TheRevanchist Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 "Why are we characterizing the person who was killed, and not the killer?" To be clear, I called them both idiots, but I responded to the question of: "Can you inform me as to why Martin was an idiot, btw?". I have no respect for either, but I have sympathy for Martin's family for having to go through such a mockery of justice and for the loss of their child. No matter how old a son or daughter is, losing them is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. On another note: Kim Kardashian, the complete waste of space she is, tweeted about justice for Martin. People quickly responded with some comments about how her dad was a lawyer for OJ. Justice for Nicole Simpson, anyone? HA! Some knuckleheads in LA did some damage to businesses and attacked people. Luckily, it was confined to just a bunch of assholes, and not a mass crowd of rioters like there was in 1992, when shops were burned, store owners defended their businesses with shotguns, and looters pilaged (sp) the city. Of course, some radio dipshit (Glenn Beck) this morning, as I was turning stations, tried to liken the people who were causing damage to the same people who did the Occupy Wal Street. Man, these guys will say and believe some of the dumbest shit ever for ratings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Death & Taxes. Where US federal tax dollars go, in massive chart form. http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0177/6150/t/2/assets/WATERMARK-DNT-0712.png?160 (and if you really want to buy a poster version) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 I like how the Department of Defense's budget is larger than the entirety of the non-national-security budget. That seems necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Nasa is depressingly small as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post deanb Posted July 17, 2013 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 PHENOMENAL COSMIC EXPLORATION! itty-bitty funding budget 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Are...are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saturnine Tenshi Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) She looks like she might be attractive if she weren't in that lemon suit and being bombarded with questions. Also something about that entire situation being a cesspit. Edited July 17, 2013 by Saturnine Tenshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredEffinChopin Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 To be clear, I called them both idiots, but I responded to the question of: "Can you inform me as to why Martin was an idiot, btw?". I meant an idiot in the situation. Outside of the one provided by Zimmerman that I have little reason to trust, it seems like he was minding his business. For the record though, I don't think him getting caught with marijuana in school makes him an idiot, it just makes him like most of the students I went to one of the best high schools in NY with, none of whom are incarcerated, on their way there, or dead. I agree that the other stuff looked worse, but as you said, it's not really relevant. That Beck comment you mentioned is part of exactly what gets me so nuts about this. People like him have been deceptively interpreting the news for a long time to rile up their listeners, and ultimately, get them to vote against their own interests because they're so blinded be the fear and hate that has been instilled in them. They'll link all of their talking points together, for every tirade they do, and convince their impressionable listeners that it's them vs. us, AND WE'RE LOSING!! Most of the people who are endzone dancing over Zimmerman not-facing any legal repercussions likely wouldn't have the same point of view they have if not for all the propaganda shoved down their throats. I feel like if you live in a place where everyone listens to that, and you weren't hateful towards "takers" (you can insert any number of words there) before, you will be soon. It drives me nuts, because a lot of these guys are just making careers being their greedy little selves, and have no concern for the fact that they're causing real-world hatred and paranoia. By the way, I had this linked to me the other day, and figured I'd share it. It's pretty relevant, even if it is a year old. I can't help but feel like someone looks at stats like these and smiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRevanchist Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 "So the disparity is clear. But the figures don’t yet prove bias. As Roman points out, the data doesn’t show the circumstances behind the killings, for example whether the people who were shot were involved in home invasions or in a confrontation on the street." "Additionally, there are far fewer white-on-black shootings in the FBI data — only 25 total in both the Stand Your Ground and non-Stand Your Ground states. In fact, the small sample size is one of the reasons Roman conducted a regression analysis, which determines the statistical likelihood of whether the killings will be found justifiable." That's the problem with the statistics in this case. The sample size is far too small. I love me some stats, but these are minimal findings based on the total samplng from Jan 05 to Dec 09: 73000 homicides 1412 "justifiable" homicides "Out of 70,000 cases, we find that the homicides similar to the Martin case occurred just 23 times in five years. Of those 23 cases, only 9 (39 percent) were ruled to be justifiable homicides." Besides the fact they can't get the numbers right (73k vs 70k and 23 times vs 25 times), this case is statisically outside of the norm. It is the deviation of the deviation. Good article, though you have to think through the article to realize that not every majority can shoot a minority and get away with it as a justifiable homicide. The chances of that happening are 25/73000 = 0.03%, and even some of those samples might be home invasion or a robbery, as stated by the study. But, that is how statistics work. You can actually paint any picture you want using statistics (something we did in college as part of the many stats classes I took). And, I'm not trying to be a dick, Fred. I'm merely pointing out that this article and study are basically the media trying to fire up people again. You and I both agree that Zimmerman should have been guilty of at least manslaughter. We both agree the jury was poorly selected. We both hate that someone was killed. Nothing good has come from this and it does leave a bitter taste in the mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredEffinChopin Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 It is a small sample size, but they can only work with the data that's available. And yes, as the article acknowledges, it's not quite an indisputable indicator of anything, especially if one is only noting the racial angle. After the verdict we just witnessed (which went as predicted in the study) though, it just reinforces the (my) belief that giving people the benefit of the doubt for shooting others dead isn't the wisest thing we can do to curb violence. Yes, there are many other factors that might contribute to it, but it looks like maybe the people who are are advocating to be able to use their guns most wasted no time in testing the boundaries of that freedom. Zimmerman (contrary to what he had claimed in an interview) was well aware of how stand your ground laws worked when he behaved the way he did the night he killed Martin, and I'd be far from surprised to discover that many other shootings in states with similar laws are also committed by people who might have behaved differently if those protections weren't in place. If you've read my posts in here in the past, you know that I generally feel like encouraging gun use is a bad idea. I didn't and don't think you're being a dick at all. We don't agree on everything here is all. I appreciate conversations like this, and I have them with the best of friends often enough. It's why I'm participating in this one. I will say that I don't think the Urban Institute is acting out of a desire to stir up controversy, but to serve their purpose. While there might not be a single caption we can create that will speak conclusively for the data, I do think it's good that it's being considered, collected, and reported, especially at the time it was. While the fact of the the highest likelihood of someone being let off for killing someone does seem to be white men killing younger black men, I understand that the data doesn't mean that white men are sniping from the windows at every hooded sweater. I do think it's important to keep that information in mind though, especially as debates regarding profiling and gun ownership/usage grow increasingly hot. Even if the statistics and/or the trial only say something marginally meaningful or slightly telling, the responses they provoke are equally so, if not more, and that's part of what gets me so concerned when I see this topic discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Meanwhile I'm just sitting here, wondering when the NSA is going to be the top story again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRevanchist Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 (edited) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pro-zimmerman-pro-trayvon-martin-groups-meet-houston-article-1.1405688 Whoa. Edited July 22, 2013 by TheRevanchist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Oh god it is just so hard for me to give a shit about any of this Zimmerman nonsense anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 So, after that American news station had the incorrect Korean Air crew names in their story about that crash, a Korean news station has made fun of them in their coverage of the Southwest Airlines landing gear failure. According to them the crew of that plane was Captain Kent Parker Wright and Co-Captain Wyatt Wooden Workman. They also interviewed flight instructor Heywood U. Flye-Moore and passenger Macy Lawyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/31/nsa-project-x-keyscore-collects-nearly-everything-you-do-on-the-internet/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D351747 Sweet Jesus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faiblesse Des Sens Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 that the system can scour the database of collected Internet traffic and metadata. Why are people continually surprised by this? We know that collecting metadata and building profiles is what they do and we've known this for several weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/08/09/anthony_weiner_itv_mayoral_candidate_mocks_british_reporter_during_on_camera.b.html Maybe he just assumes it's not BBC and therefore no one will see it? (ITV being UKs largest commercial station) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRevanchist Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 (edited) Here is the thing: This guy can't control his urges, and a cute woman with an accent is hard to resist. I'm sure he'll be sending her sexts very soon. Edit: I'm also guilty of thinking the British accent can't be taken seriously. It happened when Lennox Lewis was trash talking with someone in the ring, setting up a title fight. However, I wouldn't be disrespectful like that. Edited August 10, 2013 by TheRevanchist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 You don't find someone yelling "I'll knock your blinkin block off" to be intimidating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRevanchist Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 He enunciated so perfectly, and said it so calm and regal with the accent. "I am going to kick your ass." I can't even put an exclamation point on what he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFlyingGerbil Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 Lennox Lewis doesn't have a British accent. At least I don't think so, I think you can definitely hear the mix of Canadian, Jamaican and British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRevanchist Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 I believe you, but I, personally, am unable to make the distinction from the sounds, unless he says some phrase distinctly from those regions of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFlyingGerbil Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Which state... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luftwaffles Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 People not picking one of the Northern states as the drunkest is silly. Up here you drink to take away the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.