MattPie

ATL, please set aside the earlier conversation since I don't want it to color what I'm about to write. I'm writing this next part in hopes that it'll make folks think. It's not about you, I'm just going to use your words to hopefully illustrate a point. Go back and read the second paragraph, and look at it from the standpoint that you're a minority and we're not talking about one thread on a sports board, but your entire life. I'm somewhat talking out my ass here since I'm a middle-age white guy, but those words sound like something a young ethnic man might say. Whenever you're out, it feels like anything you do or say is being judged (even subconsciously) by a majority who don't see things your way. Even when you feel like you're making good points, there's a set of people who just dismiss it because of who is saying. Or attack it because their not prepared to admit that the way the majority experiences the world isn't the same as how a minority experiences the world. And this applies to any two groups that argue. Except Bruins fans, those ###### are inhuman. The first paragraph, you talk about trying to stay calm and level-headed, but passions sweep you away and before you know it it sounds abrasive and accusatory. Those passions creep in because you know there are people that are going to challenge you and will not seem to listen to the logic you're using. Now I'm not saying this condones talking about violence, or that there aren't some perceptions that aren't true as is the case with some of the subjects above. It's tough, but we all should try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before we tell them how wrong they are.

I'll state it clearly then: if an armed, trained, officer cannot defend himself with his gun, how do we really feel the public is going to do in this gun-filled utopia you seem to be wishing for? I'll give you a hint: the majority are going to be as careful using their guns as they are using cars, which is to say, completely negligent. A couple years ago, I saw two guys get into a fist fight over a gas pump. Maybe if they both had guns that fight doesn't happen, and maybe if they both have guns they start blasting away. Last year, I was riding to work on my bike and there was a pickup in the left lane that had been driving like a jackass a few miles before, and I was behind him. Once the traffic opens up, he speeds up, as do I, and he moves over and as I pass him he's shaking his fist at me and screaming something with his head out the window (that I didn't hear, of course). Maybe if that guy has a gun, I'm dead. I'm certainly not going to be able to effectively defend myself at 70MPH shooting left handed. I chose to high-tail it out of there a bit over the ton. Guns raise the stakes in any situation to unacceptable levels.

No, that's exactly the point. The only alternative is the entire population has to be constantly on alert that anyone they see might try to shoot them in the back. That sounds more like a third-world country than I'm comfortable with.

I kinda understand the logic, but the deputy is still dead, and the witness either shoots the assailant (denying them due process rights if killed), or misses and hits something (or someone) else. The witness is then open to getting sued for wrongful death. I wonder how many witnesses are really going to start shooting knowing that if anything goes wrong (and even if it goes "right"), they're going to be in a world of legal trouble.

Minn State Fair: that's really distasteful. It's unfortunate that the majority of the Black Lives Matter folks will be painted with the same brush as those . And I don't say this to be trite, but how do you rectify a Sheriff deputy, presumably armed and well trained, couldn't defend himself with the Gun-rights folks stance that "as long as I have a gun, I can defend myself"?

It helps to put a mental filter in place that any time someone talks points for a player that you automatically subtract 20%. Then the numbers make sense. "Tyler Ennis should score 70 56 points with good line mates."

That sounds a lot like the McNabb/Reid Eagles from a few years ago. They had a ridiculous run/pass ratio, but a lot of those passes were within a few yards of scrimmage so they were effectively outside runs.

I might have to stop by, I usually end up at the Big and Tall for those.

I didn't bother to read it after the first few, and looking up places that "matter" to me. New York is too high, NC is better. Maybe Wisconsin too high as well, but that could just be because I haven't had much from there. Lienenkugel isn't anything to be super-excited by, and macros are meh. I can't really argue with PA's place, even if there is a lot of good beer around here.

The goatee, man, that's always how you tell the evil alter ego.

You could just as easily say that if he had started at a normal age he'd be broken by now too.

Thank you for writing down what's been bouncing around in my head whenever I think about this thread. :) #4 is intriguing. People like to embellish their heroes and repeat things without checking the facts. I see no reason why that would have been different 2000 years ago. Actually, I'm mildly surprised that it still happens. I have two examples: Washington throwing a silver dollar across the Potomac. I remember hearing that when I was a kid (in school, even), but it's just not true. Even if there were silver dollars at the time, the Potomac is a mile wide where Washington lived. I kind of what to go up into Western MD where the Potomac looks more like Caz Creek and do it though. :) The facts thing is even more surprising, since most of Western society has a global network of facts at our fingertips. For instance, a couple days ago someone posted a image on FB saying, "Food stamps shouldn't be accepted in restaurants, Like and Share if you agree". The implication (to me, at least) was that they were and this is a bad thing. The problem is, food stamps aren't accepted in restaurants. Facts, schmacts.

Me too, but I don't have a metric ton of money laying around so I might need to stick with consoles.

This is where statistics lie, the NFL doesn't consider half of the guys playing for the Bills actual quarterbacks so the hits and sacks didn't count.

I've had a few Flying Dogs, and they're good but not something I seek out. Currently in the fridge: the last few Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye (DIPA) from a case I bought a couple weeks ago. This is one of my wife's favorite beers, which is why it disappeared so quickly. I have most of a case of Victory Headwaters Pale Ale that I picked up on Saturday. I have a lot of yard work to do and I can't be downing 8% beers and expect to survive for long. Headwaters is rather hoppy but under 5% so I can have a couple without the headache of drinking strong beer in the sun.

Did anyone say NHBruinFan yet?

That's not the point I took from that quote. I read it that you were saying that it's only interesting because it's being reported by the "MSM". FWIW, I didn't get it from there, I saw it on the Facebook "trending" panel. I'm not sure how that fits into your model of how news propagates.

Do you really feel that the killing of two people, that most of the people in the area would have seen on TV before, on camera, live, isn't interesting in it's own right? That seems like saying that goals in hockey weren't on the highlights no one would care since there's 30 SOG each night and they're all the same.

That is a fantastic book. Fool by the same author is great too.

Almost as bad as Rex's truck.

I don't think any Sabres fans should say anything about D-depth after the 2006 ECF.

Red is often associated with fascists. (I'M KIDDING!)

Maybe the Kentucky Bluegrass is where the confusion lies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCi_DZ2g-hQ

How has Florida's crime reduction matched up with the overall national crime rate? It's easy to say, "look, the crime rate has gone down in Florida!" but if it's only kept pace with the national averages (and specifically with places that haven't liberalized gun ownership), that correlation isn't causation. Work harder on the nutjob problem. Increase funding to mental health treatment and awareness. And when he doesn't resign, and does get fired, we'll be hear about how there's a war against religion.