Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[DennisT]

Put him in a cell with the guy who has the biggest cock in the prison.

[entropy]

Does mass have a death penalty?

[lineygoblue]

Maddie speaks with wisdom ...

[Optimus Prime]

Put him in a cell with the guy who has the biggest cock in the prison.

Whooooa DT, I afraid you've perhaps just let the Genie out of the bottle!

As we speak, DSL has probably wrapped his head in rags and driven his Ford Pinto through the front door of a crowded Wal-Mart.

[madootra]

LOL

[lineygoblue]

You are wrong about Strangelove. He'd never do that to a Ford Pinto ...

... a YUGO, .. maybe.

... but NEVER a Ford Pinto ...

[Optimus Prime]

He's actually a pretty good guy, sorry DSL...couldn't resist, "prefered enemy" and all.

Just one of my many faults.

[Jeff Buchanan]

There's a couple of lessons here:

US citizens are going to see more of this. Terrorist cells are active in this country. We should start to think like the Israelis do. There's a bomber that will act at the most unexpected moment and place. Be vigilant. And don't conflate being vigilant and aware of what's going on around you with living in fear of terror.

The best intelligence against terrorists is gained by communities being involved and engaged in collecting it and reporting it.

There are civil libertarians who voiced concerns about the police state in Boston and surrounding suburbs following the identification of the two suspects in the recent marathon bombings. We need to be sensitive to excessive intrusion by law enforcement and the government in general. I don't believe this was a case of that. Authorities believed public safety was at risk and that more attacks were imminent based on the intel they had. Seek balance.

[Hannibal]

We should start to think like the Israelis do.

That's not going to happen. This country is hopelessly hampered by taboos and political correctness. Israel doesn't have this problem. They look for terrorists, not weapons.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by Jeff Buchanan
We should start to think like the Israelis do.

The thing with the Israelis is their country has been the fierce target of the nations around it for decades. This is the landscape that their state of readiness has been built on.

[geo weidl]

Although we still do no know yet if this was a organized funded terrorist plot, the fear was always the lone wolf in which this maybe the case. It will be interesting to see what actions will be taken come football Saturday, let alone the border.

There was mass immigration from Europe to North America after WWII and terrorism was never an issue or concern. Now you can't even trust the kids coming over. Very sad.

[Jeff Buchanan]

That's not going to happen. This country is hopelessly hampered by taboos and political correctness. Israel doesn't have this problem. They look for terrorists, not weapons.

Point taken. However, US citizens (the ones that are at least somewhat informed and engaged) seem to be more tolerant of increased investigative powers of law enforcement and more surveillance. I think there is an increased willingness to give up some privacy in order to insure terrorists don't have easy targets.

[Hannibal]

You don't have to give up privacy.

What you have to give up is the notion that old ladies, pregnant women, and eight year old children are just as likely to commit a terrorist attack as men between the ages of 18 and 30 from predominantly Muslim countries.

[hack]

I'm interested in the differences between reactions to the fertilizer plant and the marathon bombings. In Boston they start searching some clueless Saudi kid's apartment, and in Texas there's ``no indication'' of anything. This in a pretty interesting week. I wish for a greater amount of skepticism and inquiry about Texas.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Apartment building near the fertilizer planet