The Off Topic Topic

[Tamas]

Dealing with no end of drunks and deadbeats.  Plus just working shiftwork itself.  Most cops try and get out to a more specialized unit as soon as they can.

Yeah I have two cops in my extended family. That right there is pretty much what they described. One got into an office-based role ASAP the other managed to become a crime scene investigator.

[Tonitrus]

I do respect police work (heck, I have a couple of policemen friends - incidentally one of them writes horror novels which might be related but I digress  ), but I have always thought you have to be a little "special" to apply to be riot police. It's essentially (even if not only) about getting up close and personal with rowdy people while wearing body armor.

I've always thought the idea of, say, working for the FBI would be kind of cool. But we don't have anything like that despite numerous agencies occasionally branding themselves as "Britain's FBI"

And I thought it was just all about Scotland Yard. 

[The Larch]

I do respect police work (heck, I have a couple of policemen friends - incidentally one of them writes horror novels which might be related but I digress  ), but I have always thought you have to be a little "special" to apply to be riot police. It's essentially (even if not only) about getting up close and personal with rowdy people while wearing body armor.

I've always thought the idea of, say, working for the FBI would be kind of cool. But we don't have anything like that despite numerous agencies occasionally branding themselves as "Britain's FBI"

And I thought it was just all about Scotland Yard. 

And MI5.  Or was it MI6? 

[crazy canuck]

So it looks like US senators of both parties have now decided that using props in the Senate chamber are entirely appropriate.

[Malthus]

So it looks like US senators of both parties have now decided that using props in the Senate chamber are entirely appropriate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_of_Charles_Sumner#/media/File%3ASouthern_Chivalry.jpg

Is this the past - or the future? 

[The Brain]

Check under your seat. Everyone gets props!

[crazy canuck]

So it looks like US senators of both parties have now decided that using props in the Senate chamber are entirely appropriate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_of_Charles_Sumner#/media/File%3ASouthern_Chivalry.jpg

Is this the past - or the future? 

[grumbler]

So it looks like US senators of both parties have now decided that using props in the Senate chamber are entirely appropriate.

That's been true for  very long time.  CSPAN has made it worse, because now Senators and Congressmen can do stupid stuff just for the cameras while their chamber is not in session.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_KM9plQiNE&list=ULDUeBNpXif5o&index=12

[Sheilbh]

I always find the props stuff weird. It feels like they all want to do a PowerPoint, but institutionally they're not ready for PowerPoint presentations in Congress

Edit: Incidentally I think maybe not in this type of hearing but I actually think PowerPoint or something similar could be a really useful tool in sort of committee level of legislatures. But would be an absolute mess in the general chamber.

[crazy canuck]

So it looks like US senators of both parties have now decided that using props in the Senate chamber are entirely appropriate.

That's been true for  very long time.  CSPAN has made it worse, because now Senators and Congressmen can do stupid stuff just for the cameras while their chamber is not in session.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_KM9plQiNE&list=ULDUeBNpXif5o&index=12

Didnt realize that.

I always find the props stuff weird. It feels like they all want to do a PowerPoint, but institutionally they're not ready for PowerPoint presentations in Congress

Edit: Incidentally I think maybe not in this type of hearing but I actually think PowerPoint or something similar could be a really useful tool in sort of committee level of legislatures. But would be an absolute mess in the general chamber.

There was one senator who was using it just like a power point.  Everytime he mentioned a case he would point to where he had written the name of the case on a white board he was holding.  It looked ridiculous.

I wonder how much of this nonsense is geared to getting twitter and Instagram worthy pictures for their staff to post.

[celedhring]

Works for any profession that produces documents as the end result. I am: chaotic good

[The Larch]

Neutral Good. 

[Maladict]

Neutral good / true neutral 

[Josquius]

Apparently there's outrage about Gal Gadot being cast to play Cleopatra. This is white washing apparently.

....Yet... I'm seeing a lot of outrage about this outrage.
No actual outrage.

[celedhring]

Cleopatra was Greek, she's played a character from the Greek mythology already.