Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I had no idea not answering was being "uppity" and is a punishable offense.

Must suck to be mute.

[Caspian]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

YM, I think with respect to "why was this trip different than the other", from what I heard in the clip I think they said that they randomly ask more questions and go a little further with certain cars. You could go through 50 times and never get more than "Where are you from and whats the purpose of your visit", but you might be the lucky car that gets deeper questions just to see if your story has any holes in it. I know when TSA would randomly check your carry on by hand it was queued by your ticket being scanned (not sure they do this anymore) so I don't know if border patrol gets to randomly decide who they're gonna talk to, or if the computer tells them.

I was also more than a little surprised to hear they catch 3 terrorists a day. Does that mean Al Qaeda sends 3 guys a day through that checkpoint or are they being a little more loose with the definition of terrorist to be anyone who has drugs on them?

I'm also curious about the aftermath of the whole clip. Were they really put in jail and tried etc., or were they basically just put in the holding tank for a couple hours then sent on their way?

[Feba]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

It's very easy to see how rights of privacy in one's personal spaces and properties stems from the essential freedom of thought guaranteed in the first amendment. There's a reason the fourth amendment very clearly states that not only are one's person and house protected, but also one's papers. It's hard to argue that one may hide his papers from the law, while being compulsed to show his thoughts.

[Firewind]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Basically the Police in the UK are being given way too much power and it is only growing as they become more politicised, it is one of the many reasons why there is a very big and very justified trust issue with the police in the the UK by the public. That said, it is more a trust issue, the public don't trust the Police in the UK though not trusting and not respecting someone are two different things.

In the UK there is no such thing as the 4th, 5th or 6th Amendment.

If a police officer stops you in the street and begins to search you, there's nothing you can do about it if they give the reason as they are checking you for anything that can be used for criminal damage or burglary for example. Since there's nothing set in law that prevents them from doing so unless you are literally standing right next to a lawyer, there is literally nothing you can do to stop this. The police here can also forcibly take fingerprint and DNA samples from you if you refuse, even if you have not been charged of anything. Even if you're released right away, the police here can keep those fingerprint and DNA samples on record and there's nothing you can do about it. Another thing to note: if you are arrested inside or just after leaving your own property or if you are currently in Jail, the Police can go ahead and search you and your property without a warrant.

An Act of Parliament also completely got rid of the equivalent of "Pleading the Fifth". While you do have a right to silence, actually exercising that right without a lawyer present means that a Jury can be directed to use that information against you. Best example is someone accused of piracy who spent a month in jail, who refused to give up his computer password due to the police having no evidence to search him and no ground or warrant to do so. Turns out that surprise, surprise, the guy hadn't pirated anything and he spent a month in prison for committing no crime. Double Jeopardy is a thing here as well. If you clear your name and are acquitted of a crime, there is nothing to stop the police from arresting you again and charging you again for the same crime.

Then there are also the changes to the law due to the Terrorism Acts here. Dear god where to begin with those. Well first of all you can be held for 28 days without even being told what you are being held for. Basically you can be arrested, spend the month in jail and still not be told what you are actually being accused of even if you're innocent. You can also be questioned by the police after being charged with a crime. So they can basically pull you back in before your trial and resume questioning you even though the case should be in the hands of the courts.
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Also the reason why I am only talking about the Police in the UK? I have had very little contact with the Police in the US. The only time I ran into any Law Enforcement (not including Airport Officers and the like and Resort Security), was in Tampa, Florida when my Father and I ended up getting lost trying to find a bar, and a Police Cruiser pulled up alongside us wondering what we were doing. As soon as the officers realised we were from the nearby tourist resort they were pretty friendly and gave us a lift to the bar. So my personal experience with the Tampa Police Department and Law Enforcement in the US was overwhelmingly positive. That said, it isn't really my place to talk about another country's law enforcement hence why I only talk about the UK and how Orwellian the country is becoming.

[DakAttack]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I'm not going to throw around blanket statements about the police in the US, but I'd like to point out how terrible they were during the Occupy protests. Here, in DC, a man struck two women with his car as an officer looked on. The officer let him leave and told the two women they shouldn't have been in the streets in the first place. The Occupy protests are full of examples like these.

[Vyuru]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Ok, I'll bite...

Ok, so what does this nation's finest, the US police force, need to do to earn your respect Cid? Wait, let me play this out. Your house is getting broken into, the perps have killed your dad. You Call 911 and are locked in your room pissing your pants. You and your mom have barricaded the door and perp is banging on the door, trying to bash it in. They want whatever you have in that room, and they don't care if they need to kill you or your mom to get it......

Now I would say that a smart man would have fled, as I think it can be stupid to pointlessly stay and fight. However flight is not always an option, and in the case of my mother she can most definitely not run. Therefore, if my mother is at home, I have no option but to stay and fight to defend her.

Ironically, my room contains the gun safe, so I would have my choice of several rifles, handguns, shotguns, or longsword. Weapons located outside of the safe include multiple knives and a longbow. I might have my Great Grandfather's hatchet in here as well, although that might be out in the garage, I forget. My weapon of choice would be the shotgun, there's a damn good reason it was one of the most feared weapons in WWI.


Now as far as officers of the law deserving unbridled respect..... No.

I know of far too many officers abusing their authority to say that any officer deserves my respect. Now that is not to say they deserve my disrespect, and I'll also say that getting uppity with them is foolish, but it is equally foolish to say that they deserve my unbridled respect simply for being a police officer.


Oddly enough, I see Mezlo's faulty logic alot. Just because I say that someone does not earn my respect does not mean that therefore I must disrespect them. There is a middle ground between the two you know and all shades of grey inbetween.

[Mezlo]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

My weapon of choice would be the shotgun

Wrong answer. The correct answer would be the long bow and the longsword. You fire the longbow as soon as the perp breaks the door down, and then charge him with the longsword.

Oh, and just because you don't agree with my opinion that officers deserve respect doesn't mean i have "faulty logic." It just means you don't agree with my opnion.

[Vyuru]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Oh, and just because you don't agree with my opinion that officers deserve respect doesn't mean i have "faulty logic." It just means you don't agree with my opnion.

Actually no, it does mean you have faulty logic. All throughout your posts you imply that if someone does not act respectfully then they therefore are acting without respect, or not giving the respect. You even say that here:

So what then, until each member of the police force demonstrates an act that "earns" your respect, they shouldn't have it?

I am not calling your opinion that all officers should have respect faulty logic, I am calling your argument that if the officers do not have respect then they have disrespect faulty logic.

[Etra]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Wrong answer.

You just called his personal opinion of which weapon to choose for himself wrong.

What.

[Mezlo]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

You just called his personal opinion of which weapon to choose for himself wrong.

What.

long bows > all

[DakAttack]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I think that was a joke.

[Mezlo]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I think that was a joke.

It must not have been funny... I was cracking up as I was typing it... Well, as long as someone thought it was funny... (me)

[cidbahamut]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I know of far too many officers abusing their authority to say that any officer deserves my respect. Now that is not to say they deserve my disrespect, and I'll also say that getting uppity with them is foolish, but it is equally foolish to say that they deserve my unbridled respect simply for being a police officer.

Basically this.

Putting on a badge doesn't earn you respect, it's what you do after you put on that badge that earns you respect or disrespect.

[Etra]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

long bows > all

I disagree.

NSFW: Penis Water Gun - Squirt Some Guy In The Eye!

[Firewind]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

long bows > all

I thought you used Fireballs and Crossbows.