kmcguffee

I apologize. I was referring more to the writer of the article, not you. He has conveniently presented one side of the statistics to add weight to his argument instead of telling the entire story. If he told the entire story it would be much murkier. I've always agreed with our decision to invade Afghanistan. The Taliban harbored and supported UBL and allowed him to sponsor and organize attacks against the US. Contrary to what that writer claims, that has been proven. The attack on Iraq, while I think it was justified, I'm not sure it was necessarily the best option at the time. I don't necessarily think that Bush is an evil lying bastard because he did something I disagree with though. Those kinds or decisions are never cut and dry. Making decisions based on intel is never easy. It is never complete and always has the possibility of being completely wrong. As an infantry company commander, I had my company attack a porta potty ringed with concertina one time. It was embarrassing. But, intel told me certainly that it was an enemy position because they saw obstacles and were constantly seeing enemy soldiers walk by there. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

I believe I read a report a few days ago that the nuclear materials have been found and recovered. That seems to be a fairly premature assessment to make. We've had about 2 months to look for them and have had a few other things on our minds while doing so. If you were arguing that the inspectors need more time don't you think you should have some patience and give your own country some time to look? Don't forget that we have found caches of suicide vests, terrorist camps, mobile bio labs, and known terrorists in Iraq. Why do you think those labs were mobile? "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Of course we also have the criticize_everything_the_government_does mentality. It is easier than actually supporting anything actually going on. If this person's proposed plan, opinion, etc is actually being implemented then there is a chance it might fail. We wouldn't want that now would we? It is a lot easier to just criticize and complain. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Damn, I sign on and am being blasted! I was born and raised in Louisiana. My father and grandfather were Louisiana troopers and Sheriffs. I'm a cop also. Care to take a guess as to my education, racial opinions, and general intelligence SadSue? We've put plenty of college educated criminals in jail. What makes you think this guy was raised in a slum and didn't go to college? Are you making generalizations based on his race? Sounds like you have some issues. Get out of California and experience the real world. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Disturbed - "Get Psycho" and "Voices". StaticX - "Love Dump" Trapt - "Headstrong" Tool - "Stinkfist" They get me pumped to jump. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Scotch Ale is my favorite! I'll gladly help you get rid of it. Have you ever tried sanitizing in the dishwasher? Just make sure they go through the heat dry cycle. Don't add any soap or sanitizer, the heat is enough. That is how I've been doing mine (that I bottle) for about the past 3 years. I mostly keg now which is sooooo much easier. Probably just from you moving it or the beer heating up and letting off dissolved CO2. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

CrazyIvan is right. He didn't break any rules of the forum so you really have no place in pushing your views. This place has turned into the most politically correct, don't say anything because you might offend someone, bleeding heart forum I have ever seen. I understand we need to have mutual respect for each other but this is really carrying it too far. BTW, I realize that and that I can leave when I want, so save it. [sarcasm]I hope I didn't offend anyone.[/sarcasm] "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

This question is asked a lot in our citizen's academy. In a high stress situation, where a cop's life is in danger, they only hit about one out of every five shots fired (based on last years statistics). That is aiming at center mass. That is also from people who are hitting 98 - 100% at the range firing at paper targets. Firing at the legs or hands or whatever is not realistically feasible. Even if you hit the person in the leg and they have adrenaline pumping they will not go down for awhile unless the bullet completely breaks a major bone. Only police snipers, who are away from the action and firing at a relatively stationary target, take shots like that. As for the amount of shots fired. The police stopped firing when the guy went down. It was not excessive force in that manner. He stopped firing when the threat was eliminated. The courts look at these incidents from the point of view of the cop not the point of view of 20/20 hindsight. They gave the guy verbal warnings and he didn't comply, they felt that he posed a danger to them when he pointed an object at them, they made a decision and have to live with it. The fact that he turned around and continued walking does not mean he was no longer a threat (in the eyes of the cops and with the knowledge they had at the time). If someone has a gun with their back to you, they can turn around and get at least one shot off before you can pull the trigger. This is true even if you have a gun pointed at them with your finger on the trigger. I've seen it demonstrated a number of times with simunitions. It is a matter of action being faster than reaction. IMO the cops were justified in the shooting. In fact, if it would have been a gun instead of a cellphone, one of the cops could have been in the hospital or dead right now. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Looks like Lincoln's resume. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

I happen to have the statistics at the house. This is from the US Department of State "Patterns of Global Terrorism" 2001 and 2002 editions. 2001 Total International Attacks 348 2002 Total International Attacks 199 2001 Total International Deaths 3,572 2002 Total International Deaths 725 Looks like a fairly significant difference to me. I've got the numbers all the way back to 1980. If you are a statistics guru, this is not normal variation. Something has happened to decrease terrorist attacks. I think if anyone is trying to connect the recent terrorist attacks to the Iraq War then they are going out on a limb. All evidence I've seen points to them being planned well before the war. You have to remember, Bush also said this would be a long war. It will not be won overnight. Luckily, we've got people with the guts to finish the fight despite the McDonalds Generation (demonstrated by many here) wanting instant gratification. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

The solid burns in the can. When it burns up it gives off the gas which irritates on contact. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Then why doesn't it burn up when ignited in the little coffee can in the center of the tent? "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Bill, I'm not trying to be a smartass here but you don't understand the difference between a search warrant and a subpoena. Police have never been required to produce evidence to get a subpoena for records, papers, documents, phone tolls, etc. You only require an open case (which requires evidence), an investigative need, and the approval of a Grand Jury. The Patriot Act moves that requirement (in terrorism cases) to a FISA court where there is no Grand Jury. The FISA judge gives the approval. In one of your other posts you mixed things that require a subpeona with things that require a search warrant. A search warrant is required when searching an area where a person has a 'reasonable expectation of privacy' as defined by the Supreme Court. This includes your house, car, safety deposit box, e-mails, etc. The Patriot Act now allows terrorism investigations to get search warrants through the FISA court with probable cause. In a regular court this is usually done in the judges chambers but the affidavit showing probable cause is discoverable during trial. In a FISA court the original affidavit is not discoverable in trial unless the judge orders it. There are changes but they are not as drastic as some journalists are trying to make it. They are intentionally muddying the waters to make headlines. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Exactly, once it is activated it is no longer flammable. It could have contributed to the fire in the activation phase (the grenades initially burn to initiate the fire) but once initiated it is no longer flammable. If it were, the CS tents that the military used would have burst into flames. The CS in the air is not flammable. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

I never said there weren't mistakes made by the ATF, US Marshals, and FBI but, give all the details of the story. You and the others seem to think Koresh and the Weavers were sitting on their front porch weaving when the AFT/Marshals raided and killed. It wasn't like that and you know it. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Your source for info is wrong. To show probable cause you have to have evidence. You can't say you have to have 'probable cause' but don't need evidence. 'Probable cause' is made up of enough evidence to give a 'reasonable belief' that a crime has been committed. The danger of FISA courts is you don't have civilian oversight in determining 'probable cause'. You only have a judge. To a certan point, but to actually reduce crime you can't just rely on 'after the fact' prosecutions. That will deter some would be criminals but a lot (especially terrorists who are willing to die for their cause) will still commit crimes. Our entire system was built around punishing the person who commits the crime after the entire crime has been committed. We are now trying to prevent certain types of crime (like terrorism) which requires a completley different bag of tools. Of course we could have a cop standing every 100ft to stop crimes but that is unrealistic. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

We're talking violent crime. There has been very little significant change to the substance of violent crime law in the past 50 years. It might be called something different now but it is still a crime as always. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

They sent two agents to initially serve the warrant. Koresh shot them. If they were trying to pick a fight, that is not how most people would do it. Yes, there were mistakes made. I haven't been on an arrest yet where mistakes weren't made but, it wasn't some big consipiracy to kill or suppress the innocent masses. The ATF shouldn't have tried to serve a warrant on Koresh with only two agents knowing that they had such an arsenal in the compound. But, it wasn't some big conspiracy to kill everyone there. The Ruby Ridge stories are getting blown way out of proportion too. There is a lot of fiction and very little fact being used. LOL, it is a reaction to constantly being called a militaristic, swastika wearing, oppressor of the common people on this board. I didn't know that I was out to take everyone's guns away until I read this thread. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Wrong. The requirement for 'probable cause' has not been eliminated. It is just called something else in the FISA courts but it is the same standard. The change has been that the FISA courts can handle a wider range of non-criminal violations (ie suspected terrrorist cells). They used to handle only spy cases involving foreign governments. The reason people don't like FISA courts is because they are classified and the results are not available to the public. This is because they handle information that would be detrimental to the security of the gov't ie investigative techniques and equipment that, if widely known, would render them useless in future investigations. These two points are diametrically opposed. To decrease crime you have to empower law enforcement. Since the people who so avidly fight for every perceived violation of their civil rights also are against giving any additional power to law enforcement, I don't think this is realistic. You will have to give up some civil liberties to decrease crime. If we don't change anything then everything will remain the same. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

CS is not flammable. Also, don't forget the gas spread on members of Koresh's little band which was lit by other members of the band (I've seen the thermal images from the fight that show them lighting the fires). I think it was more a matter of Koresh shooting ATF agents as they tried to serve a warrant. Koresh had an arsenal of military weapons stored in that compound inc grenades and machine guns. Yeah, a husband who taught his kids to carry guns and shoot at Federal Agents trying to serve a Warrant on their father. Weaver was responsible for what happened at Ruby Ridge. Lon Horiuchi (FBI Sniper) was not aiming at Weaver's wife when he shot her. He was aiming at Kevin Harris who had raised a gun to shoot at an FBI helicopter. It was sad what happened and a great tragedy but, it was Weaver's fault ultimately. The government is allowed by the constitution to execute seizures (ie arrests) when the person being seized is suspected of violating a Federal law. Even Weaver says now that he was wrong in what he did and he wouldn't choose that path again. The facts you are using are distorted. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

DO NOT read the visuals you are using. That annoys the hell out of me. Everyone there should be able to read. Use them to remind you what you are going to talk about (like note cards). "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

Believing that the universe appeared out of nothing with one giant "bang" isn't a leap of faith? Believing that life then sprang from this same universe with no external stimulus when the odds are mind numbingly against that ever happenning (even over an exceedingly long time) isn't a leap of faith? You have your faith, other people have their faith. Science and religion are not the same and are not mutually exclusive. The Bible is not a history book (although it has historic events in it) and it is not a science text. It tries to answer the question of 'why'. Science tries to answer the question of 'how'. Believing in a God is not an indicator of a nonrationale mind or low intelligence. It is based on faith not intelligence. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

LOL, when I was in Saudi we lived off of Cuban cigars and Schlitz near beer. Do you guys at least have access to that? It was good for a little relief. Very little. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

You're just asking for trouble aren't you?

I've lost one of mine wearing Kroops goggles (with vents) while sitflying. I've never had a problem while belly flying. Get some good tight fitting goggles without the vent holes. You will be fine. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin