No, Hollywood doesn’t hate cops...

American Thinker was good enough to publish another of my articles. Please let me know what you think

We don't need no stinking ratings... 

Like millions of current or former law enforcement officers, I was inspired as a child by the TV portrayal of cops.  As a kid of the late '60s and '70s, I still smile when I hear "One Adam-12, a 211 in progress, One Adam-12, handle Code 3!" 

Adam-12 wasn't the only show.  There were Kojak, Hawaii Five-O, Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, Boston Blue, Homicide: Life on the Street, Bosch, and Cops.  For a laugh or three, there were Police Squad, Reno 911, and Barney Miller.  (Every station has a Harris, a Wojo, and especially a Fish!) 

Now CBS, the provider of classic police dramas such as Brooklyn South, The Blue Knight, Flashpoint, and multiple CSI series, has an idea for a new police "themed" series. 

Noah Wyle has been cast in a lead role in the CBS drama pilot "Red Line," Variety has learned. 

In the pilot, after a white cop in Chicago mistakenly shoots and kills a black doctor, the show follows three different families that all have connections to the case as the story is told from each perspective.  

Wyle will play Daniel Calder, described as a dedicated high school teacher mourning the loss of his innocent African-American husband [sic] who was shot and killed by a white police officer.  Daniel is now a single parent to his adopted daughter, Jira[.] 

Well, give them credit: they didn't call it reality TV or say it was "ripped from the headlines!" 

Hollywood has a habit of grabbing a headline, trying to make a movie or show with it, and having it collapse, again and again (Designated Survivor, Madam Secretary) – or taking a great series, injecting it with political correctness, and destroying it (Homeland).Pushing the theme that every black man out there is but one traffic stop from being murdered by an overzealous cop, CBS defines any semblance of realism (hell, sounds more and more as though it will be a perfect reality TV series) as "reality."   

Unfortunately, the narrative that cops shoot only innocent black men is, to say the least, unhinged from the facts. 

The United States has around 900,000 law enforcement officers working at this time.  In an average year, police interact with the public approximately 60 million times (traffic stops, on-view investigations, service of a warrant, arrest, etc.).  Of the people pulled over in a traffic stop, about 1% have some type of force used against them (physical, intermediate [e.g., baton, spray, Taser], or deadly force).  Rough numbers: In 600,000 annual interactions with the public, (e.g., traffic stops, on-street interviews, etc.) nationwide, force is used.  Now let's look at this a bit more closely. 

Since Michael Brown and Ferguson, the Washington Post has been tracking police shootings all over the United States.  In 2016, police shot and killed a total of 963 persons.  In a country of 330 million, in 50 states, with almost a million cops, 963 persons were shot and killed by police – in self-initiated investigations, traffic stops, warrants, calls for service, etc.  And the numbers, by race: 

White:                 466 

Black:                  233 

Hispanic:             160 

Other/unknown:  104

To give this some context, in 2016, Chicago had 762 murders in a city of 2.7 million.  Of those 762, 626 (82%) were black.  Before someone asks, police in Chicago shot 25 people in that year, of which 11 were killed.  To look somewhere else, L.A. County had 662 murders in 2016, with a population of 10 million.  Houston had 302 murders in 2016, with a population of 2.1 million. 

What is the point of the story, Hollywood?  Your premise is as screwed up as a football bat.  In the real world, the doctor was most likely shot by another black male for his wallet.  But that doesn't make good TV to your "way of thinking." 

I find it curious that a business that reportedly wants to sell a product, such as movies and television shows, will insult its customers as much as it can.  The American public does not have a good opinion of the entrainment industry in general, but it does have a high regard for law enforcement officers (as well as EMT, firefighters, and other first responders).  Seeing that the traditional networks are bleeding viewers to alternative sources of entertainment (e.g., Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu), they may want to be more concerned with providing a saleable product than with patting themselves on the back for evicting the sexual predators they coddled for generations. 

Like most Americans, I did not watch the Academy Awards, nor will I watch the Emmy Awards.  TV, movies, and Hollywood in general suck, to put it nicely.  I'm recalling a cartoon from my college days, where Dr. Frankenstein is presenting his monster: "I have not only created life from unthinking matter; I have also gotten it a job in television programming."  Things have only declined over the decades.

Michael A. Thiac is a police patrol sergeant and a retired Army intelligence officer.  When not patrolling the streets, he can be found on A Cop's Watch.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Kevin James Stanton
Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch Saturday, February 17, 2018
Age 32
Tour 10 years, 5 months
Badge 0782

Deputy Sheriff Kevin Stanton was killed when his patrol car was struck by a tractor-trailer on I-95, just north of Route 50, at approximately 5:10 am.

The tractor-trailer suffered a tire blow-out, causing the driver to lose control and swerve into the left lane where Deputy Stanton was driving. Deputy Stanton's patrol car then struck the rear of the semi.

Deputy Stanton had served with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office for 10-1/2 years.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

What's going on in the World Today 180318

HYPERLINKS MAY REQUIRE AN EMAIL:

USA

U.S.: How Tillerson's Exit Will Affect Foreign Policy

After months of rumors and speculation, another member of the administration of U.S President Donald Trump is leaving his post. On March 13, Trump announced via Twitter that he would be replacing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA Director Mike Pompeo. To replace Pompeo, Trump has chosen Gina Haspel, the CIA's current deputy director. Though Tillerson was known to disagree with Trump on a number of issues, the decision to dismiss him seemed to come with little direct warning. Speaking with reporters, Trump said the decision was motivated by differences of opinion with Tillerson on substantive issues such as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal. As talks with North Korea and a review of the JCPOA rapidly approach, Trump appears to be preparing through a Cabinet reshuffling...

U.S. Army Leadership ‘Won’t Stand’ For Future Vertical Lift Delays

FVL is the Army’s No. 3 acquisition priority after long-range precision fires and ground vehicle modernization, and therefore it is the Army Aviation community’s No. 1 priority.

FVL-Medium, the first of five planned FVL acquisition programs, would deliver a next-generation replacement for the troop-carrying Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk and Marine Corps Bell H-1 Huey utility/assault helicopters. But there are concerns about how long this first new rotorcraft will take to field, since production and deployment are not scheduled to begin until fiscal 2030.

This Is Boeing’s Play For MQ-25 ‘Stingray’

On the tarmac of St. Louis’ historic Lambert Field, the future of aircraft carrier aviation may be taking shape. Phantom Works, Boeing’s shadowy advanced prototyping group, has painted part of the tarmac to resemble the flight deck of a carrier. Over the past few months, the company been using this space at all hours of the day and night to test its latest military UAV: a prototype for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 “Stingray” program.

A video viewed by Aviation Week and labeled “competition sensitive” shows the huge drone taxiing around the runway during daylight hours on its own power. It stops, starts, moves forward and hooks into position behind the catapult, prepared for launch. But the long-wing aircraft has not yet flown; it is instead being used for carrier suitability trials, including a series of maneuvers to ensure the UAV can easily, reliably and safely move around the deck like any manned aviation platform.

Exactly how the aircraft is directed around the deck is a company secret. We have agreed not to write about it, but one can guess that it will not involve traditional hand signals or wands. As part of the carrier suitability tests, Phantom Works also has been validating the UAV’s “spot factor” and ensuring that it can park anywhere a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet can, including the tightest spot of all, a slither of deck aft of elevator No. 4 called “the finger...”

Haley: Vote With U.S. at U.N. or We’ll Cut Your Aid

In a proposed aid overhaul, Nikki Haley embraces an “America first” foreign policy.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is proposing a sweeping reassessment of U.S. foreign assistance with a view to punishing dozens of poor countries that vote against U.S. policies at the U.N., according to a confidential internal memo drafted by her staff.

The move to make foreign aid conditional on political support follows a U.S. decision to cut tens of millions of dollars in assistance to Palestinian refugees, a cut made in retaliation for Palestine’s sponsorship of U.N. resolutions denouncing U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Haley now wants to apply a similar principle to decisions about aid to other needy countries...


AFRICA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

ASIA

For Russia and China, Cooperation Is the Name of the Game in Central Asia

- When it comes to tackling security issues in Central Asia, Russia and China will cooperate more than compete.

- The two countries will ramp up joint military exercises, counterterrorism training and diplomatic consultations in the region through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

- As China expands its economic ties in Central Asia, its security presence will probably grow accordingly, potentially upsetting the current balance between Moscow and Beijing...

EUROPE

The U.K. Measures Its Response to the Poisoning of a Former Russian Spy

The poisoning of former Russian spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia has exacerbated the already tense relationship between the United Kingdom and Russia. As a result, British Prime Minister Theresa May said her government was reviewing a range of diplomatic, financial and economic responses to the likely Russia-backed poisoning, which took place in her country. And the United Kingdom requested that the Kremlin hand over materials and samples of its military grade nerve agent, Novichok, by the end of the day on March 13. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry has denied receiving the request and in turn has asked for full access to the investigation and samples of the nerve agent, since Yulia is still a Russian citizen..

Cyber-Espionage Group Steals Data From UK Government Contractor

A cyber-espionage group historically believed to be operating in the interests of the Chinese government is believed to have hacked a UK government contractor from where security researchers found evidence that attackers stole information related to UK government departments and military technology. Attackers used never-before-seen tools, old malware, but also employed legitimate apps found on the compromised systems in an attempt to remain undetected for as long as possible.

UK to invest 48 million pounds in new chemical weapons defense center

Britain will invest 48 million pounds ($67 million) in a new chemical warfare defense center at its Porton Down military research laboratory....“Today I can announce that we’re building on our world-class expertise of the defense science and technology laboratory at Porton Down. We’re investing 48 million pounds in a new chemical weapons defense center to maintain our cutting edge in chemical analysis and defense,” Williamson said in a speech...

AFGHANISTAN

U.S. Braces for Return of Terrorist Safe Havens to Afghanistan

For 17 years, three successive presidents have told the American public that above all else, Afghanistan must never again provide “safe haven” to terrorist groups seeking to harm the United States and its interests. But Defense Department and intelligence officials now say exactly that may be on the verge of happening...Afghan officials believe there are now an estimated 3,000 Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan.... the Islamic State was planning attacks in the United States from safe havens in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

CHINA

The Chinese Leadership's Reform Strategy Comes With a Risk

The next few years will determine whether China's leaders have the commitment and ability to adapt to economic changes and follow through with necessary reforms.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will need to retain a firm grip on power while at the same time meeting the rising expectations that come with that level of authority.

Beijing aims to reshape local governments' behavior and lower its growth target, paving the way for more sustainable economic growth.

Trade pressure from the United States and a slowing economy will test Beijing's resolve as it strives to restructure its economy, challenging its deleveraging campaign and its attempts at enforcing environmental reforms..

Chinese Working On Giant Engine For Long March 9

Completing a demonstrator for a huge first-stage rocket engine, possibly this year, is among the technology acquisition projects being undertaken by China’s main space industry group in preparation for a go-ahead for manned Moon missions. Work on engines for second and third stages and on the structure for the giant launcher, informally called Long March 9 and due to go to the Moon around 2030, is also underway.

Long March 9’s targeted payload to low Earth orbit is 140 metric tons (310,000 lb.), of which 50 metric tons would be sent on a trajectory to the Moon. It would therefore have about six times the capability of China’s current largest rocket, Long March 5...

IRAN

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

IRAQ

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

ISRAEL

Rise and Kill First, An Interview With Dr. Ronen Bergman

New York Times Bestselling Author Ronen Bergman sits down with Stratfor Chief Security Officer Fred Burton in this episode of the Stratfor Podcast to discuss his latest book, Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations.

Bergman’s book, described as the first definitive history of the Mossad, Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces’ targeted killing programs, is the result of seven years of research and over a thousand interviews with the people responsible for leading and carrying out those programs...

KOREAN PENNSULEA

North Korea nuclear reactors show new signs of activity

New satellite imagery examined by Western experts suggests North Korea has begun preliminary testing of one of its nuclear reactors at the Yongbyon research facility. The disclosure comes as preparations get underway for the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in next month -- and ahead of Kim's planned meeting with President Trump in May.

RUSSIA

Putin Plans for a Russia Without Him

- Though Russian President Vladimir Putin is assured an election win on March 18, his fourth term will usher in a period of deep challenges for Russia and his continued rule.

- Putin's pledge to maintain stability is facing economic and demographic shifts that will ripple throughout society and test compliance with Putin's government.

- Thinking of the longer term, the Kremlin is considering a spate of reforms and has allowed political discourse to return to Russia, though each maneuver is not without its risks.

- Putin, his cultlike government and the Russian people are starting to consider what life in Russia will look like after he leaves the political stage.

Russia Sends a Chilling Message With Its Latest Chemical Attack

- Shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin assumed power, Moscow's intelligence services began exhibiting increasingly aggressive behavior.

- This included the targeted assassinations of enemies across Europe, the Middle East and in the United States.

-In response, Western intelligence agencies increased efforts to recruit Russian intelligence officers as spies.

-In this context, the attack on Sergei Skripal was not necessarily about his treason, but more of a warning to current Russian intelligence officers not to betray the government.

To pedestrians passing outside the Maltings shopping center in Salisbury, England, on the afternoon of March 4, the pair slumped on a bench appeared to be another tragic case of opioid overdose. The younger woman was unconscious, having lost control of her bodily functions, and was propped against the older man, himself twitching and mumbling in an incoherent manner. But as police arrived at the scene and identified the victims, it soon became clear that this was not an accidental narcotics overdose.

The man, 66-year-old Sergei Skripal, was a former colonel in Russia's military intelligence service (known as the GRU) and had been recruited by Britain's foreign intelligence service (MI6) in the 1990s. He had come to the United Kingdom in 2010 as part of a high-profile spy swap. The woman next to him was his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, who had come to Salisbury from Russia to visit her father. Indeed, as police officers began to collapse after coming into contact with the pair, it quickly became evident that this was yet another case in which a former Russian intelligence officer was poisoned in the United Kingdom. And with this latest attack, Russia under President Vladimir Putin is letting the intelligence world know that it is changing the rules: Betrayal can make you and your family a target, even if you're no longer in the game...

Missiles of March: A Political Means of Last Resort for Putin

President Vladimir Putin's extra-heavy emphasis on new strategic missile systems in his March 1 address to parliament was quite unexpected and rather out of character. My colleague Steven Pifer suspects that Putin has "something of a fixation on things nuclear" and compares this trumpeting of wonder-missiles with President Donald Trump's slogan "Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!" Putin is, after all, campaigning for re-election (the vote is March 18), though the outcome is pre-determined...

A Brief History of Attempted Russian Assassinations by Poison

Russian security services appear to be increasingly targeting dissidents and renegade spies for death by poison.

With the announcement by British police on Wednesday that a former Russian spy was poisoned by a nerve agent, Sergei Skripal joins the long ranks of those who have run afoul of the Kremlin and subsequently fallen ill or died under what can only be described as suspicious circumstances.

Skripal was walking with his daughter on Monday when they fell ill, collapsed on a park bench, and were promptly rushed to the hospital, where they remain in critical condition. On Thursday, British police said that around 21 people had sought treatment as a result of exposure to the unidentified poison. A police officer who aided the two is in stable condition, and is conscious and talking.

“This is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent,” Mark Rowley, Britain’s chief police official for counterterrorism and international security, said.

A Russian court convicted Skripal of spying on behalf of Britain in 2006, but he was returned to England as part of a spy swap in 2010....

Russia says it has successfully tested advanced hypersonic missile

Russia's Defense Ministry says it has successfully tested one of the "invincible" missiles that President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month could deliver a warhead at hypersonic speed and pierce US defenses. "A MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a combat training launch of a hypersonic missile of the Kinzhal high-precision air missile system in the designated area," the ministry said in statement Saturday...

SYRIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

MIDDLE EAST GENERAL

Qatar: New Development Plan Goes in Pursuit of Knowledge

Construction is out and knowledge is in — at least when it comes to putting Qatar’s economy on a firm foundation for the future. On March 14, Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani unveiled a new five-year plan for the country that will focus on social development and economic diversification. The strategy will involve nurturing a robust private sector in areas such as science, logistics, financial services and tourism, as well as information and communication technology. At the same time, the small, arid, natural gas-rich country aims to develop sustainable water resources and produce 65 percent of its own seafood through local fish farms. And in a sign of greater belt-tightening, Qatari officials have noted that spending will need to fall by about one-third to around 21.2 percent of the country's gross domestic product...

Saudi Arabia: Cabinet Approves New Nuclear Policy

On March 13, the Saudi Cabinet approved a new national nuclear policy in advance of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's visit to Washington on March 19-22, during which he is expected to push for a nuclear deal with the United States. Though Saudi Arabia’s policy clearly states that any nuclear activities will be purely peaceful and that the kingdom will follow all international laws in this regard, it also commits the country to best practices for handling nuclear waste and for developing a national capability in the nuclear industry. These guidelines suggest that Saudi Arabia could be planning activities that could lead to nuclear proliferation...

MISC

The Diplomatic Pouch: A Hands-Off Exception to Border Inspection

When the U.S. foreign service needs to send secrets to another country, it relies on diplomatic couriers. Those men and women ferry our nation’s most precious secrets from the State Department's Foggy Bottom headquarters to U.S. embassies around the globe. In 1985, when I went through basic agent training with the department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), I was offered the option of serving as one of those couriers. The word around the academy was that the job came with lots of overtime and allowed the adventurous traveler to see the world on Uncle Sam’s dime...


Cybercriminals trained up for March Madness

...“March Madness is back and with it comes a great opportunity for cybercriminals who are intent on making some quick cash,” ...“Email infection, fake betting websites and traditional phishing attacks are all expected to have their day in the sun.”...“These online trends almost always play out before, during and after the events take place. Cybercriminals are completely prepared for the excitement and hype surrounding March Madness by infecting emails with malware, creating fake betting websites and growing the number of phishing attacks they carry out.”

Officer Down

Police Officer Darren Maurice Weathers
Detroit Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Age 25
Tour 2 years

Police Officer Darren Weathers was killed in a vehicle crash on Michigan Avenue, near Clark Avenue.

He was participating in a surveillance training exercise when his vehicle collided with another before striking a utility pole. Officer Weathers was transported to Henry Ford Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Officer Weathers was a U.S. military veteran and had served with the Detroit Police Department for almost two years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Something light for the weekend....

Thank God it's Friday, although for many of my co-workers it's just two more days to Monday. Remember those days very well.

I found this cartoon and it's awesome:

And to as some music, here it is. To any fans of the Allman Bros Band, this is too cool!

Have a great weekend!

Reading and reading.....

I started to read heavily, if not profusely, when I was a child. Someone suggested it would help my pathetic spelling, and it did. Now I'm cursed by pathetic typing skills, and the scourge of Autocorrect. But my personal library is in the hundreds of books, not counting the stuff I've given away, lost over the years, etc.

I personally use digital media for magazines, but generally not for books. If the book is for distraction (I'm really enjoying the Harry Bosch series), digits are great. I can read them everywhere, on my iPad, or my iPhone, or Mac, and if I have 5 minutes to kill, I can get a page or two down. But for more serious reading, I prefer paper. One, I'm slowed down in my reading, and that forces me to concentrate more. Two, I just love to see a bookshelf filled with some books I've conquered over the ages. I can look from where I'm sitting and see multiple columns of Tom Clancy, Mark Levin, the Time-Life series on Vietnam, and many others.

Now comes the a survey showing what should be intuitive. People learn better with paper than digits. Pesonally I've always known that. I like to be able to read, stop, re-read, highlight, put a paper clip on the page, and come back to the item. Can't really do that with digits, in spite of what Millennials say.

With that as comment, I find this interesting.

A new study shows that students learn way more effectively from print textbooks than screens

Today's students see themselves as digital natives, the first generation to grow up surrounded by technology like smartphones, tablets and e-readers.

Teachers, parents and policymakers certainly acknowledge the growing influence of technology and have responded in kind. We've seen more investment in classroom technologies, with students now equipped with school-issued iPads and access to e-textbooks.

In 2009, California passed a law requiring that all college textbooks be available in electronic form by 2020; in 2011, Florida lawmakers passed legislation requiring public schools to convert their textbooks to digital versions.

Given this trend, teachers, students, parents and policymakers might assume that students' familiarity and preference for technology translates into better learning outcomes. But we've found that's not necessarily true.

As researchers in learning and text comprehension, our recent work has focused on the differences between reading print and digital media. While new forms of classroom technology like digital textbooks are more accessible and portable, it would be wrong to assume that students will automatically be better served by digital reading simply because they prefer it...

Speed - at a cost

Our work has revealed a significant discrepancy. Students said they preferred and performed better when reading on screens. But their actual performance tended to suffer.

For example, from our review of research done since 1992, we found that students were able to better comprehend information in print for texts that were more than a page in length. This appears to be related to the disruptive effect that scrolling has on comprehension. We were also surprised to learn that few researchers tested different levels of comprehension or documented reading time in their studies of printed and digital texts.

To explore these patterns further, we conducted three studies that explored college students' ability to comprehend information on paper and from screens.

Students first rated their medium preferences. After reading two passages, one online and one in print, these students then completed three tasks: Describe the main idea of the texts, list key points covered in the readings and provide any other relevant content they could recall. When they were done, we asked them to judge their comprehension performance.

Across the studies, the texts differed in length, and we collected varying data (e.g., reading time). Nonetheless, some key findings emerged that shed new light on the differences between reading printed and digital content:

- Students overwhelming preferred to read digitally.

- Reading was significantly faster online than in print.

- Students judged their comprehension as better online than in print.

- Paradoxically, overall comprehension was better for print versus digital reading.

- The medium didn't matter for general questions (like understanding the main idea of the text).

- But when it came to specific questions, comprehension was significantly better when participants read printed texts...

A few more details on the link, but for me at least, digits will never replace paper. For the reasons above, the pure pleasure of reading, and the occasional distraction of walking into a book store, and getting lost in possibilities. Sorry Amazon.com, you don't do that for me! :<)

Officer Down

Commander Paul R. Bauer
Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Age 53
Tour 31 years
Badge 29

Commander Paul Bauer was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a subject who had just run from other officers near the James R. Thompson Center, a state government office building.

Other officers had attempted to conduct a subject stop on the man in connection with a shooting that had occurred several days earlier. The subject fled from the officers. Commander Bauer, who was wearing a suit and in the area for a meeting, observed the subject at the government building and attempted to stop him in a stairwell. The subject opened fire, killing Commander Bauer.

The subject was taken into custody moments later.

Commander Bauer had served with the Chicago Police Department for 32 years and served as commander of the 018th District. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

What's going on in the World Today 180314

HYPERLINKS MAY REQUIRE AN EMAIL:

USA
China’s Long Arm Reaches Into American Campuses

Beijing is stepping up efforts to inject party ideology into student life. Some Chinese students are crying foul.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Washington on Sept. 24, 2015 on a state visit, hundreds of Chinese students lined the streets for hours, carrying banners and flags to welcome him. It was a remarkable display of seemingly spontaneous patriotism.

Except it wasn’t entirely spontaneous. The Chinese Embassy paid students to attend and helped organize the event. Working with Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) at local universities — a Chinese student organization with branches at dozens of schools around the country — government officials from the office of educational affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Washington collected the contact information of about 700 students who had signed up to attend. Embassy officials communicated with students via WeChat, a Chinese messaging app, during the event and into the night, responding to messages as late as 3 a.m.

According to a Chinese student at George Washington University who attended the event, participants each received about $20 for their effort, distributed through the CSSA a few months later...

F-35 Finally Can Use All Its Weapons In Combat

The newest U.S. Air Force F-35s, both stateside at Hill AFB, Utah, and overseas in the Pacific, finally can employ the stealth fighter’s full suite of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons in combat.

The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has delivered the flight clearances, simulators, threat information, and logistics system required for the Air Force’s F-35As equipped with the latest software load to employ all of its weapons throughout the full flight envelope, according to the JPO, Lockheed Martin and Air Force officials.

This milestone gives the Block 3F-configured F-35As assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron stationed at Hill and those forward-deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan—on North Korea’s doorstep—some lethal capabilities. The aircraft now can fire Raytheon’s short-range AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, the GAU-22 25mm gun, and Boeing’s precision-guided Small Diameter Bomb, all while flying up to 9Gs at 1.6 Mach.

The F-35A touched down in Kadena for its first operational deployment to the Pacific in November, a highly anticipated milestone that underlines the U.S. military’s commitment to allies in the region amid tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

The “Rude Rams” F-35As join the “Green Knights” F-35Bs of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, which is permanently stationed at Iwakuni, Japan, significantly increasing the number of stealth F-35s in the region...

...Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps short takeoff, vertical-landing F-35B and U.S. Navy F-35C carrier variant configured with the 3F software will be able to deploy with their full operational capability in May and June, respectively, F-35 Program Executive Officer (PEO) Vice Adm. Mat Winter said during a Feb. 28 media roundtable. For the F-35Cs, this means the aircraft will be able to deploy Raytheon’s AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) in combat...

Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker Delayed Again

The U.S. Air Force is predicting that Boeing won’t deliver the first KC-46 tanker until late 2018, casting doubt on the defense firm’s ability to meet a contractual deadline that, if missed, likely would result in significant penalties.

Boeing’s master schedule currently pegs first aircraft delivery to the fleet in the second quarter of calendar year 2018—already months behind schedule. But after a joint schedule risk assessment, the Air Force now believes delivery is more likely to occur in late 2018, according to spokeswoman Capt. Emily Grabowski.

“The Air Force will continue to work with Boeing to develop schedule mitigations, where appropriate, to expedite the program,” Grabowski said. “These potential delays will not result in additional program cost to the taxpayer.”

Boeing is on tap to deliver 18 full-up tankers to the Air Force by October, a longstanding contractual deadline. Boeing likely will suffer significant penalties if it misses the deadline, adding to the $2.9 billion in pretax fees, or about $1.9 billion after tax, the firm has already racked up on the program...

http://aviationweek.com/space/could-f-16s-battle-talk-commercial-space-internet?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20180309_AW-05_753&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2&utm_rid=CPEN1000003809720&utm_campaign=13870&utm_medium=email&elq2=e59f06383dbc4dbf8c0c67cd507f5b8b
F-16s In Battle Talk Via Commercial Space Internet?

What if warfighters could install an antenna on their F-16s, much like homeowners do on their roofs, and establish a commercial internet connection, allowing them to send critical battlefield information rapidly to the rest of the force?

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is about to find out.

The Air Force is finally catching on to a revolution in the commercial small satellite world. Feb. 22 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two experimental satellites from Vandenberg AFB, California, to test out technologies for a megaconstellation of small satellites that would provide high-speed internet and other communications services directly to consumers, businesses and other subscribers. And SpaceX is just one of many commercial firms that are starting to experiment with such a service. OneWeb is scheduled to begin launching its 720-satellite broadband constellation later this year.

Defense Agency To Begin Moving Classified Data to Amazon's Secret Cloud After Protest
Microsoft withdrew a bid protest that allows U.S. Transportation Command to begin migrating data to Amazon’s secret cloud region.

For the first time, the Defense Department will begin moving classified data and applications to Amazon Web Services’ Secret Region—the same cloud environment developed for the CIA and intelligence community several years ago.

U.S. Transportation Command—the part of the department responsible for moving troops and equipment around the globe—announced its intent to make use of AWS’ Classified Secret Commercial Cloud Services in December after the company expanded its capabilities and availability to non-intelligence agencies.

The Defense Department’s sole-source decision—a contract awarded without a full and open competition—was protested by Microsoft, which itself offers a variety of cloud services to the federal government. The company withdrew its protest March 8, allowing TRANSCOM to begin migrating data to the AWS Secret Region. In a statement to Nextgov, Microsoft said it withdrew its protest “because the issues involved were resolved” to the company’s satisfaction...

AFRICA

'Significant' consequences if China takes key port in Djibouti: U.S. general

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general for Africa told lawmakers on Tuesday that the military could face “significant” consequences should China take a key port in Djibouti, as Beijing becomes increasingly muscular in Africa in an effort to expand its influence.

Last month, Djibouti ended its contract with Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s biggest port operators, to run the Doraleh Container Terminal, citing failure to resolve a dispute that began in 2012.

DP World called the move an illegal seizure of the terminal and said it had begun new arbitration proceedings before the London Court of International Arbitration.

During a U.S. congressional hearing on Tuesday, which was dominated by concerns about China’s role in Africa, lawmakers said they had seen reports that Djibouti seized control of the port to give it to China as a gift.

China has already built a military base in Djibouti, just miles from a critical U.S. military base...

ASIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

EUROPE
UK convenes emergency meeting over Russian spy's apparent poisoning

London (CNN)The British government was set to hold an emergency, top-level meeting Wednesday to discuss the apparent poisoning of a former Russian spy, as the country's top diplomat warned that the UK would respond "robustly" if the Kremlin was found to be involved.

UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd will chair the cabinet-level COBRA meeting to discuss the investigation into the case of Sergei Skripal -- a former Russian military official convicted of spying for the UK -- and his daughter, who were found unconscious Sunday on a bench in southern England...

AFGHANISTAN

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

CHINA

Partner Perspectives: China's Staggering Demand for Commodities

Partner Perspectives are a collection of high-quality analyses and commentary produced by organizations around the world. Though Stratfor does not necessarily endorse the views expressed here — and may even disagree with them — we respect the rigorous and innovative thought that their unique points of view inspire.

By Jeff Desjardins for Visual Capitalist

It's said that in China, a new skyscraper is built every five days.

China is building often, and they are building higher. In fact, just last year, China completed 77 of the world's 144 new supertall buildings, spread through 36 different Chinese cities. These are structures with a minimum height of 656 feet (200 meters).

For comparison's sake, there are only 113 buildings in New York City's current skyline that are over 600 feet...

China Space-Station Launcher, Long March 5B, To Fly In 2019

BEIJING—The second version of China’s Long March 5 rocket, intended mainly for building the country’s planned space station, will fly in mid-2019, about a year later than previously ...

IRAN

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

IRAQ

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

ISRAEL

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

KOREAN PENNSULEA

Kim to Trump: Let’s Make a Deal

Washington got just what it wanted from the pressure campaign. Now what?

North Korea’s surprising offer Tuesday to hold talks with the United States, holding out the eventual prospect of abandoning its nuclear weapons, throws the diplomatic ball dramatically back into Washington’s court.

While the overture is a seeming triumph of the “sunshine” diplomacy of South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the Trump administration’s increased pressure, the big question remains whether the White House is willing or able to grab the opportunity.

“The Trump administration has been all about applying maximum pressure, with the whole purpose to bring North Korea back to the table to talk about denuclearization,” says Jenny Town, assistant director of the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies...

In Nuclear Dialogue, North Korea Leaves U.S. With the Next Move

Highlights

North Korea will continue to use inter-Korean dialogue to break out of the constraints of the U.S. relationship.

But Pyongyang's apparent outreach to the United States could be contingent on changes to U.S. forces in the Korean Peninsula —
concessions the United States is unlikely to give.

While China and Russia will push for a continued easing of tensions, U.S. ally Japan will be wary of a sudden shift in the U.S. position.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set late April as the date for the third inter-Korean summit, to be held in Panmunjom. Kim said he would be willing to hold talks with the United States geared toward normalization of relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and is willing to suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests while engaged in dialogue. Kim said denuclearization was his father's dying wish, and something for which he also strived..

RUSSIA

EU: Russia Wins a Battle in Its War of Pipelines

The Nord Stream 2 offshore natural gas pipeline project — of which Russia's Gazprom is the sole shareholder — is the most politically divisive pipeline for Europe. In fact, several European Union member states have been calling for it to either be stopped altogether or at least heavily regulated. According to new information, it appears that their calls will not be met. A leaked opinion issued by the legal department of the EU Council of Ministers says that the bloc's regulations do not extend to pipelines in exclusive economic zones off the coasts of EU member states. The opinion will ruffle feathers across the Continent, which Russia will surely welcome, given that it sees such internal conflict as useful in Moscow's bid to rid itself of EU sanctions.

SYRIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

MIDDLE EAST GENERAL

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

MISC

Performance Enhancers: From Battlefield to Playing Field
Thomas M. Hunt
In the modern era, discussions about performance-enhancing technologies tend to take place primarily in the context of sports. Indeed, it is within that context that we have covered the issue in previous columns. But as technologies evolve, the subject merits attention beyond the athletic fields.

From the very beginning, a link has existed between the battleground and the playing field on the issue of performance enhancement. The amphetamines that helped soldiers push beyond their human limits during World War II soon made their way into athletics. Whether on the gridiron or at the baseball park, postwar athletes turned to amphetamines whenever they needed a pickup. And this is just one example in a very long relationship between sports and the military that remains today. During the recently concluded Pyeongchang Olympics, Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky tested positive for a banned substance that had been developed for Soviet-bloc soldiers during the Cold War...

K9 Down

K9 Rony
Houston Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Gender: Male
Age: Not available
Tour: 7 years

K9 Rony died after suffering a serious injury following a vehicle and foot pursuit of a subject who had been driving a stolen car at approximately 1:00 am.

The driver led officers on a vehicle pursuit, during which time he threw contraband from the window and intentionally rammed a patrol car. The driver bailed out of the vehicle in the 12700 block of River Trail and fled on foot. K9 Rony was released for an apprehension in a heavily wooded area. One of Rony's legs became entangled in a wooden object and suffered a serious injury. He was rushed to a veterinary hospital where it was determined the most humane treatment would be to euthanize him.

The subject was taken into custody by other officers.

K9 Rony had served with the Houston Police Department for seven years and was credited with 250 apprehensions.

Rest in Peace Rony…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

K9 Officer Eric Joseph Joering
Westerville Division of Police, Ohio
End of Watch Saturday, February 10, 2018
Age 39
Tour 17 years
Badge 509


Police Officer Anthony Pasquale Morelli
Westerville Division of Police, Ohio
End of Watch Saturday, February 10, 2018
Age 54
Tour 29 years
Badge 467

Police Officer Eric Joering and Police Officer Anthony Morelli were shot and killed when they responded to a 911 hangup call in the 300 block of Crosswind Drive.

As officers arrived at the home they made contact with the residents of the apartment and let inside. As they walked into the apartment a 30-year-old male subject opened fire on them, mortally wounding Officer Joering and Officer Morelli. Despite their wounds, both officers were able to return fire and wounded the subject.

Officer Morelli was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

The subject was charged with two counts of capital murder of a law enforcement officer.

Officer Joering had served with the Westerville Division of Police for 17 years. He is survived by his wife, four daughters, and his K-9 partner Sam. Arrangements have been made for Sam to remain with his widow and daughters.

Officer Morelli is survived by his wife and two children.

Rest in Peace Gentlemen…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Officer Down

Police Officer Chase Lee Maddox
Locust Grove Police Department, Georgia
End of Watch Friday, February 9, 2018
Age 26
Tour 5 years

Police Officer Chase Maddox was shot and killed while assisting two deputies from the Henry County Sheriff's Office serve a warrant at a home on St. Francis Court.

The deputies had gone to the home to arrest the subject for failing to appear in court on a traffic violation. The man refused to cooperate and the deputies requested assistance from the Locust Grove Police Department.

Several minutes after Officer Maddox arrived at the scene the officers attempted to take the man into custody. The subject opened fire on the officers, killing Officer Maddox and wounding both deputies before being shot and killed.

Officer Maddox had served with the Locust Grove Police Department for five years. He is survived by his expectant wife and two sons. His second son was born four days after his death.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

K9 Down

K9 Mojo
North Charleston Police Department, South Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, February 15, 2018
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Gender: Male
Age: Not available
Tour: 5 years

K9 Mojo was killed in a vehicle crash when his handler's patrol car collided with another vehicle on Rivers Avenue and Gumwood Boulevard at approximately 9:00 pm.

Mojo's handler was responding to another call, with all emergency equipment activated, when another vehicle attempted to turn left in front of him, causing a collision. Mojo was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital where he passed away. His handler and the other driver both suffered minor injuries.

The driver who caused the crash was charged with felony DUI.

K9 Mojo had served with the North Charleston Police Department for five years.

Rest in Peace Mojo…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

Police Officer David Charles Sherrard
Richardson Police Department, Texas
End of Watch Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Age 37
Tour 13 years
Badge 1078

Police Officer David Sherrard was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex at 4250 East Renner Road.

As officers arrived on scene they located a man suffering from a gunshot wound outside of the apartment. The officers were able to identify an apartment where the suspect was located. As they made entry into the apartment the man opened fire, striking Officer Sherrard in the neck. Officer Sherrard was transported to Medical City Plano where he succumbed to his wound.

The subject barricaded himself inside of the apartment for several hours before surrendering. The man who shot Officer Sherrard was charged with capital murder of a police officer.

Officer Sherrard had served with the Richardson Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

K9 Down

K9 Brock
St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Maryland
End of Watch: Thursday, January 18, 2018
Breed: German Shepherd
Gender: Male
Age: 4
Tour: 3 years

K9 Brock died from complications of an injury sustained while training with recruits at the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy.

He and his handler were traversing a metal staircase when K9 Brock's leg slipped through the grate. His leg suffered a severe injury as a result and he immediately transported to a local veterinary hospital for treatment. It was determined that K9 Brock would be unable to fully recover from the injury and, after consultation with veterinary staff, it was determined the best course of treatment would be humane euthanasia.

K9 Brock had served with the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office for three years and was certified in patrol functions and narcotics detection.

Rest in Peace Brock…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Guns vs Hoses...this settles it!

Enjoy!


Thank you Mike the Cop. No, not me!

Officer Down

Officer Jarate Dewayne Condit
Asher Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Age 23
Tour 5 months

Officer Jarate Condit was killed in a vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 177, south of State Highway 59, at approximately 5:30 pm.

He was en route to mandatory training, in Shawnee, when his patrol car left the roadway and crashed into a concrete culvert as he attempted to pass another vehicle. The patrol car became engulfed in flames upon impact with the culvert.

Officer Condit, who was also a volunteer firefighter, is survived by his young child and parents.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

A real Oscar tribute.....

Like most Americans, I did not watch the Academy Awards. Full disclosure, I did check the Drudge Report and got the great news Gary Oldman won Best Actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill. If you want a great acceptance speech, here it is. He first thanks America for everything it's given him. How nice it is to see an actor thank the nation that's given him so much.  But I digress.

The movies suck these days, with few exceptions, such as Darkest Hour. I used to go to 2-3 movies a month. Now it's 2-3 a year because of a lack of good films to select, and the ridiculous cost. For my wife and I to go to a matinee I have to put out over thirty dollars. Forgive me, it ain't worth it.

But more to the point, I really don't feel like be lectured by Hollywood hypocrites for hours about how America is such a miserable place, women and minorities are oppressed, etc. Well, 2017 was a great year to show women are sexually harassed. By Hollywood stars and producers, Democratic politicians, and other liberals. I enjoyed one leftist after another going down, hoisted on their own petard. Which brings me to this.

The Oscars show a list of the people who have passed in previous year. Well someone has a list now. Of the sexually harassers who were sent packing for their exploits. Enjoy!

Gentlemehhhhhhhhhn

Growing up, I spent many an evening with friends watching the 10:35pm rerun of M*A*S*H on WWL, Channel 4 in New Orleans. Still a great show, over thirty years after it has signed off.

Unfortunately, we must say good by to one of it's greatest members, David Ogden Stiers, always to be remembered as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III.

One of the strengths of M*A*S*H was as characters left the show, they were replaced by other characters who were not the same. Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) was a strict Regular Army officer, replacing the walk over Army Reservist in Lieutenant Colonel Henry Black (McLean Stevenson). With Charles, he replaced the hapless and incompetent Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville). Whereas Frank was always unable to get the better of his tent-mate opposites, Charles was not going to take anything from Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and BJ Honeycutt (Mike Farrell).

He was also a much deeper character than Frank, as arrogant as the day is long, but with abilities to back it up. Charles was a superb surgeon, not as good a businessman, and not enough to evade Colonel Potter's gaze.



One of the more moving scene of Charles was in 1980s Moral Victory, when he helped a concert pianist realize, although his hand is no longer able to play the instrument, his gift for music is still there. And always will be. In a human moment for the reserved Boston Blue Blood:

Don't you see? Your hand may be stilled, but your gift cannot be silenced if you refuse to let it be. The gift does not lie in your hands. I have hands, David. Hands that can make a scalpel sing. More than anything in my life I wanted to play, but I do not have the gift. I can play the notes, but I cannot make the music. You have performed Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Chopin. Even if you never do so again, you've already known a joy that I will never know as long as I live. Because the true gift is in your head and in your heart and in your soul. Now you can shut it off forever, or you can find new ways to share your gift with the world - through the baton, the classroom, or the pen. As to these works, they're for you, because you and the piano will always be as one.

One of my favorite quotes of the man was in a recording to his parents, "Please send me some deodorant. I don't care about the others, I just don't want to offend myself!" From the episode, this signing off quote:



Back to Charles' love of music, the final episode of the series, Goodby, Farewell, and Amen, shows him working with a North Korean army band. At the end, the members are killed in an artillery strike. One of the few things that gave him relief from the war, music, is now a reminder of the war.


Charles was famous for his goodby phrase, "Gentlemehhhhhhhhhn." From the final episode, his goodby to the M*A*S*H. Loretta Swit said he was a very private person in real life, and none of the cast had his private phone number. The scene where he hands her a book, the inscription was his actual phone number. The reaction was real.

RIP David Ogden Stiers. Another great one goes. As it was well said, it's not how you're buried, it's how you're remembered. You will be remembered well sir.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Steven Belanger
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Age 52
Tour 7 years
Incident Date Saturday, December 10, 1994

Deputy Sheriff Steve Belanger succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on December 10th, 1994, when he was ambushed while conducting a traffic stop in the 18400 block of La Guardia Street in Rowland Heights.

He had recognized the driver of the vehicle as being wanted for a previous assault. As he searched the two occupants of the car, one of the man's friends rode up behind Deputy Belanger on a skateboard and shot him in the back of the head. The man fled the scene and committed suicide about one hour later.

Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from Deputy Belanger's brain. He remained under constant medical care and confined to a wheelchair until passing away on February 6th, 2018.

Deputy Belanger had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for seven years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.

Smoking gun...and weather....

Southern Texas, like Louisiana, is going thorugh it's bi-polar phase, as you need a jacket in the morning, and use the air conditioner by noon. But with each approaching day you can feel the heat and humity of spring/summer approaching.

For some reason I thougth of this great song from my college days. Unlike rap/hip hop, this is music.

Have a great weekend!

How to handle a hostage taker...

Probably has a splitting headache after this.

A San Diego cop delivered a fatal shotgun blast to the face of a man who had taken his ex-wife hostage.

San Diego, CA – Police released helicopter and bodycam footage of a San Diego officer blasting a hostage taker with his shotgun to rescue a victim (video below).

Police said that Juan Carlos Fernandez, 22, opened fire on several members of his former wife’s family in the courtyard of their apartment building in City Heights on Nov. 13, 2016.

Officers responded to a call for a domestic disturbance at about 9:15 p.m., after two men got into a fistfight...

...A police helicopter with night vision arrived above the scene first, and those pilots were able to inform the patrol officers of what was happening before they arrived.

Responding officers found Fernandez holding his wounded ex-wife in a headlock, as he dragged her towards his car, KSWB reported.

Patrol officers repeatedly commanded Fernandez to let go of his hostage, and get on the ground, but he ignored them, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

A 12-year-veteran of the police force took one shot at Fernandez with a shotgun, and killed him.

In the videos, Fernandez can be seen dragging his hostage to the ground with him as he fell. But she quickly extricated herself from his fallen form, and ran to the officers...

Excellent work officer. Sorry you had to take that action, but he's no loss to the human gene pool.