Overnight Open Thread (8-19-2014)

Heh

For Your Reading: The 2006 FBI Study "Violent Encounters"

This was an intensive 5 year study the FBI did looking at deadly assaults (usually with guns) on police officers during their duties. In particular they focused on 40 incidents and deeply investigated them including in depth interviews with both the surviving officers and the attackers. From this they gleaned a huge amount of data as well as some interesting findings. At the high level the data shows that police attackers (and would-be cop-killers):

• Show signs of being armed that officers miss;
• Have more experience using deadly force in "street combat" than their intended victims;
• Practice with firearms more often and shoot more accurately;
• Have no hesitation whatsoever about pulling the trigger.

Now this 179 page pdf might seem a dry read (and parts are) but most of it is full of interesting details and statistics that cover the reality of deadly encounters as well as strategies for officers to detect impending attacks and protect themselves. Much of this would also apply to anyone who ever carries a concealed weapon.

It also has a chapter on the subjective perceptions and perceptual distortions that both the attacker and officer experienced during the fight as well as a discussion of why witnesses (and this includes involved officers) often get so much wrong. Members of the media ought to at least skim this report...but I know that that's just a wishcastful fantasy.

A couple of tidbits:

• Most of the attacks occurred at night, especially after midnight
• 9mm pistols were the most commonly used guns
• All the offenders had priors
• Almost 70% of the attackers had planned to attack the police even before the encounter
• Most of the attackers practiced with their weapons - often more than police do
• The attackers usually shot first and had a better hit percentage (68%) than the police (39%)
• The initial shots were at an average of 14 feet opening up to 25 feet at the end

[And man I hope that the SecondCallDefense.org people aren't too unhappy about my linking to their copy of the report]

Indicted

Shooting to Wound vs Popcorn Time

#ProTip: If You're Slow and Fat, Don't Steal

And if you agree with this and would call a slow, fat thief who robbed you a fatty, you're probably a racist or something equally horrible.

Gawker, which sucks, just published this remarkable bit of drivel. Every line in it is wrong and I suggest you read the whole thing to get a sense of the magnitude of its wrongness. From the scare quotes around "crime" to describe "taking something that is not yours" to the admonition that you shouldn't call a fat child who steals from you fat because, hey, what about his feels to describing the actual victim of the actual crime as "sociopathic," every single thing about Jordan Sargent's piece is terrible. It's so terrible, in fact, that I half-expected to see one of those enormous "SATIRE" tags Facebook's adopting.

Alas, I think he's being serious. Even in this last line which is so astoundingly terrible it's . well, go ahead and read it: "If you are nonviolently mugged by a child, continue to let him run along with his friends. The world will be a better place."

This is an objectively false statement. It's not even a bad opinion: it's a factually inaccurate thing to say.

Ferguson, Zimmerman, and the Misinformation Cascade

Why Hillary Isn't Doing So Well: "Clinton just isn't good at campaigning."

MSNBC producer John Flowers hinted at the possibility of this 2008 déjà vu in June when he tweeted about coverage of Hillary's wealth gaffes. Flowers referenced the movie "Memento," in which the protagonist suffered from amnesia, to express his surprise that people were shocked to see Clinton struggle on the campaign trail.

"Why do people go 'Memento' on the fact that Hillary is a terrible, miserable, never-once-very-good campaigner?" asked Flowers.

More Tales From the RIFs

With the new 'zero defects' system even a combat-earned Silver Star isn't enough to save you.

Cartels Using Grenades Thanks to the ATF's 'Grenade Walking' Program

Lakembrance Day

How the FDA Allows Drug Companies to be Sued For Drugs They Didn't Make

Stolen from BenK's morning post.

Mann v Steyn: If This Trial Ever Goes Ahead Global Warming Is Toast

Under full disclosure in a US court system all this stuff would come out. It would have to because otherwise - so far as I understand US judicial process - the trial would be prejudiced and invalid. And if and when it does come out only one side can emerge as the winner because only one side is telling the truth or has facts to support its argument.

No wonder Mann (and his anonymous - but evidently very rich - backers) are fighting so hard to delay the process for as long as possible.

If this ever goes to trial they're all toast.

But Mark Steyn is basically fighting this on his own and needs your help. I bought a $25 Steyn gift certificate this weekend which I'm not planning on using. And maybe you could use some Steyn swag as well.

The 100 Top Animated Movies

As voted on by 100 top animators.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) comes in at a surprisingly high 26 while the absolutely horrible-sounding When the Wind Blows (1986) still makes 40.

10. Fantastic Mr. Fox
9. The Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
7. The Iron Giant
6. Dumbo
5. The Incredibles
4. Toy Story
3. My Neighbor Totoro
2. Spirited Away
1. [you have to click through to find out]

Dat Cockpit

Got Trunk Monkey?

They're better in some ways than even roof Koreans but definitely not as clean.

The AoSHQ group. Watch yer cornhole.

Teh Tweet!

Tonight's post brought to you by Marilyn and her Lichtenstein:

Notice: Posted via RageyRageCorp. Please e-mail overnight open thread tips to maetenloch at gmail. If you dare.

posted by Maetenloch at 10:17 PM

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