Ragitsu

Speaking of D* cops: a Texas Cop decided to step over the bounds of reasonable action and put a young lady into a choke hold. Why? Because she knew her rights and wasn't "Respectin' his Authoritah!"
 

 
-In case you are curious, the prosecutor in that area even stated that the young woman was within her rights and of course the cops tried to make her delete the video but she didn't.
 
Seriously I am typically pro-cop. I have taken the opposite sides of these discussions when they have come on these boards in the past. But I can't count the number of times I have read / watched a story like this or worse and can only walk away with the classic "F* the police" chant. To be honest, I don't trust a single cop. I am getting to the point where I just assume the cop must be in the wrong because it isn't a "small few" but "a majority" who are either belligerent jerks, thieves, or straight up murderers.
 
Body cam ever single one of the jerks. Never let them work alone. Never let them do "internal investigations" and always demand truly outside investigators and prosecutions for when police cross the line.
 
La Rose.

While it was speculation in this case since I haven't gotten to read the news about it yet, it was not speculation in regards to Ferguson. 

All in all, I think that the system we have now is not working to either promote justice or the perception of justice: both of which are of dire importance. Things must change to ensure both. If they don't, then the resort to riot activism will become inevitable. 
 
La Rose. 

You got to it before I could get back to my computer to mention it. The NYPD barred choke holds. In there training they are told NOT to do them. The fact that the officer used one as a means of not holding a perp but as a way to subdue the perp is clear evidence that he was not using the murky acceptable hold. 
 
 
This officer is on camera as being belligerent and using a technique that he is barred from using in a situation that did not require it to get compliance. He went WELL beyond his authority.And in the aftermath didn't show any regard for the human life that was squelched. And for what reason? Because some guy wasn't 'respectin' his authoritah!'. He deserves his day in court but he will not get it. Why? As a bit of speculation I am going to guess the prosecutor in this case did the exact same thing the Ferguson one did: as piss poor a job as reasonable to insure that as much doubt could be caste as possible. 
 
Let's get this clear: A grand jury is not there to decide guilt. That is in no way, shape, or form their function. The grand jury is also not there to hear the defense's side of the story. They exist purely as a check on the Prosecution. It is the Prosecution's sole job to present their best possible case. As I recall, they are even allowed to bring in evidence that would normally be barred from trial in the pursuit of their job. They are NOT there to make the defense's case. So, when the Ferguson Jack-@$$ did his best to weaken the state's case against the cop, he was NOT doing his job. 
 
Why was he not doing his job? Because he is a little ***** who didn't have the testicular fortitude to dismiss the case outright which is what he wanted to do. So, what did he do instead, present as flimsy a case as humanly possible against the officer as he has done for EVERY officer, so as to acquit himself of guilt by blaming the Grand Jury. 
 
There is a wondrous little legal institution in Japan where-in a special consul can be convened to review a prosecutor's job. They are allowed to tilt the hand of the prosecutor and force them to decide / re-decide a case, present / represent a case before a grand jury, and in rare cases force the prosecutor to proceed to trial regardless of the prosecutor's wishes. A trial where he is held to an even higher level of accountability for making the state's case and if he doesn't can actually face repercussions for not doing his due diligence. This is what we need in the US. It is absolutely despicable the level of collusion between police and prosecutors. It is absolutely despicable that one man's agenda can so easily impede the justice of even going to trial! 
 
I don't know how these two prosecutors sleep at night but I hope to dear god that they still have enough of a conscious to wake up in cold sweat at night for what they have done. 
 
La Rose. 

Oh, no argument from me. This was inexcusable. A man died over cigarettes begging to be allowed to breathe until he could beg no more.
 
Heads should be rolling proverbially, and if reform doesn't earnestly start in the system, history dictates that head rolling may become quite literal.

This new one, I haven't read any details on. I do know that as far back as the late 80s, when I was an MP, choke holds were falling out of favor with police, especially carotid chokes.  Any choke or attack on the neck area is potentially lethal.

These stories almost make ME want to riot, and I'm a white out of shape guy in his forties

Really, they couldn't even get this to trial. The prosecutor must be like.the Ferguson one and deliberately trying to prevent this from going to trial.
 
La Rose.

Re: A Thread For Random Links
 

We're all three dice away from an 18, my friend.

Now roll for Lunch Loss.

"While it's true that certain methods have been developed that are better than what was available before, I'm of the opinion that our games are more like music. What was good in the 70's is still good today, even if most people's tastes are now different. Games don't grow obsolete any more than songs do."
Sage Genesis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGqHUtSCtv4

Since US news seems to be focused only on the missing Malaysian Airlines flight and the Crimea, here are some other stories not seen in US television.
 
Ebola in Guinea, up to 59 people dead   Anti-austerity protest in Madrid turns violent   Venice seeks independence from Italy in unofficial poll   Egyptian doctor on trial for female genital mutilation death   Feel free to post other stories here.

Absolutely. I might not always use Ctrl+C, but I definitely right click and hit "Copy" on a daily basis...perhaps even multiple times per day.

"Main Title Theme" from The Flash soundtrack.
 

That's basically Jerry Goldsmith channeling Basil Poledouris' "Anvil of Crom" from "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack.
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6qjez6rbDA

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SommelierSpeak
 
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.DiamondsInTheBuff
 
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.PopCultureIsolation
 
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PeripheryDemographic