Posted January 14, 2021 More detail from WP: "The agents assigned to the president’s daughter and son-in-law began driving a mile to Pence’s home at the Naval Observatory, where they were allowed to use a bathroom in a stand-alone guard station." Also "So when the Secret Service knocked on the door of Kay Kendall in September 2017, she was not surprised to learn why. ”I think it was very clear that they just needed a place to take a shower, take a break, use the facilities, have lunch,” said Kendall, who is chairwoman of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “I’m happy to be able to have helped them." ... Why was she not surprised? Does Trump & Kushner not allow people who work in their mansion to use the bathrooms, either? Even with very good pay, that sounds like it would wind up being dealbreaker for many employees. Share this post Link to post
Posted January 14, 2021 wow. also, i've heard stories that that donald trump is NOT a good employer, so there's that. must run in the family, Share this post Link to post
Posted January 14, 2021 And for a little much-needed humor on the political front, CNN issued what is definitely "the correction of the week" following its mistaken report as to exactly what Representative Ted Lieu grabbed as he exited his office during the siege. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/cnn-issues-correction-of-the-week-noting-that-rep-ted-lieu-grabbed-a-probar-energy-bar-and-not-a-crowbar-during-the-capitol-siege/ar-BB1cL0AC?ocid=uxbndlbing I think my favorite response in the tweets is "It is a sign of the times that both reporter and I presume editor saw this first version of this story and were like, yep, Congressman grabbed a crowbar. Sounds likely." Share this post Link to post
Posted January 14, 2021 57 minutes ago, catstaff said: And for a little much-needed humor on the political front, CNN issued what is definitely "the correction of the week" following its mistaken report as to exactly what Representative Ted Lieu grabbed as he exited his office during the siege. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/cnn-issues-correction-of-the-week-noting-that-rep-ted-lieu-grabbed-a-probar-energy-bar-and-not-a-crowbar-during-the-capitol-siege/ar-BB1cL0AC?ocid=uxbndlbing I think my favorite response in the tweets is "It is a sign of the times that both reporter and I presume editor saw this first version of this story and were like, yep, Congressman grabbed a crowbar. Sounds likely." heh, that's funny. you could also blame autocorrect! Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 59 minutes ago, trystan said: heh, that's funny. you could also blame autocorrect! True enough, my husband suggested autocorrect was the culprit as well. Definitely funny either way! Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 On 1/11/2021 at 1:26 PM, ValidEmotions said: Or, you know, brutalizing BIPOC at peaceful BLM protests Or were they "fiery but mostly peaceful" protests, lol. (no idea what bipoc is) On 1/11/2021 at 1:26 PM, ValidEmotions said: The very history of the police is a racist one, right to their roots. Police were first formed as[...] The source you quoted even says the first real U.S police forces were founded to protect shipments. But yes, because the U.S once had legal slavery, the ghosts of hundred year old Southern dead men still rule modern police practices. On 1/11/2021 at 4:13 PM, ValidEmotions said: Keep in mind, rubber bullets are supposed to be shot, from a distance, towards the ground where the bullet is then meant to ricochet to the target's body. They're not designed for up-close, direct fire at people's faces. Depends on the type of bullet-- even skipped rubber bullets can be very lethal. Regardless, I don't think you'll find many police endorse unnecessary close-up shoots and similarly condemn improper use of such equipment. Nobody likes it when bad decisions are made. On 1/11/2021 at 1:26 PM, ValidEmotions said: Good cops exist, sure, but in such small quantity[...] It tends to be common knowledge that judging the whole based on the actions of a few is not a good idea. This is beginning to read like conspiracy theories and making me uncomfortable to respond to... like trying to talk to someone about climate change. Or how vaccines don't cause autism. I could go through each and every point and try to refute the bad-faith arguments, but it just doesn't matter does it? =P On 1/11/2021 at 3:24 PM, soullessheartofsteel said: Given that 60% of officers were willing to tell pollsters that they voted for Trump back in 2016 during the exit polls It's important to note that it was 60% of police who responded to that poll who said they voted for Trump. Not 60% of police officers. It's odd that who somebody voted for is indicative of everything else about their personality and life though. Like I said earlier, if one political party has members endorsing criminals, violence against police and civilians, flaming strained public relationships, repetition of false facts, and encouraging defunding that will negatively impact everyone, is it that shocking many vote opposite? In the end, only that person knows why they vote the way they do. It's probably complicated and multifaceted. I hesitate to say this in this thread, but as someone who is completely non-political I can also pretty confidently say not everyone who voted for Trump is an evil monster who has a subscription to KKK-magazine monthly. I don't think everyone who voted for Biden agrees with all the ludicrous things he says, either. I guess the world is just simpler when it's a matter of "us v.s them". On 1/11/2021 at 3:24 PM, soullessheartofsteel said: I don't take issue with law enforcement as a concept. Law enforcement officers should encourage integrity and cooperation among citizens and ensure safety and justice for victims of crime, and the governments that employ them should, in tandem, wrestle the greater issues that lead to crime like economic inequality. An institution like that doesn't create police officers who handcuff 6 year olds or shoot sleeping ER techs while taking mass shooters who are explicitly motivated by white supremacist ideals like Dylann Roof and Kyle Rittenhouse into custody unharmed. (Not that Roof and Rittenhouse should have been brutalized and not given due process of law, but rather that everyone else they arrest get it, too. George Floyd did not deserve to die for a fake 20 dollar bill if Dylann Roof can shoot nine and go to jail alive.) Did you not read the investigative report on the Breonna Taylor case when it came out? Even your wikipedia link doesn't match up with what you said. You can go find the report if you want as I'm sure it's floating around the internet intact. She was not sleeping, not in bed, it was not the wrong house, police had a no-knock warrant, she was in the hallway, boyfriend shot first through a door, so on and so on. What the full truth of the story is probably depends on who you ask, but I'd strongly recommend reading the report yourself to get the basics down. I mean-- unless you think it was all a coverup. Even then, the "sleeping and wrong house" story is 100% incorrect even according to the defense. I'd also encourage you to watch the Rittenhouse footage, read the known facts v.s conjecture, and wait for a final report on that. But maybe I'm weird and crazy for wanting fact driven information before jerking my knees through a table. I don't know who the Roof guy is, I don't care to keep track of murderers' names. Comparing every situation to each other is opening a can of worms because each situation is so completely unique, and certain examples of injustice should not facilitate injustice for everyone. It's perfectly fine to want improvements in things and there are certainly improvements to be made. I admit even I don't know why resources for mental health services have become so terrible as of late, outside the closing of mental wards and stripping of funding, but it all trickles down into terrible outcomes for every party involved. It's okay to support law enforcement while also condemning those who abuse their power, because condemning the abuse of power IS an act of law enforcement. Condemning everyone due to the actions of a few, fueled by misinformation spoonfed from those who benefit, is a terrible way to go about things and I honestly believe you guys think all the police are evil oppressors. It's unfortunate. Hmmm, well. I wanted to give a nice, thorough walkthrough of my ideal sources and describe the information entailed-- and what I agree/disagree with and why-- but what does it matter =P I'm going to dump some links, some of it articles and some studies, some more political than others, some I haven't scoured for misinformation (I do know there's a rather inaccurate lightning strike analogy in one), but they are there for anyone's leisure to read through. If any links don't work let me know and I'll try to get a backup. NOTE TO MODS: I have not noticed anything inappropriate in these links, but if you believe something may breaking the rules please PM me and don't just delete my whole post. It can be a huge PITA to find backups of things, and I have spent my time and patience here to find accurate coverage with no desire to mislead, waylay, or spread misinformation. I have nothing but good intentions and the desire to clear up falsities, while offering avenues for mature discussion and consideration instead of outrage-- there's been plenty of that these past years. I imagine it gets tiresome. Articles: https://nypost.com/2016/01/02/myth-of-the-cop-killing-epidemic/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-myth-of-systemic-police-racism-11591119883 https://web.archive.org/web/20200928143601/https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/hans-bader/narrative-racist-police-killings-melts-when-you-know-these-stats https://web.archive.org/web/20200917164628/https://www.manhattan-institute.org/white-cops-dont-commit-more-shootings https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/report-showing-no-epidemic-of-racist-cops-shooting-killing-black-men/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200930191202/https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/flames-from-false-narratives/ Studies and data: https://web.archive.org/web/20200915022140/https://www.pnas.org/content/116/32/15877 On fatal shooting events and officer characteristics. This one infamously described as "redacted", as the authors decided to pull it due to social pressures in 2020 and from their data being reportedly "misused". Idk what that entails, but people lose their jobs if they don't abide by these kinds of social pressures so I can't say I blame them. Thankfully the data remains scientifically sound, as do their conclusions about racial disparity in fatal shootings. https://web.archive.org/web/20201003213156/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1948550618775108 https://web.archive.org/web/20200926050224/https://www.nber.org/papers/w22399 Data you often see cited from the FBI databases: https://web.archive.org/web/20200922154140/https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018/tables/table-43 https://web.archive.org/web/20200919140231/https://ucr.fbi.gov/leoka/2018/topic-pages/officers-feloniously-killed Here's some more crime stats for 2018: https://web.archive.org/web/20200923084214/https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv18.pdf Disappointed I couldn't find these two really good papers published pre-2016? that had lots of visuals and junk, but alas. With that I think I'm done here. Politics aren't my thing. Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 3 hours ago, catstaff said: True enough, my husband suggested autocorrect was the culprit as well. Definitely funny either way! definitely. you need funny things from time to time Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 Here the news media goes again with the headlines of the final thing the Trumps have done before leaving the WH and acting like it is done. They need to learn to read a calendar. Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 7 hours ago, Long_Before_Sunrise said: Here the news media goes again with the headlines of the final thing the Trumps have done before leaving the WH and acting like it is done. They need to learn to read a calendar. Exactly. Our local paper had the headline "...'s Final Shame" after the Capitol invasion, and I'm looking at it thinking 'how can you say final when he's not gone yet?' 5 Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 Off topic - @Lagie - why do so many of your posts have a number in ? Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 17 minutes ago, Fuzzbucket said: Off topic - @Lagie - why do so many of your posts have a number in ? I noticed this, too, and wondered whether if was a countdown like the one when Amy encountered the Weeping Angel on the Byzantium ^^ Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) The number probably goes down by 1 every day? (Edit: ... and is not off topic here?) Edited January 15, 2021 by Confused Cat Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 I believe Lagie is counting down to Inauguration day, Jan 20 Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 THAT makes sense - and is very Lagie-ish. But I am still frightened for Pelosi. And I gather the secret service banned Biden from travelling by train... Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, Fuzzbucket said: THAT makes sense - and is very Lagie-ish. But I am still frightened for Pelosi. And I gather the secret service banned Biden from travelling by train... Hadn't heard that. The Department Of Justice held a...uh, phone conference and announced that they are coming for those who stormed the Capitol, and they have 140,000 videos and photos. And they turned a press conference room into their security room to operate out of . Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/13/politics/biden-amtrak-inauguration-security/index.html Pity, that. He does love his trains. Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 Hoo, boy. Unidentified masked officials remove a bronze Lincoln bust through a side door from the White House yesterday while officials packed and loaded to move out. There are suspicions that the bust is on loan to the White House from the official White House collection. Where was it going? Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/15/nancy-pelosi-capitol-attack-lawmakers-prosecuted Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 9 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said: Off topic - @Lagie - why do so many of your posts have a number in ? 7 hours ago, ValidEmotions said: I believe Lagie is counting down to Inauguration day, Jan 20 i was wondering about the number myself several days ago... but then i remembered that a friend on facebook has been changing her header pic every day with a new number on it... and then i realised what the number is - which is exactly what ValidEmotions suggested. and - that makes it not off topic Share this post Link to post
Posted January 15, 2021 7 hours ago, ValidEmotions said: I believe Lagie is counting down to Inauguration day, Jan 20 Exactly! 5 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said: THAT makes sense - and is very Lagie-ish. But I am still frightened for Pelosi. And I gather the secret service banned Biden from travelling by train... Yes, I'm worried for many people now, and for what will happen on the 20th. 27 minutes ago, trystan said: i was wondering about the number myself several days ago... but then i remembered that a friend on facebook has been changing her header pic every day with a new number on it... and then i realised what the number is - which is exactly what ValidEmotions suggested. and - that makes it not off topic Bingo! And thus totally on topic! Share this post Link to post
Posted January 16, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Lagie said: Bingo! And thus totally on topic! now... Bingo would be off-topic what's insane is that the FBI is warning about 'armed protests' in all 50 state capitals on inauguration day! 😮 Edited January 16, 2021 by trystan Share this post Link to post
Posted January 16, 2021 Someone just pointed out to me that the current events show that America is still a functioning democracy. There's a president who wants to stay in office although the majority of people don't want him. What happens? They vote him out, and now he won't be the president anymore in a few days. It works! Some of his supporters even attempted a coup in his favor, but the majority still agree that that's not how this works. In other times or places, he might have declared himself president for life already and gotten away with it. Instead, he might just have proved that America is (comparatively) great not because of his presidency, but despite it. Share this post Link to post
Posted January 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said: Unless civil war breaks out on inauguration.... Which is a real concern at the moment. 4 (I wondered how long it would take someone to ask... ) Share this post Link to post
Posted January 16, 2021 5 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said: Unless civil war breaks out on inauguration.... Sadly that is basically what the mobs are planning. They are no longer especially pro-Trump. They are anti-government. It is a very scary time for our country. 2 hours ago, Lagie said: 4 (I wondered how long it would take someone to ask... ) I knew! I'm counting them down, too! Share this post Link to post
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