But how many of us know suppliers who operate at a level that requires them to think about whether they are being secretly recorded? That is by no means "regular", regardless of what other jobs that person might hold or how they dress or whatever. To know ONE person like that is uncommon, to...

The sub-conversation isn't about police targeting or stereotypes or who uses drugs. It goes back to a remark MTown made.

But what I really want to know is: how do you happen to know more than one of this kind of drug dealer? I still think it's unusual. It doesn't really matter, of course, I'm just curious. Maybe you don't want to get into it, and that's fine.

I never said a word about what drug dealers look like or whether they hold regular jobs or whatever. That is so not my point. But the idea that knowing a few of them, whose operations are significant enough to worry about secret recordings, is a common thing - that I find hard to believe...

It was your comment about "I know drug dealers who aren't that paranoid" (about being secretly recorded) that struck me. Because drug dealers who operate at a level that they need to think about being recorded are (I would think) further up the food chain than the person who sells small...

So, do you know Dixon Blood types of drug dealers? I mean dealers that would have reason to be paranoid about being recorded etc? I'm sure I'm acquainted with people who could connect me with a small supply of weed, I just never asked around. But that's low-level stuff.

Well, the Mayor has been secretly recorded a bunch of times, so it's not that paranoid.

As it happens, I don't, that I know of.

That, plus that poor poinsetta! How hard is it to keep one alive for a couple weeks? Or get rid of it if it dies? The office is in disarray... it's the end times...

You know drug dealers?

If so, we're being played. Rob is a dolt but Doug is crafty and let's not forget their dragon-lady mother, who no doubt has her oar in. Plus other advisors deep in the background. We must be vigilant! Resist!

Is it possible that Ford's pedophile remarks were deliberate attempts to deflect the public chatter away from crack, gangs, Lisi, ITOs, Brazen, Traveller, escorts, sex, etc? The DDale issue was totally dormant until Monday night, as I recall, and now it's the dominant story. It plays into...

So the mad Austrian is off-limits, but we can talk about other evil people? OK, there are a lot to choose from.

Agree. E.g. our every online move is being tracked, trade negotiations are going on in secret (TPP), labour protections are being rolled back so we can "compete" with China and Bangladesh - it doesn't add up to a rosy future. And consider how much of the 14 characteristics of fascism could be...

Excellent point. Not to derail the thread, but unfortunately many people don't have to look further than their own extended family or friendship circle to find someone who has done a truly terrible thing. They just might not know it.

That can be said of nearly every major historical figure though. If we must stop mentioning people who did evil things, who are we going to talk about?

Actually Hitler did have at least one good idea: the first anti-smoking campaign, at a time when most people considered smoking harmless. Not that it makes the rest of Hitler's deal OK. It's just an odd historical footnote.

Ooooh, excellent catch!

Notice he worked in that puke-worthy "folks". Augggh! And THREE HUNDRED police in 2014? Is that to replace retiring ones or will they all be new ones? Why so many?

I was just responding to the "why are his teeth so yellow?" post earlier.