While I was working away on a POV master piece, I heard my brother pull 
up outside. I thought 'Oh great, he'd want to come in and talk.'and 
brake my train of thought. Then the phone rings and rings. Great! So I 
answer it. It is one of those scams where they pretend to be the IRS 
looking for you. Trying to get you to sent them money. Train of thought 
gone. I got online to check out the scam. Then BAM! BAM! BAM! at the 
door. I thought Great! I can't doing anything, my brother wants in must 
have an arm full of something. So I say loudly " THERE'S NO ONE HOME! "
Then get up to open the door. I open the door slowly so not to hit my 
brother. Don't see him. Open the still farther still no one.
  I step out and find 7 or 8 member SWAT team loaded for bear! Guns 
pointed in my direction, the start dogs barking. Dumfounded, my first 
thought is to say 'Are you from the IRS". I didn't. I just stood there 
taking it all in. One of the officers ask If I was alone. I said no my 
brother's around here somewhere. Then I looked around and notice that 
his car was gone, he came home in his truck. It was Wednesday, he goes 
to the casino on Wednesdays. I told them so. I heard him come but didn't 
hear him go.
  Finally I got a hold of myself to ask who are they where looking for. 
"Doug" was the answer. I thought for a moment. I know two or three 
Dougs. So, I say "Last Name."  The answer was gobydegok to me, I just 
knew I didn't know him and told them so.
   One of the dog handlers holding the lead to his jumping dog said with 
a mixture of fear and frustration "Where's Doug!".
I calmly said "I don't know. The Whetstones live here."
He said with dog still jumping"He has to be here my dog follow him 
straight to the corner of your house!"
I starting to feeling more confident said "That might be. We live in the 
woods and any one can walk through here."
  The rest of the story is rather mundane. They asked if they could 
search our buildings for the guy. I said "Yes, I rather you find him 
then me." While they where searching, they got a call saying he was 
spotted a mile east of my place and they all piled into the 3 or 4 
verticals. I didn't even notice the vehicles until they started to leave.
   As far as I know they never caught the guy. They did arrest one of my 
neighbors. I guess for harboring him or drugs or both.

Have fun!

Post a reply to this message

On 10/2/2015 6:32 PM, Leroy wrote:
> While I was working away on a POV master piece,


And did you finish it? ;-)

You will dine out on that story for months.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

Stephen wrote:
> On 10/2/2015 6:32 PM, Leroy wrote:
>> While I was working away on a POV master piece,
>
>
> And did you finish it? ;-)
No, still working on it:)
>
> You will dine out on that story for months.
>
I got to tell that story only 3 time. 4 time counting here.

Post a reply to this message

On 10/2/2015 7:36 PM, Leroy wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> On 10/2/2015 6:32 PM, Leroy wrote:
>>> While I was working away on a POV master piece,
>>
>>
>> And did you finish it? ;-)
> No, still working on it:)

Stop making excuses then and finish it. ;-)


>>
>> You will dine out on that story for months.
>>
> I got to tell that story only 3 time. 4 time counting here.
>

That's off. I would expect at least six months of free meals. With that one.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

Stephen wrote:
> On 10/2/2015 7:36 PM, Leroy wrote:
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> On 10/2/2015 6:32 PM, Leroy wrote:
>>>> While I was working away on a POV master piece,
>>>
>>>
>>> And did you finish it? ;-)
>> No, still working on it:)
>
> Stop making excuses then and finish it. ;-)
A master piece is never finished. But I wish I had that excuse with I 
was in school. 'I'm sorry I did do my home work because of Swat!'
>
>
>>>
>>> You will dine out on that story for months.
>>>
>> I got to tell that story only 3 time. 4 time counting here.
>>
>
> That's off. I would expect at least six months of free meals. With that
> one.
>
I did say I lived in the woods. My neighbors where more worried for them 
selves to listen to the full story. And you can't walk up to stranger at 
Walmarts and say have I got a story for You!

Post a reply to this message

Reminds me of an acquaintance who for some time worked for a company
that did furniture and stuff for banks.

One winter day he and a colleague of his were working at a bank after
closing time, in order not to disrupt daily business. The work did
involve some welding in the vault.

The police had been well informed in advance at the local level.

Not so at the state level. Well, at least not until some neighbor
noticed the strange nighly activity, and for some reason decided to call
/them/ rather than the local cops.

Need I say what came next?

They didn't knock though - at some point my acquaintance just went out
to fetch some tools. And his colleague followed some minutes later,
wondering what took him so long out there.


Also needless to say, the two later decided that getting hold of some
booze had a slightly higher priority than finishing their work that
night. Apparently, staring down the barrel of an automatic rifle makes
people thirsty.

Post a reply to this message

On 10/2/2015 8:04 PM, Leroy wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> On 10/2/2015 7:36 PM, Leroy wrote:
>>> Stephen wrote:
>>>> On 10/2/2015 6:32 PM, Leroy wrote:
>>>>> While I was working away on a POV master piece,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> And did you finish it? ;-)
>>> No, still working on it:)
>>
>> Stop making excuses then and finish it. ;-)
> A master piece is never finished.

Sometimes mine are never started.

> But I wish I had that excuse with I
> was in school. 'I'm sorry I did do my home work because of Swat!'


That beats "my hamster ate my jotter". Hands down. :-)
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>> You will dine out on that story for months.
>>>>
>>> I got to tell that story only 3 time. 4 time counting here.
>>>
>>
>> That's off. I would expect at least six months of free meals. With that
>> one.
>>
> I did say I lived in the woods.

You did but it didn't register. In the UK, woods are what used to be 
there. ;-)

> My neighbors where more worried for them
> selves to listen to the full story. And you can't walk up to stranger at
> Walmarts and say have I got a story for You!
>

No, I don't suppose you can.
It deserves to be told though.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

Leroy wrote:

> But I wish I had that excuse with I
> was in school. 'I'm sorry I did do my home work because of Swat!'

So, after my husband died, it looked like going back to school with Pell 
grants and student loans might be a route to survival.  Meanwhile, my 
nephew had given me an adorable puppy (and let me just add, my old dog 
thought it was a Terrible Idea and an Utter Betrayal--for about 36 
hours, after which she was HIS puppy)...And so it was, that I found 
myself, at the age of [mumble mumble], able to stand up in class, wave a 
shredded worksheet in the air, and proudly say, for the first time in 
[mumble mumble] years:

"MY DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK!!!'

It was, and remains, one of the great moments in my life.

--Sherry Shaw

-- 
#macro T(E,N)sphere{x,.4rotate z*E*60translate y*N pigment{wrinkles scale
.3}finish{ambient 1}}#end#local I=0;#while(I<5)T(I,1)T(1-I,-1)#local I=I+
1;#end camera{location-5*z}plane{z,37 pigment{granite color_map{[.7rgb 0]
[1rgb 1]}}finish{ambient 2}}//                                   TenMoons

Post a reply to this message

That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however 
sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a 
house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there, upturned 
the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to discover 
afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the street.

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

On 3-10-2015 6:30, Sherry K. Shaw wrote:
> "MY DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK!!!'
>
> It was, and remains, one of the great moments in my life.
>

<grin> Nice!

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Thomas de Groot <tho### [at] degrootorg> wrote:
> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there, upturned
> the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to discover
> afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the street.

In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.

Post a reply to this message

On 03/10/2015 09:51 AM, Cousin Ricky wrote:
> Thomas de Groot<tho### [at] degrootorg>  wrote:
>> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
>> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
>> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there, upturned
>> the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to discover
>> afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the street.
>
> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.

So happy I'm not in the USA anymore...

Post a reply to this message

On 10/3/2015 10:06 AM, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
> On 03/10/2015 09:51 AM, Cousin Ricky wrote:
>> Thomas de Groot<tho### [at] degrootorg>  wrote:
>>> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
>>> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
>>> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there, upturned
>>> the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to discover
>>> afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the street.
>>
>> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.
>
> So happy I'm not in the USA anymore...
>

Why would that be? ;-)

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 3-10-2015 10:51, Cousin Ricky wrote:
> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.
>
>

Understandable, with all those house numbers in four digits ;-)

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Sherry K. Shaw wrote:
>
> "MY DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK!!!'
>
> It was, and remains, one of the great moments in my life.
>
> --Sherry Shaw
>
I like that!

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 03 Oct 2015 11:16:49 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 10/3/2015 10:06 AM, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
>> On 03/10/2015 09:51 AM, Cousin Ricky wrote:
>>> Thomas de Groot<tho### [at] degrootorg>  wrote:
>>>> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
>>>> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
>>>> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there,
>>>> upturned the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to
>>>> discover afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the
>>>> street.
>>>
>>> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.
>>
>> So happy I'm not in the USA anymore...
>>
>>
> Why would that be? ;-)

Well, didn't you hear?  The cops break into everyone's house/flat on a 
daily basis.  Usually using flashbangs.

It's mandatory that this happen - if the cops don't do it, they get 
waterboarded.  Their job is to terrify the citizenry.

m-/

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

On 10/5/2015 4:39 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Sat, 03 Oct 2015 11:16:49 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>
>> On 10/3/2015 10:06 AM, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
>>> On 03/10/2015 09:51 AM, Cousin Ricky wrote:
>>>> Thomas de Groot<tho### [at] degrootorg>  wrote:
>>>>> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
>>>>> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
>>>>> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there,
>>>>> upturned the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to
>>>>> discover afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in the
>>>>> street.
>>>>
>>>> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.
>>>
>>> So happy I'm not in the USA anymore...
>>>
>>>
>> Why would that be? ;-)
>
> Well, didn't you hear?  The cops break into everyone's house/flat on a
> daily basis.  Usually using flashbangs.
>

But he's white and not poor.

> It's mandatory that this happen - if the cops don't do it, they get
> waterboarded.  Their job is to terrify the citizenry.
>
> m-/
>


Good job they can get discounted second hand hardware from the military. ^ ^


-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 17:05:38 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 10/5/2015 4:39 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Sat, 03 Oct 2015 11:16:49 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/3/2015 10:06 AM, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
>>>> On 03/10/2015 09:51 AM, Cousin Ricky wrote:
>>>>> Thomas de Groot<tho### [at] degrootorg>  wrote:
>>>>>> That is a funny/weird story indeed. It can end quite badly however
>>>>>> sometimes though. A couple of years ago here, police erupted into a
>>>>>> house, bashed and forcefully arrested the people living there,
>>>>>> upturned the furniture, smashed what could be smashed, only to
>>>>>> discover afterwards (oops!) that they got into the wrong house in
>>>>>> the street.
>>>>>
>>>>> In the USA, we call this a normal day at the precinct.
>>>>
>>>> So happy I'm not in the USA anymore...
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Why would that be? ;-)
>>
>> Well, didn't you hear?  The cops break into everyone's house/flat on a
>> daily basis.  Usually using flashbangs.
>>
>>
> But he's white and not poor.

That doesn't matter.  Didn't you hear that it's absolute chaos over here, 
and the cops just randomly break into people's houses at any time of the 
day and night.

People in the middle east have no sense of what it's like to live in true 
terror.  The cops in the US have cornered the market on that.

>> It's mandatory that this happen - if the cops don't do it, they get
>> waterboarded.  Their job is to terrify the citizenry.
>>
>> m-/
>>
>>
> 
> Good job they can get discounted second hand hardware from the military.
> ^ ^

Damned straight. ;)

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

On 10/5/2015 6:59 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> That doesn't matter.  Didn't you hear that it's absolute chaos over here,
> and the cops just randomly break into people's houses at any time of the
> day and night.
>

You would think so going by all the reports we get.

> People in the middle east have no sense of what it's like to live in true
> terror.  The cops in the US have cornered the market on that.
>

At least you have medicinal grass nowadays. ;-)

>>> >>It's mandatory that this happen - if the cops don't do it, they get
>>> >>waterboarded.  Their job is to terrify the citizenry.
>>> >>
>>> >>m-/
>>> >>
>>> >>
>> >
>> >Good job they can get discounted second hand hardware from the military.
>> >^ ^
> Damned straight.;)

Have you seen Rich Hall's "You can go to Hell. I'm going to Texas."?

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 10/5/2015 7:22 PM, Stephen wrote:
> Have you seen


BTW JAM as started.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 10/5/2015 6:59 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> That doesn't matter.  Didn't you hear that it's absolute chaos over
>> here,
>> and the cops just randomly break into people's houses at any time of
>> the day and night.
>>
>>
> You would think so going by all the reports we get.

Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to sell 
anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)

>> People in the middle east have no sense of what it's like to live in
>> true terror.  The cops in the US have cornered the market on that.
>>
>>
> At least you have medicinal grass nowadays. ;-)

In about 5 states (including where I am).  Oh, wait, medicinal is 
available in more than 5.

>>>> >>It's mandatory that this happen - if the cops don't do it, they get
>>>> >>waterboarded.  Their job is to terrify the citizenry.
>>>> >>
>>>> >>m-/
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>> >Good job they can get discounted second hand hardware from the
>>> >military.
>>> >^ ^
>> Damned straight.;)
> 
> Have you seen Rich Hall's "You can go to Hell. I'm going to Texas."?

That sounds like him, but no, I haven't. :)

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:23:15 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 10/5/2015 7:22 PM, Stephen wrote:
>> Have you seen
> 
> 
> BTW JAM as started.

JAM?



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

On 05/10/2015 07:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>> You would think so going by all the reports we get.
>
> Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to sell
> anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)

Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually 
accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic 
freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring 
important matters to public attention.

But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely 
anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um... 
am I being dense or something?

Post a reply to this message

On 05/10/2015 07:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:23:15 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>> BTW JAM as started.
>
> JAM?

Well I doubt he's talking about the Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu.

Perhaps he meant the Yahtzee Croshaw book?

Post a reply to this message

On 10/5/2015 7:47 PM, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
> On 05/10/2015 07:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:23:15 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>>> BTW JAM as started.
>>
>> JAM?
>
> Well I doubt he's talking about the Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu.
>
> Perhaps he meant the Yahtzee Croshaw book?

Either, Just a Minute or Roly Poly.
I can't make my mind up.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 10/5/2015 7:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>

>>>
>>>
>> You would think so going by all the reports we get.
>
> Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to sell
> anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)
>

So cynical for one so young. :-)
You're beginning to sound like me.



>>
>> Have you seen Rich Hall's "You can go to Hell. I'm going to Texas."?
>
> That sounds like him, but no, I haven't. :)
>
I found it interesting, scary but interesting.


-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:46:39 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:

> On 05/10/2015 07:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>>> You would think so going by all the reports we get.
>>
>> Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to
>> sell anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)
> 
> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
> important matters to public attention.
> 
> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um...
> am I being dense or something?

No, you're actually not being dense or something.

You're missing the sarcasm in my comments.

As I might have mentioned before your trip, millions of people live in 
the US and don't get murdered every day.  "Surviving" here is not like 
entering a war zone.

And I say that as someone who thinks that the gun fetish in this country 
is out of hand.

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 20:24:15 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 10/5/2015 7:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>>
>>
> 
>>>>
>>> You would think so going by all the reports we get.
>>
>> Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to
>> sell anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)
>>
>>
> So cynical for one so young. :-)
> You're beginning to sound like me.

Not so young these days, either.  :)

>>> Have you seen Rich Hall's "You can go to Hell. I'm going to Texas."?
>>
>> That sounds like him, but no, I haven't. :)
>>
> I found it interesting, scary but interesting.

I'll have to check it out.

Jim



-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

Post a reply to this message

>> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
>> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
>> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
>> important matters to public attention.
>>
>> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
>> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um...
>> am I being dense or something?

Last time I checked they weren't allowed to print defamatory content.

> As I might have mentioned before your trip, millions of people live in
> the US and don't get murdered every day.  "Surviving" here is not like
> entering a war zone.
>
> And I say that as someone who thinks that the gun fetish in this country
> is out of hand.

We get fed articles like this over here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34424385

Post a reply to this message

>>> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
>>> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um...
>>> am I being dense or something?
>
> Last time I checked they weren't allowed to print defamatory content.

So it's not that they can't print stuff that's false. In fact, they 
can't print stuff that's *true* if it upsets somebody?

Post a reply to this message

>>>> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
>>>> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um...
>>>> am I being dense or something?
>>
>> Last time I checked they weren't allowed to print defamatory content.
>
> So it's not that they can't print stuff that's false. In fact, they
> can't print stuff that's *true* if it upsets somebody?

If it's true, no problem:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/26/contents/enacted

Post a reply to this message

On 5-10-2015 20:46, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
> On 05/10/2015 07:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 19:22:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>>> You would think so going by all the reports we get.
>>
>> Well, the news is always unbiased.  It's not like they're trying to sell
>> anything, or that sensationalism doesn't get people to watch. ;)
>
> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
> important matters to public attention.

It is very simple. With the exception of tabloids (which I use to wipe 
myself clean with) any serious, self-respecting newspaper makes sure to 
bring the news as factually accurate as possible. This has nothing to do 
with law at all but with professional integrity, which the public is 
sure to critically control on a daily basis. Journalistic freedom works 
the other way round as it offers the possibility for journalist to 
investigate things that some would prefer to stay hidden.

>
> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So... um...
> am I being dense or something?

It is difficult to survive in this society. Some media stretch the 
notion of integrity to a thin line indeed.

-- 
Thomas

Post a reply to this message

Am 07.10.2015 um 14:27 schrieb Thomas de Groot:

>> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
>> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
>> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
>> important matters to public attention.
> 
> It is very simple. With the exception of tabloids (which I use to wipe
> myself clean with)

I wouldn't do that; just because a paper sucks it doesn't necessarily
mean that the /paper/ /sucks/...

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 07 Oct 2015 07:57:41 +0100, scott wrote:

>>> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
>>> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
>>> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
>>> important matters to public attention.
>>>
>>> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
>>> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So...
>>> um...
>>> am I being dense or something?
> 
> Last time I checked they weren't allowed to print defamatory content.

True, but the general way to "get around" that is to frame it as an 
opinion rather than as fact.

There is a difference between:

"In my opinion, Joe Schmoe is a dope"

and

"Joe Schmoe is a dope"

>> As I might have mentioned before your trip, millions of people live in
>> the US and don't get murdered every day.  "Surviving" here is not like
>> entering a war zone.
>>
>> And I say that as someone who thinks that the gun fetish in this
>> country is out of hand.
> 
> We get fed articles like this over here:
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34424385

Yep.

There's a lot of truth in what's said there - and it is frustrating to 
live in a country where the majority congressional party is uninterested 
in a meaningful discussion about gun control or mental health, but is 
willing to waste hundreds of millions of dollars and years investigating 
the death of 4 Americans in an embassy because it's a chance to score 
political points.

But remember that this is a country of > 300,000,000 people.  In 2015, 
there have been maybe 40,000 gun-related "incidents" - not all of them 
(about 1/4, actually) resulting in a death.

That's a relatively low incidence of incidents per capita.  It's still 
too high, and it's still too easy to get guns in this country - but it's 
not an active war zone, either - and shouldn't be treated like it is.

Jim

-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

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On Wed, 07 Oct 2015 10:23:58 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:

>>>> But... er... last time I checked, the media can print absolutely
>>>> anything that will sell copies. In other words, MAKE MONEY. So...
>>>> um...
>>>> am I being dense or something?
>>
>> Last time I checked they weren't allowed to print defamatory content.
> 
> So it's not that they can't print stuff that's false. In fact, they
> can't print stuff that's *true* if it upsets somebody?

No.

If you print something and write it as if it's a fact, and it's 
defamatory, then you'd just better be able to prove that it's a fact if 
you get sued.

Jim

-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

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On 7-10-2015 15:37, clipka wrote:
> Am 07.10.2015 um 14:27 schrieb Thomas de Groot:
>
>>> Curiously, a lot of people seem to think that news has to be factually
>>> accurate - by law or something. And that we have these "journalistic
>>> freedom" laws to protect the public by allowing news media to bring
>>> important matters to public attention.
>>
>> It is very simple. With the exception of tabloids (which I use to wipe
>> myself clean with)
>
> I wouldn't do that; just because a paper sucks it doesn't necessarily
> mean that the /paper/ /sucks/...
>

True indeed. I learned that on fieldwork ;-)

-- 
Thomas

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