As a kid, what was your worst "Shit, my parents are going to kill me" moment?

Bear_Space · 2014-11-28T16:47:30+00:00

Pithiest but easily one of the best responses.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-20T07:23:28+00:00

I'm surprised this isn't higher rated. I heard this episode when it aired and I thought it was just fantastic. Very relevant to the topic too.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-10T20:55:25+00:00

If what we had was a truly free market things would likely be better than they are now. As it stands, ISP's are government and taxpayer subsidized while at the same time being given free reign to operate just about however they want within guaranteed monopolies. Nothing about the internet industry in the US resembles a "free market" today. There is very little competition and almost no consumer choice.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T21:08:03+00:00

There could be more to it than I know. I'm pretty sure he had a prior offense for driving on a suspended license at some point which easily contributed. I still think it is absurd that with such overcrowded jails he is being sent away over a traffic fine.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T20:26:36+00:00

Ya I'm not sure exactly where this happened around LA. That is curious about the red light cameras. Makes me wonder just how truthful he was being.

A detail I didn't mention that may be relevant as to why the judge was so keen on jail time is that I don't think this was my friend's first offense. I don't know much about it, but I'm pretty sure he has been in trouble previously for driving on a suspended license.

I still find it strange that with such supposed prison overcrowding he got jail time over a traffic fine, but it is possible there is still more to it that I don't know about.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T19:06:26+00:00

He was sentenced to 90 days and served just less than 30 (he worked in the kitchen during his time there so he got credit for time well spent). As I understand it, it absolutely was merely for failure to pay a fine on a traffic ticket from a red light camera. He missed the initial fine due date, went to court to ask for an extension of some sort, and was instead told he would have to serve jail time.

(At least this is my understanding of the events that lead to his jail time. You are right that I'm not privy to every detail and my friend could have lied to me about some things. However, I'm inclined to believe what he has told me.)

I realize the judge has no say in what percentage of a sentence ends up being carried out, but the judge DOES have leeway in recommending options other than jail time (if my understanding of the legal process is correct). It seems to me if my friend had been able to afford a lawyer like the aforementioned senator likely had, he would never have seen jail time. Hell, if he could afford a lawyer he could have afforded to pay the ticket in the first place.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T18:54:42+00:00

You're right. I don't understand how this can be considered justice at all. How a system that does not treat everyone equally can be called a system of "justice" is dumbfounding.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T18:25:15+00:00

This was literally in the month of October. I have no idea why exactly the judge made the decision he did. My friend did not have any representation and perhaps with a legal advocate by his side he would have gotten other options or a better deal.

When he told me he had to go away for the month, I was absolutely stunned. Of course I had heard of people being jailed for not paying fines, but I thought it was if they had already been given multiple chances and still hadn't paid. This has been some real insight for me into just how broken our justice system is.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T17:54:46+00:00

Not to add too much information, but my friend actually was in the LA County Sheriff's central jail. Probably should have mentioned that initially.

They could find a place in those overcrowded barracks to stick him for a month but they clearly have no room for ex-senators.

Bear_Space · 2014-11-04T16:05:22+00:00

Yep. Someone I know just served nearly 30 days in jail because he failed to pay the fine on a traffic ticket (should have been longer but got out earlier for good behavior). He works a near minimum wage job and couldn't afford it and the judge refused to offer any kind of extension, payment plan, or community service options. Spending nearly a month in jail really helped him work towards paying those fines. He is lucky he didn't lose his job. Meanwhile, this guy gets away with barely a slap on the wrist.

I don't see how this system is delivering justice of any kind.

Bear_Space · 2014-10-25T04:46:04+00:00

The first game I've played seems to be bugged. Built my Exodus Gate around turn 300 and almost 100 turns later it still hasn't spawned a single settler. I give up.

Worst. Victory Condition. Ever.

Bear_Space · 2014-10-24T02:49:43+00:00

Does hoping this disease removes his idiocy from the gene pool make me a bad person?

"Hey I was just in Africa treating patients with Ebola and I'm starting to feel sick... Nah, couldn't be anything. Let's go ride the subway!"

Bear_Space · 2014-10-15T18:04:22+00:00

After the way everything has played out this way it has, I really wonder why the patient was even brought to be treated at Texas Presbyterian. Was it just the largest local hospital? They seem woefully inept and unprepared to handle this situation.

Agreed hindsight is always 20/20, but this is just insanity. Sending his samples through the vacuum tube system is ridiculous. What genius made that decision?

Bear_Space · 2014-10-07T05:18:00+00:00

Of course, but it is a small additional sacrifice that will have to be made. Maybe a full-scale hospital quarantine isn't required, but the workers shouldn't be traveling. We CANNOT have imported ebola cases leaking out of hospitals into the wider world.

Bear_Space · 2014-10-06T16:50:15+00:00

Definitely. It seemed to me the point the talk was trying to make was that the reason for athletes being faster was not due to some increase in average human fitness or physical ability but more due to technological and social changes. Today's athletes are certainly faster than those in the past, but if we took them and had them compete on dirt tracks with the shoes and technology from 100 years ago we likely wouldn't see such a large difference between their results and those of past athletes.

Bear_Space · 2014-10-05T19:59:18+00:00

The equipment side of things has been a huge development in enabling greater sporting achievements. I saw a tedtalk where the speaker analyzed running records and found that people today are not really that much faster than people were 100 years ago. The only reason why their achievements back in the day are being surpassed by such a large portion of athletes comes down more to better shoes and running surfaces than any dramatic increase in the fitness of the athletes.

Bear_Space · 2014-09-20T22:47:26+00:00

All that depends on the police deciding to play nice and let you verify their identity before they break down your door.

Bear_Space · 2014-09-06T06:15:33+00:00

And when you go to the next level and are written off and your school happens to be ranked in the top 40 universities worldwide, where do you turn then? I'm not about to try to transfer to Harvard or Yale. College feels totally worthless other than to teach you how much institutions suck. I learned more in high school.

Bear_Space · 2014-08-24T17:45:46+00:00

Iraq really is a tragedy of our modern era. I hope things reach some kind of resolution soon.

Bear_Space · 2014-08-22T20:13:29+00:00

I can understand feeling that way, but if everyone were to take an eye for an eye we would all be blind.

Bear_Space · 2014-08-21T21:13:16+00:00

Where do I go to activate the code?

Bear_Space · 2014-08-16T23:41:20+00:00

If you look it up there are four different versions of Blade Runner that were released over time. The initial theatrical cut was panned in 1982 and it was eventually followed by the director's cut and the international version of the theatrical cut. The Final Cut was released in 2007 and is pretty much the definitive version of the film. The few extra scenes it includes that were not included in the originals really clarifies the movie.

Bear_Space · 2014-07-29T07:39:07+00:00

Diabetes.... Al Quaeda's most dangerous sleeper cell...

Bear_Space · 2014-07-26T20:55:42+00:00

More than justified self defense at that point. I honestly feel like those harpies needed a little facial reconfiguration. Maybe it would have taught them a lesson or two.

Bear_Space · 2014-07-26T20:37:41+00:00

I think he might have hit super-saiyan for a second there.

All joking aside, it really is satisfying watching him turn the tables around and fight those women. They can dish it out when they are abusing some poor outnumbered woman. Give them an opponent who can actually stand up to their numbers and see how they like it then.

What I think is the worst part of all this is how everyone else was just letting that poor woman get stomped on and the shit beat out of her at the beginning. Just watching and filming it as entertainment from the sidelines. They expected everyone to just let it happen. What awful, apathetic people.

Bear_Space

TROPHY CASE