[LawDog]

I have seen the future of America, and I'm here to tell you it bloody well looks bleak from where I sit.

One of the guys at the department brought a videotape to work today and told us that if we wanted to see some truly funny and pathetic stuff, we should watch it.

I am sorry to say, we did.

Apparently somebody, somewhere has decided to spring scary situations on unsuspecting people, and film their reactions for the edification of the masses.

I know what you're thinking. And I probably should go into a rant about the disgusting practice of terrifying people for the purpose of filming their terror so so that Joe Sixpack can be amused, but no.

No, friends and neighbors, the truly horrifying thing about this show is the gormless, gutless - pardon my French: nutless reactions of the victims.

Folks, I have just seen two fairly large young men who are escorting a cute young lady climb into a taxi-cab and when the taxi driver refuses to stop the cab (and even goes so far as to begin driving through structures) these two outstanding examples of the knuckle-dragging half of the species don't do a damned thing except bleat at the driver to stop!

Are you kidding me?!

You've got a maniac cab driver bellowing about not going back to jail and driving like a sulphur-reeking bat over, and through, the scenery; and you've got a lady screaming hysterically in the front seat and what do these two putzes do?

"Look, you need to stop. Really. Please stop the car."

Jumping Judas priest on a flaming pogo stick!

Are you telling me that between the two of those -- I can't call them men, because I swear to God that there can't be enough testosterone between the two of them to sprout one single solitary chest hair -- between the two of those ... things ... they didn't have one right cross? A chokehold? Hell, the two of them couldn't just snatch the driver over the back of his seat and pummel the ever-living Cheeze-Whiz out of him?

Look, I know and understand that the brainwashed little honyocks would probably wet their knickers at the thought of touching, much less carrying, a gun, but they didn't have one single, dad-blasted pocket-knife somewhere?

"Look, we're getting scared. We don't like this."

Well, no ****, Sherlock! Bloody well express your feelings later, do something about the idiot right the hell now!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, since when the hell did snivelling become the American response to Bad Stuff Happening?

I swear to God that the touchy-feely hippie jackanapes have ruined this whole country.

This is what passes as humor?! I'm here to tell you the only God-****ed thing that would have been funny about that whole situation would have been if one of those lads would have screwed a .38 into the drivers' ear and caused the goober to drench his drawers.

That would have been funny.

No-ooo. We get whimpering and snivelling. And everybody out thataway seems to think this is normal.

Is someone yanking my chain? At one time we were the mightiest nation on the face of God's green earth, and we're reduced to this?

We're toast. We are absolutely, undeniably toast. Bloody hell. :banghead:

And I hope like hell that the little darling in the front seat wasn't planning on canoodling with one of the victims later -- I don't know about California, but here in Texas we have laws concerning intimate relations with sheep.

Bloody well a case of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Farm Animal, I swear to God.

:cuss:

LawDog

[pdt203]

So tell us... how do you really feel?

:)

[P95Carry]

LawDog ... you make an all too painful and accurate observation!:(

Enjoyable however thru your inimitable style!!:D

[Coronach]

I have seen snippets of the same program.

On the one hand, I will be truly amused when they do it to a CCW holder or an off-duty cop.

On the other hand, I value non-malicious life in all of its forms. Even the dumb ones. And that scenario just can't end well for the poor sod who signed on as the antagonist.

Mike :uhoh:

[Oleg Volk]

I am still waiting for that show to pick on a person who, upon perceiving a credible threat, would proceed to ventilate other participants.

That said...lighten up! It is TV, aka make-believe entertainment, not too different from Punch and Judy. Merely finding two sniveling cretins is no cause for alarm...though it is sad that those same two cretins probably try to vote your rights away every chance they get.

[Psssniper]

I have come to the conclusion recently that men are no longer MEN. I could take a thousand words to explain this but I think you all know what I mean. What can we do to reverse this??
Is our society so emasculated that all hope is lost?

[Sir Galahad]

Things such as this (and other crap such as "Jackass") are examples of a society where everyone sees fit to discuss their most intimate matters on their cell phone in the checkout line at the store, but cannot spell if their life depended on it. People call crap like that "entertainment", but then wonder how come kids start imitating it. No kidding, I have stood in checkout lines and heard people on their cell phones discuss yeast infections, menstruation, masturbation, and other great ice-breakers. Rudeness and a lack of understanding of proper behavior in society is common. This is why I don't have a TV. Society starts the downward slide into total ignorance...

[Kaylee]

outstanding rant Ian! :D

As to this...

I have come to the conclusion recently that men are no longer MEN..... What can we do to reverse this??

Thankfully, that's not completely true... most all the fellers here being nice cases in point. :) The answer's pretty easy though.. the distaff side just needs to remember to only date within our species...


:D

-K

[Bruce H]

i wonder how the producer of this grand epic stupidity would respond to the same treatment? Only thing is there is no controled environment.

[444]

"I have seen the future of America, and I'm here to tell you it bloody well looks bleak from where I sit."

And this is news ? Tell me something I don't already know. I work as a paramedic and spend all day playing nurse maid to pansies who can't even take a splinter out of their own finger but instead collapse on the ground in a fetal position from the pain of it.
I was told that during our recent rookie academy that there were six individuals who cried on a regular basis. These people who cry in training, are the same people who may someday be called upon to drag your unconscious body out of a fire. These are the cream of the crop, the guys who made it out of thousands of applicants.

The average person in America couldn't hold a candle (I would love to use several more colorful expressions here) to a sissy of 50 years ago.

LawDog, what would have been funny is seeing one of them immediately draw a knife and cut the driver's throat from ear to ear before they could tell him it was supposed to be a joke.

[Feanaro]

I have always felt that show somehow screened the people they do this to, because I don't want to beleive the stupidity of some of the people on there.

I'd like to see them pull that Yeti thing on MY trailer. *Yeti smashes into window, BANG, spray of blood*

[Andrew Wyatt]

I've seen that show, actually.

I thank god every day that i'm not that much of a whuss.

[Edward429451]

Haven't you heard? It's against the law to be a man anymore.

(No slam to LEO's there so calm down. Just an observation.)

[Sisco]

I see it like the bits where Jay Lenno interviews people on the street. Notice that the people in the clips are brain-dead, clueless or both. The intelligent people that answer all the questions correctly are never shown.
Same with the show you saw. If the guys would've yelled "Let's Roll!" and took action, the clip would have never made it on the air.

[Braz]

Um...


Riiiight. :) The slide started with Allen Funt in the 50s. Do you have any idea how many scenarios they go through to get a few funny 'things' we can laugh at? Any clue how many indignant folks tell 'em to take their release and shove it? How many lawsuits are avoided by settlements? I thought not. ;)

I agree reality shows are mostly crap, but I liked Candid Camera. Didn't you? Laughing at embarrassment is fun, pain is over the line, imo. But I'm ooooold and wrapped too tight. :)

If you're looking for the reason we're growing softer as a nation, look for the scumbag lawyers. As usual. Honest Abe would be ashamed of them.

[Drizzt]

Still... the 'monkey with a gun' episode on Scare tactics was hilarious, if only because it was so pathetic.

[Blain]

Haha, I've seen that episode of "Scare Tactics".....funny stuff.

Generally what you say is correct, however, don't underestimate the power a crazed man behind a wheel can do. Trying to attack/tackle him might cause him to floor the gass peddel and really smash the car so that no one survives. You have to have not just a blind attack, but a well thought out assault where one grabs the guy, and another the wheel.

[Elmer Snerd]

At the risk of sounding like a devil's advocate, could the two guys have known about the gag and pretended to be wusses to "heighten her experience"?

I am curious if it is all faked, or if they are told "We will try to scare you some time this week, act natural." It does seem like the risk would be too high. All they would need would be one incident of heart trouble, off duty or plainclothes LEO, CCW, or the victim going berserk with whatever is handy because he thinks that he's going to be eaten.

"Next on 'Scare Tactics': Lawyers ambush the producers of this show! Don't miss it!"

[Sir Galahad]

Best cure for all this is to remove the warning labels from power tools and electrical appliances. Don't put warning labels on them at all. Next guy that decides to make Pop Tarts while he's in the tub and drops the toaster in, ZAPPPO! He's outta there! Like skimming the gene pool with a net. Next guy that sticks his hand into the cutterhead of a joiner/planer and ZIIING! Costs him a hand to learn not to be an idiot. He'll be a one-handed smart man from then on. Next guy that cleans his garage floor with gasoline next to the hot water heater and Ka-BOOOM! One less liability to genetic integrity.

[SquirrelNuts]

I would never let that happen, armed in any way or not!

-SquirrelNuts

[Zundfolge]

So how long until they do one of these stupid shows and the "victim" starts putting those failure to stop drills they've been doing into practice?

I remember the woman who sued the SciFi channel over the "allien attack" joke. I still can't help but think if they would have pulled that one on me there would be a dead actor in a rubber suit :(

[Mike Irwin]

Uhm....

I can't put my finger on why I feel this way, but I think that LawDog is just a little miffed about something...

I think it's the tone...

I've seen that show, too.

Consider the host. Shannen Dougherty. Christ, that's a white-trash trailer wreck right there.

Consider the premise. TV hypercruelty masquerading as viewing enjoyment. Rome had NOTHING on America. They had the Colusseum and Gladiators. We have reality television and morons who compete to go on these shows.

If I'm going to watch this kind stuff, I'm going to watch the History Channel. Yeah, it's dead bodies, and stories about the Nazis killing Jews and Russians and everyone else. But at least that has historic and probative value.

I can honestly say that of ALL of the reality TV shows that have cropped up over the last couple of years, I've watched, against my will, about 10 minutes TOTAL. I simply refuse to watch this dreck.

Interesting, though, I picked up a piece of newspaper that my Mother had saved for some reason, from back in 1988.

Believe it or not, it was talking about a reality-type TV program that aired in 1973 on PBS!

The show followed a distressed family and watched the breakup of the husband and wife, the family dealing with a homosexual son, etc. I guess that would have been the true genesis of reality TV. It just took what, nearly 30 years to catch on.

[Don Gwinn]

Seriously, Ian, you see how calm I am over here? That's because I don't watch that crap.

[Archie]

They usually have the cooperation of one or more of the victim's friends.

No one who knows me would go along with the gag. Why? Because they know I'm armed.

I can just see the pre show briefing:
"Now when the Yeti bangs on the side of the house, make sure the costume will stop a 35 Whelen round! If you spook him somewhere on the street, you'll only have to worry about the 45 he carries."

The reason all these people are wusses is simple. That's who they pick on.
How many of LawDog's friends are going to tell them.. "Sure... wait until he parks his car and then send in a biker gang whooping and hollering."

I can hear the 911 call now....
"Could you send an ambulance, the coroner and a patrol car to...... No... no hurry."

[CZ-75]

At the risk of sounding like a devil's advocate, could the two guys have known about the gag and pretended to be wusses to "heighten her experience"?

I've never watched the show, but the trailers seem to indicate that the "friends" are in on it.


I can honestly say that of ALL of the reality TV shows that have cropped up over the last couple of years, I've watched, against my will, about 10 minutes TOTAL. I simply refuse to watch this dreck.

Me too. I hardly watch network TV and if it weren't for the Discovery and History channels (and their offshoots), along with SPEED, PBS, OLN and, occasionally, SCI-FI, I wouldn't even get $10 of my $50 worth every month.

[cordex]

Watched part of an episode tonight just to see what the fuss was about.
Had I been the chap being picked on in any one of the three that I saw, I would have drawn down at some point in the event.

There'd be:
half a dozen "satanists" in dire need of a bath and laundry service
"You come any closer to me with that knife and I'll arrange a meeting between every last one of you 'n your dark prince."

a murder suspect held at gunpoint until police arrived.
"TV show or not, I think I'm going to wait for the coroner to check that there frozen corpse before I put the safety back on."

a dead actor in a gorilla suit
"I figured my life was more important that that there monkey's. Plus, he had a rifle and I just had a handgun."

They seem to excell at putting people in a position justifying employment of lethal force.

[Gray Peterson]

A lot of folks say that gays are not men by the fact that they're gay.

You know what I would have done with the cab driver? It would have went something like this:

Cab driver: I'm gonna kill you all, HA HA HA!!!

Me: Oh really? *Puts a Glock to the cab driver's temple right* Stop the car, NOW!

[CZ-75]

Alexander the Great, Ernst Roehm, and the Theban Sacred Band were such effete twinks. :rolleyes:

[jimbo]

Wow, great rant! From now on, I'll e-mail you my complaints and you can write them up. Well done! Of course, it is easier when you are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore... Still and all, great rant and accurate observation as well.

[Mike Irwin]

"Alexander the Great, Ernst Roehm, and the Theban Sacred Band were such effete twinks."

Not to mention the Spartans...


Funny, too, as I mentioned Ernst Roehm myself in a thread a little bit ago. It seems to be the SA's night here. :)

[Pendragon]

Children are taught at every turn that not only should they not use weapons ever, and that they should talk everything out, but getting into a fight gets you in trouble no matter if you started it or not.

We ought not wonder at the results.

So - what happens when they hook they guy who carries and his friends dont know?

[sm]

Lawdog, I agree 100%.

Scary part, is these males actually have a "swimmer" succeed and the gene pool increases.

In schools/colleges they teach this crap. Get into touch with your 'feelings". Horse pucky! At one time the ladies were told to keep their "knees together". Now they tell the ladies to NOT resist but submit to stay alive. Guys, told to NOT be assertive, hell much less agressive...go along, submit, think of the GF, wife, kids, "lawsuit", and this really gets me, "what will people think if you FIGHT BACK?

I had a grade drop one letter by a English born and bred Instructor, whom havng been in US for 10 yrs, "felt" it was her job to "educate properly how to handle life". I basically kept her pissed at me. Every time she started this crap I argued.

She asked when is it legal to use lethal force, I told her . ( I didn't reveal I was In fact a CCW). I added that maybe someday "Stupid people" and those advocating passive/submissive behavior, should be added to the list. That went over well.

One can only hope, just gonna have to carry more rds when the time comes I guess.

[KMKeller]

Lawdog - The first time my wife saw the preview with the "Yeti" attacking the camper, she remarked that the person in the Yeti suit would have soiled himself had I been there.

[mussi]

A lawdog classic. Reminds me of what I did when I spent my time as 1st Lt in the Army educating 208 recruits in my training company.

We had numerous complaints because I ordered them to march 25 km with a 20 kg package (rifle included) in the first week of the recruit school (remember - they have been selected as grenaders, so this shouldn't be a physical issue).

About 40 started whining after half of that about the speed (I'm not a sportsman and I participated personally in that march on foot, with about 10 kg more stuff than the recruits), and later that day, I had numerous complaints from recruits that this march was physically too hard for them. WHAT A BUNCH OF WHIMPS. I have a bad knee, my feet hurt and I made that and every other march of that recruit school on my own feet. If a 26 year old can do, so can a 20 year-old which has been selected for a grenader recruit school (I'm originally from the signals corps of the Swiss army). That evening, I decided I had heard enough whining and wanted to put a stop to it.

My monolog in front of 200+ recruits, corporals and officers is well remembered because I took inspiration Roy Lee Emery in FMJ. Comments like "This ain't a f******g Pope election where I have to check personally if everybody has male genitals. This ain't a fashion exhibition to find out whether you have x or y piercings, or a facial p**** (referring to the many folks that let their facial hair become a beard due to neglect.). This ain't a parentally supervised holiday camp, unless I'm your dad and Master Seargent Michoud (female; her vocabulary would make the drill seargent in FMJ blush) is your 'mum." probably made them notice I was not kidding.

I then took out a few recruits and recounted and questioned their behavior, and then I let my Master Seargent loose on these guys. After one hour standing in the rain without a poncho, most learned the lesson. A few dropped out, but so far, most made it through the recruit school. Looks like my rant also did some good when it came to a vile knife fight because a few 'disadvantaged' foreigners decided to molest some girls in a local bar and these poor, 'disadvanteg' foreigners got a very healthy "Swiss Army style" massage for their deed, and nobody ever talked about it.

My master seargent still terrorizes recruits, but I have moved to quieter pastures, military-wise, where the people have wised up a bit and behave. Looks like her education principles should be applied a bit earlier in life, this would avoid me to do it myself.

[Mark Tyson]

Shoot your television.

[Joe Demko]

As of February, I moved to new digs. At first, I just put off getting cable TV because I had other matters on my mind. I still don't have it because I found that life w/o TV is actually better. News and weather forecasts are available from other sources. If I really want entertainment, I can rent or buy exactly the movie I want and watch it at my convenience. TV is nothing but a geyser of irritating drek. Cut the cable. Pull the plug. Hit the "off" switch. Once you get over the idea that anything on that box is worth watching, much less paying for, it will be easy. Do it. You'll be glad you did. How much more irreplaceable lifespan are you going to piss away on it?

[Don Gwinn]

I almost have my wife talked into killing the TV. Our sons have only lived with us for a little less than a year. They're only six. And they are absolutely obsessed with television. I don't mean a little bit, I mean they will scream, bawl, and shout that they hate us if we cause them to miss a show they're used to watching. The shows they want to watch are the ones they were plopped in front of to keep them busy at their other homes, like The Simpsons. They don't even understand the jokes; it's all a matter of habit.

We've been weaning them off this stuff while vigorously reminding them not to throw fits of rage about the situation, and things are getting better, but I really believe we'd all be better off without that TV. Failing that, I'd like to move it into another room and disconnect the antenna (we already refuse to pay for cable) so we could watch movies on special occasions but the TV would NOT be the focus point of the living room.

I really question whether television itself does not breed passivity in all aspects of life. Actually, I guess I should say I'm convinced that it does, but I wonder how much.

[bogie]

Heh - I figure that the taxi will stop pretty soon after the driver's foot comes off the gas, because I've grabbed him by the head and pulled him over the back seat. If that didn't break his neck, he'd have a knee on it... If I was in the passenger seat, I'd reach over and get his attention, and inform him that he _will_ stop, or that he'll be missing a portion of his anatomy that's near and dear to him... and yes, I _have_ gotten guys attention that way in the past... I'm not proud. Grab & twist works VERY well, even with drunks.

Then again, when I was a kid, I walked to the back of our farm one night, where a few... well, more than a few... local kids went to park. There were several cars there. So I retired to the other side of a hedgerow, and fired up a chainsaw. Two of the cars collided trying to go through the gate. Hilarious.

[NonServiam]

I see you all attack the sniveling men, but how about the hysterically shreaking young lady? Don't you expect both men and women to be able to defend themselves equally?

Now, my GF carries neither a gun or a knife (local laws), but try and come to Norway with this "entertainment", and I'll show you 5'8" blonde female fury stabbing her heels into the poor cabbie's windpipe or somewhere else... I've seen her do stuff with those heels that made my balls shrink to peanut size just thinking about being on the receiving end :evil:

I also know a couple of "little old ladies" who'd have owned that cabbie's behind in a minute.

I want to believe that this is a case of spineless west coast Americans, but unfortunately I think their kind is to be found everywhere in the world :scrutiny:

[Mikul]

Male Americans are trained to act this way. I was talking with a women about how much easier it is to find a good man today. What was interested was her description of a good man: like to "do things," go shopping, see a show, look at antiques, talk about their feelings.

She seemed confused when I told her how surprised I was that she liked to date women.

[Poodleshooter]

I almost have my wife talked into killing the TV.
Do it Don. My wife and I tossed the TV over a year ago. It's very odd how your perceptions of people and life change when you don't have a TV. I use the internet or papers for my news, and avoid the editorializing of news anchors, the mindless babbling, and the porthole into the seedy side of people's lives. It does wonders for your perceptions of your fellow humans.
It's not for everybody, but I find myself with a better outlook on life, and a heck of a lot more time at the range and the reloading bench.
As for your kids-you are definitely not the only parent whose kids react that way to TV.......
It's a convenient babysitter, but in general quite a bad one.

[Trisha]

One mirrors the other.

(smiling quietly)

No one ever came to my aid when I was being beaten to a shattered, bloody pulp so many years ago - that's why I train, study tactics and martial philosophy, train some more, and always carry at least a .357 and at least one knife. Never again.

I will not blindly believe today's average standard spineless civilian to be competent and capable should I ever again see the balloon go up and the goblin(s) attack with glee.

It is repugnant that comedy is found within the epitomized craven whinings and loose-boweled droolings of the inheritors of this fading Republic. . .

There is simple causative motivation to devoting endless personal resources of the heart and mind and hands to the gratis training of any who come to me or Susan seeking to know a life of calm light amidst this widening, sucking cesspool of apathy and darkening social decay (yes, we are profoundly defined by our personal code of ethics and morals though we openly be pagan and lesbians - oh indeed. . .).

Perhaps it would be instructive to pen a note to the producers of such vapid entertainment and remind them that some in the general populace will act definitively and with unblinking, unapologetic finality to terminate any deliberate, recognized material threat - long before a buffoon gapes "It's only a joke!"

Enact a "pretend" kidnapping with a "pretend" black rubber knife at the throat of a screaming "pretend" victim and know the potential for very real and final tragedy - as hidden cameras capture the moment.

(sighing)

Such would become headline news, endlessly reviewed and criticized by some. . . Perhaps that is why future venues for said "entertainment" will be in "gun-free" zones, where the producers and participants will have some tenuous hope of garnering only those bipeds who graze. . .

Trisha

[George Hill]

Are you telling me that between the two of those -- I can't call them men, because I swear to God that there can't be enough testosterone between the two of them to sprout one single solitary chest hair -- between the two of those ... things ... they didn't have one right cross? A chokehold? Hell, the two of them couldn't just snatch the driver over the back of his seat and pummel the ever-living Cheeze-Whiz out of him?

Classic.

[Penforhire]

It is a screamingly funny show at times. My girlfriend and I agree most 'victims' have a strange paralysis response to danger situations.

I mean, there's this skit where a receptionist pulls a handgun out of her purse to shoot a 'werewolf' who seemingly assaulted the "real" victim, who thinks he's really in this to scare the receptionist. This total loser stands by while the receptionist announces her intention to shoot his accomplice-in-make up and continues to stand in paralysis until after she shoots the 'monster' who shortly appears (nice shooting special effect by the way).

All he had to do was say, "woah, this is just a joke we were trying to play on you." But numb-nuts stands by and lets someone get shot instead.

Grrr. Yep agree with Lawdog's rant. The only stand-up guy I remember from those shows at least tried to assault the "hitch-hiking murderer with a head in his bag."

[Battler]

The show "Scare Tactics" is blatantly obviously fake.

The responses are pitiful. Pro Wrestling is more convincing.

The situations are very contrived.

A dead giveaway is this: You heard of the show recently, right? They taped the first bunch of episodes, and showed previews. How come at the end they say "you're on scare tactics" and the "victims" have heard of the show?

My response to "you're on scare tactics" would be "what the fu** is scare tactics?", and perhaps even "who the **** is shannon doherty, that silly bi*** from 90210?"


Some of these pranks, like you mention, could lead to serious civil/legal repercussions, if they were real.

[Correia]

Ok, I've got to guiltily admit that I've watched this show.

95% of the marks freeze up and choke.

I've only seen a couple of people who wouldn't have been Darwinated. On the episode with the alien abduction, the boyfriend jumped out of the car and sprinted down the road. (left his girlfriend, who sat in the car screaming). So not heroic, but hey Fight or Flight. Either one beats sitting there like a moron. :)

The other was the kid who actually started punching the actor/killer hitchhiker in the head. Fortunatly for the actor the kid couldn't throw a decent punch.

[firestar]

I don't know what show you are talking about but I have seen plenty like it. I like those kinds of shows. I think it is funny when someone who pretends to be tough and cool is revealed as the punk they really are.:D

You will never see what happens when the "mark" gets violent. They will either stop it right away or cover it up.

I'm not sure how reacting to every unconfortable situation with violence makes you more of a man. I don't see how we are doomed. Too much of that ape-like behavior is what will "doom" us.

[Ledbetter]

This show is just one more reason to carry everyday.

Mike Irwin, what do you have against white trash and trailer parks that you need to use them to describe Shannon Dougherty?;)

[2nd Amendment]

Everytime I see something like this discussed it makes me glad we pulled our cable and antenna 6 years ago. The only "TV" in this house is whatever movies we occasionally rent. Our oldest daughter harps some about not knowing what her friends are talking about when they go on about this or that show but it's worth it. Our son spends his days outside playing, wrestling the dog and generally tearing things up like a 9 year old should.

I will admit, though, that there are times I worry about him being a bit niave. He doesn't have the world-wise attitude you see in so many kids today. That doesn't bother me but the idea of it putting him at a disadvantage later in life does. OTOH, considering the programmed sheep out there it may work out just fine.

[CZ-75]

Program out all the channels you don't want them to watch.

I do this and I'm not a kid. I just dread the thought that I might accidentally enter the Oxygen channel, CNN, or Lifetime, among others. ;)

[2nd Amendment]

I had my first encounter with "Oxygen" last nite...

talksexwithsue.com

EGADS! :what:

[wingman]

I have come to the conclusion recently that men are no longer MEN.


Sad but very true and I do not think this
covers all males however the past 40 years in public schools have been tough
on boys.
Some old man psychology tells me this
is the reason for so much anger in woman/man relationships.
At any rate we are in deep do do in this
country on many sides, I wish I could be
more positive but after 60 years I don't
see it improving.

[Frohickey]

What's the law say about committing a felony (assault with a deadly weapon) or a misdemeanor (battery) to stop a felony (attempted kidnap/kidnap)?

[Zundfolge]

Does anyone here wonder if the producers of the show secretly hope one of their "victims" fights back (armed or not).

Think of the publicity if one of those guys in the cab had reached up and snapped the neck of the driver (all the mall ninjas I've known claim it only takes 4lbs of pressure :p ).

[NonServiam]

You might perhaps rightly accuse me of being brainwashed by my upbringing in a egaliterian feminist culture (which is how Scandinavia is seen from abroad, I've been told), but why is this necessarily about men not being men? To me it seems to be about a lot of people being mindless sheep, without the necessary mindset to look out for themselves, and maybe even more important: without the will to put themselves in harms way in order to save a fellow human in distress.

I'm damn proud of coming from a family of strong, independent women. Both my mother and grandmother are (and were) tough as nails, but very much women. I look for some of the same qualities in a partner. Femininity and strength goes very well together, and makes for an attractive package. :D

Guys, I know you want to take care of your women, but shouldn't you also expect the woman in your life to be able to both take care of herself and watch your back as well?

Sorry, but all this "men aren't men anymore" smells a bit too much like macho posturing to me :neener:

[Shalako]

Yep, doomed. I just spent the weekend with my liberal parents. :rolleyes: Hanging out with them helps me understand the 'modern' trend in passivist dogma. They are the enlightened new age spiritual passivist types. When the recent and other wars were brought up, my folks prided themselves on their total inability to cope with the violence and bloodshed that must have occurred. They said they would be unable to continue living with the resulting gory images. They consider themselves morally superior because of their complete aversion to violence. Mom even bragged how she almost lost her lunch because she nearly hit a deer. She touted her inability to cope with the potential trauma. Its as if this puts them on a higher plane than everyone else.

Gee whiz, how did humans ever make it this far if protecting yourself is so bad?

I'm no violence monger, but I'd like to think that I could put one foot in front of the other and keep on living if I actually had to defend myself. The youth of today are programmed to feel superior if they succumb. Voluntary Darwinism.

[280PLUS]

mighty darned inspirational lawdog...

but WHY must you watch that junk?

i cant bear the thought of your blood pressure readings right now.

i heard a good one the other day, it's called "the next time you want to "

it goes, in this case, "the next time you want to watch a show of this nature,,,go outside and pull weeds instead!"

:D

i read the lawdog files btw, goood stuff!

[2nd Amendment]

I think the point isn't about whether women should be as strong as men or not, Non, but whether men are strong at all today. Shouldn't a woman have a man she can count on to watch her back as well? It seems we have an excess of "men" today who don't qualify.

[NonServiam]

I'm with you on that a 100%, 2nd.

[Frohickey]

Mom even bragged how she almost lost her lunch because she nearly hit a deer.

For some people, deer IS lunch (and dinner too). :D

[Devonai]

I don't believe Scare Tactics is fake, but I'm sure they very heavily screen potential marks. Since it's their friends who are asked to participate in the set-up, I don't doubt that there are some serious questions posed that would rather quickly eliminate every member of this forum from the running.

[John Harrison]

Posted by Golgo-13:TV is nothing but a geyser of irritating drek. Cut the cable. Pull the plug. Hit the "off" switch. Once you get over the idea that anything on that box is worth watching, much less paying for, it will be easy. Do it. You'll be glad you did. How much more irreplaceable lifespan are you going to piss away on it?

Wow. Pissing away my lifespan, am I? Perhaps you have some difficulty finding the decent programming on TV. Lord knows there is quite a bit of crap out there, but with just a bit of effort I can find a few good shows that are worth the time.

Personally I can't stand reality shows, but I sure would miss HBO, OLN, IFC and the History Channel. (I'll probably keep HBO for a long time just to see the next mini-series after From the Earth to the Moon and Band of Brothers)

Somehow I've managed to watch some TV and turn it off each week. :what: Crazy talk! :neener:

[cpileri]

Lead by example.
Raise your boys to be men. (and your girls to be strong women)

This 'culture of wussies' started one person at a time, and that's the way it will change back, Men.

C-

[Joe Demko]

Posted by John Harrison:Wow. Pissing away my lifespan, am I?

When you are on your deathbed, will you say to yourself "Gee, I wish I had spent more time watching TV?"

[John Harrison]

No, but that's such a drama queen question it's ridiculous.

Perhaps you should enlighten me about how I can better spend my time. I'm breathless with anticipation.

[12.7x99mm]

:scrutiny: Just give me a reason :scrutiny:

[Carlos Cabeza]

Think of the publicity if one of those guys in the cab had reached up and snapped the neck of the driver (all the mall ninjas I've known claim it only takes 4lbs of pressure ).
It has nothing to do with pressure, it's all in the technique !:D

I am worse than a mall ninja, I'm a mall ninja "wannabe" :neener:

[Sleeping Dog]

LawDog, I agree with sisco, there's probably a bunch of "normal" reactions on the cutting room floor:

"Can't this cab go any faster?"

"Slow down or I'll snap your effin neck"

"Pull into that next alley ... I gotta take a leak"

"Slow down ... there's a drive-thru beer store"

"Can we go back and see the dead guy?"

"So, do you run into many people in this job?"

"Ouch, man, I'm glad that wasn't my car"

Regards.

[GSB]

I saw a preview of Scare Tactics once where it looked like they had someone dress as Bigfoot to scare some people. It's probably a good thing for the actor dressed as Bigfoot that they didn't try that stunt down here in the South, or he might have ended up strapped to some good ole boy's 4x4.

[NonServiam]

As to getting rid of the TV and what it might mean to your children:

I grew up without a TV in th 70s. My mother was an English teacher, and she had some ideas about childraising. We spent a lot of time reading and listening to radio indoors, and we had a patch of forest that seemed like it went on forever to the young NonServiam. So I would spend most evenings outside, playing cowboys and indians. I got my first knife when I was about 3, and as soon as my father was sure I could handle the airgun safely, that was my constant companion as well :)

I was sick a lot as a kid, and without TV, the only sensible thing was to go trough my parents' extensive, though erratic, library. I started at one end, and read everything. By the time I was 13, I'd read stuff like "1984" and a huge book on "Sexual Enlightenment", and I read English novels by the time the other kids where still learning "John is a boy". Guess I also was one of the few 13 year olds who could elaborate both on "newspeak" and how to insert a diaphragm :what:

Naive? Nah. A little weird? Definitely.

[TallPine]

the only sensible thing was to go trough my parents' extensive, though erratic, library.

Did you possibly mean "erotic" library ....?

:D

[NonServiam]

Did you possibly mean "erotic" library ....?

Nope. Just the one :D And there was actually nothing erotic about a swedish book on sexuality from the 70s. Just a lot of instructional images, not a lot of skin, and a whole lot of scary diseases ...

I think "1984" disturbed me more. Not that was scary!

[telomerase]

Not being rhetorical here, just asking. Why? Did your web connection go down? Library card get revoked? Dog not want to go for a run? Nothing that needs fixing on the house? Run out of plinking ammo (now, that could happen)?

[bobs1066]

This weekend, I got lucky & found a copy of Steve McQueen's movie Le Mans on DVD. I saw it when it came out in 1971 & hadn't seen it until this past Sunday night.

The most amazing thing about it was that all the adults in the movie behaved like adults.

There was no trashtalking between the drivers, no temper tantrums. The boss of the racing team that lost didn't go screaming off to find a lawyer to sue the winners.

Everybody seemed fairly comfortable with who they were and acted respectfully to the other characters.

What an old-fashioned movie it was! :)

[WonderNine]

What's a TV?

;)

[Joe Demko]

No, but that's such a drama queen question it's ridiculous.

Lose the attitude or the conversation is over.





Perhaps you should enlighten me about how I can better spend my time. I'm breathless with anticipation.

Shooting. Exercising. Creating an original work of art. Talking with another person. Gardening. Learning a new skill. Perfecting an old skill. Visiting an aging relative while that person is still alive. Cooking a a good meal. Hunting. Fishing. Do I really have to list every possible activity for you? It's your life, spend it as you wish. I've spent too much of mine flat on my butt staring at a box already.

[Guyon]

Lose the attitude or the conversation is over.

I'd say that more than a single person here is copping an attitude. I tend to agree with you, Golgo-13. But you might get off that high horse and step down here with the rest of us.

[John Harrison]

Sorry about the "attitude", but I find it a bit insulting to be told that I'm pissing my life away if I watch any TV. YMMV

Shooting. Exercising. Creating an original work of art. Talking with another person. Gardening. Learning a new skill. Perfecting an old skill. Visiting an aging relative while that person is still alive. Cooking a a good meal. Hunting. Fishing. Do I really have to list every possible activity for you? It's your life, spend it as you wish. I've spent too much of mine flat on my butt staring at a box already.

All admirable activities. Activities that I partake in (except hunting) while somehow also finding the time to watch some TV, a few good movies, read a bunch of books and run amok with my dog.

Hmm, perhaps I'm not wasting my life away after all. Maybe I have superior time management skills. ;)

[twoblink]

Lawdog..

I had something like that happen to me before.

A few kids thought it would be fun to threaten someone, and watch them break down and cry..

I saw them doing it, to two other people, and I was suppose to be the third. I'd say maybe 6 kids.. I'm a scronny little thing (ok, not like Skunk, but still pretty thin) and so when they approached me with the "What are you looking at you little punk?" I stared them down. Fist clenched, they make even a little move, and they were all going down.

I told it to their face.. If you don't get out of my face right now, I might have to do something your mothers will regret...

That took them by surprise, as they weren't use to resistance. One of them said "yeah, but there's 6 of us and one of you." I said, all that means is that I'll be tried for 6 murders instead of 1. That's all.

They couldn't believe that line! They started to laugh, and said "Your kidding right?" I could see their face turn white...

It's incredible, what a little bit of resistance can do.. most punks are cowards, depending on large crowds.. I told him, if you are so tough, do you want to take me on? Do you really?

The walked away.

If I was in the taxi cab. You can bet your sliced sushi that I'd have the taxi cab driver in a choke in less than a second.

America, did you read the thread about the Army becoming tea sipping ninnies??

BTW.. I agree, what's a TV? I sure don't own one!!

[mrstang01]

I've seen the previews for Scare Tactics, and I thought the same thing...

I bet no one on the High Road ever makes it past the screening for this show!!

Michael

[rebbryan]

i'm in late on this but i too have seen parts of this show and seen several times where if i was old enough to have a CW i'd have drawn and been ridin the trigger. it's all fun and games till they get a real citizen on there and somethin bad happens, then all gun owners get called bad for the incident

[Skunkabilly]

That took them by surprise, as they weren't use to resistance. One of them said "yeah, but there's 6 of us and one of you." I said, all that means is that I'll be tried for 6 murders instead of 1. That's all.

:D

I'm a scronny little thing (ok, not like Skunk, but still pretty thin)

I prefer 'tactical toofpick' or 'Somali weightlifter' myself :p

I bet no one on the High Road ever makes it past the screening for this show!!

Funny thing is I think most people in California don't know what CCWs are. They kind of assume that having a handgun on your person is something only cops and military do (as well as requiring long guns to be registered, needing a license to go to a firing range, etc) and I really wonder if they check if their victims would be armed? Of my friends, only 2 know I carry (one is a THR member), and 2 more kind of have an idea that I 'have a gun in the car'. In general it's a bad idea to startle a skunk (unless you're a car). It's far fetched but I really hope my friends don't do anything stupid

[ed dixon]

I've enjoyed some of the episodes. Candid Camera with a smartass attitude. There was one segment where a kid looked to be about 19 started wailing on the "psycho killer" from the back seat of the car. Didn't have much effect but showed some gumption. And, yep, I've wondered what's gonna happen lawsuit-wise when the guy goes for hard thumbs in the eyes instead of hammer blows on the back.

I got tired of people who brag about not owning a TV a long time ago. Remind me of folks who'd say they won't own an oven out of fear they'd binge on Toll House cookies every day. There's a lot of crap in your local bookstore and record shop too. It's mixed in there with the classics. Just like TV.