t entitle you to “recognition”.
I mean – just for a bit of fun, just as a hypothetical – should the university have to give it’s official university sealed stamp of recognition to Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity? It’s just a name, right?
ABC News compares Obama to other TV pitchmen.
You heard of this, right? From NOLA?
http://wgno.com/news/stories/changes-to-new-orleans-taxi-cabs/
An ordinance was passed last year that by this January – all taxi cabs in NOLA 7 years old or less. Cab owners (the little guys) were BEGGING for an extension – they may have gotten one, I haven’t tracked the story that closely. But this ordinance only benefits the big companies like United Taxi who have the resources to upgrade their cabs. Small companies and indies – fuck you.
I mean goddam – you can’t walk the French Quarter without stepping in dog shit or puke somewhere but hey, those taxi cabs will have that NEW CAR SMELL!!!
Horse shit from the mounted cops, too. Had to avoid that a few times when I was down there last month, and they were not small horses. 🙂
There’s also this …
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57610344/federal-appeals-court-reinstates-key-restriction-in-texas-abortion-law/
Looks like Roe V Wade isn’t quite “settled law”. And this has always been my problem with “establishing” rights via the legal and judicial systems. Of course – we do have to establish them there – but if you don’t win the hearts and minds of people you get this … enclaves of EXTREME opposition that will use the system to wear down anything you’ve done.
Next on the batter’s plate … Gay Marriage – IF they overplay their hand as the abortion lobby did.
1) Glad to see you saved Cargo for a good occasion. It is a great short film.
2) Is there any way I can unsee those Gollum sex tips? Ye gods!
No, Precious, I’m afraid not; Maggie’s very tricksy, she is. 😉
I wish there were a “Like” or an upvote button on the comments.
Don’t make me LOL like that! I’ll wake the baby.
A post Halloween-related link: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boston-bombing-victim-costume-sparks-outrage-threats-online-article-1.1505395