The Atlantic’s annual list of Brave Thinkers just came out. I’m in it (and with some pretty impressive company)!
Mind you, this doesn’t actually mean I’m a goodthinker… just a brave one.
Category: Police
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Brave Thinkers of the Year
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Scalia: Federal Drug Laws Were a Mistake
From the WSJ via the Atlantic:
“It was a great mistake to put routine drug offenses into the federal courts,” he told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal went on to report Scalia’s belief that the laws forced Congress to enlarge the federal court system, and diminished “the elite quality of the federal judiciary.”
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The federal War on Drugs is diminishing the quality of our federal justice system. As far as I can tell, no one contests that conclusion. It would be one thing to bear that cost in exchange for a policy victory. After decades of failure, however, no one even expects the drug war to be won.Returning drug policy to the states would be a first step in the right direction.
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How you say that?
Old Europe on the front:
New Europe on the backside:
[I’m on break. Regular blogging will resume in February.]
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Rugby For Dummies
I’ve made a small effort to understand Rugby, since I’m in the UK and Rugby World Cup is going on in New Zealand (who just beat Argentina).
Next weekend are the semi-finals. It will be late at night in America (it’s far too early in the morning here in Europe). Here are my rugby rules for dummies (which may or may not be accurate), the few things I had to learn before I could figure out what the hell was going on beyond a massive game of Smear the Queer (why do I suspect there’s now a more politically correct term for that charming game of childhood).
1) In rugby, you can only pass the ball backyards, but you probably already knew that. If you pass the ball forward (called a knock-on) with anything other than your feet, a scrum results (where all the players are linked and pushing each other). This is for possessions, but it’s not equal odds because the other team tosses the ball into the scrum. Players in the scrum may not play the ball with their hands but try and push the other team back in relation to the ball. They can also kickthe ball back out of the scrum.
2) Both offense and defense can be offsides. If you’re on the wrong side of the ball you need to get on the right side of the ball before you do anything. But if you’re packed together in a maul or ruck, the line that marks offsides in not the ball but where the players are mashed together (so as you push the other team back, you can kick the ball along and march up the field).
3) A tackle is not a turnover or even a stoppage in play. If tackled, you have to give up the ball (handed back, as always). If you’re not tackled, your team can keep trying to push you forward (called either a maul or a ruck). The defense can only go after the guy with the ball. There is no blocking, which is called obstruction.
4) A “try” is like a touchdown and is worth 5 points. But you actually have to touch the ball to the ground for it to count. The two extra points (called a conversion) are kicked out from a line from where the try was touched down (so you want to score your tries in the middle of the field). After a score, the team that scoresreceives the resultant kick-off. Games between mismatched teams can become very one-sided.
5) You can always kick the ball. If you kick the ball out of bounds, the other team throws the ball in from where it went out of bounds. A drop-goal, like punting for a field-goal, is worth 3 points.
6) A penalty results in a kick (which can be place-set) and often a field-goal attempt. The team that “has” the penalty is the one that wasn’t penalized.
7) There are two 40-minute halves. The clock rarely stops. After time is up, the game doesn’t end till the ball is dead. There are 15 players on a side with 7 replacements. Unless you’re bleeding, a player cannot return to play if taken out. The number of a player’s uniform relates to his position.
It’s a fast and brutal game. World Cup Rugby plays Rugby Union rules. I have no idea what Rugby League is. Nor do I care.
[I’m on break. Regular blogging will resume in February.]
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A few different eras
That’s me in 2011, holding a 1950’s radio and a 19th century lantern.
[I’m on break. Regular blogging will resume in February.]
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The more things change… October 6, 1829
Looks like there may be a little problem with sergeants not keeping order.
The Police Serjeants (sic) are again cautioned, that the manner in which they make their patrol, and march their reliefs along the streets, is constantly observed by the Commissioners, and if the Duty is not done strictly according to order, in silence and regularity, the Serjeant will not long retain his situation.
Source: Metropolitan Police. Instructions Orders &c. &c.1836. London: W. Clowes & Sons.
[I’m on break. Regular blogging will resume in February.]
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How to stop cars
Just flip up the red filter and press the button to stop cars at night!
[I’m on break. Regular blogging will resume in February.]
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‘Ello Cario!
A shout-out to all my fans at the Pension Roma. Cairo Massive, make some noise!
[sound of car horns beeping, calls to prayer, and cooking gas tanks being banging upon]
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The more things change… October 3, 1829
The attention of the Police is particularly to be directed to the areas and area gates, as person frequently conceal themselves in the area till the Constable on the beat passes, and then commence their operations.
The Police Constables on Duty are strictly cautioned not to stop or talk together when they meet on the their beats, but merely to exchange a word and pass on; any deviation from this order will be punished.
The moment a robbery of any kind comes to the knowledge of the Superintendents or Inspectors, a list of the articles stolen will be distributed amongst the men, and sent to all the neighbouring pawnbrokers’ shops, and a memorandum made of the hour at which the communication was made to the pawnbroker.
Source: Metropolitan police. Instructions Orders &c. &c.1836. London: W. Clowes & Sons.
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White Shirts
They’re on my mind, but probably because I’m reading Melville’s excellent White-Jacket: The World in a Man-of-War.
But with regards to the protests and the NYPD… I don’t see the problem of the “white shirts.” (And before you go there, Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna has been taken off the street.) This is one of the very rare times the military-like structure of a police department, usually so counter-productive, actually comes in handy.
Do we really want every cop at a protest making independent judgments about arrest and the first amendment willy-nilly? This kind of protest isn’t an everyday occurrence. And the 1st Amendment is kind of important. Isn’t it better to have experienced supervisors, in direct conference with experienced lawyers, making such decisions?
It’s also smart of the NYPD to release some of their own videos. Eight times out of ten, their natural inclination to secrecy does not help their cause.