Government

Murder and the truth

A man kills two people and is driving around with their bodies in the bed of a stolen pickup truck that belonged to one of the victims when he is seen by a third man, who he also kills.

The bodies of the two in the bed of the truck were bound with tape on their hands and feet and had suffered several gunshot wounds. The third victim, who apparently was killed because he came upon the crime in progress was shot five times, including a coup de grace to the head.

There is no description of the killer, even though he is named in the article as 23 year old Bryan Rhoden. They also make no guesses as to the motivation of the killer. I wonder why not?

Oh, now I see. News reports describe the shooter as an up-and-coming rapper who goes by the name B Rod, who has more than 18,000 followers on Instagram. Aren’t they ALL up and coming rappers? In this case, he was a drug dealer with a history of violent crimes, including shooting two men during a drug deal in 2016.

That isn’t all- he had a LONG and busy criminal career. He was a one man crime spree.

In May 2020, he was driving a maroon Chevy Silverado when Atlanta police pulled him over for allegedly driving with a cell phone in his hand. Police said they smelled marijuana coming from the car and placed him under arrest. A search of his vehicle revealed 44 individually rolled and packaged marijuana cigarettes and $3,000 in cash. He was cited for distracted driving and possession of marijuana. During that arrest, police learned that Rhoden had a warrant out of East Point and took him into custody. I couldn’t find out what the warrant was for.

In August 2020, Rhoden was arrested in Indiana after a high-speed chase. A state trooper reportedly attempted to pull Rhoden over for speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour when he fled the scene. After a three-mile chase at speeds up to 150 miles per hour, he was arrested and charged with resisting law enforcement, a felony, and two misdemeanor counts of reckless driving. He was released on a $5,000 bond.

In April of 2021, an Uber driver called Atlanta police claiming that Rhoden and his group got into an argument with him so he decided to pull over and kick them out. According to a report, the Uber driver told police that Rhoden threatened him with a gun. Police said Rhoden admitted having a gun but denied using it to threaten the driver. Police couldn’t determine which party was telling the truth, so they let them go their separate ways- even though Rhoden was a convicted felon and should not have had a gun at all.

If this were reversed, and the killer were white with the victims being black, we would already be hearing about how the killer had racist motivations. But a black killer with a long, violent criminal history involving drug dealing and firearms with three white victims? Well, we can’t have people rushing to conclusions. Nope, no idea why he did it.

It gets harder and harder every day not to judge people on the basis of race. How many times do you have to be hit in the face with the facts of crime in this country before you just can’t overlook race any longer?

We are supposed to ignore the fact that blacks commit nearly half of the homicides in the country, despite the fact that only one in eight Americans is black.

We are asked to ignore that murder rates don’t increase with population, but instead increase in proportion to black population. For example:

  • Atlanta has a population of 524K, of which is 51% black, and had 157 murders for a murder rate of 30. If Atlanta were a country, it would have the 12th highest homicide rate in the world.
  • Baltimore has a population of 593K, which is 62% black, and had 335 murders for a murder rate of 56.4. If Baltimore were a country, it would have the highest homicide rate of any country in the world.
  • Dallas has a population of 1.3 million, which is 24% black, and had 200 murders for a murder rate of 15.4.
  • Sacramento has a population of 500K, which is 13 percent black, and had 43 murders for a murder rate of 8.6.
  • San Antonio has a population of 1.5 million, which is 7 percent black, and had 128 murders for a murder rate of 8.5.

While I still believe that we cannot predict the behavior of an individual by looking at demographics, it is undeniable that blacks are more likely to be violent criminals than any other demographic. Convince me otherwise. What other explanation fits the data?

Everyone is so afraid of being labeled a ‘racist’ that they are being forced to ignore what is right in front of them. This is gaslighting at its most potent. A black man walking through the whitest neighborhood in America is supposed to be in danger of a racist attack, but the facts rarely support that. How many white people could walk through a black neighborhood in Los Angeles, Atlanta, or Memphis without being attacked?

You know the truth. Blacks know the truth. Everyone does. To admit the truth is to invite the destruction of your entire life: lose your job, become labeled a racist, become a pariah. THAT is why no one dares speak the truth.

White Americans are the Jews in the attic of today’s America. I have seen this movie before. It always ends in a bloodbath.

By Divemedic, ago

No F15s or nukes needed, just pussy

The US Army is investigating this lieutenant colonel for reportedly creating a series of lies over several years in order to carry out affairs with several women. Scummy enough, but it gets worse.

Lt. Col. Richard Kane Mansir, a civil affairs officer based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, has had “serious, long-term relationships” with at least six other women over the last five years, while still married to his wife of 18 years. That’s a bit worse, you say, but this isn’t even close to the worst part.

He lied about being on deployments, going so far as to fake papers claiming that he was deploying to Afghanistan and that he received the Silver Star. He rented a townhouse for one woman who was pregnant with their child, went on trips with another woman he was engaged to, and even met the womens’ parents. He told them he was divorced, and told them that one of his three children had died. Wow, but wait, there’s more.

He had serious relationships with at least five women in as many years. He apparently targeted subordinates and widows of men who died in combat—women who’d be too embarrassed to say anything about it, or whose careers would be ruined if they did. Oh, so this guy is a complete whoring scumbag.

He eventually got caught, like all such people do, and now has to pay the price for his stupidity.

This is not the sign of a well disciplined military. The “politically unreliable” troops are all being run out of the service while whoremongering, pencil pushing douchebags like this are the only ones who will remain.

Too bad Afghanistan is over. The Army should send this dude to command an isolated firebase staffed with security troops consisting of the buddies of the dead soldiers whose widows this guy was fucking, all armed with a big bag full of frags. Bringing back the time honored tradition of fragging officers would be the only justice to be had here.

Is the title of this post crass? Of course it is. It is still not as crass as a commissioned officer preying on the widows of dead soldiers.

By Divemedic, ago

Rents and inflation

For months I have been posting about how the eviction moratorium is killing landlords. Many landlords are leaving the business, on top of that, there is inflation to deal with. The increased costs, increased risk, increased demand, and falling supply has combined with record inflation to put a lot of pressure on rental prices.

So now Orlando area residential rents are seeing the highest rate increases in history. In the last year, rent in the Orlando market has increased nearly 14%. I know that we have seen increases in our costs: insurance, taxes, lawn maintenance, and other expenses have increased. This means that we will be increasing rent on our properties, I just don’t know by how much yet. The increase will be at least four percent, maybe as much as ten. I will know more in the fall. Our next lease renews right before Thanksgiving, so I will know by mid October.

By Divemedic, ago

There’s a lesson here

The FAA has removed the requirement that forced airlines to allow emotional support animals on aircraft. The people who fly with these animals are saying it is unfair because flying “triggers” them.

They are especially angry because the trade association for major U.S. airlines wrote in a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao that emotional support animals led to an increase in “incidents” that have “ranged from mauling and biting to urinating and defecating.”

“This misbehavior not only threatens the health and safety of our passengers and crew, but also passengers with disabilities traveling with legitimate service animals,” the statement said.

So the airlines claimed that emotional support animals aren’t legitimate, and the people who want to travel with them are angry that they are seen as not having a legitimate disability. I wonder why that is? Could it be all of the websites out there that claim they can give you a letter certifying your emotional disability which will force airlines and landlords to allow your pet without being able to charge you a dime extra?

Read the actual statement from one of those websites:

Did you know that with a signed ESA letter from us you will be allowed to have your animal with you wherever you choose to live*, even if there are restrictions for pets at your complex or rental… and with an ESA letter your monthly “pet” fee can be waived? So stop paying $500-$1000 a year in “pet” fees, or living without your ESA and get an Emotional Support Animal letter for your landlord.

Emotional Support Animals are a scam. Claim to have a fake disability so your pet can fly for free. Unscrupulous medical professionals certify your “disability” over the Internet and now your pet flies free. The system was so absurd that one passenger brought a support turkey onto a plane, and other brought a support pony.

The same scam has moved into the realm of rental property. My sister even used the scam. You get a letter claiming your “disability” and need for an emotional support animal. Your landlord is then required to allow this pet for no extra charge or pet deposit, even if pets are prohibited. If he refuses, he is in violation of the Fair Housing Act and can be sued into bankruptcy.

So landlords respond to this sort of thing pragmatically: raise rents and deposits for everyone. That “free” pet? Nope. Not free. Everyone now pays more for YOUR pet.

By Divemedic, ago

Dems admit: NG is Army, not militia

Adam Smith, the chair of the House Armed Services Committee criticized a move by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to deploy the National Guard to the US border and accept private donations to pay for it. Now here is the money quote:

“This is unbelievably dangerous to think that rich people can start using the U.S. military to advance their objectives, independent of what the commander in chief and the secretary of defense think they ought to be doing,”

For years, the Democrats have been bleating that the Second Amendment is only there to permit the militia to be armed, and claiming that the National Guard is the militia. Is a sitting legislator now saying that a state no longer has the right to a well regulated militia? Or is he claiming that the NG is not the militia?

By Divemedic, ago

Criminal History

The NFAC member who shot the cop? His family wants answers. They claim that he was sitting there minding his own business when a cop harassed him for no reason, and that the critter was just defending himself.

In cases like this, I like to look at the criminal history of those involved, so I took myself to the website of the Volusia county clerk to see if I could find a criminal history for the NFAC member. His name is Othal Wallace, and…

In Volusia county alone, he has a criminal history going back 8 years. I would note that his criminal history certainly goes much further back in history, since the earliest charge I could find for him was in 2013, and is listed as his 8th offense for driving with knowledge that is license is suspended or revoked.

Even so, Volusia county’s court records state that he has 5 felony arrests for aggravated battery with a firearm, domestic violence, being a habitual offender of driving on a suspended license, resisting arrest, and fleeing and eluding police.

He also has 14 misdemeanor arrests. Most of those are for punching women, driving with a suspended license, crashing into other vehicles while driving with a suspended license, running from the cops while driving with a suspended license, and crashing into other vehicles while running from the cops while driving with a suspended license. For many of these charges, he was also arrested because he didn’t bother coming to court to face any of the above charges.

Also, he has at least three different children with two different women (both of whom he has battered).

In short, he is a violent criminal who has no regard for the law, other people, or in fact anyone other than himself. He then blames white people for his situation and standing in life, because systemic racism or something.

He has convictions for domestic violence and for felonies. This makes him a prohibited person. The fact that he is pictured with firearms as a part of the NFAC and that he shot a cop should mean Federal firearms charges, but we all know it won’t. Instead, the FBI is all concentrating on investigating people for non violent crimes like trespassing in the capitol and raiding the wrong house while looking for Nancy Pelosi’s missing laptop.

By Divemedic, ago

FEMA isn’t magic

This post began as a comment over at Miguel’s place and quickly grew large enough to be a post on its own.

Many people see FEMA as some sort of large Federal organization that responds to emergencies. They aren’t. What FEMA is, is a guy with a Rolodex (Remember those? If you don’t, ask your parents, snowflake.) and a checkbook. There isn’t some magical team of Federal Employees sitting around, waiting for “the big one” so they can swoop in and save everyone. That isn’t how it works.

No, this FEMA guy’s phonebook is filled with the contact information of local and state resources that can be called in an emergency. Those resources respond, tracking expenses and man hours used, and the FEMA guy then breaks out the checkbook to reimburse the states involved. The Governor doesn’t call out FEMA for shit. If you want to get technical, FEMA can’t do a thing unless the President tells them to. (Didn’t Trump catch hell for that recently?) FEMA’s largest contribution is writing the check to pay for it all.

After 9/11, the US government came up with the concept of Urban Search and Rescue Teams. They follow a set of guidelines in equipment and training, so that all of them nationwide operate on a similar set of procedures. This makes them interoperable across state lines: a person qualified for one could easily fit into any of the others. A USAR is equipped with everything from power generators to food trailers and rescue equipment. They have medical supplies, fuel, and all other equipment needed to fulfill their mission. Each USAR maintains over 5,000 pieces of equipment and has 140 or so assigned personnel. They can operate independently for 2 weeks, longer with resupply of fuel, food, and other consumables.

While there are some variations in the mission for each team (a team in Florida doesn’t need to be equipped for blizzards, for example) the teams are remarkably similar in training and equipment.

Florida doesn’t need FEMA resources for a building collapse. The state has eight Urban Search and Rescue Teams, all of whom are trained and equipped for that. Each one is centered on a large city, and draws its personnel from surrounding first responders. These first responders volunteer for the team, are sent to special training, and then become qualified for the team. Specialists are trained in HAZMAT, trench rescue, building collapse, confined space, water rescue, dive rescue, high angle, and vehicle and machinery rescue. Every member is certified as an EMT or Paramedic. It takes 2 to 3 years of training to fully qualify for a USAR team, on top of the extra training that they do on a constant basis. Most USAR members are the best of what their employing agencies have to offer. They are the most motivated and able of emergency responders.

Miami Dade is home to Florida’s TF1 (task force 1)
Miami has TF 2.
Tampa has TF 3.
Orlando is the center for TF 4.
Jacksonville has TF 5.
Fort Meyers has TF 6.
Tallahassee has TF 7, and
TF 8 is from Ocala and Gainesville.

Those eight task forces are comprised of about 2,000 of the state’s emergency services personnel. Before I retired, I deployed more than a couple of times with one of those teams. The most notable was to Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina.

Elements from six different USAR teams are in Surfside right now, along with a team from Mexico and another from Israel. They have more people and equipment than they can use right now- last I heard there were over 500 USAR team members there.

The issue is that a building collapse isn’t the type of disaster that is solved by throwing people at it. Even though miracles can happen and the occasional survivor is found days later, a building collapse is likely fatal for nearly everyone. Most of the survivors are found nearly immediately, survivors days later are miracles no matter how many rescuers are present.

The people in that building, with a few exceptions, were dead as soon as that building began to fall. No amount of handwringing is or could have changed that.

To be honest, I loved deployments. Not because deployments meant people were suffering. No, mostly it was because they were a test of all that you had learned. That, and a FEMA deployment usually pays pretty well. I was deployed to Katrina for 12 days and was paid more than $5,000. You want people who bring years of expertise and thousands of hours of training to come save you? You want people willing to live on 3 hours’ sleep a night without bathing while shitting in a bucket and eating old MRE’s for two weeks? It’s gonna cost ya. That kind of expertise and dedication isn’t cheap.

By Divemedic, ago