What's Going On In The World Today 210809

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Carrier Strike Groups

• CVN 70: The USS Carl Vinson is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a large-scale exercise.
• CVN 72: The USS Abraham Lincoln is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a large-scale exercise.
• CVN 76: The USS Ronald Reagan is underway in the Arabian Sea.

Amphibious Ready Groups/Marine Expeditionary Units

• LHA 6: The USS America is underway in the Coral Sea for a large-scale exercise with Australia and seven other countries.
• LHA 7: The USS Tripoli is underway in the Pacific Ocean for qualification trials.
• LHD 3: The USS Kearsarge is underway in the Atlantic Ocean for routine training.
• LHD 7: The USS Iwo Jima is underway in the Persian Gulf.

 

              AFRICA

Evidence points to secret Indian navy base on Mauritian island

Analysis of data suggests construction of airstrip and jetty for military use as India expands influence towards Africa.

Satellite imagery, financial data and on-the-ground evidence obtained by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit point to India building a naval facility on the remote Mauritian island of Agaléga.

Military experts who have analysed Al Jazeera’s evidence say an airstrip under construction will almost certainly be used for maritime patrol missions by India’s navy.

Rumours and media reports about the military base first surfaced in 2018 but both Mauritius and India have denied that the construction project is for military purposes and say the infrastructure is only to benefit the islanders.

Satellite pictures reveal how Agaléga, located about 1,100km (684 miles) from Mauritius’ main island and home to about 300 people, is seeing the construction of two large jetties and a runway that is more than 3km (1.84 miles) long...

Egypt receives fourth German S-44 submarine at Alexandria base

Egypt received the fourth German-made S-44 submarine at its Alexandria naval base on Monday, the Egyptian Navy announced. The model 209/1400 mod 4 sub was shipped from the German port city of Kiel. “This latest addition to Egyptian naval forces represents a huge reinforcement for the capabilities of the Egyptian army, which will contribute to the protection of the country’s economic resources in the Mediterranean and Red seas, as well as the Suez Canal,” Egyptian Armed Forces spokesperson Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a statement...

ASIA 

U.S. approves potential sale of howitzers to Taiwan - Pentagon

WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of 40 155mm M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer artillery systems to Taiwan in a deal valued at up to $750 million, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

This comes after arms sales last year that included drones and coastal missile defenses meant to upgrade the island's capabilities and discourage a Chinese invasion. The Biden administration has approved other direct commercial sales of arms to Taiwan since taking office. 

The package would include the howitzers, 1,698 precision guidance kits for munitions, spares, training, ground stations and upgrades for Taiwan's previous generation of howitzers, the Pentagon said..

EUROPE  

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

NORTH/SOUTH AMERICA 

Tracking Mexico's Cartels in 2021

Largely Static Cartel Drivers, From 2020 to 2021 and Beyond

Despite pandemic-related changes in the last 18 months — which include U.S. border closures, travel restrictions, lockdowns and curfews — the strategic forces behind cartel violence in Mexico have changed very little since 2020: larger groups continued to fuel local conflicts by controlling trafficking routes and territory through cooperation with local gangs, and in many cases using COVID-19 lockdowns to assert territorial control. Important drivers of violence and insecurity in Mexico in the next 18 months will be cartel revenue streams, political relationships, the U.S.-Mexico security relationship, cartel technological and military capabilities, and cartel rivalries. Criminal groups also will continue to experience fragmentation and infighting that leads to sporadic upticks in violence, such as the events in Reynosa on June 19, when civilians were killed as a result of Gulf Cartel infighting. Other notable cartel-driven risks for the coming 18 months include: 

• Volatility along the U.S.-Mexico border — vital turf for cartel activities including drug- and migrant-smuggling — which could lead to sporadic shutdowns and delays at ports of entry and border crossings.
• An increased threat of indiscriminate violence in important areas where cartels are vying for control, such as the states of Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Queretaro and Zacatecas.
• Ongoing extortion and theft threat to businesses that focus on natural resource extraction — such as oil, mining and timber — given the lucrative nature of these businesses. 

 

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban Rampage Puts Afghan Journalists in Crosshairs

HERAT, Afghanistan—Across Afghanistan, as the Taliban ramp up atrocities in the areas under their control, journalists are fleeing for their lives, terrified the insurgents will make good on threats to kill them and their families unless they start pumping out favorable copy.

The exodus is a potential death knell for one of the true success stories of the last 20 years, when Afghanistan fostered the region’s freest press. But in just the past four months, 51 media outlets have closed, according to Afghan journalism watchdogs, and hundreds of news professionals have left their jobs. In some parts of Afghanistan, newsrooms have been destroyed or looted, and many journalists say they receive messages threatening consequences unless they start reporting about the insurgents positively. Many believe it is only a matter of time before the Taliban make good on those threats…  

CHINA 

China moves quickly to replace America in Afghanistan

As the United States withdraws its forces from Afghanistan, China is not hesitating to move in. Earlier this week, nine Taliban leaders accepted Beijing’s invitation and met in Tianjin with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. One of those leaders was the group’s co-founder, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Wang told his visitors that China expects the Taliban to play an important role in the “process of peaceful reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan” and described the group as a “pivotal political and military force” in the country. It appears to be only a matter of time before China recognizes the Talban’s de facto control of the country even as Washington remains formally committed to supporting the Kabul government.  

IRAN

Amid Stalled Nuclear Talks, Iran Reasserts Itself at Sea 

Iran appears to be ramping back up its naval harassment activities in order to gain leverage in negotiations with the West and display strength at home. Such aggressive behavior, however, risks upending those talks altogether by threatening regional security. A hijacking and deadly attack within days of each other near the strategic Strait of Hormuz reflects a higher risk tolerance akin to previous periods of frequent Iranian naval harassment. On Aug. 3, hijackers seized the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess tanker while it was transiting the Gulf of Oman and demanded that the vessel set sail for Iran. The hijacking of the vessel, which is owned by a Dubai-based firm, comes only days after a suspected Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) killed two sailors on board the Israeli-linked Mercer Street tanker. While the details of its involvement in both incidents may never be confirmed, Tehran is likely the culprit based on past precedent, geographic proximity and probable motive...   

Iranians Fear Turning Into Another 'North Korea' If Draconian Internet Censorship Bill Passes

Iranians are warning of public anger and drawing parallels with the world's most oppressive regimes as legislation makes its way through the country's parliament that could intensify online censorship and further restrict Internet access. Iranian authorities already block tens of thousands of websites and regularly throttle or cut Internet connectivity during crucial periods, including a near-total shutdown for nearly a week amid antiestablishment protests following a disputed election in 2019. On July 28, the draft of a bill to hand control of Iran's Internet gateways to the armed forces and criminalize the use of virtual private networks (VPN) was sent for review to a parliamentary committee, despite fierce public criticism.

Iran warns of response if security threatened after ship attack -TV

Iran will respond promptly to any threat against its security, the foreign ministry said on Monday, after the United States, Israel and Britain blamed Tehran for an attack on an Israeli- managed tanker off the coast of Oman. Tehran has denied any involvement in the suspected drone attack on Thursday in which two crew members - a Briton and a Romanian - were killed. The United States and Britain said on Sunday they would work with their allies to respond to the attack on the Mercer Street, a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned petroleum product tanker managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime.

 

Shah’s son urges West to drive ‘nail in coffin’ of Iran clerical state

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, believes the clerical state that toppled his father is on the brink of crumbling. What Iranians need now, he says, is stronger support from the West. As ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi was endorsed Tuesday as the eighth president of the Islamic republic, Pahlavi, who lives in exile near Washington, pointed to an election turnout rate of 48.8 percent, the lowest since the 1979 revolution, as well as demonstrations first triggered by serious water shortages…

Iran Guards Deploy Aircraft Detecting Radar in Western Syria

Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps factions set aircraft-detecting radar in Syria’s al- Mazare area, around al-Mayadeen city in the eastern sector of the Deir Ezzor countryside. According to sources from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Iranian military experts have monitored the process of fixing and operating the radar. The area is strategically vital for its geographic altitude that overlooks al-Mayadeen city and regions held by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and coalition forces east of the Euphrates River… 

IRAQ 

Iraq calls on Syria to increase water releases due to shortfall

Iraq called on Syria to increase water releases to compensate for the lack of rainfall and high temperatures that have caused a shortfall in revenues, Iraq’s state media reported on Monday. The Minister of Water Resources, Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani said he “held a closed-circuit televised meeting with the Syrian Minister of Water Resources, Tammam Raad, to review the measures taken regarding the signed accord during Al-Hamdani's visit to Syria” Last month, both countries signed a joint agreement to exchange data related to the imports of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers “periodically and in emergency situations."

Two rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad

Two rockets were fired early Thursday against Baghdad's fortified Green Zone which houses the US embassy, without causing any casualties or damage, an Iraqi security source told AFP. The dawn attack came as Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhemi was flying home from Washington after White House talks in which President Joe Biden announced an end to US combat operations in Iraq.

Iraq military: Many feared dead in terrorist attack in north

An attack on a funeral procession in northern Iraq has claimed a number of victims, Iraq’s military said in a statement Friday. The military said the “terrorist” attack in the province of Salahaddin resulted in a “number of victims” but did not provide specific figures. An Iraqi security official said eight people had been killed, among them police and civilians, and that armed militants had opened fire on the crowd.   

ISRAEL

For Israel, Attacking Lebanon Risks Triggering a Multi-Front Conflict 

Israel’s attempt to deter rocket fire from Lebanon risks triggering a greater conflict with Beruit and Hezbollah on its northern border, while also inspiring Gaza militants to resume attacks on its southern border. Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon on the night of Aug. 4, targeting the launch sites from which rockets had been fired at northern Israel the day prior. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the attack was “meant to send a message” to a Palestinian faction in Lebanon that he believed launched the recent rocket strikes against Israel. Gantz also cautioned that Israel “could do much more,” but hoped it wouldn’t come to that. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned Lebanon to avoid “further attempts to harm Israeli civilians” as well. 

KOREAN PENINSULA  

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT   

RUSSIA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT  

MIDDLE EAST GENERAL

Islamic State Group Smuggling Boys to Desert Training Camps

More than two years after the collapse of its self-declared caliphate, the Islamic State terror group appears to be trying to rebuild its army in the eastern Syrian desert on the backs of boys and teenagers, many smuggled out of the displaced persons camps that dot Syria's northeast. The revelation, based on U.S. military intelligence, is part of a report issued Tuesday by the U.S. Defense Department's inspector general on American and allied operations in Syria and Iraq. In particular, the report warned that despite a series of crackdowns by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, IS, also known as ISIS or Daesh, retains significant influence in many of the camps, as well as freedom of movement, allowing it to target "the most susceptible" for recruitment.  

CYBER ISSUES  

New destructive Meteor wiper malware used in Iranian railway attack 

A new file wiping malware called Meteor was discovered used in the recent attacks against Iran's railway system. Earlier this month, Iran's transport ministry and national train system suffered a cyberattack, causing the agency's websites to shut down and disrupting train service. The threat actors also displayed messages on the railway's message boards stating that trains were delayed or canceled due to a cyberattack. 

INTEL/ESPIONAGE/SPYING GENERAL  

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT  

TERRORISM  

Al Qaeda launches 1st public campaign in 4 years to encourage lone wolf terrorist attacks

More than 10 years ago the I-Team uncovered Al Qaeda's plans for "Open Source" Jihad against the Chicago skyline. Now they're back with a new high-gloss publication for radical followers and a new video, encouraging violent attacks on America by one-person jihadists and lone wolf terrorist. Hundreds of people were killed and injured by truck-ramming attacks from terrorist groups in the past decade. The one-man rampages were encouraged by Al Qaeda and ISIS leaders targeting cities worldwide.

FBI investigating 41 cases of eco-sabotage in Washington

Since Jan. 19, 2020, the FBI in Washington state has been investigating at least 41 incidents of eco-sabotage, specifically direct action against railways and rail lines connected to oil production. In one instance on Dec. 22, a train was derailed and caught on fire in Custer, Wash.... For some groups, climate activists were once considered opponents to some Indigenous communities; The Guardian cites GreenPeace opposing the Inuit seal hunt as one example. But now the intersection of environmental protection and Indigenous rights are at the forefront of many activist groups.  

Gun-wielding masked men shoot 10 in New York City attack, speed off on mopeds

A pair of masked men unleashed a fusillade of gunfire on a crowded street in a New York City neighborhood Saturday night, wounding 10 people before getting on mopeds and speeding away, police said. New York Police Department investigators said the episode appeared to be tied to gang violence, but that seven of the shooting victims were innocent bystanders, including a 72-year-old man.

MISC  

Scientists Launch Privately Funded Hunt For Unidentified Space Objects

Nearly 400 years ago, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei published a book that built a case for an alternative view of the Solar System, one that revolved not around Earth but the Sun…

…Hoping for a more open- minded outcome, a group of scientists is borrowing Galileo’s name to marquee a research project as controversial as any pursued by Galileo himself—a systematic survey for evidence of extraterrestrial technological artifacts.

The Galileo Project is intended to build a public database of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). “Our goal is to [have] transparent analysis based on physics as we know it,” Harvard University astrophysicist Avi Loeb said during a July 26 press conference.

“The scientific community needs the determination to systematically, scientifically and transparently look for potential evidence of extraterrestrial technological equipment,” he added in a statement about the project. “The impact of any discovery of extraterrestrial technology on science, our technology and on our entire world view would be enormous.”

The privately funded Galileo Project follows the June 25 release of a Pentagon report to Congress that outlined preliminary analysis of 144 UAP sightings from military and intelligence sources. The report determined that most sightings were likely physical objects, rather than optical or atmospheric illusions. However, the data was not good enough to provide additional details. “That’s quite an unusual admission by the government—the most conservative organization that I know of—saying there are objects in our sky that we don’t fully understand,” said Loeb…

…The Galileo Project plans three research initiatives: obtaining high-resolution, multidetector images of UAPs; scanning for interstellar objects, similar to the 2017 discovery of the cigar-shaped interstellar object Oumuamua (Hawaiian for “scout,”); and searching for potential extraterrestrial satellites around Earth.

 

Officer Down

Border Patrol Agent Marco Antonio Gonzales 

United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection 

United States Border Patrol, U.S. Government 

End of Watch Wednesday, August 5, 2020 

Age 49 

Cause COVID19 

Border Patrol Agent Marco Gonzales died after contracting COVID-19 while on duty at the Brackettsville Station in Brackettsville, Texas. Agent Gonzales was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for 15 years. 

He is survived by his wife, three children, and his parents. Beginning in early 2020, due to the requirements of their job, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the United States contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. 

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.  

Police Training in Washington state.

Between my years in the Army and my time in law enforcement, I have no question of the necessity of training in law enforcement. Initial, continual, realistic, and stressful. When I was a field trainer (and FT supervisor), a goal was to make rookies uncomfortable. Welcome to the job, you will be dealing with people in very bad situations. They don't look like you, sound like you, have different backgrounds and upbringings. Deal with it.

Now I found this article a bit off putting, if you will. I doubt the writer has any experience in law enforcement. 

'71 gets a gun': Graduates of Washington's police training academy unprepared to patrol streets, law enforcement leaders say

          Tami Abdollah, USA TODAY 

There's a tale as old as time in law enforcement: The first day on the beat, new officers are told by training officers to disregard everything they learned in basic training because it has little to do with the realities of policing.

In Washington, that may very well be true.

For at least a decade, the state's law enforcement academy has trained new sheriff's deputies and police officers according to standards largely not based on evidence or research-based best practices, with inconsistent instruction and tests that fail to ensure students have learned what they need to do their jobs. That's based on a 2019 review conducted on behalf of the state agency that runs the academy...

...Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said deputies routinely come out of the four-month academy not knowing how to write reports that will hold up in court, unable to communicate with people, and with little understanding of how to handle someone having a mental health crisis.

We used to say, "70 and a badge!" But no one has ever believed a civilian is put through a 4-6 month academy and is ready on day one to patrol by themselves. I'm sorry Ms. Abdollah, not true. Why do you believe that?

I've been employed with two police agencies, one a major city police department, and the other a smaller constable's office. The police department has its own 6.5 month academy, the constable's office (like many smaller offices) hired graduates of university police training programs, or people with previous law enforcement experience. But both had a field training program, were they were paired with senior officers, taught how to take what they learned in the classroom, and apply it on the streets. 

Sheriff Knezovich, I feel your pain. I take it you have a field training program. Is it failing your agency? Do you need improve it? Fine, get on that mission. Remember, you are in charge, never forget it. 

Poor training, decades in the making

In 2018, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, which runs the state's law enforcement academy and certifies officers, hired North Carolina-based FORCE Concepts Inc. to review and revise its basic training curriculum.

The company, founded by Jon Blum, a former cop and nationally esteemed curriculum developer, discovered serious deficiencies in what recruits were taught.

Some learning objectives contradicted best practices or were too advanced for rookies, like the differences between various types of homicides, Blum said.

Meanwhile, the academy taught key skills such as communication so broadly that it didn't account for people of different races, cultures or ages, or those with mental or sensory impairments....

Basic tenants of the highest level of crime are "too advanced" for rookie cops who will be handling these scenes on the street? You are joking I pray. If a 21 year old man or woman cannot understand the difference between murder, homicide by abuse, manslaughter, excusable homicide, or justifiable homicide, I don't want them on the street with a gun. And the fact someone has to challenge you on this brings your qualifications into question. 

But I think I see the template here:

...Washington is emblematic of the problems with law enforcement training across the U.S, experts said. Because there are no national standards for training at the 18,000 departments in the country, requirements vary widely, said Randy Shrewsberry, executive director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform.

Gregory Gilbertson, a police practices expert based in Washington, has encouraged attorneys suing police departments in the state to consider whether the commission is liable for the officers it trains...

..."The officers are killing people or shooting people or using other levels of force based upon their state training," Gilbertson said. "Well then, surrender your curriculum, surrender your course outlines, your lesson plans, your lecture notes, your PowerPoints."

In other words, the author and the lawyer want a one size fits all approach to training of police over thousands of police agencies, from New York City to Mayberry AZ. I might remind these people anything the feds get involved with gets screwed up (See education, health care, energy, etc). And it's a  know fact the left in this country wants to federalize police agencies in the US. 

That brings up a simple question. Are the feds up to that? Show me Minneapolis MN, I'll show you Ruby Ridge. You bring up any questionable use of force by local agencies, I can show you multiple examples of federal overreach. And lack of accountability. The sniper who shot Ms. Weaver still has not been held to account criminally (although the federal government settled a law suit). I wonder why the usual suspects are not concerned about that? I think we know the answer. 

Christopher Michael Cunningham, Sr.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Florida

End of Watch Wednesday, August 5, 2020

• Age 48
• Tour 22 years
• Badge 7687
• Military Veteran
• CAUSE COVID19
• Incident Date Thursday, July 2, 2020

Lieutenant Chris Cunningham died after contracting COVID-19 as the result of a confirmed exposure while on duty.

Lieutenant Cunningham was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for 22 years. He is survived by his wife, five children, and three grandchildren.

Beginning in early 2020, due to the requirements of their job, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the United States contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. Hundreds of law enforcement officers died from medical complications as a result of contracting the virus while remaining on duty and interacting with the community.

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.  

 

Have Mercy!

 It's been a rough month for music. 

Last week I posted on the passing of Robby Steinhardt of Kansas. Two days ago music got a another kick. 

Dusty Hill, ZZ Top bassist with a legendary beard, dies at 72

Bassist Dusty Hill, left, and guitarist Billy Gibbons perform at a 2008 ZZ Top concert in Bonn, Germany. (Henning Kaiser/DDP/AFP/Getty Images)

Dusty Hill, the bearded, understated bassist who helped make ZZ Top one of the biggest rock acts of the late 1970s and ’80s, anchoring songs including the shuffle boogie “La Grange” and showcasing his singing on the sultry Top 40 hit “Tush,” died July 28 at his home in Houston. He was 72.

Bob Merlis, the band’s publicist, confirmed the death but did not give a cause. ZZ Top was in the middle of a tour when they announced last week that Mr. Hill was “on a short detour back to Texas, to address a hip issue.” They added that the band’s guitar tech, Elwood Francis, would be stepping in for Mr. Hill.

“Per Dusty’s request,” they said, “‘The show must go on!’ ”

Formed in Houston in 1969, ZZ Top was one of rock’s most durable bands, with a lineup that remained the same for more than 50 years. Mr. Hill was joined onstage by lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons, whose boogie-style blues riffs established him as one of his generation’s finest rock guitarists, and drummer Frank Beard, who despite his name was the only band member not to have a foot-long beard that rivaled Rip Van Winkle’s...

A group I was hoping to see live (I am trying of hearing that ), and as down to earth as they get. A local talk show host dedicated his Thursday show to Hill, and one man mentioned how he was in a restaurant when Hill and his agent sat down to eat one table over. The man walked up, introduced himself, and mentioned how he and friends played many ZZ Top songs in their band. Dusty was so happy he asked the man and his wife to join them, and they spent a long lunch (and several beers) just talking. 

Many "artist" of today don't like to speak with their fans. Dusty loved his fans. 

I can't think of a better song to send Dusty Hill up to the Pearly Gates than this. Have Mercy.

Rest easy Dusty, and thank you. Have a great weekend. 

Officer Down

 

 

Deputy Sheriff Claude Winston Guillory
Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana
End of Watch Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Age 63
Tour 32 years
Badge 592
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Deputy Sheriff Claude Guillory died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in a presumed exposure while on duty.

Deputy Guillory had served with the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office for one year and had 32 years of law enforcement service. He had previously served with the Jennings Police Department, Lake Arthur Police Department, and Coushatta Tribal Police Department. He is survived by his wife, two children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

<i>Nemo me impune lacessit</I> 

<i><a href="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/docs/14taps.mp3">Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.</a> </i>

Officer Down, Officer Safety, Police, Police Training 

 

 

Officer Down

 

Chief Probation Officer Leslie Dale Allen Athens-Clarke County Probation Services, Georgia
End of Watch Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Age 62
Tour 40 years
Cause COVID19

Chief Probation Officer Dale Allen died after contracting COVID-19 as the result of an exposure while on duty.

Chief Allen was a U.S. Army veteran where he served as a military police officer. He had served with the Athens-Clarke County Probation Services for 10 years and had previously served with the Clarke County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife, son, and two siblings.

Beginning in early 2020, due to the requirements of their job, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the United States contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. Hundreds of law enforcement officers died from medical complications as a result of contracting the virus while remaining on duty and interacting with the community.

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. 

RIP Bob Moses

This morning I was reading the local leftist rag, the Houston Chronicle, and I caught this article on the passing of a civil rights activist. Back when the “civil rights” movement actually worried about civil rights, not just being a means to support the radical left in this nation. But his method was interesting, I must say:

 

Bob Moses, 1960s civil rights leader who saw math as road to equality, dies at 86

Bespectacled, owlish and bearing a master’s degree in philosophy from Harvard, Mr. Moses was an unlikely front-line activist — much less an obvious candidate to quit his comfortable prep-school teaching job in the Bronx in 1960 and immerse himself in the most violently segregationist precincts of Mississippi.

A janitor’s son raised in New York public housing, he showed precocious talent for academic fields involving logic, especially mathematics and philosophy. He found kinship with Quaker friends in college, and he submerged himself in the writings of Albert Camus, the French-Algerian Nobel laureate whose books explored universal questions of human existence and justice.

As the civil rights movement gained momentum, Mr. Moses felt at a certain intellectual remove. “Words are more powerful than munitions,” his early intellectual lodestar, Camus, once wrote. But a turning point for the 25-year-old Mr. Moses was reading news accounts of the nascent sit-in protests in the South. He studied the newspaper dispatches for weeks, mesmerized and finally ready to engage.

“Before, the Negro in the South had always looked on the defensive, cringing,” he once said. “This time they were taking the initiative. They were kids my age, and I knew this had something to do with my own life.”

Mentored by civil rights veterans Bayard Rustin and Ella Baker, he joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), sidestepped the sit-ins and initiated voter-registration drives instead as a more direct way to gain political power for Black Americans.

He chose rural southwest Mississippi, the most intransigent region of the state, as his target. There, in “freedom schools,” he taught African Americans how to register and pass the stringent voter literacy tests. Often working alone or with one or two SNCC organizers, he was repeatedly threatened by White mobs and law enforcement officials as he accompanied Black people to courthouse registration offices…

In all honestly, I did not know of the man until this article. In full disclosure, I did not know of Medgar Evers until I saw Ghost of Mississippi. Like Evers, Moses of one of countless men and women who protested for civil rights against real segregation and oppression over this nation. But I find his actions after the great civil rights movements very interesting:

 

 … He also spent years as a teacher in Africa with his wife before returning in 1977 after President Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to draft evaders. Mr. Moses soon began building his second enduring legacy, the Algebra Project.

Though less dramatic and harrowing than getting Black voters to the polls in Mississippi, the Algebra Project marked a pivotal shift in his civil rights vision from political to economic equality.

The project has instructed thousands of middle school students in what Mr. Moses called “math literacy” as a crucial steppingstone to college and employment, an often difficult process among underserved students.

Low math achievement among minority students is “the nation’s dirty secret,” he often told educators. He urged them to avoid the tendency to neglect the subject and instead help students escape their “serf-like communities” within high-tech society, just as sharecroppers earlier sought release from the serfdom of the plantation.

“Math literacy,” he said, “is a civil right. Just as Black people in Mississippi saw the vote as a tool to elevate them into the first class politically, math is the tool to elevate the young into the first class economically…”

In my high school years and first college years, I had issues with math. In my second misguided college yute, I did something radical. I applied myself, studied, practiced equations, and guess what? I was making A’s and B’s in calculus, where before I could barley get a C in algebra. Not tooting my own horn, I just wanted to give an example of what happens when you try. 

Well, this shows how low the “civil rights” movement has sunk in recent years:

Profs help push program that claims math is ‘racist’ because it requires a ‘right answer’

An Oregon Department of Education newsletter from February promoted an online course designed to “dismantle” instances of “white supremacy culture in the mathematics classroom.” One example of “white supremacy” highlighted by the course was “the concept of mathematics being purely objective,” an idea which the resource stated is “is unequivocally false.”

The program, known as “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,” describes itself as “an integrated approach to mathematics that centers Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students” that provides “opportunities for ongoing self-reflection as they seek to develop an anti-racist math practice.”

The “feedback advisors” for a portion of the program include William Zahner, who is an associate professor at San Diego State University; Melissa Navarro Martell, who is an assistant professor at San Diego State University, and Elvira Armas, who is the Director of Programs and Partnerships for the Center for Equity for English Learners at Loyola Marymount University in California.

“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms in everyday teacher actions,” the guide states. “Coupled with the beliefs that underlie these actions, they perpetuate educational harm on Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, denying them full access to the world of mathematics…”

This is what is teaching our next generation. A group of racists (speculation, likely white liberals), tenured professor telling minorities they are too stupid to learn math. Back to my comments above, math is an art, and a science. And to conquer its challenges, it needs commitment. Unfortunately, this generation is being indoctrinated into stupidity at our institutions of higher learning

 

I need some more whiskey in my coffee.

 

Mr. Moses, I never met you sir, and until this morning, never knew your name. But thank you for all the work you did to elevate kids who had challenges, helped them overcome, and improve their futures, and their kids futures. God bless, and Rest in Peace sir. You will be missed.

Nothing last forever but the earth and sky…

I've been looking for Kansas's tour dates, yes, they were still touring. Unfortunately, the full band is no longer.

Robby Steinhardt — Whose Group Kansas Notched Hits Like 'Dust In The Wind' — Has Died

TOPEKA, Kan. — Robert E. "Robby" Steinhardt, a violinist and vocalist with the progressive rock band Kansas, has died due to complications from pancreatitis. He was 71.

His wife, Cindy Steinhardt, said he died Saturday at a hospital in Tampa, Florida. She announced on Facebook Monday that he had just recorded his first solo album, and had been looking forward to being back on stage and going on tour.

Steinhardt, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was an original member of the band, teaming up with Topeka West High School graduates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope and with Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. Steinhardt performed with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 to 2006, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

The band sold more than 15 million records and notched up seven top 40 hits, including "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry on Wayward Son…"

The violin is an excruciatingly difficult instrument instrument to learn. I remember my nephew tried it during his high school years, and after one try, my sister told him to practice in the back yard, out of ear shot. 

And Steinhardt was a master of it. I remember listening to this song in my 12th year, and Dust in the Wind is a masterpiece. A haunting background with lyrics that make you contemplate life, and your time there.  

Hopefully Beth and I can see Kansas at some point. But it will be missing a big piece. RIP Robby Steinhardt, gone far too soon. A life well lived, you will be missed.

Here is the classic from Kansas, Dust in the Wind. Have a great weekend. 

Officer Down

 

Police Officer Tracy Allen Gaines
 Rockwall Police Department, Texas 
End of Watch Monday, August 3, 2020
Tour 15 years
Military Veteran
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Saturday, July 11, 2020

Police Officer Tracy Gaines died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty while assigned as the SRO at Rockwall High School.

Officer Gaines was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Rockwall Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Beginning in early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders have died as a result of COVID-19, and continue to do so as the virus spreads across the United States.

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.
 

Roll Me Away!

One of my all time favorite musical artist, Bob Seger, and his classic on getting out. As I'm approaching retirement, I look forward to more time on my Harley, riding out and exploring this great county. One of my bucket list items is to ride in all 50 states, and all 10 provinces in Canada. 

I'll cut this short. Gotta get some work done before I get to real work.

 

 Have a great weekend! 

Happy Independence Day.

I will only have a few hours at home, then back to work. Oh, joy.

In a more serious tone, it is a good day to read the document that led to the founding of the greatest, most exceptional nation on the face of the Earth.

Have a great day and weekend!

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. 

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. 

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. 

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. 

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. 

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. 

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. 

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. 

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. 

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. 

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. 

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. 

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: 

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: 

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: 

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: 

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: 

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: 

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: 

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: 

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. 

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. 

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. 

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. 

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. 

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton

North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock

Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean

New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple

Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott

New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

Independence Day Weekend

Coming into this weekend, I can think of no other song to post on this Friday. Whitney Houston preforming the Star Spangle Banner in 1991. She knocked it out the park!

Have a great long weekend! 

Command. And it’s unpleasant features.

I just finished Volume 2 of Lee’s Lieutenants: A Study in Command by Douglas Freeman. Towards the end, I observed a passage on how General Lee managed to handle the ego of one of his great commanders, JEB Stuart. During the battle of Chancellorsville (May 1963), General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was mistakenly shot by Confederate soldiers and died a week later. General Stuart, the calvary commander, assumed his command and by all accounts handled the mission well. 

And Stuart knew it. A man who did like to be praised; he was somewhat taken aback when his named was not mentioned enough (in his mind) in the official dispatches. I love this section on how General Lee handled his ego bruised calvary commander:

          In answer to some complaint at lock of mention in dispatches, Lee wrote Stuart:

“In the management of the difficult operations at Chancellorsville, which you so promptly undertook and creditably performed, I saw no error to correct, nor has there been a fiting opportunity to commend your conduct. I prefer your acts to speak for themselves, not does your character or reputation require bolstering by out-of-place expression of opinions.” 

That was flattering and reassuring but it also was a tactful caution against vainglory and self-advertising.

Lee's Lieutenant's: A Study in Command, Volume II, page 692

Beautifully put. A great commander must be able to massage the ego of his subordinates, keeping them going even when he must come down on them. A few weeks after this, General Lee had to counsel  General Stuart on his habit of going off by himself. In the movie Gettysburg, General Lee (played surprisingly well by Martin Sheen) brings in JEB Stuart (Joseph Fuqua), and explains how he failed in the beginning of the battle:

“General Robert E. Lee : General Stuart... your mission was to free this army from the enemy cavalry and report any movement by the enemy's main body. That mission was not fulfilled. You left here with no word of your movement or movement of the enemy for several days. Meanwhile, we were engaged here and drawn into battle without adequate knowledge of the enemy's strength or position, without knowledge of the ground. So it is only by God's grace that we did not meet disaster here.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart : General Lee, there were reasons...

General Robert E. Lee : [Lee holds up his hand to silence Stuart]  Perhaps you misunderstood my orders? Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Well, sir... this must be made *very* clear. You, sir, with your cavalry, are the eyes of this army. Without your cavalry, we are made blind. That has already happened once. It must never, *never* happen again.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart : [Stuart stares at the floor, then slowly draws his sword in token of his resignation]  Sir... since I no longer hold the General's...

General Robert E. Lee : [suddenly furious, Lee pounds the table with his fist]  I have *told* you, there is no time for that! There is no time!

[he pauses, takes a deep breath, and calms down again] 

General Robert E. Lee : There is another fight comin' tomorrow, and we need you. We need every man, God knows. You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does.

[he takes Stuart's sword and replaces it in its scabbard] 

General Robert E. Lee : There has been a mistake. It will not happen again; I know your quality. You are one of the finest cavalry officers I have ever known, and your service to this army has been invaluable. Now... let us speak no more of this.

[he turns and slowly walks away, then turns back to Stuart] 

General Robert E. Lee : The matter is concluded. Good night 

Here is the video, better than just the words. But again, a senior commander correcting his subordinate, whom he has not only respect, but affection. A difficult position to be put into, but one any commander must be prepared for. Lee corrected Stuart but left his ego and self-worth intact. Well done sir (Yes, I know it’s from the novel The Killer Angles, but again, well done).

Officer Down

Sergeant Steven Splan
Bloomfield Hills Department of Public Safety, Michigan
End of Watch Sunday, August 2, 2020
Age 46
Tour 15 years
Badge 325
Cause Heart attack

Sergeant Steven Splan suffered a fatal heart attack several hours after cutting and removing a large tree that had fallen onto Bloomfield Hills Parkway east of Woodward Avenue at approximately 12:30 pm.

He returned to the station and was found unresponsive at approximately 11:00 pm.

Sergeant Splan had served with the Bloomfield Hills Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and four children.

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. 

Officer Down

Corrections Officer Daniel G. Oaks
Yakima County Department of Corrections, Washington
End of Watch Saturday, August 1, 2020
Age 58
Tour 15 years
Cause COVID19

Corrections Officer Dan Oaks died after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among staff and inmates at the Yakima County Jail.

Officer Oaks had served with the Yakima County Department of Corrections for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.

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. 

Officer Down

Trooper Caleb Starr
Michigan State Police, Michigan
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 33
Tour 1 year, 10 months
Badge 485
Cause Vehicular assault
Incident Date Friday, July 10, 2020
Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Trooper Caleb Starr succumbed to injuries sustained three weeks earlier when his vehicle was struck head-on by an intoxicated driver in Ionia County.

He was traveling west on Grand River Avenue, in Boston Township, responding to a low-priority call when a vehicle crossed the center line and struck his vehicle. He had to be extricated from the vehicle and flown by helicopter to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, in Grand Rapids, where he remained until succumbing to his injuries.

Trooper Starr served with the Michigan State Police for less than two years. He is survived by his wife, and two children.

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. 

BBC really needs to learn English

A 60 Minutes host (I think Morley Safer, but I stand to be corrected) told students looking into becoming reporters that one thing they should never major in is journalism. He said he could teach you everything you need to know about journalism in a few months, but major in something that will help you in the endeavor (English comes to mind!). Much like I’ve told countless people wanting to become cops, the last thing to get a degree in is criminal justice. The police academy will teach you what is required, why pay for it. Get something that will make you more marketable, if you will. Accounting, computer science, etc. 

Going back to the comment on English, I got an update from the BBC this morning, "Nations back deal to tax multinationals." Here is the article: 

G7: Rich nations back deal to tax multinationals

The G7 group of advanced economies has reached a "historic" deal to make multinational companies pay more tax.

Finance ministers meeting in London agreed to battle tax avoidance by making companies pay more in the countries where they do business.

They also agreed in principle to a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% to avoid countries undercutting each other…

Again, the author of this article mistakes something. The nations did not agree to this, but the governments did. One of the greatest quotes from Ronald Reagan, front his first inaugural speech:

We are a nation that has a government -- not the other way around. 

Yes, the people are the nation, and they didn't agree to this. The government's did. Assuming this makes it through the US Senate (a quaint notion, following the constitution, but go with me), it will then be law, no matter what the nation wants. 

Now here is the real funny part:

…The deal announced on Saturday, between the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan, plus the EU, could see billions of dollars flow to governments to pay off debts incurred during the Covid crisis... 

As I've explained countless times, a politician says we will take a dollar from you, use it to some critical task (e.g. roads, bridges, schools, debt). He then spends five dollars on anything but what he said he 

Another amusing part of the propaganda, excuse me, news article:

"...His German counterpart, Olaf Scholz, said it was "very good news for tax justice and solidarity and bad news for tax havens".

"Companies will no longer be in a position to dodge their tax obligations by booking their profits in lowest-tax countries," he said...  

 In the immortal words of Dr. Evil, "Riiight." If Ireland is no longer the lowest taxed nation, Amazon or Apple will use another low tax nation. They simply will need to pay off the politicians (both parties) on this. I'm recalling the 1990s, when Bubba Clinton jacked up taxes on luxury items like yachts. The rich simply got their yachts from overseas, dodging the taxes. When the GOP took over the congress and repealed that, the revenue increased. Something libtards just don't get (or refuse to acknowledge), that 15% of a buck is a lot more than 50% of nothing. 

Summertime!

 It was a miserable 2020, and 2021 has also been challenging, but at least it’s a move upward. On Tuesday-Wednesday I took my Harley on a 2 day ride near the Texas-Mexico border, and it was great to clear my head. I know I need to take some time off when I’m driving around while off duty, see a moron do something stupid, and I reach over to run his plate.

Well, I don’t see Beth and I on a real vacation for a bit, as we’ve both started new jobs. We are planning on attending the Blue Knights International Convention in Ireland in the summer of 2022, and likely will squeeze a short cruise in between then and now.

But I can’t think of a better song to start the vacation season with. I would love the official video, but it’s blocked (Thanks Bruce! :<( ). Here is a decent live version of Girls in their Summer Cloths. Enjoy. And have a great weekend.

Officer Down

Captain Kevin Trahan
Church Point Police Department, Louisiana
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 59
Tour 26 years
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Friday, June 26, 2020

Captain Kevin Trahan died after contracting COVID-19 during a confirmed exposure at the Church Point Police Department building on June 26th.

Captain Trahan had served in law enforcement for 26 years. He had served with the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office before joining the Church Point Police Department. He is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, two stepdaughters, grandchildren, and two sisters. His wife also serves with the agency.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.

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. 

Officer Down

Sergeant Parnell Guyton
University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department, Alabama
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 47
Tour 16 years
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Friday, March 27, 2020

Sergeant Parnell Guyton died after contracting COVID-19 in a presumed exposure while on duty.

Sergeant Guyton had served with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department for 16 years. He is survived by his wife and son.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.

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. 

Great article on the Arizona audit. One point I’ve found very curious. Democrats have sent around 100 lawyers to stop the audit. If the audit will show nothing wrong, why stop it? Why should the Dems spend a fortune in legal fees to stop an effort that will cost the Republican Party another fortune in legal and other fees.  If there is nothing there, why not, from the Democrats point of view, let the GOP makes fools of themselves in front of the entire nation? 

The wisdom of Ramses (Yul Brynner) come to mind, “Let him speak so men shall know him mad.” If the Democrats truly believe the election was not stolen (But 2016 was), they should be sitting back and enjoying this. 

Audit Fever! Pennsylvania Sends Delegation to Tour the Maricopa County, AZ Audit Site

Elizabeth Vaughn 6/1/2021 5:17 

Reporting from the floor of the Maricopa County, Arizona forensic audit on Tuesday, OANN's Christina Bobb told viewers a delegation from Pennsylvania had arrived on Tuesday and for a tour of the audit on Wednesday.

"They've expressed interest in the Arizona audit and possibly replicating this in Pennsylvania. ... They are getting a behind the scene tour tomorrow. ... They're going to get to hear from the auditors exactly what is happening," Bobb said…