Evidently according the the EFF, the FBI isn’t much for obeying the law regarding intelligence gathering.

EFF has uncovered widespread violations stemming from FBI intelligence investigations from 2001 - 2008. In a report released today, EFF documents alarming trends in the Bureau’s intelligence investigation practices, suggesting that FBI intelligence investigations have compromised the civil liberties of American citizens far more frequently, and to a greater extent, than was previously assumed.

Given the previous track regard with the the ATF, consider me completely unsurprised.  The law is for the citizenry to follow, government employees, especially law enforcement, are exempt.  As it is 2500 pages I don’t have the time to wonder through all of it currently, however, one of the bullet points was down right impressive:

Indications that the FBI may have committed upwards of 40,000 possible intelligence violations in the 9 years since 9/11

Over 9 years that’s an average of 12 violations a day.  12 separate instances a day where the law doesn’t apply to them.  Remember, they are the law and thusly exempt.

I always knew Senator Chuck Shumer was a moron. Now we have another piece of evidence to add to the pile

Remember, this is the same man who supports every gun-control bill he can.

Mr Shumer, for future reference the three branches of government are:

TSA chief John Pistole said Friday he has decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports, saying he does not see any advantage to it.

No they don’t want it expanding because heaven forbid people realize that there are alternatives to the abuse from the TSA.  The only reason currently people put up with them is out of fear.  Some people were finally getting the balls to tell them to F’ Off and of course being the government they need to stop it.  We can’t have any sheep people with alternative choices, we must be the ONLY choice. Congratulations everyone, you are stuck with a single vendor with no alternate choice.  That single vendor is the government, paid for by you, to molest and harass your children, violate your women, and abuse you.

"I examined the contractor screening program and decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports as I do not see any clear or substantial advantage to do so at this time," Pistole said.

The substantial advantage you pompous ass-hat is that it would be a private company, not the government.  As such it would be more liable to restrain itself from abusing people.  It appears you would rather just stand on your pulpit and yell “Respect my Authoritah!”  Heaven forbid we have someone doing the scanning that could get fired, put in jail, and not have a position which makes him think he’s a god.

I have long resigned to no longer flying commercially until the TSA is done.  The only reason I will fly is for business, and even then the first words out of my mouth is going to be, “Are we taking one of the jets?”  In order to keep my job though, I’m going to have to surrender to the TSA if it’s commercial.  How is that acceptable?  Fear is used to deprive us of our rights.  It’s no longer the fear of terrorism, but of the loss of our jobs or jail.

A man was having a cell phone conversation in his car while parked in a parking lot.  It was then rudely interrupted by the police.

After identifying the vehicle and person in question, Hughes said a decision was made on the scene for police to attempt contact. They were able to communicate with him and he voluntarily exited the vehicle. No weapon was found and the individual was taken into custody without incident less than 20 minutes after police arrived on scene.

What the hell did they take the man into custody for.  Because the following sentence is this wonderful item:

The individual was talking on a cell phone at the time of the incident. It's likely that is the object the passerby identified as a gun.

A note to whoever the idiot was that called it in, mind your own freaking business.  You took 20 minutes of this man’s life over a phone call because you can’t differentiate a cell phone from a gun.  Plus all the people who’s days were disrupted trying to conduct their business.  Not to mention the police department who were too stupid to evaluate the situation and realize that the person who called it in needs a swift kick to the ass.  What would have happened if that person had been legally carrying.  Now he had a weapon in the car and it becomes and argument of he said she said.  He just “switched” to the phone.  Mind your own business unless you’re in fear for your life, and in that case return fire.  I’m sure in a previous life the individual that called lived in Germany and had all of his neighbors hauled off.  We can’t have anyone doing anything that someone else doesn’t have their approval for.  Heaven forbid someone talk on their cell phone while sitting in a parking lot instead of while barreling down the highway at 60MPH.  End Rant.

“At some point in American history, the first clause of Section 3 of our CEO's job description,

"He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient..."

came to be interpreted as "Our Dear Leader shall, once per year, commandeer all our airwaves so that He might make the Divine Will known to us all. And then all the networks shall read the entrails of a goat. And there will be much rejoicing."” – Tamara K. (Something I don’t Understand)

[I no longer have TV service and am instead just watching things occasionally on Netflix.  Even when I still had TV I never really watched the SOTU, instead I would read it.  It is considerably quicker to read without the long pauses for the praises clapping from the congregation congress.  His domination of the airwaves though is quite annoying, especially since all he does is read a damn teleprompter.  I can read on my own and don’t need the teacher to read it too me.  After the 10 minutes of reading, unlike the stooges that sit around watching the damn thing I can go back to being productive.  Some one has to be productive to fund the governments spending. Though now that I just discovered this, that could have been fun! –B]

I can’t someone’s wrong on the internet.

So a forum linked to one of my posts yesterday.  Before going to bed I went to look at the forum thread I am greeted with this wonderful blast of idiocy at the end:

Maybee i read this wrong but wont this also make assisted opening knifes illeagal?

(Spelling errors are left in place.)

Well, at least he admits that he possibly read it wrong.  The text of the bill can be seen here.  But suffice it to say that RCW 9.41.250 will be amended to add the following:

unless the suppressor is legally registered and possessed in accordance with federal law

When laws are amended, they underline additions, strike out removals. Section 9.41.250 currently reads:

(1) Every person who:
     (a) Manufactures, sells, or disposes of or possesses any instrument or weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or spring blade knife, or any knife the blade of which is automatically released by a spring mechanism or other mechanical device, or any knife having a blade which opens, or falls, or is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an outward, downward, or centrifugal thrust or movement;
     (b) Furtively carries with intent to conceal any dagger, dirk, pistol, or other dangerous weapon; or
     (c) Uses any contrivance or device for suppressing the noise of any firearm,
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (2) Subsection (1)(a) of this section does not apply to:
     (a) The possession of a spring blade knife by a law enforcement officer while the officer:
     (i) Is on official duty; or
     (ii) Is transporting the knife to or from the place where the knife is stored when the officer is not on official duty; or
     (b) The storage of a spring blade knife by a law enforcement officer.

This legislation is attempting to correct one of many wrongs in this horrible piece of crap that the state of Washington has laid upon it’s citizens.  To the person that wrote the comment above, don’t take this the wrong way, but there is a reason I’m being brash.  Coming out and saying something like that can get people to pull support because of your misinformation.  I would like to point out though, pretty much every locking blade I have ever had, I have figured out how to open it with an “outward, downward, or centrifugal thrust or movement.”  It’s next on my list of things to attack in this law, but it’s better to do things one step at a time.  It has been extremely difficult getting just the suppressor change this far. I wanted to post a kind statement, but since I got stuck waiting for admin approval to point out the inaccuracy I decided to be a little more forward.

I stumbled across an article today and here’s the headline:

Authorities Fear Cops Being Targeted After at Least 11 Officers Shot in 24 Hours

When the word targeted is used, one expects some sort of evidence of collusion or a string of incidents where no motive can be clearly identified.

Digging into the different events we see that many of these incidents center around known criminals.  For instance the Shooting in Port Orchard (emphasis mine):

The man, Anthony A. Martinez, who was killed by a Kitsap County sheriff's deputy during the shootout outside a Walmart store, already was facing felony charges of kidnapping the girl last year in Utah when they apparently again took off together last week.

Or the shooting in St. Petersburg (emphasis mine):

The most recent incident at a fugitive's house in St. Petersburg, Fla., left two officers dead and a U.S. marshal wounded Monday.

Or the shooting in Indiana(emphasis mine):

Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski says he believes 60-year-old Thomas Hardy is the man who shot officer David Moore twice in the face and in his chest and leg during a traffic stop Sunday, critically wounding Moore.

The Indiana Department of Correction says Hardy had a criminal history dating back to at least 1984, when he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a burglary conviction. He was released on parole in 1990, but has been in and out of prison since then on various charges, including seven sentences for theft, one for cocaine possession and one for misdemeanor battery.

The only incident that really leaves any lingering questions is the shooting in Detroit.  Currently it appears the shooter was possibly upset at the conviction and sentencing of his brother Monday.  At the end of the article the Detroit Police Chief states the following:

"We don't have any data, but there seems to be a type of criminal out there looking to thwart authority," he told the station.

Thank you captain obvious.  Criminals do not care about the law and authority.  How egotistical do you have to be to think that people are hunting you just because you’re a cop.  About the only shooting that fits that description is the incident in Detroit, and that appears to be an isolated incident.  The rest were instances where the police were on the offensive and, surprise, the criminal shot back.  Note, I do not support the actions of criminals, however I do NOT find it surprising that they shot back.  To them they are fighting for survival, that’s what makes traffic stops and arrests so dangerous.  The criminal is about to get caught and from his point of view he has to fight to survive.

If the recent events are causing some police officers to believe they are being targeted, they might want to start investigating their behavior towards the public and remember that criminals do not obey the law.  I have dealt with some officers who definitely should not be wearing a uniform.  I am glad to say though most of my encounters with law enforcement have been very positive.  In talking to one of the officers I do see often, the reason they make sure that it’s positive is because of the help they get from the community because of it.  A few officers I know also like having citizens who carry because they know if it came to it we could and would help.  It boils down to knowing the officer though.  He likes the thought of a citizen being able to help should he require it, where I live a back up officer can take 20 minutes easily.  At the same time, I would be willing to help because his behavior towards me presents the likelihood that the officer is in the right in this instance. 

If you are an LEO and the events above make you feel like you’re being targeted, look at how you’re treating the public when you interact with them.  While it is understood you must be cautious, that gives you no reason to not be personable, approachable, or generally courteous.  Just because you wear the badge, doesn’t mean you’re exempt from laws or respectable behavior.  If you’re upset at the idea of the public video taping you while doing your job, you need to ask yourself why.  If it’s a public place, they certainly have every right.  There has been more than one incident where things occurred out of view of their dash camera and their microphone was off.

For those who think that officers can’t be personable, when I went and renewed my CPL I noticed the sheriff was wearing a 1911.  Ended up talking about firearms for a bit, he then pulled it out, unloaded it, and let me look at it, it was a Kimber TLE.  This was on Friday, he dropped my permit off the following Monday with my wife at home.  While some of that I realize is the benefit of living in a small town, the level of service and personably though should be what every department strives for.

For some reason this was marked as only “mostly true” though.

For the point the NRA is making — accidents only, guns v. medical misadventures — the numbers back up their claims but need clarification and context. We rate this claim Mostly True.

For those who aren’t aware, some doctors have been claiming that guns should be removed from the home because of the higher likely hood of being injured in an accident.  When one actually inspects the numbers you are more likely to die at the hands of your physician due to an accident than you are because of a firearm.

Politifact stated this was only mostly true, and from examining their reasoning it’s because of the number of deaths by suicide and murders.  The claim from doctors though pertains to accidents, and this statement is a rebuttal directly at doctors.  Not to mention the fact though that the number of deaths caused by those two items, would just be replaced by alternative tools.  CO2 in the garage, and a baseball bat both work to replace the firearm in the arena of suicides and murder.

Let’s play the substitution game:

• You are more likely to be attacked by a toaster if you have one in your house.
• You are more likely to suffer an electric shock if you have electricity wired to your house.
• If you ride in a car, you’re more likely to die in an auto wreck. 

You can’t play the statistic game by saying because you have X it is more likely, that’s a given.  If you go see a doctor you’re more likely to die because a medical mistake.  There’s counters to each of the above:

• Without a doctor you’re more likely to die from a simple disease. 
• Without a car you’re more likely to die in a bicycle/horse/(insert alternative transportation idea here) riding accident. 
• Without electricity you’re more likely to die in a fire caused by your alternative heat source.  Without a toaster, you wouldn’t have toast! 
• Lastly, without a firearm, you are more likely to die at the hands of a criminal.

H/T: Alan

Recently there have been a couple posts regarding higher education and student loans on a blog I frequent.  The wife and I having both recently graduated from a four year university thought we would provide some extra input about our observations.

I graduated from Washington State University with a BS in Electrical Engineering.  Starting salary  for a BS averages about $60K, MS $71K, and a Ph.D. $88k nationally.  The 5 years it took me to earn my degree cost approximately $90K total.  I could have taken a job as a CCNA immediately out of high school and made about $30K per year.  So, for 5 years in school, I spent approximately $90,000 and also lost an additional $30,000 plus raises for gained experience, figure at the end it would have been about $34,500.  So combining the opportunity cost, and the actual cost of my degree I’m in the hole approximately $250,000 dollars for my engineering degree.  Though I also am a little bit further off than most since I also had my CCNA, we could use a lower salary in the $18,000 range and it still comes in  at $185,000.  Using the average BSEE salary,  it would take me 14 years before I broke even with my earning power as a CCNA because of the debt.  This approximation does not take into account full promotions, it just assumes an annual 3.5% pay increase per year.

Someone emailed me a graphic recently on the TSA and Airline terror.   Graphics are a great way of correlating data and finding patterns.

I wish the graphic included data back through the 1980s and 70s with the string of terrorist events that occurred then.  With only one data point shown prior to the September 11th attacks it’s hard to compare reactions by the public to before and after the TSA appeared.

What can be seen is there is considerably more traffic than before.  Terrorism hasn’t stopped people from flying.  Though the TSA has caused many to stop flying, while it may not be very noticeable, I find more have stopped because of TSA than because of the fear of terrorism.  One could glance at the graphic below and say TSA is working, but that’s not really looking at all the information contained there in.  As Mark Twain said, “There’s lies, damned lies, and statistics”. 

This morning while reading through a couple blogs I came across a story repeated by two of them.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. - A Williamson County woman fought off an intruder with a vacuum cleaner. She was desperate for help, waiting for almost 35 minutes for law enforcement to arrive.
The single mom described that 35 minutes like the scene of a horror movie as she watched a man walk from windows to doors doing anything to break in to her home.

Ma'am, why were you depending on the police for the protection of yourself, your daughter, and your property?

I applaud her ability to improvise however in this case I believe the woman was more lucky than anything else.  Many are astonished at the fact that it took 35 minutes to respond.  This attacker had 35 minutes that he could have done as he pleased with the occupants of this house.  However this is by no means surprising, especially considered even in a violent incident where the police had an ongoing history of an aggressive stalker, it took over 7 minutes. 

Thankfully in her case she ventilated the individual. 

For the sake of your children, ma'am I beg of you to arm yourself, you owe it to your children.  You are the help. You are the rescue. You are the extraction team.

You’re Broke!  So why are you going to do something like this!?

The City Council is poised to vote tonight to set aside $20,000 annually for city workers' gender-reassignment surgery.

Your debt keeps increasing, yet you keep spending money that isn’t yours.

By the beginning of 2010, the City had a projected $16 million deficit for Fiscal Year 2011. We expected to cut about 50 vacant positions and lay off about 30 people.

If you want to close your deficit, stop wasting money that isn’t yours.  I don’t know of any private companies doing this, so why are you?  There is a reason medical insurance companies do not cover it.  This is an elective surgery, that doesn’t even pertain to fixing a disability.  Why are you robbing from someone else's pocket at gun point to pay for someone else's elective operation?

This is NOT a slam against those who want the elective surgery.  I just don’t think it is the job of insurance companies, private business, or public government to subsidize it.

“Boomershoot is… the sound of freedom.” –Michael Bane Shooting Gallery

[Joe calls his event the magic kingdom for rifle shooters.  Michael at the end of the Boomershoot episode of the shooting gallery rephrased it to the above.  They’re both right.  The event is like no other in the world.  Every year some new idea comes up that keeps it oh so magical.  I heard Ry’s new idea but you’ll all find out about that later.  As for being the sound of freedom, where else can you do something like this?  Many wouldn’t mind if it was illegal, some have even referred to participants as being sick for it.  As far as I’m concerned they’re puritans. The worst thing I know of that’s happened was squeaky’s nose, though my sun burn last year was monumentally stupid and hurt like hell. –B]

I feel 20% more gay from just looking at it. – Ry Jones

[Ry said this after seeing the bag of Confetti for testing. We chose to try the confetti on a suggestion from Breda.  This was her reasoning, this was my response.  I think with Ry’s comment both glitter and confetti are equally bad. It ended up the Mylar confetti was just as bad at getting everywhere, and it did NOTHING to improve the visual effects.]

Merely a week after a crazed gunman shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the head and left several others dead and wounded at a local political event, a Tea Party spokesman in the same area received a public death threat at a town hall meeting– from one of Jared Loughner’s victims.

What made him think that this behavior was ok for him?  Just because you’re shot does not give you a license to go around threatening people who you disagree with.  Being shot also does not instantly make you any more credible as a source of information on any subject, other than what it feels like to get shot.

I’m sorry this individual was shot, however with the following information:

He has been profiled by CBS and has publicly blamed Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Sharron Angle for inciting the violence that caused the events of last Saturday.

It’s obvious his brain isn’t firing on all cylinders.  Crazy knows no political affiliation, it is the ultimate “bipartisan” issue.  I would suggest next time follow a longer cool down period.  I know I can be extremely hot headed, and I trust my friends to keep me in check.

Joe, Ry, and I headed out to the Boomershoot site today to do some testing with Chalk Dispenser V3.0.  We had previously tested the chalk dispenser and it did quite well.  The main problems we found weren’t with the design, but with the material being dispensed.  This time we were going to try glitter, Mylar confetti.  At the last second we also added non-dairy creamer and match light charcoal.

"Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry." –Thomas Jefferson

[Many are now arguing for laws against high capacity magazines.  However these same laws would have exemptions for the law enforcement and the military.  No, that is not proper behavior, as Joe said these people cannot have their cake and eat it too. –B]

Breda has informed us that fearless leader took dancing in blood to entirely new lows.

I’m at a loss for words.  It’s disgraceful and beyond measure.

EPIC has submitted numerous Freedom of Information Act requests regarding the body scanners.  They have posted the information online for all to see.

These documents include:

• TSA Procurement Specifications
• TSA Operational Requirements
• TSA contract with L3
• TSA contract with Rapiscan Part(1) and Part (2)

Initially it was claimed that the TSA body scanners could not store or transmit images.  Then the US Marshal Service in August 2010 reported they had saved more than 35000 images.  The TSA responded by claiming that it has not done so and the machines do not have the ability.  Some still believe the TSA, the smart one’s have distrusted them from the start.

One WBI system,  identified by  the Government, shall (26) have the capability, which can be configurable at the superuser level. to record  images for training purposes. The superuser password shall(27) be managed by  the TSA. The capability to retain  images at the superuser level will be disabled on operational systems

Later in the same document(emphasis mine):

Incorporate a three  level user and password scheme allowing supervision and "superusers" access and override capabilities

While they claim for it to be possibly disabled the fact that the feature is there means that someone can re-enabled it.  Some would claim that no one would possibly want it.  However there have been rumors about a “new fetish”.  The thing is though, it’s already happened.  That could be your one of your loved ones.  We know the types of people the TSA employs.

While reading through the Operational Requirements, you can find the following:

Normally one would avoid conjecture, however what could be considered critical to national security regarding the privacy capability of the device?  NMAB-482-1 can be found here, the section we really care about is here.

Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it.

-Mark Twain

[Seeing the behavior of the left as of late, it is obvious they’re treating us like children.  I just found this to be a perfect descriptor. –B]

In the wake of last Saturday there were lots of finger pointing from both sides.  With a complete disregard for those who lost loved ones that morning. 

This vitriol was quick and thick it was discovered that Planck Time is not the shortest period of time.  We often see how bad the anti-gunners are, but now someone combined a list of how hypocritical the left is regarding incendiary speech.

H/T: Law Dog

The change to the suppressor laws is coming up in the Washington State Legislature again.  Those of you in Washington State, be sure to write your Representatives.  Here’s a sample copy of what I wrote.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing you today in regards to HB 1016 – 2011-12, which will change the restrictions regarding firearm noise suppressors.

Currently within the State of Washington suppressors are outlawed from use. I can own them and I can even attach them to my weapon, however the act of discharging causes me to be guilty of committing a gross misdemeanor. To further illustrate how helpless this law is I can drive 5 miles, by road, and be perfectly legal to discharge as I am now in the state of Idaho.

The irrationality of the law in general aside, the central item in question is a safety device. Why is a safety device outlawed from use by the residents of our state? When hunting I must choose between situational awareness and permanent hearing loss. Why must I make this decision, why must I for the safety of those around me suffer permanent hearing damage at the direction of the state? Wearing hearing protection while hunting is unsafe as it limits your ability to hear, including others in the area that you wouldn’t otherwise be aware of. Not only must I suffer hearing damage but people in the surrounding areas who are not partaking in the sport are also subjected to the possibility of hearing damage due the discharge of a firearm. Another example is a pregnant woman who must use a firearm for self-defense, the resulting pressure wave from the shot can do untold damage to the fetus. Yet a simple suppressor could protect the fetus from the shot the mother fired to protect them both.

This law as currently written also applies to law enforcement, including wildlife management. There is no exemption for Section 1: C for law enforcement. This means that when using a suppressor currently our law enforcement is committing a gross misdemeanor. However, law enforcement is allowed to violate this law at their convenience; why do they get an unlawful exemption while law abiding citizens are punished by the government under the guise of “protecting them”?

Changing the suppressor laws would increase not just the health of those in our state involved in the shooting sports as well as those who have firearms within their house for defense, but also create extra revenue in the form of additional sales tax. Many shooters would gladly purchase suppressors for use; however, we do not because of this asinine law. Suppressors are not like you see in the movies, you can still hear it, but it depresses the sound to the point where hearing damage will be less likely to occur. Please, for the health of the shooters in our state, support HB 1016-2011-12.

Sincerely,

Barron E. Barnett

Please do your part, it’s time the stupid law is changed.

H/T Ry

Updates Here.

So while writing a blog earlier Stardock decided to throw up an ad. 

Now we can train your kids that road blocks and searching your vehicles are normal.  This is definitely a game I would NOT buy.  Not only because it looks like the mechanics were crapped out by some high school coder, but the whole concept just bugs the crap out of me.  I understand the stopping smuggling, though legalization would help fix that problem wouldn’t it?  I understand preventing unlawful entry.  I’m fine with that, but the whole concept of making it a game just bugs me.  Not to mention this line from the description:

Outfit, arm and train your guards with top-of-the-line life-saving security.

That sentence just doesn’t make sense.  How do you outfit and arm someone with security?  What does bug me though is this game could easily be used to twist people into thinking that everything DHS comes up with is a good idea.  Such as making people think the TSA scanners will actually make us safer. 

Though I must say this is probably better than say “Homeland Defense: TSA Agent”. Where you goals are to find out if little Tiffany is smuggling coke in her cooch. 

It took no time at all for the left and right to start dancing in the blood of those that died in the tragic events of yesterday.  Now that the initial blood dance is over, our fearless leaders are already figuring out how to get the most mileage from this tragedy.

“My staff is working on looking at the different legislation fixes that we might be able to do and we might be able to introduce as early as tomorrow,” McCarthy told POLITICO in a Sunday afternoon phone interview.

This is the same woman who informed all of us in the gun community a barrel shroud “is the shoulder thing that goes up”.

It is despicable to take an even such as this and use it to your own political gains.  Even more despicable when your political agenda is the destruction of a specifically enumerated right.  This whole mess gets even better though.  Because while Ms. McCarthy attacks the Second Amendment, the Pima County Sheriff is attacking the First Amendment.

"I think the vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business and what (we) see on TV and how our youngsters are being raised, that this has not become the nice United States of America that most of us grew up in. And I think it's time that we do the soul-searching," the sheriff said.

Translation: If you are not broadcasting something that does not tote the party line, causes one to question what they have been told, or questions the authority of the government, it is counter to the public good and should be censored. 

Both of these responses two the shooting are by no means surprising, especially Ms. McCarthy’s considering she danced in the blood on the day of the Virginia Tech Shootings.  On the contrary it was immediately what I expected when I first heard about the shooting.  Not only is it not surprising they have one strong corollary shared between the two, which goes to show their goals are not what they claim.  The Sherriff and Ms. McCarthy both blame various tools completely ignoring the responsibility of the individual himself.  As Rob Allen showed earlier today though, the choice of tools is actually irrelevant.  The greatest weapon in the world is the human brain, for that is what actually does damage, without it a weapon will remain motionless and inactive.

So reading through the blogosphere yesterday Uncle posted about someone getting 5 red light tickets, but they weren’t his.  I had meant at the time to do a blog post on the subject but never got around to it.  Uncle’s post gave me renewed vigor.

Red light cameras strike a special nerve with me.  The arguments for their use are much like the arguments for gun control, it makes everyone safer.  The actual numbers from the field though show the complete opposite however, again, just like gun control.

My mom got a red light ticket back home.  It was actually her vehicle in this instance.  A couple weeks later some friends of hers who live out of town called and asked about the same intersection.  The interesting thing though about these tickets is they were for turning right on red, which is legal at that intersection.

As it is a sequence of still photographs as opposed to video, you can not defend yourself by showing you came to a complete stop.  You’re stuck paying the ticket.  Ahh, a ticket, maybe it is done for revenue.  Camera tickets are not reported to insurance companies or otherwise scored in your driving record.  It’s the equivalent of getting a parking ticket(California and Oregon excluded).  You are requested to pay this please for doing X, it’s a penance, except they’re charging people now a penance for something that is legal.  I voiced my displeasure by preaching to the choir and then it happened.  An article was posted in the town paper from where I grew up.  I read the article and damn near had an embolism from my blood pressure going through the roof.

Those who question the program’s validity will admit that there does seem to be a relationship between the cameras and the safety of people. Unfortunately, some politicians and pundits are inserting a “but ...” and making claims that just are not true.

After my initial rage subsided I decided that I needed to bitch beyond the choir, to the no talent ass clowns politicians pushing this garbage.  After forwarding the article to “The Short Lady with the Grey Hair” she decided to send a letter as well.  Here is a copy of my letter for the internet to retain for all eternity.

Mr. Lewis,
There are some other issues you do not cover in your statement regarding photo enforcement at intersections.

As the rates of people committing infractions drop, revenue decreases.  Revenue is needed to maintain and operate the cameras.  As that revenue drops either the cameras are no longer maintained, or things are done which produce false positives to create revenue.  In either case people are or can be falsely cited for infractions.  Examples of this are ticketing everyone who turns right on red even though it's legal.  As it is only pictures, NOT video it is impossible to prove guilt using them, however in a court room the images are looked at as divine judgment of guilt.

I will not argue that they can help decrease accidents, however accidents are caused by people blowing lights as through traffic.  Making a right hand turn on red is perfectly legal unless specific sings are in place to indicate otherwise.  However when I hear of different individuals getting a ticket for something perfectly legal at the same intersection is shows corruption and greed within the system.  It displays the real need for these cameras is to increase revenue.

Mr. Lewis, the facts of how these cameras are used and operated, coupled with the difficulty in defending yourself from a ticket for a legal procedure indicates a gross abuse by the local government against it's citizens as well as visitors.  I grew up in Auburn and remember it prior to it's explosion to it's current state.  There is a reason I now live in a town with not a single stop light.  However when I talk to friends and relatives who still remain in the area about getting a ticket for turning right on red, where there is no indication it is illegal to do so, it makes me disappointed to say I grew up in Auburn.  It makes it obvious that Auburn’s intention with the system is not to increase safety, but rather to increase revenue by false citations to the citizenry.  Eventually the locals will know not to turn right on red, but what about people from out of town visiting.  Couple that with the distance and you have a guaranteed payout.

This is completely independent of the fact that the idea of red light and speeding cameras are grossly Orwellian in nature and indicate a subservience of the public to the state.  In our "free" republic, people are elected to represent the will of the public, not do as they wish.  When issues are brought up it is your duty as a public servant to address them.  That includes saying you made a mistake instead of continuing to push public policy to preserve your public image.  I would suggest finding a local scout organization and sitting through the "citizenship" merit badges.  The questions of efficacy in this instance I do not feel center around preventing accidents, but whether those who are ticketed have actually committed a crime.

Sincerely,

Barron Barnett
Eagle Scout, Troop 401 (2001)
Graduate AHS, 2002

I haven’t seen or heard a reply and I’m sure it was probably just tossed the garbage.  So instead it will be placed on the internet, for all to see and enjoy.  This will also provide another case for others who find themselves in the same predicament to use in support of their case when fighting a ticket ill gotten penance required by the force of government.

Since our fearless leaders couldn’t pass the National ID bull crap.  Instead they feel that they can back door it.

It's "the absolute perfect spot in the U.S. government" to centralize efforts toward creating an "identity ecosystem" for the Internet, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt said.

So, the government should centralize the Identification system.  Then they say this though:

"We are not talking about a national ID card," Locke said at the Stanford event. "We are not talking about a government-controlled system. What we are talking about is enhancing online security and privacy and reducing and perhaps even eliminating the need to memorize a dozen passwords, through creation and use of more trusted digital identities."

How can you have a centralized Digital ID system without some sort of national ID if it’s all controlled by the government?  This idea violates the Jews in the Attic test and should be promptly dismissed.

Normally I wouldn’t care, however this for some reason has just rubbed something the wrong way. 

“The words in the old form were ‘mother’ and ‘father,’” said Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant Secretary of State for Passport Services. "They are now ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two.’"

I initially didn’t think much other than, "The economy is in the tank and they have nothing better to do.”  Then I talked to my mom and she pointed out something that I hadn’t considered. You are now placing numbers on individuals, number 1 and number 2, primary and secondary.  You now will be placing an importance on which parent is more significant.  As my mother said, “Most of the time the father will always come first.”  From the continuing conversation she felt it a slight towards women in the home and belittling them into second place.  While some families may have an environment which supports such a description, most do not, furthermore many will feel slighted by it.  Note my mom made that statement as one of her first complaints when I informed her of it, she made that connection in her mind with very little effort.

This is by no means the end of the world, but I do dislike it because it is the further infection of political correctness for the sake of political correctness,  much like rewriting Tom Sawyer.

Update: Side comment from "The Short Lady With the Grey Hair": If anyone asks about your mother's feminist standing, you can state that you were raised in a traditional two parent home with each parent holding the traditional roles. She does support many of the actions of feminism but resents the actions of any group that attempts to neutralize the roles that others play in society or the home. Feminists or homosexuals or transexualts or religious nuts. There are too many more important things to be worrying about. Wake up and smell both the coffee and the roses.

Via Oleg: TSA behavior is causing more and more people to quit flying.  Not only that but it is causing people who are nude models to be uncomfortable.  The whole concept that one group of strangers is allowed to record intimate pictures of individuals without their consent while others can just don’t make sense.  Not to mention the fact that the TSA has been known to hire sexual deviants. Back in 2004 I swore I would never fly again until The Security Theater is abolished.  I know many others who will only fly commercially for business and tourism in the US has decreased due to the TSA.

DHS explains why the Court should not stop TSA from using the naked body scanners until the legality of it all is decided.

Translation: “So we’re breaking the law and we would like to be allowed to continue to do such until such time as you actually issue your ruling saying we’re breaking the law.”    The TSA Steals, Molests, and Abuses our American citizenry under color of law.  They should be destroyed.  If only there was a way.