Saturday, August 16, 2008

New Orleans; somebody remind me why the feds,

if they have to do something, can't do something about that place?
Murder and attempted murder charges against seven New Orleans police officers, accused of shooting unarmed civilians on the Danziger Bridge after Hurricane Katrina, were tossed out by Criminal District Court Judge Raymond Bigelow, who concluded that an Orleans Parish prosecutor tainted the secrecy of the grand jury process by showing a piece of testimony to another officer.

"The violation is clear, and indeed, uncontroverted. The state improperly disclosed grand jury testimony to another police officer," Bigelow said, reading his ruling from the bench.
...
He concluded former Assistant District Attorney Dustin Davis improperly gave immunity to three officers for their testimony before the grand jury, which subsequently indicted those officers, as well as four others. Bigelow also found that the instructions that Davis gave to the grand jury considering the attempted murder charges were flawed.
...
While the officers have all maintained their actions were justified, the police investigation into the incident conducted by the NOPD's homicide unit was incomplete and, in many ways, questionable, according to a review of the 53-page report obtained last year by The Times-Picayune.

Homicide detectives limited their extended probe into the incident to mostly police witnesses. The investigate report, which cleared the officers, based its conclusions, in part, on the statements of a man who was pretending to be a St. Landry Parish sheriff deputy, but who in fact turns out to be an impostor with a criminal record.

Physical evidence wasn't picked up by police right after the shooting. Instead, officers went back to the scene seven weeks later. At the same time, the police department allowed some evidence to be discarded, such as the rental truck used by officers after the storm, which they drove the bridge when they received a call about officers in possible distress
.
I said it once before: remember the movie The Big Easy? I didn't know it was a documentary...

I guess on some things McCain and Obama read from the same

'Screw the Constitution'-type manuals:
"Answering a question about his approach to combatting crime, John McCain suggested that military strategies currently employed by US troops in Iraq could be applied to high crime neighborhoods here in the US. McCain called them tactics 'somewhat like we use in the military...You go into neighborhoods, you clamp down, you provide a secure environment for the people that live there, and you make sure that the known criminals are kept under control. And you provide them with a stable environment and then they cooperate with law enforcement.'
Yeah, that's the ticket; we don't have enough militarization of law enforcement now, so let's do this.

This guy just seems to go out of his way to piss off people whose votes he needs.

Friday, August 15, 2008

I've got news for the mayor:

I've had to go to or from work at 3a.m., and you suck.
"Now if somebody wants to sue us, they have an option to sue, but I'm fairly certain that a judge will see it the way the way the citizens see it here," Mayor James Valley said. "The citizens deserve peace, that some infringement on constitutional rights is OK and we have not violated anything as far as the Constitution."
...
"As far as I'm concerned, at 3 o'clock in the morning, nobody has any business being on the street, except the law," Councilman Eugene "Red" Johnson said. "Anyone out at 3 o'clock shouldn't be out on the street, unless you're going to the hospital."

Just bloody lovely, isn't it?

Under the heading of 'Law Enforcement- Sorry Excuse For'

Kevin found this crap in Maryland. You really ought to read it, and consider this is the kind of thing hoped for/planned on by the 'reasonable restrictions' people:
Then I heard one of them say he had some papers for me or needed to speak with me,so I got up to speak with them 6 or 7 officers in full assault vests, etc. and NO ONE in uniform. Four heavily armed police came into the house while at least two others walked around outside of our home.
...
Well this Trooper said that I had purchased a "large amount" of ammunition recently and wanted to know why. When I questioned why he was asking, then he changed his tune to what type of Handguns I had. I told him I just purchased my first handgun in Maryland last week, but had not even picked it up from the Store . He questioned me about other handguns I might own and I realized that he was "fishing" to match his list of my ammunition purchases with handguns that I owned. Then I told him about my C&R license that I had purchased 2 with that but was not required to register them with ST. Police. Moreover, I told him it was the MD. ST. Police who approved me as a "designated collector" so why are they here in storm trooper fashion at 12:30 pm maybe to kill me because I legally bought some handgun ammo? He told me that most of the ammo I purchased was for weapons that they had no record of me having registered so the "SYSTEM" Flagged me. Flagged me for what? Death, Harassment at midnight by 7 Storm Troopers?
...
The Trooper (plain clothes), had a list of ammo calibers that he referred to and I agreed, there's no secret that I bought the ammo, but so what? And I'm still not sure of the States definition of a "large amount". Look, I'm not outfitting a Militia, hate group, or giving it to someone who can't buy it, or even buy ammo for a stolen weapon I don't want to register. Any weapon I have every owned has either been purchased at a Gun Store or I personally knew the individual I bought it from and its origin. And, last time I looked it is not illegal to buy handgun ammo, even if you don't own the caliber weapon OR you don't own a weapon at all !! So unless the law is changed, Police cannot harass people who do so.
Oh yes, they can; they just proved that.

And two followup excerpts:
That being said, the young Trooper told me I "should" voluntarily register all my weapons or this would happen again... because the "system" flagged me. And another thing, he kept asking where I kept my weapons, in a safe? I never answered him and he asked me three separate times as to the locations of any weapons I might have. I got the distinct impression he wanted me to voluntarily let him see/inspect the handguns for the calibers I bought ammo for, but I was ready for that. No warrant, no see. I mean, I would hope you could trust the Police, but why should I let six or seven or so strangers know where I keep guns? If indeed I had the calibers he was inquiring about?
You didn't answer their every question? What kind of subjectcitizen are you? "And you haven't registered everything you own? Just because we want you to? Well, we'll keep an eye on YOU!"
Funny the last thing he said to me before leaving was "... Mr. Curtis, sorry to have HARASSED you, you have a good night." Now that struck me as an odd thing for a Police Officer to say, especially if he was justified in doing his job. The last thing I'll say was that Trooper was courteous and having worn the badge, he and the team were sent by someone else, they're just following orders. However, whoever sent them to my home at 12:30 at night left a very bad taste in my mouth and NO ONE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES TO ME NOR DO I KNOW THEIR NAMES. But rest assured they WERE the Maryland State Police. Word has it that there is a Special "Firearms" squad within the State Police and they have been asking gun dealers to keep a log of people who purchase handgun and other regulated weapon ammunition by making them show ID and signing their name when purchasing ammunition (not required under Maryland Law). Their MVA / DMV information is put in the log by the FFL Dealer right beside the ammunition you buy. Then once a week they (Police) come back to the stores pick up the logs of ammunition purchases and as in my case, they are comparing handgun ammunition purchases against known handgun registration files.
Bold mine. You get the import of that? It's not required, but "We request you do this", with the unspoken "Or else."

This is just freakin' unacceptable. Nobody in uniform, no actual 'you did something wrong', not giving names- and I wonder how they'd have reacted if he'd taken pen and paper and asked for their names?- and showing up at his house in assault gear at 12:30 in the morning because he bought an unspecified amount of ammo. The only reason for this bullcrap is intimidation: scare hell out of people and push for them to waive their rights and let you browse around. Which is frikkin' disgusting behavior from 'law enforcement' personnel.

Maryland. One of those states on the list of "Hell no, I will not live there."

And please note, at the top of Kevin's post, this from a former Attorney General for MD:
...As attitudes have slowly but surely undergone radical transformation regarding such critical public health issues as smoking and using seatbelts, bicycle helmets, and child car restraints, so too must owning and carrying handguns come to be seen as dangerous and aberrant behavior. We must change people's minds about how far they are willing to endanger themselves in tolerating the choice of others to carry a gun.
Standard socialist nanny bullcrap: list something as a 'public health issue' and stomp anyone who doesn't want to toe the line. Just effin' wonderful.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I have to wonder, did the DA think it wouldn't get out,

or that it wouldn't look bad?
McALESTER — Police detectives seeking the identities of bloggers who criticized McAlester officials on an online message board delivered a subpoena to the site's operator, who says he won't cooperate with investigators.

Two police detectives delivered the subpoena Tuesday to Harold King, who operates the Web site www.mccooler.net. The subpoena orders him to provide details by Saturday on 35 bloggers posting under pseudonyms on King's site.

King said he researched posts under those pseudonyms and found one common denominator: All had written critically about Pittsburg County District Attorney Jim Miller.


Just bloody wonderful. Found through Insty

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Further on the Gallatin PD bullcrap

ColtCCO reports
It’s not merely a NICS database check, but rather an ATF trace, which is handled in a much less rushed fashion through the ATF National Tracing Center. They start with the manufacturer, and work their way forward to the purchaser, be it distributor, gun store, or individual, and then contact THEM to determine the next link in the chain. It can days, weeks or months to follow a decade-old gun across a dozen or more transactions. This procedure it used with firearms that have been used in a crime, and determines if at any point the firearm was stolen but not reported, used in a crime, or in the wrong hands.
You've got an actual crime committed, this may be justified; in a case like this, it's bullcrap. And I suspect done for either the "We don't like people carrying guns, legal or not, so we'll make this difficult for him" or "We'll make this so difficult he gives up" reasons.

Gee, so Pelosi has personal reasons to support Picken's plan

But what benefits one piece of the Pickens puzzle benefits them all. The wind venture, as Pickens himself acknowledges, depends on permanent federal subsidies.

Pickens is banking on ‘em. And Pelosi’s banking on him.

As reported on #dontgomovement.com, Speaker Pelosi bought between $50,000 and $100,000 of stock in Pickens’ CLNE Corp. in May 2007 on the day of the initial public offering:

“She, and other investors, stand to gain a substantial return on their investment if gasoline prices stay high and municipal, state and even the Federal governments start using natural gas as their primary fuel source. If gasoline prices fall? Alternative fuels and the cost to convert fleets over to them becomes less and less attractive.”


So A: Pickens is counting on tax dollars subsidizing his plan and B: Pelosi is pushing a plan she has a big financial interest in. Kind of like Feinstein was on a board that awarded contracts to the family business.

'More ethical' my ass.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I have to get these up before I crash

This one does seem to illustrate our major media at work in this election

And since some of our media and socialist scumleftists seem to be delighted to cheer on a commie dictatorship again,

There was an episode in 'Band of Brothers' titled

Why we fight; it was about their finding a small camp after the Germans had fled. Things like this would make an episode for the current situation:
Most seriously, Sheikh al-Hayyes said: "I saw them slaughter a nine-year old boy like a sheep because his family didn't pledge allegiance to them."
There really are people of whom the words of that comedian are true: Some people just look better dead.

Oleg has a fine illustration of a saying I once read:


"You get more peace with a smile and a gun in your hand than with a smile alone", something like that.

Someone in the comments at ColtCCO had an idea:

I’ve blogged about this. So should everyone else. Because it would be nice if the first thing people come across when searching for “Gallatin, TN Police Dept” is “they’re a bunch of crooks.” Bad publicity encourages people to behave better.

Ok, how's this: someone at Gallatin, TN Police Department may have stolen this mans pistol.

I can see three possibilities:
1. Someone took a liking to it, and they or a friend is delaying ColtCCO getting it back until it's too expensive in time & money for him to continue, and he gives up.
2. Someone at the department doesn't like giving firearms back to people, and is doing the above so they'll have an excuse to see it destroyed.
3. Someone already took it, and they're covering it up by the tactics noted in 1.

Those are the three I can think of outside of one mentioned in the earlier post: flat incompetence. There is no way that checking that pistol for stolen- which is done electronically- takes that long. Even if they, for some reason I cannot comprehend, sent a letter to the TN Bureau if Investigation instead of doing it electronically, why would it take that long to get an answer back?

At this point, Uncle and Insty have noted this(I originally got to Colt's site from Uncle), and a bunch of other people are writing about it. Can't hurt, at the least can cause the department some embarrassment. Which, from the sound of it, at least some members of it have coming.

Ok, since they're so bothered by Egypt's current methods

of closing tunnels, how about, oh, how 'bout throwing ebola-infected monkeys in them? Or some Brown snakes? Or, even better, you bitter little dirtbags stop using tunnels to smuggle weapons and explosives?

People not being quiet little peasants just brings out the fascist

in some people.
Rainey suggested that the city might want to consider printing the names of all those who have state firearms cards in the local paper.

"Do you want your grandchild going to visit someone who has a gun?" Rainey asked. But no action was taken on that suggestion.
Probably because the other aldermen considered A: how much that'd piss off people who already have lawsuit on their minds and B: having their own personal information- everything someone could dig up- published. Gun bigots like Rainey just can't stand not controlling people who don't behave as they should.
Added: hmmm, petty tyrant; I like it.

Uncle points to the ObamaGun blog, dedicated to keeping track of the socialists' actual record on the ownership of arms.

Breda notes one of those "I love my country more than I despise McCain" moments, and a goblin assuming ambient temperature.

ColtCCO has a bit of trouble with incompetents causing his carry permit to be cancelled- without notice- and people trying to keep his sidearm because "the evidence officer told me they were running a stolen gun check on my own firearm, and it hadn’t come back yet." After three weeks. Which is flat bullcrap. Remember I mentioned having once been a LE dispatcher? Running a stolen check on a firearm takes about thirty seconds. Unless the system is down, of course, which does not take that long to fix. Which means they're playing games for some damn reason.

And we finally got some rain the other day. 'Some rain' in this case being more than three inches in this area in three hours, followed by sprinkles and mist the rest of the day and night. So everything got watered down, the lakes should be up, and I'll soon have to mow.

Ending with Chicago sucks. On multiple levels. Along with Bryan Miller.

As Unc says,

Shouldn't be funny, but kind of is. And I hope they're seeing it hung up around town.

Monday, August 11, 2008

So the chief has apologised

for terrorizing the family and killing the dogs; isn't that nice? Doesn't that make it all better? Hmmm?

I mean, just because they only did it after the bungled mess became big news, and they've undoubtedly caught hell from people all over the place and wound up looking like the proverbial jack-booted thugs, well, we shouldn't hold that against them. Even though they'd done something similar before, dog killing and all? "All right, I've apologized, now can you drop it? It's bad for morale when people know about all this, and it makes us look bad. So shut up, already."

No, you moron, it's not enough.

Tis the season for the weenies to whine about the use

of the atomic bomb on Japan. "WE are the only nation mean enough to use it", "Look at all the poor people we killed with it", etc. ad bullcrap. An awful lot of these people seem to care nothing for the death toll an invasion would have brought(they also seem to write off what Japan had done in every country they stomped over, but that's another gripe), just that "WE are the only country that has been unfeeling enough to actually use one of these weapons!"

A year or so ago I ran across Downfall: the end of the Imperial Japanese empire. Interesting book; takes the information used to plan the invasion and updates it with stuff that had not been declassified until a few years ago. Short version: the Japanese had a lot more troops in reserve in the home islands than we knew, well-supplied, and a lot more aircraft held back. And since there are only a few places you can make a massive amphibious invasion, they had prepared/were working to upgrade an in-depth defense plan with prepared positions. All of which means the toll on Allied troops invading would have been much worse than calculated; and the toll on Japanese, military and- especially- civilian, far worse yet.

I realize for the serious 'No Nukes No Matter What' people it won't matter, but it does to a lot of others. Dropping the bomb was a big decision, and I'm glad we did. It ended the fighting sooner, with much lower casualties. And if a lot of boobs can't deal with that, that's too damn bad.