Arrested for bad attitude

I know this is old, but I just saw it. A woman in Indiana is pulled over for speeding. Since she is alone on a dark road, she is afraid for her safety, and does what many safety experts, as well as the Indiana state police, recommend: she engaged her flashers, slows down, and drives to a well lit, public area before stopping. 

“The officer indicated the motorist displayed a defiant attitude.”

So she was arrested because she did not display the appropriate amount of deference to the authoritah of a cop. Officer roid rage approached her car, furious that she did not pull over, and she got mouthy with him, which is not illegal. Instead, he found a way to exact his revenge. This is a classic POP (pissing off police) charge. I have have heard many cops say this:

You might beat the charges, but you won’t beat the ride.


Meaning that they are knowingly abusing their arrest powers to hassle people.

Fortunately, in this woman’s case, the public outcry resulted in charges being dropped. There are many cops who are good people, and you are all being painted with a pretty broad brush lately. Have you wondered why? It is because, as a profession, this sort of behavior has continued for long enough that most people know someone who has been mistreated by a rude, overbearing bully of a cop. For years, this has continued, and now a large percentage of the people don’t trust you.

Clean up your profession, get rid of the power hungry idiots, and maybe people will be more likely to support you.



Gun laws not enforced

Here is a case where a 17 year old and his 14 year old brother were smoking marijuana and drinking vodka after shooting two people in an apparent read rage incident. 

The 17 year old will be charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. There are a host of other charges that I wonder why they were not also charged.
Drug possession
Alcohol possession by a minor
DUI (in Florida, if you are legally intoxicated in a vehicle with the keys in the vehicle with you, you can be charged with DUI)
Possession of a firearm by a minor: The only way that a minor can possess a firearm in Florida is for the purpose of hunting, marksmanship competition, target practice, or if the firearm is being lawfully transported to or from the aforementioned activities.
It is also a felony for any adult to have provided this minor with the firearm.
My theory is this: the real utility in firearms laws is not in reducing crime. The anti gunners don’t care about reducing crime. What they really want to reduce is firearm ownership. Reducing crime is really just an excuse for passing firearms laws. 
The reason that any gun law is not enforced is that the powers that be KNOW that criminals will not obey them, and that is just fine with them, because the crimes committed are just used as an excuse to pass another gun control law. The real target of gun control laws is the law abiding gun owner.

Free money

The video below is a typical Democrat voter. Watch it all the way through. I know it is torture, but if you really want to understand the depth of our problems, you need to watch all of it while remembering that her vote counts the same as yours.

Flying and the TSA

I recently took a trip to Hawaii. I have a lot of thoughts on what I did and saw on this trip, enough to make several posts on the subject. Since the trip involved 7 different flights departing from 5 different airports, I want to begin the series with a discussion of the experience of flying and going through TSA security.

First, the TSA:
Since travelling with a firearm is such a hassle, and since the state of Hawaii does not honor my concealed weapons permit, I was travelling unarmed. I locked my firearms in the safe, and headed out.

Screening is a mess. During the seven different screening processes, I was asked to remove my shoes for 5 of them, my belt for two.

In four cases, I was scanned with the millimeter wave devices. In three of those 4 cases, I also received a pat down. In one case, the machine had them frisk me because of a wadded up receipt in my pocket. Twice, they felt the need to examine my left calf. This is the same calf that required extensive surgery to repair. Perhaps the old scar tissue sets it off, I do not know.

In four of the airports, I was also sniffed by a TSA dog.

In three airports, my luggage (checked and carry on) was x-rayed at least twice.

It went like this:
(Hawaii) Bags are x-rayed upon entry to airport, for so- called “agriculture inspection.”
Have papers examined at ticket counter. Hand checked bags to TSA. They x-ray them and send them through.
Stand in queue that passes by sniffing TSA dog.
Have papers inspected by TSA agent.
Remove shoes, belt, and contents of pockets. Place them with belongings on belt for x-ray exam.
Go through perv scanner.
Get dressed while standing under TSA version of flag.

I actually felt DIRTY and sick to my stomach each time I had to go through this. What happened to the freedom we used to have?

Airlines:
Of my 7 flights, four flights were late. Three had been moved to different gates without notification. Three of them had me sitting next to crying babies.

Flying sucks.

2015 in review

Here is the obligatory year in review post. I don’t mention a lot o personal stuff on here, but this post will be an exception.

This has been a pretty good year.

Professionally:
I began the year working as a part time science teacher. While doing my taxes, I was able to get an exemption from the Obamacare penalty, but it was obvious that I would not be able to do so forever. The penalty is going to be quite a bit more expensive for 2015, and buying insurance is also too expensive. I needed to get a job that offers health care benefits.For reasons that I am not yet at liberty to discuss, I could not return to my old career as a paramedic, so my only other option was to go full time as a teacher. So I now teach Biology and Chemistry at the High School level.

Personal:
In November, I became engaged to my girlfriend of the past two years. We are getting married next fall.

Financially:
There is a post to follow in this, but the bank finally managed to foreclose on the house from my bankruptcy six years ago. I am glad to finally be rid of that albatross.

This was a good year for travel.

This year, I took road trip to New Orleans in March, and one to Canada, Maine, and many places in between in July. In June, we  flew to Puerto Rico and took a seven day cruise to Aruba, St Martin, St Kitts, and St Thomas.
In November, we took two cruises: the first being a two day trip to the Bahamas, and the second was a seven day cruise to St Thomas, St Martin, and the Bahamas. We were on the French Side of St Martin when the Paris attacks occurred.
For Christmas, we decided to take a trip to Hawaii. We left on December 18th right after work. We arrived in Oahu the next day. We flew home on the 29th, and arrived home on the 30th. There are a few posts on that coming up.

All in all, this was a pretty good year. I look forward to what 2016 brings.