Octopodial Chrome

Here’s a photo essay showing how accepted cycling is in Amsterdam. Everyone rides, sometimes two or three to a bike; folks ride in dress clothing; no-one wears helmets. It’s a true cycling paradise.

Of course, that’s no accident. The Dutch made a choice to encourage cycling and discourage cars—and they’re much better off for it.

A great little set of mythical creatures (e.g. unicorns & cyclops) and how they may have come about.

Vin Suprynowicz writes about the scandal of no-knock searches and polices misconduct. From the article:

On Nov. 21 of last year, Atlanta police planted marijuana on Fabian Sheats, a suspected street dealer. They told Sheats they would let him go if he gave them something. Sheats obligingly lied that he had spotted a kilogram of cocaine nearby, giving them the address of the elderly spinster Miss Kathryn Johnston, who neither used nor dealt drugs, but who did live in fear of break-ins in her crime-infested neighbourhood.

Police then lied to a judge, claiming they had actually purchased drugs at the Johnston house, acquired one of those once-rare no-knock warrants, and violently battered down the reinforced metal door of a private home where there were no drugs.

Miss Johnston fired a warning shot at the unknown people busting down her door. That bullet lodged in the roof of her porch, injuring no one. Police replied by firing 39 rounds at her, hitting her five times, and wounding each other with another five rounds—though they lied and said they’d been shot by Miss Johnston.

They then handcuffed the old woman as she bled to death on the floor, and searched her house. Finding no drugs, they planted three bags of marijuana.

Next day, the cops picked up one Alex White, an informant, advising him that they needed him to lie, saying that he had purchased cocaine at Johnston’s house. White refused, managed to escape, and went to the media with the story.

The policemen in question were given a plea bargain in which they plead guilty of manslaughter; IMHO they should have been given death.

There’s more to the story: a man on death row for firing on intruders (the intruders turned out to be unannounced police in a mistaken raid); the Branch Davidian raid in Waco (also supported by a lying warrant); a father shot dead while holding is infant son; a woman who shot a police officer believing he was burglar. Read on and be shocked.

Very cool video set to Tschaikovsky’s 1812 Overture which reviews various US military actions since the 18th century. Good & stirring.