You know what else isn't life threatening? Having your cell phone taken from you. Talk about an overreaction.

That's not the only of militarizing. It's a cost ship from the federal government. The local department often parks equipment they don't need, and then they have to find parts, which often have stopped production, and pay to properly dispose of the equipment. It's a completely brainless scheme, and sure to land weapons in landfill and with third world countries and terrorist groups.

Brendan, I'd love to hear another update from your man on the ground in Ukraine. I can remember his name, Chris Collison.

@1

I know, right? I mean, gun-wielding muggers who travel around in packs are so reasonable and considerate when you cooperate with them. These fools who got shot shouldn't have--wait, what did the article say they did or didn't do? Something must be wrong with my browser. I can't find the part that says anything about how the couple reacted, so I can't really be sure what they did that showed they were asking for it.

Didn't a Seattle PD officer leave an M16 (or something similar) on top of their cruiser downtown a year or two back?

@5

Absolutely not! It was an AR-15.

(And if you type into google, "Seattle cop l" (that's an "L"), google fills in the rest for you: "Seattle cop leaves rifle on car."

I want to send Robert Mahoney a check for one cent, postage due. Is there a kickstarter option for that?

Speaking of local sports, the Mariners trounced the Rangers 10-2. Still in the hunt for a West Division title. You gotta believe.

Seems like bicycles and phones are the only things worth robbing these days.

Morning news missed the guy outside Cafe Racer with the two butcher's knives who was shot at by SPD.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Polic…

He was outside the cafe and then fled when police came for him. They chased him, tased him, lost him, shot at him at least once, and caught him.

Lots of different factors probably came into play--the neighborhood, the fact that he was white, awareness of public scrutiny, to name a few--but it sounds like the police exercised restraint and appropriate force on this one.

@9 And the Sounders smacked Chivas 4-2 on Wednesday and remain top of the table. :D