Left behind at the Temple

A couple of years ago while I was working at the Houston Texas Temple in the Baptistery a large youth group came by to do vicarious ordinance work for their kindred dead. One young man, age 12, was attending the temple for his first time and was a bit embarrassed when, during his turn to do baptisms, he got water up his nose causing his sinus cavities to drain uncontrollably. This was near the end of his group’s visit and when the young man came out of the dressing room he was alarmed, almost in a panic as he looked around and found he was alone in the Baptistery.

He’d concluded that while he’d spent an inordinate amount of time in the dressing room, that perhaps his group had gone on without him, leaving him to find a way home. There was a momentary look of despair which caused me to step up to the challenge.

I explained to him that one time in the distant past another young boy about his same age had accidentally been left behind during a family trip to the temple. I mentioned that it was someone high up in the church that he’d probably heard of; waiting for him to gather his thoughts on who it might have been.

“Was it Thomas Monson”, he asked on his first guess? 

“No, it was someone much higher”, I responded. You could see that my answer puzzled the young man; who would be higher than the President of the Church?

I then explained how Jesus had gone to the temple as a young man and while teaching the elders of Israel his family left him there by accident; but upon going a short distance realized his not being present so they immediately returned to find him with the learned men, expounding great truths with power and authority.

“So you’re in good company, now aren’t you?” The young man thought about what I’d said and the biggest smile came over him, his shoulders squared up and he no longer felt embarrassed for having lost control of his sinuses. An adult member of his group came from the outer foyer looking for him about that time. I wish I’d been able to take the young man down the hall to where the picture of the young Jesus teaching at the temple was hanging on the wall; but that area was restricted so it wasn’t to be.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

Getting Around Constitutionally Protected Rights

This past week many sites, to include The Federalist Papers Project, linked to a video of Congressman Trey Gowdy’s public hearings.  Acting on behalf of the American public he carefully and methodically destroyed Deputy Assistant Secretary Ms. Burriesci, representing the Department of Homeland Security, as government officials attempted to explain the ‘process’ by which American citizens could petition the government to restore rights which had been removed, those who’d been denied their right to own and purchase firearms, these same individuals who’d been placed on the Do Not Fly List.    

Congressman Gowdy wanted to know more about the ‘process’; but what he really wanted was to remind Ms. Burriesci about a different ‘process’, one which was being ignored completely…

Congressman Gowdy thoughtfully explained his use of the word ‘process’ as he originally referred to it, to be more specific, the term is Due Process.  He reminded the witness that our constitution limits government’s ability to infringe on any individual’s God given inalienable rights without Due Process.

For clarification purposes, Ryan Williams’s entry to the 2010 Yale Law Journal defined this term and concept more precisely:

“In United States constitutional law, substantive due process is a principle which allows courts to protect certain rights deemed fundamental from government interference under the authority of the due process clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, which prohibit the federal and state governments, respectively, from depriving any person of "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." That is, substantive due process demarcates the line between acts by persons that courts hold are subject to government regulation or legislation and those acts that courts place beyond the reach of governmental interference. Whether the Fifth and/or Fourteenth Amendments were intended to serve this function continues to be a matter of scholarly as well as judicial discussion and dissent.”

Timothy Sandefur recorded in, The Right to Earn a Living: Economic Freedom and the Law, as published via the Cato Institute in 2010:

“In contrast, substantive due process aims to protect individuals against majoritarian policy enactments that exceed the limits of governmental authority—that is, courts may find that a majority's enactment is not law, and cannot be enforced as such, regardless of how fair the processes of enactment and enforcement actually are.”

In short, there are laws being enforced (far too many) which are outside of restrictions placed on government, restrictions intended to safeguard individual God given rights (or Natural rights) and it is important to remind those in government that they are not above the Constitution and have no such powers.   We are, after all, a nation dependent on the Rule of Law. 

 

Let me insert a partial transcription of Congressman Gowdy’s efforts...

“What process is afforded a United States citizen before that person’s Constitutional right is infringed. That [The President] is fine with doing it with the Second Amendment.

My question is, how about the First? How about we not let them set up a website, or a Google account?

How about we not let them join a church until they petition Government to get off the list? How about not get a lawyer? How about the 6th amendment?

How about you can’t get a lawyer until you petition the government to get off the list? Or my favorite, how about the 8th amendment?

We’re going to subject you to cruel and unusual punishment until you petition the government to get off the list?

Is there another Constitutional right that we treat the same way for American citizens than we do the Second Amendment? Can you think of one?”

“The No-Fly List itself is a violation of Constitutional rights all by itself, but to use that illegal list as a way to snatch other rights away from the people is abhorrent and sets a dangerous precedent for the future.”

When our government tries to get around the Rule of Law as if it were outside of restrictions placed on it by the Constitution, at that time we can say without equivocation that tyranny has replaced our representative form of government.

Dan Riehl wrote an article the day after the San Bernardino premeditated attack in which Muslim Terrorists proudly admitted their association with ISIS and then murdered 14 Americans.  Riehl pointed out that Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, on behalf of the Department of Justice was more concerned about anti-Muslim rhetoric’s effect on those of that faith than on the threat posed to the American public.

“Loretta Lynch, at a press conference yesterday, termed the San Bernardino shootings a “wonderful opportunity” to change the nature of police work: “We’re at the point where these issues have come together really like never before in law enforcement thought and in our nation’s history and it gives us a wonderful opportunity and a wonderful moment to really make significant change.”

The Obama administration continues to use any gun related tragedy as a means to launch additional gun control measures.  They went to extreme measures to cover this event, as with other shootings as if guns walked in and shot all those folks without a Muslim Terrorist holding those guns.

  

Obama has threatened to implement extreme gun control actions via Executive Order, effectively bypassing Congress.  If you put these two thoughts together we have a totalitarian effort (tyranny) to eradicate the 2^nd Amendment; but also destroy freedom of speech as protected by the 1^st Amendment.

So, back to Congressman Gowdy’s questions regarding our government’s attempts to get around the constitution, to get around inalienable God given rights and deny any American their right to own and bear arms, to express their thoughts without fear of government interference or imprisonment… to get around Due Process...

What part of Due Process, more specifically, what part of substantive due process do these department heads not understand?  (Really, you actually consider that a possibility?)   No, under the Obama administration there is a willful and calculated effort to get around the constitution.

David A. Patten, along with almost every other political correspondent, recorded Barrack Hussein Obama’s comments regarding the Constitution back when he was running for the presidency.

“Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama described the U.S. Constitution as having “deep flaws” during a September 2001 Chicago public radio program, adding that the country’s Founding Fathers had “an enormous blind spot” when they wrote it.

Obama also remarked that the Constitution “reflected the fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day.”

Obama’s promise to America has been, and continues to be a great Transformation, to make it what (he thinks) it should be.  His actions support his promise.  

America will no longer be a land of liberty; but instead will become a totalitarian communist state where your constitutional republic, your God given inalienable rights as set down by the Founding Fathers, and without question, Due Process and the Rule of Law will become a faded memory.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

NSA App?

Browsing through Apps available for my Android device was mind boggling to say the least.  It was amazing; literally thousands upon thousands of downloadable Apps, many of them free.  The carpenter’s level caught my attention, not that I have a lot of need for one; but visually the inner kid in me had to have it; best of all it was free.

There was an App that turns your cell phone into a remote listening device, Eavesdropper; however, upon following the link it revealed, “This app is unfortunately no longer available on Google Play.”  Can you imagine being able to turn you cell phone on and listen in to someone else’s conversations or intercept private messaging; my goodness that could become interesting, couldn’t it?

While following related functions there was a site called  NoSuchApp.  I thought it was a play on words, making fun of a government agency so secretive it’s often referred to as No Such Agency (NSA).  According to the information supplied, and details were sketchy at best, the purpose of the App is to run down unknown links that are associated with regularly used Apps.

“The app is not available on Google Play currently but plans have been made to publish it on the site in the future. For now, it is only available directly on this address.  (which takes you to, “Error 404”, in other words, a dead end)

Update: The download is no longer available due to traffic. We have set up a mirror here on Ghacks. Download the file with a tap or click on the following link. Please note that we don't support it in any way and cannot be held responsible for issues that may occur. nsa_app_secon.zip.”

My computer froze up momentarily while checking related links; but for one brief moment it may have hooked up with a government site reserved for high level operatives.  Surely this was all in my wildly imaginative mine as the link warned that individuals accessing this site were required to have Delta 5 Clearance to preview or download this App.  (I do have a vivid imagination so be warned.)

So, the government may or may not have an android device App for field agents which can do remarkable things.  As mentioned, the site was only viewable for a brief few moments.  Did I imagine this or was it real?

Fingerprint Recognition: Scan targeted query, either direct or lifted.  This App automatically searches all known data base files; local, state, federal and Interpol for recognizable matches.  It can also be used to add individuals to the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) or commonly referred to as the Do Not Fly List, effectively avoiding judicial processes which are time consuming and require documentation.  Can they do that? 

Another function of Fingerprint Recognition was to access the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the government list of folks who are prohibited from purchasing or owning firearms.  Again, operatives with the necessary clearance level had the option of automatically adding individuals to the list without going before anyone to provide documentation.  Voiding an individual’s 2nd Amendment rights, the dream of any totalitarian régime.

“Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs – part of the executive branch – simply forwards the names of any veterans it deems incompetent or mentally ill to the FBI. The FBI then includes their names and Social Security numbers in a federal database. If a veteran on the list tries to buy a firearm, he or she will fail the background check. Gun dealers are prohibited from selling them a firearm.”  (fact)

The NSA App had the ability to turn any cell phone into a remote receiver, complete with audio and visual functionality.  The operative would be able to eavesdrop on a selected target without obtaining a warrant from the FISA court.  No need for a wiretap; it’s all done on cell phones which the  federal courts have been deemed to be fair game.

“The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that since customers give up private information to their cell phone companies, which are a 3rd party, this data is public knowledge and not protected under privacy laws.”  (fact)

I was about to read how operatives could select Lethal Drone Target when the link to this site went quiet and my computer locked up.  My guess is the government didn’t expect anyone to casually view the information and certainly had no intention of sharing this with the general public.   There was an article about the executive branch of government obtaining a legal opinion on using drones to take out American citizens.  (image courtesy of Fox News and the Hannity Show)

“The condition that an operational  leader present an ‘imminent’ threat of violent attack against the United States does not require the United States to have clear evidence that a specific attack on U.S. persons and interests will take place in the immediate future,” the memo states.

Read the entire 'white paper' on drone strikes on Americans

Instead, it says,  an “informed, high-level” official of the U.S. government may determine that the targeted American  has been “recently” involved in “activities” posing a threat of a violent attack and “there is  no evidence suggesting that he has renounced or abandoned such activities.” The memo does not define “recently” or “activities.”  (fact)

Maybe my imagination has gotten the better of me and all this is nothing but a bad sci-fi nightmare, a figment of things yet to come.  Then again, maybe our government really does have the ability to select and target individuals they suspect might be a danger; not necessarily to National Security, perhaps a danger only to the current administration and their desire to transform America.  Something to think about.

Before blowing this off as a paranoid delusion you may recall the Obama administration’s decision to list folks who are politically aligned against his attempts to Transform America, to classify them as potential terrorists.  At least one article raises that specific question, Revealed: Obama Administration classified conservative Americans as terrorists. 

“Are Barack Obama's IRS and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) working together to classify and profile conservative Americans as terrorists?

A 2012 study by DHS characterized Americans who are “suspicious of centralized federal authority,” and “reverent of individual liberty” as “extreme right-wing” terrorists.”  (fact)

I look around and think how far we have gone down the road towards totalitarian communism, the destruction of our constitutional republic while ignoring our Creator and those inalienable rights which are bestowed on all; it is then I question how long we can remain the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We have traitors dwelling in our midst and the trail of evidence goes all the way to the White House.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

Hobo Kitty Update November 23, 2015

We’ve been wondering what happened to one of the newer Hobo Kitties, Mr. Nibbles, an orange Tabby.  He hasn’t been around in about 3-4 weeks now.  Hope the best for him; but the odds are he’s in Hobo Kitty Heaven along with some of the other visitors to have stayed in our garage over the years.  He’s either been run over by a passing car somewhere in the neighborhood or picked up by animal control.  Being a Hobo Kitty has these dangers built in; maybe he decided to go live at the Ritz, not likely.

Mr. Nibbles was an Alpha-male in almost every aspect which meant he had to run things, to included running the previous top male cat off; can’t have two leaders of the Hobo Kitty Harem.  Our Thunder Hobo Kitty (pictured above) got beat up too many times so he packed his pack and left for less threatening quarters somewhere nearby.  We’d see him now and again; but Mr. Nibbles ran him off each time.

With Mr. Nibbles gone missing for about a month Thunder figured out he can come by more often, grab a quick meal in the morning and get some much needed strokes from the Humans.  He’s also cousin to Puddin’ Head, Pumpkin’s twin sister, so they get along quite well; nothing to be concerned about since they’ve both been ‘fixed’ a long time ago.

This afternoon we’ve been doing the preliminary house cleaning prior to Thanksgiving.  Lucy is in the kitchen canning a double batch of pork loins to go into our pantry.  I’ve been putting odds and ends away and making it appear as if we have some kind of order in the house.  (good luck with that)

I was able to get the butcher block oak table in the kitchen nook somewhat stable, turning the bolts a bit tighter on the pedestal.  One of the bolts is close to stripped out; but the others were able to snug down enough to stop most of the sway.  We also used some coasters under the foot pads to help level it.   

Lucy will need all the space she can get when the first batch of pork comes out of the pressure canner.  Yes, we actually have a real pressure canner just like the ones Muslim Terrorists used to injure and kill Americans at the Boston Marathon; but we use ours as it was intended, to put up food stores for when times are lean.  (I think that last clicking I heard was the NSA tagging my computer)

Thunder stuck around long enough for us to offer Treats, a trigger word for all our Hobo Kitties.  Dog Dog didn’t want to be left out so he got Kitty Treats as well.  Pumpkin, Puddin’ Head, Thunder, Dog Dog….Pumpkin, Puddin’ Head, Thunder, Dog Dog…until each of them had several Treats and were happy to be enjoying the breeze as it came in past the wind chimes. 

We’re enjoying a cool spell after the front pushed all that rain out the other day, even got down to the mid 30s last night.  Clear blue skies and a light breeze; better enjoy it while it lasts.  This kind of weather makes Thunder’s ebony coat look even more splendid, what a beautiful beast!  Time to get back to work making the house look passable…

God’s Country not Allah’s

I haven’t heard the expression, “This is God’s Country”, in quite some time as folks show gratitude for all that is around them here in the good old U.S.A., land of the free and home of the brave.  “Everywhere around the world, They’re coming to America...”, hard not to picture the Jazz Singer with the crowd getting into it, pride in our nation caught in the moment.  Those who respect our county, which goes without saying includes respect our laws, laws based on God’s eternal principles; fill out the proper forms as they prepare for legal entry either as temporary guests or something more that may includes citizenship.

In the movie Neil Diamond’s character drives home the idea of becoming Americans, the dream of being part of this great nation.

…Everywhere around the world
They’re coming to America
Ev’ry time that flag’s unfurled
They’re coming to America…

{…}

My country ‘tis of thee (today)
Sweet land of liberty (today)
Of thee I sing (today)
Of thee I sing
Today, Today, Today
Today, today, today.....

I love the reference to a patriotic tune written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831, specifically the last stanza where he sums up our strength as being tied to our Creator.

Our fathers’ God to Thee,

Author of liberty,

To Thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright,

With freedom’s holy light,

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God our King.

If a person enters our country in any way which isn’t lawful then it must be assumed that his/her intentions are less than honorable.  We have enough folks living here who’ve rejected God and the principles upon which our nation was founded.  They hate our constitutional republic and individual God given rights protected by it.  Perhaps this explains their willingness to import others who hate America.

What about those fleeing a war zone, migrants seeking safe haven, can’t we make room for them?  Isn’t there a place in our hearts for the sanctity of life?  (For those in favor of abortion; are you ready to go down that particular road?)  Let’s try not to confuse helping those in need with helping those who wish to enslave or kill us simply because we aren’t followers of Islam.

I wasn’t going to mention those on welfare who are draining the treasury dry with each passing day; no, I was going to consider the subject of migrants, thousands upon thousands of folks looking for something better than what they have now.  But…

An article by Brittany M. Hughes quoting Senator Jeff Sessions, (R – Ala), he explained that, 10K Syrian Refugees will cost taxpayers $6.5B; that caught my attention.  We’ll be on the hook for, “…lifetime education, welfare and healthcare costs – all of which are benefits refugees are legally entitled to once they are accepted into the country.”  Why so much? 

Pardon a blunt question; but how the hell did our government ever get so convoluted as to guarantee permanent welfare to anyone, much less refugees, migrants and illegal aliens?  No wonder our national debt has skyrocketed out of control.  With money management tactics like this it’s a wonder we haven’t gone belly up… (According to some we already have gone belly up; just waiting for the toe tag)

“A recent analysis finds that admitting 10,000 refugees to the United States presents a net lifetime cost to taxpayers of $6.5 billion, meaning that under the current plan to admit 85,000 refugees this fiscal year, taxpayers will be on the hook for $55 billion.

For the cost of resettling one refugee in America, we could successfully resettle 12 refugees in the region. Creating safe-zones in Syria and the region is a vastly more effective and compassionate strategy. Such a proposal recently was put forth by former Secretary of Defense Gates and General Petraeus, among others.”

Aside from the cost in Dollars to American taxpayers, do we really want to invite these people into our country?  Are they compatible with our way of life and do they plan to become Americans, be assimilated or will they become a secondary society living off our money; but planning to eventually replace our society?   Why not, as Sen. Sessions alluded to, set aside some portion of the Middle East as a safe haven for folks seeking shelter?

Think about the invasion of illegal aliens from Mexico…and according to La Raza (the Race) that is exactly what is being carried out, an invasion to reclaim what these folks believe is their land, land stolen from them.  

“In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal gringo invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny. ... Aztlan belongs to those who plant the seeds, water the fields, and gather the crops and not to the foreign Europeans. ... We are a bronze people with a bronze culture. Before the world, before all of North America, before all our brothers in the bronze continent, we are a nation, we are a union of free pueblos, we are Aztlan. For La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada.”

That closing two-sentence motto is chilling to everyone who values equal rights for all. It says: “For The Race everything. Outside The Race, nothing.” 

Sure doesn’t sound like these folks want any part of being members of the United States; being assimilated into our society, now does it?  Apply that thought process to Muslim migrants to America.

The goal of Islam is to enslave or kill all who are not of Islam.  That’s a simple fact which makes it difficult for me to open my arms wide and greet these newcomers into our society. 

In a piece attributed to Nonie Darwish; Joys of Muslim Women, we’re warned very specifically:

“(In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in Canada, Australia, the U.S. And Britain To elect the heads of Government by themselves! Rest assured they will do so... You can look at how they have almost taken over several towns in the USA .. Dearborn Mich. is one and there are others....Britain has several cities now with Sharia Law controlled zones, totally controlled by Muslims)

{…}

It is too bad that so many are disillusioned with life and Christianity to accept Muslims as peaceful… Some may be but they have an army that is willing to shed blood in the name of Islam.. The peaceful support the warriors with their finances and own kind of patriotism to their religion.  While Canada, Australia, the U.S.A. and Britain are getting rid of Christianity from all public sites and erasing God from the lives of children the Muslims are planning a great jihad on North America, Australia and Britain.” (emphasis added)

The leadership in Washington tells us we should not consider Islam as a threat; that we need to open our borders for migrants without a serious vetting to keep out invading Muslims, close our eyes and ignore hundreds of years of history associated with these barbarians and pretend they just want to live among us as equals.  Sorry; but that doesn’t wash. 

I have a hard time accepting Washington’s mandate, that … They’re coming to America, Today…like it or not… They're coming to America, Today.  This poorly thought out invitation to folks from the Middle East will not turn out well, not for us, Today… and certainly not for our children and grandchildren.  This is an invasion.

So there you have it.  We’ll either sing, “Our fathers’ God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing”… or our children and grandchildren will be doomed to “Allah Akbar”, life under Sharia law and Muslim tyranny.  

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

Cop Body Camera Policy Can’t Wait

Police departments across the country are being pressured into having officers wear body cameras as a means of making their actions more ‘transparent’.  With the advent of Smart Phone technology the general public has a means of recording events, millions of ‘independent journalists’ available at a moments notice to capture an ongoing event or stage an incident worthy of the Six O’clock News.

Images gathered by Smart Phone cameras have shown police officers…; perhaps this would be a good time to use the word ‘allegedly’…, police officers have allegedly been shown using excessive force, violating an arrested suspect’s rights or using deadly force when such force did not appear justified.   These short videos become instant fodder for a more than willing news media intent on destroying the public’s confidence in their local police department’s ability to uphold the law fairly and without prejudice. 

After a day or two of bombarding the public with the same images, a short ‘trial by media’ followed by a knee jerk reaction from elected and appointed officials finds the offending officer guilty, often times destroying a promising career in law enforcement or even placing the officer’s family in grave danger as death threats surface from the more radical sections of society.

Not that it matters much; but a week or so later more images are made public, images taken by other citizens on their Smart Phones which tend to support the police officer’s explanation of what really happened; not a biased version which only showed what some cop hating malcontent thought would further advance his/her agenda.

That brings us to the so called grassroots movement to have all police officers wear body cameras. 

In an article appearing on the internet at Conservative Tribune:

“In Washington, the Justice Department is publicly telling the local police departments that by adopting body cameras, they will be improving transparency and trust between citizens and officers. However, behind closed doors … it is a completely different story.

 
{…}

Well, the federal government has yet to adopt guidelines on how and when to use such cameras. These rules would be an important factor in determining how any footage obtained could be used in court, released publicly, or stored by law enforcement agencies.”

The Federal government is demanding local police departments implement a wide sweeping program which has yet to be thought out regarding legal issues which would affect the courts, the release of sensitive information publicly, the storage of vast amounts of information and this doesn’t even mention the cost of such programs to taxpayers or municipalities already operating beyond fiscally sound measures.

I’ve no idea how other cities are addressing the issue of police officer body camera policy; but here in Houston they’ve opened a can of worms worth investigating.  

 According to Ray Hunt, President of the Houston Police Officers’ Union (HPOU), in the November issue of Badge & Gun there are several issues, foremost on that list would be that the officers who would be wearing body cameras were not part of the input process when generating policies which would greatly affect their lives on a daily basis.

“As for the body camera policy, the HPOU nor our representative had ANY input in the policy and we have major concerns with several sections of the policy.”

The article goes on to point out the secretive process by which the City of Houston decided which camera vendor company to use, making it clear to members of the Houston Police Department that they could not meet with ANY vendors offering body camera equipment/services or those companies would automatically be deleted from the bidding process.  Then, upon reading the requirements it appeared as if only one company matched those requirements.  The term 'Brother in Law Deal' comes to mind; but isn’t that how big government rewards those who previously showed monetary support during the election process?  (Cronyism?)

“It was clear that the policy was written for a specific camera, even though the Public Safety Committee was advised no selection had been made. The draft policy states that the cameras will protect the constitutional rights of citizens, but mentions nothing about protecting the officers, who our chief has said are the most important part of the organization.

The draft policy requires an officer within seconds of clearing a call to categorize each recording as evidence, non-evidence or traffic stop. We can only imagine the discipline that will come from this when an officer makes a mistake or fails to make a choice. The policy does not provide for officers to immediately view the video from the vehicle and will require officers to drive to the station and get a supervisor to assist in downloading the video.”

Never mind protecting police officer’s rights; these new body camera policies were designed to catch corrupt cops who don’t deserve constitutional protections.  Constitutional protection is reserved for alleged criminals like the ones rotten cops are persecuting needlessly with extreme prejudice.  Did I capture the perspective of those members of our society who have no respect for police? 
 
Sorry, Folks; but from the arm chair of this retired police officer, the implementation of policies which place body cameras on police officers but fail to address legal admission of information obtained by these devices, fail to address internal policies intended to protect the public as well as police officers using these recording devices, fail to address reasonable questions as to how massive amounts of taxpayer money is to be spent while the stench of Cronyism hangs over the procurement process…No, this change in police public relations needs to be addressed before the City can claim it’s acting in Everyone’s best interests.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

A Case of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black?

Reading the headline articles can be interesting and often times difficult to tell if it’s a legitimate item or if someone is pulling your leg.  Take this next item which came via the Associated Press for example; at first I thought it was a spoof piece like you’d find over at The Onion, it’s not…

The opening line of Michael Virtanen’s article reads:  “New York’s attorney general is examining statements by Exxon Mobil and Peabody Energy to determine whether they deceived investors about the causes and impacts of climate change, an official familiar with the investigations said Thursday.”

Where does reality end and fantasy take over when the topic involves Climate Change?  

Exxon Mobil apparently had been mandated to warn investors about financial risks involved due to government regulations which may or may not be adversely affected because of government reports and subsequent regulations on the oil and gas industry.  Even so, the article included the company policy which showed they were at least in partial compliance if not complete subjugation to the powers that be.

“ExxonMobil’s nearly 40-year history of climate research that was conducted publicly in conjunction with the Department of Energy, academics and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.” 

Let’s get this right; wouldn’t want to mislead anyone…The United Nations IPCC report, a report which has been proven to be based on fraudulent data gathered and edited in such a way as to intentionally mislead for the sole purpose of political power and redistribution of wealth on a planetary scale that rivals any con game…that report used by our own government to empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) into implementing Draconian measures which have nearly crippled the energy industry and have, for all intent and purpose declared that it will put the Coal Industry out of business…along with the Department of Energy and paid academics on the dole from the very same administration…these are the trusted folks with all the facts?  (Every now and then a good run on sentence makes more sense than following the rules)

It would seem Exxon Mobil is between a rock and a hard place, pardon the geological pun…  They’ve made efforts to get along with the self appointed ‘high priests’ in charge of the Church of Man Made Global Warming, implemented extreme measures to go along with mandates which were put in place for the sole purpose of putting Exxon Mobil and other oil exploration companies out of business and yet continue to exist and convince investors that the odds of making a return on those investments was/is worth the risk.

So who is being taken for a ride?   If the State of New York wants to investigate deceptive practices, “…to determine whether they deceived *investors (*substitute “the general public”) about the causes and impacts of climate change…”, shouldn’t they be looking at someone other than the oil companies who are only trying to stay in business and turn a profit?  

Don’t take my word for it; recognized scientist and Professor John Christy, who was at one time on the Climate Alarmist Bandwagon, and former lead author of the IPCC wrote:

“Regarding the Hockey Stick of IPCC 2001 evidence now indicates, in my view, that an IPCC Lead Author working with a small cohort of scientists, misrepresented the temperature record of the past 1000 years by (a) promoting his own result as the best estimate, (b) neglecting studies that contradicted his, and (c) amputating another’s result so as to eliminate conflicting data and limit any serious attempt to expose the real uncertainties of these data.”

In lay terms, the IPCC Report is a fabrication, a fraudulent script intended to deceive in order to provide a means of redistributing power and money…in short, a lie!

Lamar Smith wrote in his article, The EPA’s Game of Secret Science, as originally found in the Wall Street Journal on July 30, 2013 and linked via the internet site JunkScience dot Com:

 “As the Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with some of the most costly regulations in history, there needs to be greater transparency about the claimed benefits from these actions. Unfortunately, President Obama and the EPA have been unwilling to reveal to the American people the data they use to justify their multibillion-dollar regulatory agenda.”

“To cite a few examples of where the EPA would like to take the country, the agency is moving forward with strict new limits on ozone that by its own estimates will cost taxpayers $90 billion per year, which would make the regulation the most costly in history. Other examples include a Mercury and Air Toxics Standard for power plants (previously known as “Utility MACT”) that the EPA estimates could cost up to $10 billion a year. Yet more than 99% of the EPA’s health-based justifications for the rule are derived from scientific research that the EPA won’t reveal. Taxpayers are supposed to take on faith that EPA policy is backed by good science.”

But, hey, what’s a few billion dollars among friends?  It’s only the energy industry being destroyed and let’s face it, our ancestors lived comfortably in caves without electricity for a very long time.  

Before the State of New York wastes even more taxpayer money chasing the White Rabbit down that hole perhaps they might refer to an article by the late Alan Caruba,  A History of the Disastrous Global Warming Hoax:

“It is the greatest deception in history and the extent of the damage has yet to be exposed and measured,” says Dr. Tim Ball in his new book, “The Deliberate Corruption of Climate Science”.

{…}

“Several UN conferences set in motion the hoax that is based on the assertion that carbon dioxide (CO2) was causing a dramatic surge in heating the Earth. IPCC reports have continued to spread this lie through their summaries for policy makers that influenced policies that have caused nations worldwide to spend billions to reduce and restrict CO2 emissions. Manmade climate change—called anthropogenic global warming—continues to be the message though mankind plays no role whatever.”

Those Big Bad Oil companies making a profit, all the while killing Mother Earth; polluting the water, the air and endangering our children’s future…shame on them for misleading investors, not telling them our government was trying to put them out of business, that the EPA and the United Nation’s band of thugs would lie in order to bring about a total collapse of capitalism.  

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

To Check or Not to Check

To Check or Not to Check, that is the question... when criminals fill out applications seeking employment with the Federal Government.  Before I go any further, my apologies to William Shakespeare (I have a copy of his voice mail granting permission and can prove it as soon as the State Department retrieves it from Hillary’s email server).  To Check or Not to Check, that is the question when criminals fill out applications for employment with the Federal Government.  Do we really need to know who it is reading sensitive files, conducting Federal business or spending tax dollars?

On Monday, according to a Fox News article, Obama reportedly signed yet another Executive Order, skirting the constitutional process of enacting legislation; this one, “prevents federal agencies from making job-applicants reveal they have a criminal record as part of his overall criminal justice reform effort”.

“The so-called “drop the box” initiative would allow prospective employees not to check a box on some federal applications that acknowledges a criminal record.”

Prospective employees who have been tried, convicted and spent time in prison wouldn’t have that ugly check mark in their file indicating prior misdeeds.  Professional criminals would be working for the Federal Government along side amateurs just learning the ropes making it more difficult for the good citizens of this nation to identify them.

Doesn’t this fly in the face of common sense?  I mean….(in my best Arlo Guthri voice impression), I mean…. (Arlo always asked a second time with even more emphasis), isn’t the purpose of these forms to ascertain basic information that would be helpful in determining the character of individuals upon whom We The People are asked to place our trust?

Someone in the Obama administration just flagged me as a right-wing conservative nut-job and potential domestic terrorist for doubting the sanity of our all knowing and all powerful Divider in Chief.

Okay, I’ve mentioned Obama’s latest Executive Order; but that’s not what I wanted to highlight.  No, Obama wants us to blindly follow, to let known criminals get past the door that normally would be permanently shut so they can obtain employment.  

What about folks who want a brand new Assault Rifle or Semi-Automatic Pistol but don’t want to ‘Check the Box’, the Box indicating they’ve been convicted of a felony and spent time in prison when filling out a Federal background form?

Double Standard Alert! 

By Obama’s thinking, ANY citizen seeking to obtain a weapon is considered a suspected domestic terrorist and requires a complete and thorough background check.  Returning military veterans are subjected to psychological testing intended to deny thousands of them 2^nd Amendment rights as part of their reward for having served.  It’s only a matter of time before psychological tests are mandated for all citizens under Obamacare for the same end result; end private ownership of weapons and destroy the 2^nd Amendment.

If you voice an opinion which runs contrary to Obama the full weight of government can and will be brought to bear.  You will be crushed!  The IRS, EPA, DOE or any number of Federal agencies which you thought were there to serve the public; but which are now used as tools and/or weapons at the disposal of Obama, will be used against you until you are crushed into silence.

John Nolte wrote an article some time back explaining how Obama used agencies of the Federal government during the ‘shut down’ following a vote by Congress that didn’t go the way Obama mandated Congress to vote.  47 times Obama used these agencies to ‘remind’ Congress, and by extension, We The People, that Obama runs this nation and only Obama’s opinion is important.

Maybe Shakespeare had Obama’s latest Executive Order in mind when he penned Hamlet’s ramblings regarding death,  “To be or not to be…” if, by placing a check mark on a Federal employment form indicating former convictions…wait for it….

“… Be all my sins remembered”.

In the slang of today, my ‘bard’.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.