I guess DC is following the lead of (fomerly)Great Britain (updated)

in matters. From Britain we've got this in relation to 'knife crime':
London's new mayor, Boris Johnson, has also vowed to crack down on knife crime. His proposals include airport-style metal-detecting arches at train and subway stations. London police recently began an aggressive new program to search anyone they wish for knives without having to justify their suspicions beforehand. (bold mine)
and DC is doing this:
"In certain areas, we need to go beyond the normal methods of policing," Fenty (D) said at a news conference announcing the action. "We're going to go into an area and completely shut it down to prevent shootings and the sale of drugs."

The checkpoint will stop vehicles approaching the 1400 block of Montello Avenue NE, a section of the Trinidad neighborhood that has been plagued with homicides and other violence. Police will search cars if they suspect the presence of guns or drugs, and will arrest people who do not cooperate, under a charge of failure to obey a police officer, officials said.
They're not going to stop pedestrians, apparently because it's cars that are part of the problem:
The program is aimed at the city's most troubled areas. The 5th Police District, which includes Trinidad, has had 22 killings this year, one more than all of last year. Since April 1, the Trinidad neighborhood has had seven homicides, 16 robberies and 20 assaults with dangerous weapons, according to police data. In many cases in Trinidad and across the city, gunshots are fired from passing cars, victims are found in cars or cars are used to make fast getaways.

I will refrain from the obvious rant about 'assault vehicles in public hands.

I will take note of this further into the story:
One of Lanier's plans, the Safe Homes initiative, has yet to get off the ground because of a community backlash. The plan, announced by Lanier and Fenty at a news conference in March, called for police to go door-to-door in crime-ridden areas and ask residents whether they could go inside and search for guns. Residents and some council members voiced concerns that homeowners would feel intimidated by police. Lanier backed off, but said she plans to move forward soon by having residents call police to set up appointments.

'Having residents call police to set up appointments' to have their home searched? Hell, they could wave down a passing cop and ask them to search if they wanted.

Damn, what a mess.

Update: Lawdog has some words to say to the officials in DC here: go read it all.

I don't refer to him as the Obamessiah*

for nothing.
To them I say, all right, you want to know what it is? The appeal, the pull, the ethereal and magical thing that seems to enthrall millions of people from all over the world, that keeps opening up and firing into new channels of the culture normally completely unaffected by politics?
...
Dismiss it all you like, but I've heard from far too many enormously smart, wise, spiritually attuned people who've been intuitively blown away by Obama's presence - not speeches, not policies, but sheer presence - to say it's just a clever marketing ploy, a slick gambit carefully orchestrated by hotshot campaign organizers who, once Obama gets into office, will suddenly turn from perky optimists to vile soul-sucking lobbyist whores, with Obama as their suddenly evil, cackling overlord.

Here's where it gets gooey(HERE it goes 'gooey'?!?). Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve. They are philosophers and peacemakers of a very high order, and they speak not just to reason or emotion, but to the soul.
And ending with:
Please. I'm also certainly not saying he's perfect, that his presidency will be free of compromise, or slimy insiders, or great heaps of politics-as-usual. While Obama's certainly an entire universe away from George W. Bush in terms of quality, integrity, intelligence and overall inspirational energy, well, so is your dog. Hell, it isn't hard to stand far above and beyond the worst president in American history.

But there simply is no denying that extra kick. As one reader put it to me, in a way, it's not even about Obama, per se. There's a vast amount of positive energy swirling about that's been held back by the armies of BushCo darkness, and this energy has now found a conduit, a lightning rod, is now effortlessly self-organizing around Obama's candidacy. People and emotions and ideas of high and positive vibration are automatically drawn to him. It's exactly like how Bush was a magnet for the low vibrational energies of fear and war and oppression and aggression, but, you know, completely reversed. And different. And far, far better.

So the connections to terrorists, the connections to corrupt people, the position changing, the America-hating Whitey-hating church, being a socialist without the balls or integrity to say so, all that doesn't actually matter, because He is a Higher Being! And you can't hold a Higher Being to the same pissy standards as plain humans.

I wonder if this guy had a thrill running up his leg as he wrote this?


*I didn't create it, but I don't remember where I first saw it to give proper credit.
Found this article through Insty.

D-Day, and current connections

Son is off to his wife, and I don't expect to see or hear from him for as long as he can stay there. Which is as it should be. And he did bring something back for me:
My whole series of The General, especially good since I couldn't replace any but the first until they're reprinted. Obviously, well-used while over there, which is what books are for.

This is the second time I've noted this day since he signed up, and before that- especially since 9/11- I've thought about it a lot. To be in those small boats, storming a beach with one of the best trained and equipped armies in the world on the high ground waiting for you... I can't really imagine. A lot of those boats probably needed a serious flushing out after, but they went in and fought their way through.

I've mentioned a great-uncle who was in 3rd Army. After he died a few months ago we found out some things, only then because he basically never talked about it to family. 8th Infantry Division, and he never mentioned the two Bronze Stars. At this point I don't know if he was in on that day or went in later, I've got to dig up some background so I can find out. One more young guy who really didn't want to be there, but there was a nasty job that needed doing, so... He was there all the way from France to the end in Germany, and came back. An awful lot didn't.

Ever hear a song by Trace Adkins, Arlington? If you haven't, look it up
I never thought that this was where I'd settle down,
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown.
They gave me this plot of land, me and some other men,
for a job well done.
There's a big white house sits on a hill just up the road,
the man inside, he cried the day they brought me home.
They folded up a flag, and told my mom and dad,
We're proud of your son.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
And I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I done,
I can rest in peace,
I'm one of the chosen ones,
I made it to Arlington.

First Marine to actually be tried in the Haditha incident (updated)

acquitted on all counts.

Unknown if that sorry bastard Murtha or Barack Whatchoosayin' Obama have any comments.

Update
I just had to take note of a couple of points:
Of the two cases remaining, only Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich faces charges directly related to the killings. The most serious charges he faces are nine counts of involuntary manslaughter. Curiously, his case has been postponed indefinitely, and was not expected to resume until after both of his military defense attorneys had retired, weakening his defense in a complex case. Late-breaking information from Bruce Kessler of The Democracy Project, who has been covering the Haditha cases in detail, states that Lt. Col. Colby Vokey will delay his retirement again to stay with Wuterich’s defense.
and
The third case, against commanding officer Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, is said to be tainted by “unlawful command influence” in charging Chessani according to the judge presiding over the case, suggesting that Chessani is a political scapegoat for higher-ranking officers seeking to appease anti-war politicians. His trial is expected to commence June 17.
I'm not in on the super-secret stuff in this: I do know that if anyone thinks there are not brass who'd do these things, they're fools. And the ones pushing this, and their minions carrying it out, are disgusting.

I made a try at the current postal match today

Let's put it this way: Sebastian says Don’t worry if your score is low. Silhouette is a difficult discipline, and scores aren’t supposed to be high unless you’re an expert shooter and have been doing silhouette for 20 years. Well, that's mighty comforting to hear. Especially since with iron sights I was shooting at little blurry black blobs at 20 yards.

No, this was not my best shooting. No, it wasn't helped that the target holders run out on cables, which means that no matter how long you wait, targets this size never stop moving. There's always just a tiny bit of shifting around, which may be good practice but doesn't help when you're shooting at LBBB's for score.

Later on I'll try to shoot again with different rifles, maybe a pistol. Scores couldn't get much worse, so not much to lose trying.

Damn, I don't pay attention for a couple of days

and all kinds of stuff turns up.

Kevin notes that the race warlord poverty pimps have taken over some schools.
It's the end of the school year and Raza Studies students at Tucson High Magnet School are presenting research findings to their principal.

Their PowerPoint presentation is critical of policies toward English learners; some concerns hinge on whether students are funneled to vocational tracks, and some focus on inferior equipment.

Then comes an exploration of classroom décor, with photos of classroom items students consider culturally insensitive.

First up is a baseball poster, which they say should be soccer or rugby to validate other cultures. Next up flashes the Pledge of Allegiance and a patriotic poster featuring the Statue of Liberty, the American flag and an eagle.

"Most of the kids are from a different country, and this is showing them that this is the country that's the greatest and yours doesn't matter," a student maintains.
Read the whole thing. After putting breakables out of reach.

I thought we were reasonable proof against this kind of crap in this part of the country: I should have known better:
Citty, speaking at a news conference by a coalition of social services, clergy and community groups opposed to gang violence, said he believes in a citizen's right to carry firearms but that too many guns are reaching the hands of gang members. He said gang members and their victims are getting younger and younger.

"There has to be some tighter rules and regulations on the sale of firearms and the registration of those firearms," Citty said.(bold mine)
Just freakin' wonderful. Further notes on this here and here(scroll to June 3).

Kevin also notes this article on math instruction. And just what condition it's in.

I was digging through Og's stuff(hadn't been there for a bit) and came across some scriptures on the Book of Hay-Nes

And further proof of Volk's statement 'TSA: Fast food rejects with police powers'

If the son ever again comes back on leave talking about

'working on his truck', I think I'll take some leave. Somewhere else. After two days of work, various scrapes and cuts and assorted frustrations, I'm worn out.

But it's all done now, and he'll soon be off to see the wife. Who's probably wishing he'd left the damn truck as was instead of putting on the fancies. Ah, well, he'll be there soon.

I wrote once that I go through those moments where the two images are overlaid: in this case, the troop back from the war zone and the kid working on his ride. Kind of odd to think of both at once, but there they are. Let me add 'the married troop' to the first.

I've got a carport and that's about the only thing that made some of this work doable for me, as I don't handle heat as well as I once did, and it turned hot and windy. Kind of weather that dries you out.

So I've got some news and stuff to catch up on, back later.

Blogging will be light

Son arrived last night; he's home on leave for a bit. So until he gets some things taken care of here and heads to see the wife, I'll have little to say.

I'll try to make up for it later, I promise.


'Promise', not threat, dammit.