The Pooh Pit

[raptornx01]

Seems to me that free speech in that case is a red herring. even if you take his side he's saying it wasn't a free speech issue, but retaliation for not doing what they wanted. its outside groups waving the free speech flag.

[raisindot]

So J-I*b, as the resident US expert on the US, what's your take on this story, then?
Is it an attack on US freedom of speech? Is the US now prosecuting thought crime?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/ap ... ree-speech

These things are not always so clear cut. If the guy was just downloading violent Islamic stuff to read on his own, I'd say this was definitely a free speech issue. But, according to the prosection at least, he had tried to get training as a terrorist--if evidence exists for this, then he is certainly a potential terrorist suspect. And, if he disseminated the violent jihad stuff to others, then he was technically advocating breaking the law. In the U.S., free speech laws don't cover speeches advocating the violent overthrow of the government of the murder of others. Never have. So, it's really the difference between consumption and dissemination.

Personally, I do to think the case against this case is much, much weaker than the case against the Hutaree, who had the illegal guns and were clearly crazy right-wing nut jobs bent on crazy white wing militia nonsense. In Boston, such nut jobs would have been prosecuted. But in the rest of the country, where owning guns is a god-given right and being rapidly anti-government is considered normal, it's hard to make charges exist, particularly with the kind of right wing nut job Bush-appointed judges out there.

[poohcarrot]

Cheers boys!

Last question about the good ole US of A;

What's going to happen to that Zimmerman bloke?
Is it going to be another OJ-sized trial, and should he get locked away?

[raptornx01]

I haven't been blowed to follow the case really, but last i heard he wasn't charged with anything. and we only have his word for what happened. if they didn't hide behind that stupid florida law and there was a formal investigation thing would be different.

I don't like NBC editing the 911 call to make it look like this was a racial thing though.

and anyway, if you really want to talk crap about the way things are here, this, to me anyway, is more telling

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/7 ... e-console/

key word programs is one thing, actually hacking into your console to have a look around is completely different.

[poohcarrot]

He's been charged with second degree murder.

That spying on your games is a bit spooky.

Anyhoos, onward and upward.

I mentioned a couple of months back that a massive git shopping mall was soon opening 15 minutes from where I live.

Tomorrow is the opening day, so armed with 70 quid and a camera, I'm going scouting.

[stripy_tie]

Cheers boys!

Last question about the good ole US of A;

What's going to happen to that Zimmerman bloke?
Is it going to be another OJ-sized trial, and should he get locked away?

Even if the kid did attack him (which I don't think he did) it's still Zimmerman's fault, he incited the entire thing. The situation was engineered by him and him alone. Martin just wanted to get an iced tea and a bag of skittles and was confronted by an aggressive armed nutbag.

All the evidence points towards Zimmerman violently confronting Martin, Martin fighting off Zimmerman and then Zimmerman shooting Martin.

That Zimmerman wasn't arrested and charged with murder immediately is despicable and I hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life.

[raisindot]

[quote="stripy_tie]Even if the kid did attack him (which I don't think he did) it's still Zimmerman's fault, he incited the entire thing. The situation was engineered by him and him alone. Martin just wanted to get an iced tea and a bag of skittles and was confronted by an aggressive armed nutbag.

All the evidence points towards Zimmerman violently confronting Martin, Martin fighting off Zimmerman and then Zimmerman shooting Martin.
[/quote]
Actually, beyond the fact that Zimmerman pursued Martin, there's no clear evidence of anything at this point. No one (other than ZImmerman) really knows what actually went on when Zimmerman confronted Martin. A couple of witnesses claimed they saw a fight, but how close they were to the action and whether they're telling the truth is up to question. At this point, the amount of evidence released to the public certainly would not be enough to convict Zimmerman of second degree murder. The whole case hinges on whether Martin attacked Zimmerman or not. If Martin did, Zimmerman might get away with the 'self defense' defense, particularly in a place like Florida, which has one of the highest concentrations of crazy vigilantes and crazy criminals in the country.

That Zimmerman wasn't arrested and charged with murder immediately is despicable and I hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life.

Agreed that he should have been arrested immediately, when there was a chance to interrogate him and gather evidence. With this much time passing Zimmerman has had time to make up his alibi and bribe people to 'lie" as witnesses for him. But, again, until a clear, evidence-based picture of what really happened emerges, it is premature to assume that he is guilty of murder at this point.

[stripy_tie]

The whole case hinges on whether Martin attacked Zimmerman or not. If Martin did, Zimmerman might get away with the 'self defense' defense, particularly in a place like Florida, which has one of the highest concentrations of crazy vigilantes and crazy criminals in the country.

That's what I don't get, how can Zimmerman still claim self-defence when he was the one who created the whole situation in the first place?. If he hadn't been following Martin and gone on to confront Martin despite being told not to none of this would have ever happened.

Why can shooting an unarmed man you approached be claimed as self defence?

[poohcarrot]

...and if Martin did attack Zimmerman, wasn't Martin "standing his ground" and acting in self defence because he was being followed?

[poohcarrot]

A 171 shop outlet park opened today.



From my house to the outlet park took exactly 12 minutes and 48 seconds.

Big crowds waiting for it to open.



There were loads of TV crews there. They even interviewed me (in Japanese)! I think I blew my big TV chance though.
"Where are you from?"
"Sodegaura"
"How long did it take to get here?"
"12 minutes."
"Where are you from?"
"England"
"Will any of your friends come here because it's convenient for Haneda airport?"
"Maybe. It's a little far."



Good old Chiba-kun was at the opening ceremony (Mad Collector knows what I mean) and there were Taiko drums and a brass band playing "Sugar baby love" (Rubettes! )



Here's inside the mall.



And here's my 70 quid's worth of swag;

Shirt, cap, socks, shorts, salt-and-vinegar Pringles and some Thai deep fried crab meat curry called Poo Pad Pon curry.

[michelanCello]

I never thought you were the kind of type to stand in a crowd wainting for a shopping centre to open

[poohcarrot]

It was fun!

Anyhoos, I was on a mission. I had a deal with my wife. She went there yesterday to a special "pre-opening sale" for people who live near (I couldn't go coz I was working) and we each agreed to spend exactly ￥10,000 (70 quid).

[raisindot]

...and if Martin did attack Zimmerman, wasn't Martin "standing his ground" and acting in self defence because he was being followed?

That's the crux of the whole thing. Following someone who you think is suspicious is not a crime. Defending yourself with lethal force when you're begin attacked is not a crime (in Florida, at least). Everything that happened up to the point of the physical confrontation between Martin and ZImmerman is irrelevant. The whole case will hinge on the question of: 1) Who threw the first punch? and 2) During the confrontation, was Martin beating ZImmerman to a point where ZImmerman felt that he needed to use lethal force to save his life?

This is the million dollar question, and the actual evidence is, at best of Roshomon-level reliability.

[raptornx01]

Someone likes Adidas

[poohcarrot]

Someone likes Adidas

Always have, ever since I had Adidas footy boots as a kid many, many moons ago.

Plus the shorts and shirt are my working clothes.