Clarkson: "The united states of total paranoia"

[Blythy]

Clarkson hates birmingham cos old top gear was based at BBC pebble mill in brummie city. And he gradually grew to hate it.

oh yeah, there's a little wiki war goin on on wikipedia about this article on clarkson's page.

[Vette Boss]

I can see what Clarkson's on about here, so many Americans are just like appliances, you use their services and after that you just don't care about them; they have no sense of humour, no personality and they're just rude to you. I hate this sort of police state we're in, where everything has to either be monitored or have a permit.

I'd like to give a nice sod off to our government. Worry about terrorists, not whether I've got a permit to saw my own nose off.

If I had to come from Britain to America, I'd be pretty angry as well. I think his article is justified.

[nomix]

Originally Posted by Walter Goldsworthy

Have you people seriously not caught on yet?
He has to come out with ever more stupid views or he's not going to get any work. I'm quite sure that even he can't be stupid enough to actually beleive this tripe.

You really need to stop harassing persons, it might not go down well with the moderators.

jetsetter:
If the government runs security cameras in Brittain is irrelevant in my oppinion. Why? Because the primary task of those cameras are to stop robbers, thiefes and so on. And these cameras do work.

Oh, and, please don't tell me you believe the streets and the subway to be such a personal area as your living room, or even your bed room?

There is no doubt to what the US Government actually wants. All men of power wants MORE power. It's that easy. Nixon went because of Watergate. Today, he'd just get the FBI to tap'em.

Well, not really, but if things steady on - that could be the reality.

Scary'ish or something.

[janstett]

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

True, but this article seemed like he stopped trying to be funny. He spent the whole time insulting the people, not making fun of them. I think JC's lost his touch...

The mask becomes the man.

FWIW the bureaucracy here is out of control with too much government and too many unaccountable actors, he's 100% right there. Shall I start with the comatose toad I have to deal with to pay my property taxes every quarter, and how many times he's threatened to put my house up for auction?

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by nomix

jetsetter:
If the government runs security cameras in Brittain is irrelevant in my oppinion. Why? Because the primary task of those cameras are to stop robbers, thiefes and so on. And these cameras do work.

<rant>

Pull the other one, it has bells on.

I'll try to find the numbers, but the UK has a huge crime problem with roberies, home invasions and so forth. I hate to sound too American here but the best way to secure your home is with a 12 gague shotgun and the best thing to protect yourself is a Smith & Wesson .38 Special +P "snub nose" revolver.

San Francisco recently banned all firearms within city limits and the crime rate went through the roof. Washington DC tired the same thing years ago with the same result. It was like Christmas for the criminals - they knew that no one had the means to defend themselves. Assaults, rapes, robberies and home invasions all went up. The way to reduce crime is not to install more cameras but to allow law abiding citizens to defend themselves. Most people don't carry a firearm and never would, but the idea that any of the potential victims walking around could have a .38 in his/her pocket is enough to make all but the most desperate criminal find other means of survival.

Sorry, you touched a nerve with that one - no harm intendend
</rant>

[nomix]

Hehe.

Let me refrase:

They make it easier to SOLVE crimes.

When it comes to guns, I guess there's a statistic that shows that people who own guns are twice as likely to get shot as people without guns. The gun could get stole too. Or something like that.

But let's not hang on to that.

I guess it's wrong to get "License to kill" anyone who enters your house - as some US states have prompted - btw, what is the situation if the police raid your house, you only see a person in civilian clothes with no "police"-marks and shoot him? After all, you have the right to do so in some states, right?

And at the same time I think it's wrong that I could not tell a burglar "sit still, or I blow your brains out". I live in Norway, our courts would regard it as threats. 8)

[Blind_Io]

Could you find a statistic on that? If the person with the gun stores it properly, carries it and uses it properly and has taken the right courses the chance of someone taking that gun away from him/her and using against him/her is slim. They also have to be willing to use it. If you are not willing to shoot someone to defend yourself then you should not carry.

Gun Control people have called that the "Make My Day" law - and those of us with guns are fine with that. If someone breaks into my house I should be able to defend myself and my family and if that means I blow the guy into next week then so be it. If it comes down to me or some criminal punk breaking into my home I'm not even going to blink - I turn the guy into a collander and send his family the cleaning bill. As for police. Police are requred to wear identification - such as POLICE in big white letters on thier clothing - they also announce themselves before entering. You can see this on cop shows that come out of the US, they try to give the suspect a chance to surrender. There have been many times that they show up with SWAT (Special Weapons and Training Unit) only to have the suspect open the door and come quietly - it does happen. Also, when they do enter everone is shouting "Police, police!" along with whatever they want you to do. You would have to be Hellen Keller to not know that they are police officers.

To answer your question - Yes, some states have a "Make My Day" law and they also have the fewest home invasions and personal attacks. Texas and Colorado I know for sure do. California is one of the most restricted states on gun ownership - which is why I only have a shotgun and not a pistol or an AR-15. What is interesting is that even though there are a ton of gunlaws the crime rate is through the roof. Last weekend a family was shot at in their car - random victims of another highway sniper. Two people were shot to death in San Francisco and Richmod has more gunfire than a shooting range. I regularly hear 9mm, 7.62 and .223 cal or 5.56mm ammunition being shot off in semiautomatic and fully automatic rifles and pistols. So clearly gun control is doing a great job. So while the gangs have 9mm submachine guns and AK-47s I can't even get a semi-automatic AR-15 or even an M-14 rifle because it would make me a felon. Good thinking - Califonia is run by the biggest bunch of tossers ever to walk the Earth.

So say, "If you move I turn your head into a canoe. That's not a threat, it's a promise."

[Peter3hg]

Wow California really is more restricted than the UK. My dad has two shotguns, two rifles, two air rifles and an air pistol. Not many people know it but you can still legally own a handgun in this country as long as it is at least 2 feet long but this can be done by simply welding a metal bar at the back of the gun "to act as an arm rest".

[Blind_Io]

Oh, I could get a pistol here, but I would want one to carry. Getting a CCP (Concealed Carry Permit) in Califonia would take an act of god. So for home defense I have my Mossberg 500A.

I am thinking about getting a Smith & Wesson .38 Special chambered for +P ammo with about a 4 inch barrel. My Dad's .38 is a real honey to shoot - it's so accurate you could drive nails with it. Right now on my fridge is a target I shot when I was back home. 15 yards (FBI qualifies at 7 yards) standing. First shot right through the X.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Oh, I could get a pistol here, but I would want one to carry. Getting a CCP (Concealed Carry Permit) in Califonia would take an act of god. So for home defense I have my Mossberg 500A.

I am thinking about getting a Smith & Wesson .38 Special chambered for +P ammo with about a 4 inch barrel. My Dad's .38 is a real honey to shoot - it's so accurate you could drive nails with it. Right now on my fridge is a target I shot when I was back home. 15 yards (FBI qualifies at 7 yards) standing. First shot right through the X.

Thats not bad, my dad used to win the "turkey shoot" at his local pistol club from 30 years with a .22. The turkeys head was too small to see so you had to just aim slightly away from it's body (it was a metal turkey btw). Mind you he was the reserve for the British Olympic squad one year and he shot reguarly for England.

[zenkidori]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

If look at the whole of US history you would see that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I guess your opinion changes when you expect certain things. I expected the NSA to go through emails, phone calls, etc and they have been doing it for some time. Now its out in the open but has it changed anything? I am still going to do the same things and live my life.

the NSA was created to inptercept FOREIGN communications, not domestic. It is not in thier charter and there is IN FACT a law against such a thing. If they have been doing it for 20 or 30 years as your unsubstantiated claim says, they have been doing so illegally.

Let's not make this into a gun control thread, but:
In the US, criminals, people with restraining orders, the mentally ill and others are banned from owning firearms. I firmly support the right to own firearms, however, I think there should be some sort of licensing, and you should be required to have a proper place to store them. I mean, you need a license for a car, why not a gun? IMO everyone should be required to take a course in firearm safety and show ownership of a safe in order to own a gun. You DO need to take an intensive safety course to get a concealed carry permit in the states that have them.

Police are requred to wear identification - such as POLICE in big white letters on thier clothing - they also announce themselves before entering. You can see this on cop shows that come out of the US, they try to give the suspect a chance to surrender. There have been many times that they show up with SWAT (Special Weapons and Training Unit) only to have the suspect open the door and come quietly - it does happen. Also, when they do enter everone is shouting "Police, police!" along with whatever they want you to do. You would have to be Hellen Keller to not know that they are police officers.

The problem with this is that since the PATRIOT act was passed, police do not need to announce themselves or have warrants. There were a couple cases here where the police went to the WRONG FUCKING HOUSE, didn't announce themselves and ended up shooting an innocent man who tried to defend himself, I'm not sure if he had a gun or not, I don't remember there being one. So no, they won't always announce themselves before they kick your door in, and this is one of the things people are pissed off about. This goes against the very constitution.

California is not a surreal paradise as someone suggested. Although it's been declining, the crime rate in LA is still not very good, and I about fell out of my chair when they said "everyone is rich", tell that to everyone living in Englewood. Something like 22% of the people in LA are below the poverty line. The weather isn't even all that great either, but then again, I live in Denver which has the most sunny days of any north american city.

There are also pretty bad motoring laws, high taxes, and a very stark contrast between rich and poor.

[zenkidori]

Oh also, JC is a good, don't take him too seriously, and it's not like he made any of that up.

CA is also the worst place to film.

[nm055]

I've lived in Northern California all my life, and I have yet to find a more 'normal' area with 'normal' people. Minnesota comes close.

I've been to 35 states, and I'm living in Florida right now, so I think I have more right than most to judge.

Another comment: Norcal and Socal are more or less different planets.

Last thing, you pussies fleeing to England complaining about loss of freedom in the US...enjoy those speed cameras.

[jetsetter]

I am not sure how much people realize how good they have it. They really have nothing to complain about.

[EndlessCorners]

Originally Posted by nm055

I've lived in Northern California all my life, and I have yet to find a more 'normal' area with 'normal' people. Minnesota comes close.

I've been to 35 states, and I'm living in Florida right now, so I think I have more right than most to judge.

Another comment: Norcal and Socal are more or less different planets.

Last thing, you pussies fleeing to England complaining about loss of freedom in the US...enjoy those speed cameras.

If it ever came down to it I would take our Nazi smog laws over speed cameras with out a second thought.

[zenkidori]

I love speed cameras. They can't think, only take pictures of your plate which is EASILY disguised. Like I said in another thread, there are companies that make hinges for your front plates that tilt it sideways above 50MPH so you can't be nabbed, and the rear is just as easy to conceal. Plus speed cameras can't pull you over and give you a ticket for loud exhaust, being too low, or whatever.

Norcal and Socal are more or less different planets.

Yes, very much. I hate socal, and socal is usually what people think of when they think of california. I think of norcal as sort of oregon, which I like.

I am not sure how much people realize how good they have it. They really have nothing to complain about.

We do have it good here, we have a great country, but saying that people have NOTHING to complain about is pretty stupid.

[Blind_Io]

I live in the Bay Area, and I can tell you Northern California is ANYTHING but normal.

[niteriyder]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

He has some excellent points and I agree with most of them. This country has taken a terrible turn in the last 8 years. We have sacrificed so many freedoms and gained nothing by it. I would seriously consider taking a job in the UK if one was a available. Our economy can't compare to the UK and I am becomming ever more weary at my own government.

We have domestic spying, unlawful wiretaps, the monitoring of bank accounts without a warrant - Clarkson is right, the US is becomming a police state. I fear what will happen in the next election.

I know you all live on small islands over there but do you think there is enough room for one more?

Then leave...

[Blind_Io]

If I had the means I would seriously consider it. I have family here and I am still in school with an APA program. I would consider moving to the UK for my internship or to start my practice. I could make more working there than I would in the US - when I came back to the US it would be really cheap because of the exchange rate.

[niteriyder]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

If I had the means I would seriously consider it. I have family here and I am still in school with an APA program. I would consider moving to the UK for my internship or to start my practice. I could make more working there than I would in the US - when I came back to the US it would be really cheap because of the exchange rate.

excellent point on your part, carry on