The City on Fire

May 29th, 2020 at 1:21:06 PM permalink
RonC
Member since: Nov 7, 2012
Threads: 8
Posts: 2452
Quote: AZDuffman
I can't see 1st degree. I'd have to read the statute as 2nd might be stretching it. Remember those cops in Baltimore they charged with 1st? That was an either incompetent or clever DA, I am still not sure which.


I would like to read the statute for myself but, based on the information that is known (and not any certainty that it can make it in to evidence; that is sometimes an issue), Judge Nap used the actual 2d degree statute to show that it may be possible to get there.

I trust his legal knowledge a lot more than my own.

I didn't even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night...
May 29th, 2020 at 1:24:37 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: RonC
I would like to read the statute for myself but, based on the information that is known (and not any certainty that it can make it in to evidence; that is sometimes an issue), Judge Nap used the actual 2d degree statute to show that it may be possible to get there.

I trust his legal knowledge a lot more than my own.

I didn't even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night...


We all know it wasn't 1st. Reality is even 3rd is a life sentence for him. He will have to be in PC or possibly transferred to the federal system if he is to last even a year.
The President is a fink.
May 29th, 2020 at 1:41:50 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18632
Quote: AZDuffman
I am not lying at all. You are not blaming the looters, you are blaming the policing tactics. Thus you are saying they are not at fault because something else started it.


I already blamed the looters and you quoted it in a post on the 28th. If you want to dismiss what I said, fine, but it's your credibility that suffers.

Quote:
Whatcha wanna do, arrest people who loot and burn property. Yup. Who disagrees with that?
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
May 29th, 2020 at 1:42:55 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: AZDuffman
We all know it wasn't 1st. Reality is even 3rd is a life sentence for him. He will have to be in PC or possibly transferred to the federal system if he is to last even a year.
We only know what the headlines want us to believe.

https://themindunleashed.com/2020/05/george-floyd-worked-security-at-the-same-nightclub-as-the-officer-who-killed-him.html

That is a strange coincidence to me? Maybe they had met before.
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
May 29th, 2020 at 2:09:01 PM permalink
Gandler
Member since: Aug 15, 2019
Threads: 27
Posts: 4236
The sad part is George Floyd was against riots and violence in a video that has been released where he was ranting against such violence.

Doing violence in his name is not going to win anyone over, and its certainly not what he would want....
May 29th, 2020 at 2:11:18 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: rxwine
I already blamed the looters and you quoted it in a post on the 28th. If you want to dismiss what I said, fine, but it's your credibility that suffers.


Not at all. Instead of blaming the garbage that are the looters you blame the way the police do their policing. You are absolving them. Your "whacha wanna do" comment comes off as sarcastic, not serious.
The President is a fink.
May 29th, 2020 at 2:21:12 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18632
Quote: AZDuffman
Not at all. Instead of blaming the garbage that are the looters you blame the way the police do their policing. You are absolving them. Your "whacha wanna do" comment comes off as sarcastic, not serious.


I was being sarcastic at the attitude of you and other posters.

In fact, the second line with the first.

Quote:
Whatcha wanna do, arrest people who loot and burn property. Yup. Who disagrees with that?

That's what happens. What's your problem? You don't have any.




Maybe YOU should get another hobby. And watch your own words more closely.
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
May 29th, 2020 at 2:37:32 PM permalink
terapined
Member since: Aug 6, 2014
Threads: 73
Posts: 11786
Quote: Mission146
ORIGINALLY POSTED, BY ME, ON FACEBOOK:

"Calm City "

I had to give someone a ride today to an area of town I usually don't get to, but it just happened to be pretty close to 376 to get Downtown.

I'm one who really loves driving, especially if it's for no good reason, so I decided to poke my nose around Downtown Pittsburgh a bit. (Hey, you try having a nose like mine and not poking it anywhere!)

I somehow made my way to Market Square, normally, I would never even contemplate this by car, but, you know, COVID-Traffic. Plenty of people out and about and who the hell knows what's going to happen, right? I figured it might be a good time to take a walkabout because all of the businesses still have their windows and, for all I know, they won't by tomorrow.

Normally, I would have taken the T if I intended to visit Market Square. It's honestly a little disorienting to drive down there because I can find my way around with reference points on foot, but driving, pretty unfamiliar.

I'm just ambling through Market Square, not sure what for, but there seems to be a few places to park right in the square. I certainly couldn't find one for me. More than anything, I'm just trying to figure out where I can turn and where I can't.

Clearly amused by me looking around, a gentleman called out, "What's up, (inaudible)."

My reply, "Not much. Just looking for somewhere to park, how you doin'?" (I sometimes drop the, 'G,' when I'm not thinkin' about it. Shit, I did it again.)

"I'm good, man, little hungry but good."

He wasn't asking me for anything, just making a statement.

I went on my way and, after ten minutes or so, found a free spot to park. By, "Free spot," I mean that the card meters are stupid, and do not accept Discover, so I'm just going to hope they're not checking today. Yeah, I have other cards, but I'm boycotting the stupid meters until they accept Discover.

I drive a blue Toyota Camry, in case anyone wondered.

So, I finally find a spot and get out to walk around. I decided to go to McDonald's and grab my man who wanted to check on me some grub. Couple Double Cheeseburgers, small fries, large Coke...I don't encourage large Coke...but they're all the same price anyway. Five-something, not bad. I'd have grabbed myself a coffee, but I'm limited to two hands.

I delivered the food to a very surprised, but thrilled, man. He was almost in shock! I held the bag and drink out to him and he asked, "Really!? You just drove by couple minutes ago?"

"Sure, why not? I can't feed the entire Market Square, but I can certainly feed one person."

"My man, you don't even know me."

"Don't worry about it. Next time you've got a few extra bucks, just pass it on."

***And The City...

I spent a good half hour to hour walking around and everyone just seemed sad. It was a strange kind of sadness because it was offset by a little bit of contentment just to have everyone out and around people. What would have been the slowest weekday Downtown (excepting holidays) last year was outright bustling compared to last month.

I've done a few drives in the last month or so and it was just a ghost town. A few weeks ago a saw a couple of squirrels running across the street in the middle of Downtown.

There's definitely a certain tension in the air.

If you've ever blown up a balloon, sometimes you'll put one hand on the outside of it to kind of gauge how much room you've got left for air. It seems like everyone wants to blow it up as big as possible without it exploding. I don't know why that's such a worthy goal, but I'm guilty of it.

There was a gentleman walking around with a stub of a cigarette. You could barely call it a butt. I hate relighting. Ick. I guess there's some good fortune and privilege for me in that, isn't there? Even little enjoyments like never having to relight a cigarette I've put out.

It was as good a time to smoke as any, so I whipped out my relatively fresh pack of Kools and extended it to the two men walking together.

"I didn't ask you for a smoke?", almost like a question.

"I see you've got a partial there," I replied, "Go ahead and grab one, I was just about to have a smoke anyway."

Each of the gentlemen took one, "You're good people, my man!"

He doesn't know me that well, so I'll allow it.

***Introspection in the City:

I'm not that good of a person, let's be honest, are that many of us?

The last couple of days, I've just been angry at everything. Anger is fine enough, except for when it gives way to hate.

Please understand that I'm not bragging about myself above. Quite the opposite, in fact, I felt the need to do those things to find my humanity. To TRY to be good, because I'm not naturally good.

The fact of the matter is that anger comes easily, and is natural, but we always have a choice to let it consume us and develop into hate, or to do something productive with it.

You're goddamn right I'm angry about everything that has gone on the last few days. I'm frustrated and pissed off because I feel like a bunch of shit has already happened, more shit is probably going to happen, and there's nothing I can do about it.

But, maybe there is. Maybe there's something we can all do.

The reality of the situation is that things have taken place because people have not taken the time to think, or care. That's how this all started.

What was done to George Floyd was malicious on the part of the officer who killed him. That was NOT a failure to think. It was an intentionally violent act...though you could maybe argue he didn't intend for George Floyd to die. Still Murder Three (as I understand it) even if not.

But, the other officers there were careless and did not think, at best.

We can take the time to care, though. We shouldn't let one huge step backwards turn into backpedaling. What we should do, if it is within your means, is just do a small kindness for another person---any person---because it lets them know you care about them. You see them. You hear them.

Feeling powerless and as if nobody cares causes anger, which can manifest into hate if we let it. But, hate is so goddamn easy. Do the hard thing. Love. Care.

I wasn't going to post this and there will be no hashtags because shit's real. This isn't a social media popularity contest. This is get out and do just one small thing that's real, if you're able to.

But, I had some time to think as I accidentally drove onto the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway (I swear I am not making this up) where cars aren't supposed to be. And, I thought, "If this causes just one other person to do a kind act for no reason, then it will be a worthy post."

It turns out cars aren't supposed to be there! I wouldn't even have known, except I wondered why nobody else was there and looked it up when I got back. (OOPS!). I went by a few cops, though, so they must have thought I had business there.

Man, Downtown is tough to navigate when you can't play, "Driver see, driver do."

But, should anyone ask, I drive a red Chevy Malibu.

Stay safe and be kind, my friends.

Good story
What city is this?
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World"
May 29th, 2020 at 2:40:55 PM permalink
Mission146
Administrator
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 23
Posts: 4147
Quote: terapined
Good story
What city is this?


Thank you, and Pittsburgh. I live in one of the boroughs.
"War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen..let us give them all they want." William T. Sherman
May 29th, 2020 at 2:42:35 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18632
I think he's driving more than one car. (joke)
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?