The sound of gunfire... off in the distance...

[professorpan]

I'm getting used to it now...<br><br>(apologies to the Talking Heads)<br><br>This is the big headline story of the day (from CNN):<br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Police were searching the Rayburn building in the Capitol complex Friday after reports of gunfire in a garage in the building.<br><br>"At 10:30 this morning, we received a report of shots fired inside the Rayburn garage," Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a public information officer for the Capitol Police, said.<br><br>"At this time, we continue to investigate. We have tactical teams inside the building."<br><br>Armed officers were searching "the old-fashioned way," Schneider said, going door-to-door checking the 50 acres of office space in the 169 suites in the building. <hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Now I haven't seen anyone else make this connection, and it is of course speculative. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>But does it strike anyone else as odd that just this past weekend the Justice Department and the FBI raided the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>very same building</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> -- Democratic Representative William J. Jefferson's office, to be precise?</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> And that the raid pissed off both Republicans and Democrats, some of whom viewed the raid as an unconstitutional act of intimidation by the executive branch?<br><br>This smells rancid. If, as it appears to be likely, this turns out to be a false alarm, I can only wonder what the hordes of police searching the building are <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>really</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> after.<br><br>Anyone else have ideas about what's going on here? <p></p><i></i>

[albion]

There's a dKos diary on the rec'd list now, speculating that it might be a de facto diversion from the Haditha massacre. <br><br>I guess that could be, but you're right, tensions seem pretty high about the whole Jefferson thing right now. Whispers of a "constitutional crisis" and whatnot. <p></p><i></i>

[professorpan]

Raw Story is now saying it was indeed a false alarm -- an air hammer was the source of the gunshot rumors.<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Sound_of_gunfire_in_House_office_0526.html">www.rawstory.com/news/200..._0526.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>Some odd tidbits:<br><br>FOX (of course) was the source of the reports that witnesses had seen a gunman in the locker room of the Rayburn Building's gym. Hmmm.<br><br>"A House Democratic aide told RAW STORY earlier that a police officer had said that gunpowder had been found in the Rayburn garage. Talk of this was also attributed by CNN, to "two cops on the beat," but denied by Capitol Hill Police.<br><br>The same aide also said that videocameras in the Rayburn garage often do not have tape in them and are not monitored." (from Raw Story)<br><br>Huh? No tape in the fucking video cameras? <br><br>This is very, very odd. <p></p><i></i>

[Ike Broflovski]

1. Somebody got wacked<br>2. False alarm by police and they're searching for something<br>3. False alarm meant to divert the police from something else<br><br>....err....that's all I've got. You'd think if it were a simple shooting in the garage they would have found the victim by now, though perhaps not announced it immediately.<br><br>You raise a good point that this comes soon after the search of Jefferson's office.<br><br>I have no idea what it means, but it does seem very strange. <p></p><i></i>

[friend catcher]

Talking heads are there to be used. byrne has released many of his old tracks as raw and unmixed so budding producers can nix them as they see fit.<br><br>Funny how some things are considered to be constitutionally important whilst others are not. Maybe its just a show of executive power to the lower echelons of gov't. <p></p><i></i>

[sunny]

Intimidation tactic, show of force, look who's boss, mofo's.<br><br>One anonymous caller to Capitol Police dispatch got this ball rolling.<br><br>Early on in it's coverage, CNN interviewed a construction worker and a delivery guy, who had both been on the G3 level of the parking garage, where the incident was purported to have taken place. I'm not sure, but it seemed these guys were in different areas of the level;each said Capitol Police came up to them and told them to clear out of the area. They were asked by the reporters (two different ones) if they had heard anything; neither had. It seemed to me, tho it was not clear, that they were not asked this question by the police. <p></p><i></i>

[professorpan]

Interesting paragraph from WAPO:<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/26/AR2006052600710.html">www.washingtonpost.com/wp...00710.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>"Schneider said several police tactical units are searching the Rayburn building on Independence Avenue, and other law enforcement agencies are involved."<br><br>Other law enforcement agencies -- mose likely the Feds? Maybe looking for whatever they were after that they didn't get over the weekend? <p></p><i></i>

[HMKGrey]

Two observations: <br><br>1) Too much of a coincidence for this not to be somehow connected to the raid at the weekend, I think. No idea what's going on, mind. <br><br>2) Having grown up in the UK while the IRA were blowing up pubs and shops and cars and so forth every other weekend, it never ceases to amaze me now how the media here blow this baloney waaaay out of proportion at every opportunity. What also amazes me is the way that hordes of American people are so happy to go along with it and actually take part in the drama as it unfolds as over exaggerating, overly-terrified, overly-convenient witnesses and/or victims. The spectacle itself is one thing and the media gladly feed on it but the shocking thing to me, at least, is the way that 'ordinary members of the public' insert themselves shamelessly and without dignity in to it at every opportunity. There's not even a hint of a 'stiff upper lip' or mental fortitude. It's as if every possible terrorist action sends out invisible shockwaves that turn everyone within half a mile in to a camera hogging drama queen quite happy to make up whatever the interviewer wants and certainly whatever will get them the most air time. <br><br>This, of course, goes for pundits and experts too though in a different way. <br><br>I know this won't be a popular view but it needs to be said. <br><br>There's much to be admired in cultures where not turning a crisis in to a drama is considered the height of intelligence and compassion. <br><br>Thank God for the relative stoicism of New Yorkers. <br><br>Just imagine if something happened in LA. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[sunny]

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Other law enforcement agencies<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>I kid you not, one CNN reporter reported seeing Special Forces, another said FBI SWAT.(is there such a thing as FBI SWAT?) <p></p><i></i>

[snowlion2]

A refreshing <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>suggestion</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> that something might be amiss vs. credo. Thanks, Professor. <p></p><i></i>

[friend catcher]

Re; HMK <br><br>I grew up with the IRA's mainland campaign in Manchester and felt the hot dusty breath of their 1996 spectacular. It was only a matter of days before people were openly suggesting the IRA had done a much needed bit of demolition on a part of town that needed it. Sinn Fein laid low for a couple of months but were out collecting signatures and money soon enough. <br> Not sure that would happen today though. <p></p><i></i>

[HMKGrey]

Friendcatcher:<br><br>Don't you think that it's all become rank hysteria now though? <br><br>When we were kids (I was in Birmingham, my father pulled people from the pubs in the Bullring in 73) it was just 'what happened'. Everyone got on with it and there was immense pride about that fact. <br><br>Now, it's like someone uses a WOLF hand tool and everyone shits their pants. The bit that frustartes me is that back then I'm sure that TV producers probably weeded out the hysterics and ambulance chasers whereas now they seem to seek them out to put them on. They're always looking for effect. <br><br>What are they turning us in to? <br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[friend catcher]

I think we got used to multiple threats at the time, There was also the Yorkshire Ripper lurking for several years and although I was too young to be out late at night my elder sister and all her friends were chaperoned after dark. Certainly agree that tv seeks the dramatic response from eye witnesses more than they used to.<br>The July bombings in London seemed to be met with resignation and familiarity rather than shock and horror.The media babblefish at the time appeared to be the only ones trying out the "how could this happen" routine. <p></p><i></i>

[dugoboy]

HMK, they are turning us into mindless zombies. <p>___________________________________________<br>"BUSHCO aren't incompetent...they are COMPLICIT."</p><i></i>

[Mentalgongfu]

For a good analysis of TV Nooze and its purposes (as it is designed in the States), see<br>"Amusing ourselves to death" by Neil Postman. <br><br>Of particular note, Postman discusses the <br>"Now . . . This" format, which ensures viewers do not<br>focus on any topic for usually more than 15 seconds. <br><br>A favorite example of mine is a case I saw on CNN, where the talking head reported "Scientists say more than half the animal species on the Earth could be come extinct within 100 years. And now, here's Tabitha with the latest report on summer fashion"<br><br>I shit you not, the mass-extinction story got about 10 seconds of vague coverage, while the fashion segment was 2-3 minutes. <p></p><i></i>