Recent posts

#31

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Zoupa - January 10, 2026, 08:07:15 PM

Apparently the shooter has been with CBP/DHS/ICE for over 20 years. It makes his reaction even more baffling as I imagine he would have had this type of interaction many times before.

#32

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Razgovory - January 10, 2026, 07:58:17 PM

Yeah, it's not good.

#33

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Sheilbh - January 10, 2026, 07:53:51 PM

I'm normally pretty deferential to law enforcement, but this killing... yeesh.

And a pattern. 13 since July:
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/videos-show-how-ice-vehicle-stops-can-escalate-to-shootings-caf17601?st=pCHtaR

#34

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by grumbler - January 10, 2026, 07:27:34 PM

The lady was stationary in the traffic lane in front of their vehicles. I can't think of a reasonable explanation for the position of her vehicle other than trying to block their movement.  Obviously her car did not break down.  The oncoming lane appears empty, so perhaps at the lady's hypothetical trial the judge or jury  would have found her not guilty of obstruction.  I don't know.

Obstruction does not come from the position of one's car, but rather from the impact of that position. Trafic clearly can and does go by in spite of her car's position, and you can even see her wave the ICE car forward (as she did the car in front the ICE car). The ICE agents were not obstructed, so the local DA (who would have jurisdiction in the case) would not even have tried to charge her with obstruction.

The entire confrontation was wholly voluntarily started by the ICE officers. They make no attempt to get her to move her car.  Their very first words are "get out of the frucking car" and after they shoot her they exclaim "fucking bitch!"

This entire incident could have been avoided had ICE assigned even one professional to this team of violent thugs, because no professional would have allowed this to escalate to murder.

#35

Off the Record / Re: Trump's Venezuela Vendetta

Last post by Razgovory - January 10, 2026, 07:19:11 PM

Also, it is possible that Putin and Trump have reached some sort of understanding about "spheres of influence". Crudely (and I've seen it reported like that), Putin traded Venezuela for Ukraine. Though, of course, Trump is notorious for not holding up his end of the deal, so if he feels secure in getting what he wants from Venezuela he may keep the pressure up on Putin in Ukraine (or honour his deal, who knows?)

I'm scared that he made a similar deal with China vis-a-vie Taiwan.

#36

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Razgovory - January 10, 2026, 07:16:52 PM

I just saw the video.

Looks like the guy just executes her for turning her vehicle around at a slow pace.

I can't find the right word to describe the combination if horror and incredulity from that scene.

I'm normally pretty deferential to law enforcement, but this killing... yeesh.

#37

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Admiral Yi - January 10, 2026, 06:48:17 PM

Does ICE even have to power to enforce that law? Assuming it's even obstruction which I'm not sure it is since from the video theres plenty of space for through traffic so not sure that they're obstructing.

The lady was stationary in the traffic lane in front of their vehicles. I can't think of a reasonable explanation for the position of her vehicle other than trying to block their movement.  Obviously her car did not break down.  The oncoming lane appears empty, so perhaps at the lady's hypothetical trial the judge or jury  would have found her not guilty of obstruction.  I don't know.

#38

Off the Record / Re: What are you listening to?

Last post by Savonarola - January 10, 2026, 06:35:36 PM

Creation - Pure Electric Soul (1977)

There's been a couple bands called "Creation".  This one is a Japanese band which sings blues-rock songs in English.  They are talented, and did once release an album with Felix Pappalardi (lead singer of Mountain), but, in anything that I've heard by them, I don't think they had a hit that could have cracked the American market. The music is mostly recognizable as Anglo-American blues-rock, (some of their idioms don't quite sound right, so you can sort of tell it was written by a non-native singer), but, since they're a Japanese band they're going to have to have something that's beyond western understanding.  In their case this album cover features a number of naked young boys on a bus and their self titled debut album has a number of naked young boys peeing.  (I'm not linking that, you can look it up for yourself if you don't believe me.)

#39

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by grumbler - January 10, 2026, 06:27:13 PM

Does ICE even have to power to enforce that law? Assuming it's even obstruction which I'm not sure it is since from the video theres plenty of space for through traffic so not sure that they're obstructing.

ICE has no law enforcement authority over US citizens unless they are actively impeding ICE agents (in which case they can be detained and turned over to local authorities).

#40

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by grumbler - January 10, 2026, 06:24:34 PM

How would removing the driver unblock their vehicles? It's nonsensical.

It's nonsensical if you think obstruction should not be illegal (it's a misdemeanor) or if you think there should  be no             consequences for breaking that law.

If you think that she is obstructing something when we clearly see her wave a car past her (and it easily clears her vehicle) and then wave the ICE vehicles through, I can only note that I prefer to believe my lying eyes.

If one of the shots the ICE agent fired when he was two feet clear of the car shooting through the open driver's side window was the fatal shot, was the driver still "obstructing" anything but his bullets?

Was the doctor on the scene who tried to come to her aid after the crash, but was told to "back the fuck off" even after identifying himself also "obstructing" and should he also have been shot in the head?