Posts Tagged ‘government’

Why is New Zealand “Hiding” the Mosque Shooting Video?

On Friday there was a mass shooting in New Zealand allegedly carried out by a single person, Brenton Tarrant.

In today’s age of technology, the entire attack was livestreamed on Facebook for the world to witness.  Naturally, the video was downloaded and has been spreading like wildfire across the Internet, including social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

But then something rather strange happened.

Unlike the 9/11 videos of terrorists crashing airliners into the World Trade Center, or the numerous (and extremely graphic) propaganda videos of ISIS carrying out brutal and bloody executions (not being limited to beheadings, shootings, setting people on fire, drowning them, and other various ways of killing a human being), or those similar cartel execution videos, the government of New Zealand was quick to clamp down and classify the mosque shooting video as “objectional content,” thus making it illegal to download and even more illegal to share the video with other people.

A friendly reminder that it’s illegal to download and/or share the mosque shooting video.

And how serious is the government of New Zealand about stopping people from downloading and sharing the shooting video?  Just as this unspecified eighteen-year-old young man who was arrested and actually denied bail for doing just that.  He’s facing at least ten years in jail for sharing the video of the shooter, plus more for his online postings.  How crazy is that?

Telstra (an Australian ISP) censoring the Internet.

Following the government’s rather extreme response to the shooting, it’s been reported that various Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies in New Zealand and Australia have quickly been blacklisting and blocking people from accessing websites that have been reported to have allegedly shared the video at one point in time.  We’re not talking about blocking the page on the site that was reported, but the entire site as a whole.

It’s, you know, to help keep your fragile mind safe and all.  It’s for your own good.  Trust us.  We’d never lie to you.  And don’t you dare try to read Brenton Tarrant’s manifesto.  He’s evil.  Trust us.  We’ll just tell you what you need to know about him.  Trust us.

The big question is, Why is New Zealand being so hardcore about censoring the mosque shooting video and basically stopping people from talking about the incident? Read more…

Facebook, Project LifeLog, Mass Government Spying, and You

Last week we took a look at everybody’s favorite social media website and the fact that absolutely nothing that you do on there is ever truly “private.”

And just now, believe it or not, other articles have come forward informing us that the massive surveillance conducted by Facebook isn’t just contained within Facebook.  It turns out that other apps on your phone and tablet have been transmitting data to Facebook, whether you like it or not.

Now let’s take a look at some of Q’s recent postings and see just how deep that rabbit hole goes concerning the world of Facebook.

Q posting – Facebook & DARPA

Last night Q made a posting comparing DARPA’s Project LifeLog and Facebook.  Like I mentioned in my previous article, the Department of Defense created LifeLog as a way of tracking people’s thoughts, movements and actions, from where they go every day to what books they read, which TV shows they enjoy, etc.  Its purpose was to catalog and monitor EVERYTHING possible relating to average, everyday people.

LifeLog officially ended on February 4, 2004.

Facebook was founded on February 4, 2004.

So why was Project LifeLog cancelled?

Perhaps the question we have to ask ourselves is, was LifeLog really cancelled? Read more…

Living a Frugal Lifestyle and Surviving the Government Shutdown

Right now thousands of government workers are quickly discovering just how difficult it is to be living without receiving a steady paycheck.  The essential workers will be paid when the government re-opens, but for now it’s basically a case of “the paycheck is in the mail.”  It’ll eventually arrive, but nobody knows *when* that will happen.

The timing is even worse for a lot of people because Christmas was just last month, and we all know just how easy it is to keep spending money on gifts, vacations, expensive meals, and other ways to celebrate it.  Now we’re in the middle of January and people are anxious to receive those paychecks to not only pay for their everyday lifestyle, but to also start paying off that holiday debt before being hit by high fees and other penalties.

Thankfully, there are several ways of cutting bills and making your money last as long as possible.  The more you can change your lifestyle, then the more money you can save each month.

— THE BASICS OF SURVIVAL —

When you have to save every penny, you’re essentially fighting for the survival of yourself and your family.  Watch any survival TV show and you’ll quickly learn that you need three basic elements to survive: food, water and shelter.  The human body needs food and water to be properly fueled to give you energy and help fight off diseases and illnesses, and the body needs to be protected from the harsh elements of nature in the forms of a residence as well as clothing. Read more…

2015 Baltimore Riots — Politics, Racism, and Pure Hatred

For almost a week now, news reports have been focused on the city of Baltimore, Maryland.

What began as organized protests against police brutality and the recent death of Freddie Gray turned into a day and night of violent rioting and looting.  Thugs basically had free reign over parts of the city as the police stood by and watched it happened.

So what really happened in Baltimore?

THE ARREST AND DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY

On April 12, 2015, Baltimore police officers encountered Freddie Gray, a known criminal with a long history of being arrested.  It’s not known why the officers stopped or wanted to speak with him.  For whatever reason, Freddie took off running and the police gave chase.  Freddie was captured, placed under arrest, and put into a police wagon for transport to a nearby police precinct.

New video shows arrest of Freddie Gray in Baltimore

Notice in the arrest video that Freddie is not (or just barely) moving his legs.  The officers have to pick him up by the arms and literally carry him into the police wagon.  Was Freddie injured during the capture and arrest, or was he just being uncooperative and refusing to walk into the wagon? Read more…

$15 Minimum Wage Protests

It’s April 15th and you know what that means . . .

No, we’re not talking about how the high tax rates continue to push average Americans to the breaking point.

These days the focus is on the opposite end of the spectrum, towards those people working entry-level jobs and expecting to receive high rates of pay.  We’re talking about the MINIMUM wage.

Protests, protests, protests, and yet more protests.  These have occurred all across the country today.

I don’t know exactly when this trend started, but for the past couple of years now people are walking out of their jobs (the vast majority of these people are hourly workers at fast food restaurants) and DEMANDING the government to simply raise the minimum wage to that of $15 an hour.

That’s right.

These are low-level, hourly workers who are demanding that they receive not just a good wage, but a damn good wage for doing extremely simple work that literally any idiot can do.

All of these businesses are owned by greedy rich people, right?

Why shouldn’t they simply pay their hourly workers more money?  Aren’t all of those business owners being greedy as the hourly people break their backs doing the physical work?  Why can’t they pay the hourly workers a lot more money?

Believe it or not, but those are very real questions that people are asking when they talk about wanting to raise the minimum wage.  Unfortunately, they have no clue about what such a raise in money like that would do, especially a jump that high in wages.

MINIMUM WAGE ≠ LIVING WAGE

First of all, these hourly, entry-level jobs are *not* meant to be full-time jobs.

Unless you’re sixteen years old and have a desire to work your way up through the ranks and be a fast food general manager, that job you take at McDonalds or Burger King is not going to be your job for the rest of your life.  You’re going to work there for a little while, prove you’re a responsible and a good worker, and then you’ll move on to a better job.

That’s how it is supposed to work in a good economy. Read more…

Book Review – Erik Prince’s “Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror”

When the War on Terror was launched in 2001 following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, it wasn’t just the United States’ CIA and military that later invaded Afghanistan and Iraq.

Unknown to many people, there were a number of private companies that also deployed to those war zones to help support the combat troops along with the diplomats and other dignitaries.  While the military primarily carried out the attacks against the enemy, many times it was the private companies who helped transport cargo and provide security for many areas as well as people.

Perhaps the most famous (or infamous according to politicians and the media) private company involved with the War on Terror is Blackwater USA.

According to the media and many politicians, Blackwater’s workers were reckless cowboys, people who used too aggressive of tactics, rode around like maniacs, they overcharged the government for their services, and they were allowed to kill anybody they wanted.

Of course, there’s another side to the story of Blackwater USA and what *really* happened in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Erik Prince — Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror

And that story is told by Erik Prince, the founder and former CEO of Blackwater USA.  His book, Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror, tells a completely different tale of the company, a tale that most people have never heard.  Until now.

Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror begins with a brief biography about Erik Prince.  The books covers his father’s dedication to his business and how that developed into a large and successful company, and how those traits were passed down to Erik Prince.  Prince went on to join the Navy and he succeeded in becoming a Navy SEAL, an elite warrior.

After the SEAL team, Prince left the Navy and created the company Blackwater USA, a company that initially focused on training soldiers, police officers, and other warriors in various combat tactics.  Blackwater saw success after incidents like the Columbine High School massacre and the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole proved that everybody from police officers to soldiers and sailors needed specialized training for newer types of warfare.  The company also saw success by selling custom targets to help riflemen become better shooters and marksmen.

Blackwater saw slow but steady growth during those early years, but it would quickly grow exponentially and make a serious name for itself shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the resulting War on Terror. Read more…

Assassination Of Two NYPD Police Officers In Brooklyn

Earlier today two New York Police Department (NYPD) police officers were ambushed and assassinated during a brutal, execution-style shooting attack in Brooklyn, New York.

The police officers, Wenjian Liu and Refael Ramos, were sitting inside of their patrol car when they were suddenly approached and shot point-blank by Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley, a 28-year-old THUG who also shot his ex-girlfriend earlier today.  She is expected to survive from her attack.  After shooting both of the police officers multiple times, Ismaaiyl Brinsley fled into a nearby subway station as other police officers quickly arrived.  When Ismaaiyl was trapped by the police in the subway station, he took his own life and committed suicide.

The Daily Mail website has an informative article about the murder of the officers as well as NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s reaction.  It’s doubtful if any of our American news agencies will have any detailed articles like that.

So far there hasn’t been a whole lot of information released about Ismaaiyl Brinsley’s motives and the extent of anybody else connected to his murders, but it is believed that the death of Eric Garner and the protests by the public influenced his actions.

How do we know this?

Simple.  Ismaaiyl allegedly posted his intentions earlier today on Instagram.

Ismaaiyl Brinsley’s posting on Instagram hours before he shot and killed two NYPD officers in Brooklyn.

The posting stated, “I’m Putting Wings On Pigs Today.  They Take 1 Of Ours …… Let’s Take 2 of Theirs #ShootThePolice #RIPErivGardner #RIPMikeBrown  This May Be My Final Post  I’m Putting Pigs In A Blanket“.

Shoot the police . . . shoot the police . . .

Why does that sound familiar?

Oh yeah.  Now I remember.  That’s exactly what people were shouting when marching in a recent protest through New York City.

“What do we want?  DEAD COPS!  When do we want it?  NOW!” Read more…

The Death of Eric Garner – Was His Death Caused By Police Brutality?

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner was in Staten Island, New York, when he was questioned by a pair of undercover NYPD officers on suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes.

During the questioning, Garner stated that he was not selling cigarettes, and also that he was tired of being harassed by the police.  He told them that the harassing was going to end today.  When the police moved in to arrest Garner, he resisted and continued claiming his innocence.  At that point Officer Daniel Pantaleo moved behind Garner, wrapped his arms around Garner’s neck and shoulders, and used a submission hold to help subdue the suspect.  Eric Garner was 6’3″ tall and weighed 350 pounds.

As Eric Garner fell to the ground, he continued resisting and more police officers swarmed over him, trying to hold him still so they could handcuff his arms behind his back.  At that point in time Pantaleo had moved his arms, but he still had one of his arms wrapped around Garner’s neck in an alternate submission hold.  He immediately releases this hold when Garner’s free arm is finally cuffed behind his back.  When that happens Garner stated the words, “I can’t breathe.”

The arrest was recorded on video, and it has been posted online for the world to view.

The arrest video of Eric Garner on July 17, 2014.

At 1:20 in the video you can clearly see Officer Pantaleo wrap his arms around Garner’s neck and shoulder.  Garner is then wrestled to the ground.  Ten seconds later at 1:30 you can see that Officer Pantaleo has his left arm wrapped around Garner’s neck in a slightly different hold than the one he used a moment ago.  That second hold is released a few seconds later when Garner is rolled onto his right side and his right arm is finally cuffed behind his back.  While his arm is being cuffed, Eric Garner is on his stomach, officers are holding him against the ground (using their hands and knees to press against his head, chest, and torso).  That’s when he utters the words, “I can’t breathe.”

The ending of the video shows that Eric Garner became unconscious just after being handcuffed.  The final scenes show him lying on his side as officers keep an eye on him while waiting for paramedics. Read more…

No Justice, No Peace Riots and Protests

Last night it was announced that the Grand Jury had decided not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

What promptly followed was a state of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri as the more violent and troublesome of the protesters decided to go into action, destroying private property, looting stores, heavily damaging police cars, firing handguns and other firearms at the police officers, and starting numerous fires.

In short, Ferguson became a war zone, a place where law and order became a piece of ancient history.

It was anarchy.  The rioters had a field day breaking into businesses and stealing whatever they called, all with NO THREAT of being stopped or arrested.

Where was the National Guard during all of that rioting in Ferguson?

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon made a point of mobilizing some of them a few days ago.  He knew what was going to happen should the Grand Jury not indict Officer Wilson.  The writing was clearly on the wall in this case.  It was not going to be a night of quiet protesting.

Why didn’t Governor Nixon send in the National Guard to protect businesses and private property?  According to some sources, the mayor of Ferguson repeatedly asked the governor to send in the troops last night, but those calls for action were denied.  Was it Governor Nixon’s decision to not send in the troops, or did that order come from some place higher like the Department of Justice or even the White House?

Sadly, the story was a dream come true for the media and for the civil rights leaders that had been pushing for just this type of action should the outcome of the Grand Jury go against their wishes.

But that’s just it.  The Grand Jury fully listened to all of the witnesses, examined all of the evidence, and the team of people decided that Officer Wilson would not be brought to trial on ANY of the criminal charges ranging from homicide to manslaughter.  Those people determined that Officer Wilson was acting in self-defense when Michael Brown approached him, refusing to listen to the officer’s instructions to stop in his tracks.

Nearly all of the *witnesses* were proven to be LIARS.  When the evidence was carefully examined, it was determined that Officer Wilson’s account of the incident was the most accurate one.  He was forced to shoot and kill Michael Brown, otherwise it was highly probably that the so-called “gentle giant” was going to viciously attack and possibly kill the police officer.  Remember that Michael Brown had already attacked Officer Wilson while he was still sitting inside of his police car.  There was no telling as to how far Brown was most likely going to take his next attack.

None of that matters to the Ferguson protesters.  They want the blood of Darren Wilson.  Their anger has reached extreme levels, and we saw that action in last night’s riots.

THE TRUTH —- It’s all about RACISM.

We’re talking about black-on-white racism, something very much real but rarely, if ever, discussed by the media, talking heads, and political leaders. Read more…

How Much *Violence* Is Expected In Ferguson, Missouri?

Today it was announced that the Jennings School District in Clayton County Missouri has cancelled classes for Monday and Tuesday of next week.  An article by the St. Louis Online-Dispatch outlines the recent announcement.

No, the schools aren’t being closed because of any inclement weather.

Nor are the schools closing early just to extend the Thanksgiving break, though this is a popular conspiracy theory right now.

Instead, the decision was made the close the schools because it’s *believed* that the Grand Jury is going to finally make its announcement about whether or not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.  And, should Officer Wilson *not* be indicted, then it’s widely speculated that there will be significantly more rioting.  Therefore, because it’s expected that people are going to riot even though technically it has yet to be announced *when* the Grand Jury is going to make its announcement, the Jennings School District is going to play it safe and close the schools for Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Either the school district has received advanced warning of the upcoming Grand Jury’s announcement, complete with the verdict, or the school district is being lazy and cancelling classes to give the teachers a longer break.  It has been widely rumored that the school district was going to be given a warning about 48 hours before the announcement of the decision by the Grand Jury so the parents and students could hunker down in case of rioting.

The announcement of the schools being closed goes along with two other announcements in that area:

1) The partial mobilization of the Missouri National Guard and their deployment to Ferguson in anticipation of the Grand Jury’s decision.

2) The deployment of 100 FBI agents to Ferguson in anticipation of the Grand Jury’s decision.

Considering the closing of the schools, the deployment of the National Guard, and the addition of 100 FBI agents to the town, just how much violence is the government expecting to take place in Ferguson should the Grand Jury *not* indict Officer Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown?

The article by the St. Louis Online-Dispatch mentioned that although the classes were cancelled, the school buildings would still be open to serve meals to children in need.  The classes were cancelled in order to help keep children off the street should there be violent rioting, yet, in a district that has many kids that walk to and from school, the “children in need” are still allowed to walk to and from the schools to receive their free (or heavily discounted, whichever way they do it these days) breakfasts and lunches for Monday and Tuesday.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.  Keep the kids off the streets because there might be rioting and chaos, but still allow them to visit the schools and receive their meals for two days.  Right.

Of course, these kids would be better off staying in school, attending classes, and actually receiving a decent education rather than paying any attention to the psychopaths and anarchists in the streets calling for the death of Officer Wilson.  The DEATH of the police officer?  Really? Read more…

Election Day 2014

Or as I like to call it, another day to avoid being distracted by shiny objects while trying to cast your vote.

Today marks the official day on the calendar when voters are supposed to go to their local polling station and cast their vote for whichever candidates and/or issue(s) are on the ballot.  It’s a symbolic time in which we like to believe that our opinion counts as an American citizen.  It’s a way of having political power with our representative form of government that was established “by the people” so many years ago.

Although one person’s vote makes no difference in the long run, it’s the voting power of the masses that have true control over our country, from your local town to your state to the national level itself.

But what happens when the masses are ignorant and have no real clue about the candidates?  What happens when the voters themselves are more focused on pop culture and social media rather than a candidate’s background or motives?  What happens when your source of information is based on TV commercials and by what your equally ignorant, uninformed, and probably heavily biased “friends” on Facebook and Twitter are saying?

Sadly, that’s been the trend for the past few election cycles, and it’s only growing worse.  When the uneducated / ignorant / clueless show up in masses to vote (thanks in part to today’s asinine system of early voting a month in advance), the end result is trouble.  The product becomes an inverted world, a place where radicals gain political power and those against them are endlessly ridiculed and tormented.  If you want to see true hatred, have an opposing view with a modern liberal, activist and/or feminist.  Been there, done that.

If you’re against President Obama’s radical beliefs then it’s because *you* are a RACIST.  It doesn’t matter whatever facts you have to support your opinion.  If you stand opposite this current president, many, many people believe that you are doing so because you don’t like the color of his skin.

If you’re against gay marriage then it’s because *you* are a HATER.  It doesn’t matter if you have a religious or moral belief and do not want gay people to have the same marriage title as a man and a woman.  According to today’s society, if you’re against gay marriage then it’s because *you* do not want gay people to be happy.  Of course, pedophiles, rapists, fraudsters, embezzlers and robbers just want to be happy, too, but they’re locked away in prison.  Cheaters also want to be happy as well, but when they’re caught their actions tend to destroy relationships.  Apparently not *everybody* is allowed to be “happy” in our society. Read more…

Ebola – The 2014 Dallas, Texas, Outbreak And Spreading Of The Virus

Earlier today it was announced that Amber Joy Vinson became the next American to contract the deadly Ebola virus here in the United States.

You see, Vinson was one of many nurses who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan a couple of weeks ago.  Duncan, as we know, was a carrier of the Ebola virus when he flew from his home in Liberia and ultimately arrived in Dallas, Texas.  He was highly contagious and seriously ill from the virus when he was finally admitted into the hospital.  Although Duncan was administered experimental drugs to try to combat the Ebola virus, he ultimately died from the disease.  His death was announced on October 7, 2014.

A larger part of the news story involving Vinson is that *after* she was part of the team caring for Duncan, and after he died from Ebola, she chose to FLY to Cleveland, Ohio to allegedly visit with family members for a few days.  She flew back to Dallas on October 13th and reported Ebola-like symptoms the following day on October 14th.  Vinson was then isolated in the hospital.  Today, October 15th, it was announced that she does have Ebola.

Amber Vinson flew on Frontier Airlines flight #1143 on Monday, October 14, 2014.  Right now the CDC is scrambling to contact the other 132 people that were on board that flight.  One could only imagine A) How many people had close contact with Amber during her travels, and B) If any of those passengers had connecting flights, potentially spreading the deadly disease around the country that much faster.

Amber was not the only nurse who had cared for Duncan and later been diagnosed with Ebola.  On October 10, 2014, nurse Nina Pham had suspicious Ebola-like symptoms and was placed in isolation.  The following day she was diagnosed with Ebola.

TIMELINE OF EBOLA EVENTS

September 15, 2014 – LIBERIA – Thomas Eric Duncan helped Marthalene Williams take a taxi to a hospital.  She was highly contagious and deathly ill from Ebola.  Marthalene was turned away at the hospital and Duncan helped carry her back into her home.  She died from Ebola shortly later.

September 19, 2014 – LIBERIA – Duncan went to the airport in Monrovia and lied to airport officials about not having been in contact with Ebola.  He was allowed into the airport and to board his flight.  He flew from Liberia to Belgium to Washington Dulles Airport and then his destination of Dallas, Texas.  Duncan stayed at an apartment in Dallas with his fiancée and her five children. Read more…

Washington Redskins and Political Correctness

In a , the U.S. Patent Office ruled that the Washington Redskins NFL team’s nickname is insulting to Native American Indians, and the team’s federal trademarks on the name must be cancelled.

It’s really no surprise that the U.S. Patent Office made the ruling against the NFL team.  There has been momentum in the federal government for the team to change its name.  Yes, it’s the government pushing the team to change its name and not the general public and those fans who pay the fees to sit in the stands for each game.

Why is it such a big deal for the Washington Redskins to change their name?

The truth here is that it’s all about political correctness.  That’s it.

It doesn’t matter that the term “redskin” was frequently used throughout the American Indian Wars when the Indians were also thought of as bloodthirsty savages and fierce warriors.  Back then the redskin term would strike fear into the hearts of their opponents.

Nor does it matter that the team has been using the name Redskins since 1933, a name that has been in place for over eighty years.  The team has had a trademark on the name since 1967.

In addition to that, most polls still show that the vast majority of people want the Washington Redskins to continue using that name.  These are the everyday people who purchase tickets, buy merchandise, and support the sponsors’ products.  These are the people who matter the most. Read more…

Raising Awareness on Facebook and Twitter — Does It Really Accomplish Anything In The End?

On May 7, 2014, First Lady Michelle Obama tweeted a picture of herself holding a sign with the message “#BringBackOurGirls“.

The hash tag was created as a response to the kidnapping of 276 Nigerian school girls on April 14-15, 2014, by the Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram.  Since the kidnapping almost a month ago, 53 of the girls had escaped, but 223 of them were still being held captive.  It’s said that Boko Haram is converting the girls to Islam and preparing to sell them as slaves, a practice that is still alive and well throughout the world.

As news of the massive kidnapping has been spreading, so has the verbal response around the world.  There have been protests in Africa as well as London, England, and Los Angeles, California.  In a situation where timing is critical and urgent military action is needed to kill the terrorists and save the innocent girls, instead we’re seeing people taking to social media sites to spread the message and raise awareness.

First Lady Michelle Obama () – #BringBackOurGirls

In a situation like this, does spreading the #BringBackOurGirls message actually accomplish anything?

The sad truth is that Boko Haram should have been eliminated years ago.  The terrorist organization was founded in 2002, and since that point it’s estimated that they have killed 10,000 people.  The organization has also been using violence to intimidate girls into NOT going to school.

Boko Haram has been growing over the years, and it’s just a matter of time before they link with other terrorist organizations and take their fight to the highly sought after western targets and U.S. interests.  Give them time and resources, and they *will* strike us.

It’s been reported that U.S. forces are helping with the rescue of the kidnapped girls.  Then again, this is also something that should have been handled by the United Nations.  Oh, wait a second.  The United Nations sent Boko Haram a strongly worded message telling them to release the kidnapped school girls.  Yeah, I’m sure that’ll do the trick. /s

These are violent people who will abduct and kill innocent victims, and our First Lady simply holds a sign supporting the kidnapped girls?

That’s it? Read more…

Clayton County’s School Bus Cameras – The WRONG Answer To The Problem of Bad Drivers

Today on the local news channel I saw a story about how Clayton County, Georgia, has become the next county in the greater metro Atlanta area to install cameras on the outside of the school buses to catch drivers who fail to stop during loading and unloading sessions.

The argument is that the cameras will catch the bad drivers, and those drivers will then receive a hefty $300 ticket in the mail.  The fee for being caught a second time rises to $750.

However, there is a SERIOUS FLAW with this method.

Since this method only uses a couple of cameras and not an actual police officer, the ticketing company can only send the ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle that was caught violating the law.  It’s a financial penalty against the vehicle’s owner regardless who was driving at the time.  The vehicle’s owner is the one who is penalized, not necessarily its driver.

This is the same exact flaw with red light cameras and speed cameras on many roads across the country.  Why there hasn’t been a massive uprising against this method of traffic enforcement, I don’t know.  But this is seriously wrong and it needs to end.

Almost two years ago there was a similar news story (and similar article here) when this system of school bus cameras was first being used on school buses in Cobb County, Georgia.  When doing further research, is it really a surprise to see that the same ticketing company, American Traffic Solutions, is now enforcing the traffic laws with the Clayton County school buses?

Nope.  Not in the least.

On the ATS website it clearly states in the F.A.Q. section that it’s only the vehicle’s registered owner who receives the traffic ticket in the mail.

“Local law enforcement authorities review potential violation data forwarded by ATS. The violation data forwarded to law enforcement include violation images and video, a close-up license plate image and vehicle owner registration information. Officers review the violation video and images via ATS’ secure Axsis™ Violation Processing System. The reviewing officer first will approve or reject the violation.  If the officer affirms the violation, he or she will then verify that the license plate matches the vehicle and confirms other vehicle and owner information before authorizing issuance of the citation.”

Did you notice in the first part about how ATS forwards the “. . . violation images and video, a close-up license plate image and vehicle owner registration information“? Read more…

Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Increases To $10.10 By 2017

In a media event yesterday, Connecticut‘s governor Dannel P. Malloy (D) signed a bill into law that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017.

The state already has a minimum wage of $8.70 per hour.  This bill will increase the minimum wage each year by about forty to fifty cents, bringing it up to $10.10 on January 1, 2017.

This makes Connecticut the first state to meet President Barack Obama’s goal of a minimum wage over $10 per hour in all fifty states.

But is this really the way to go with the war on poverty?  Won’t this just further reduce the number of jobs available and drive more businesses out of the state?

It’s a common thought that simply increasing the minimum wage will put more money into workers’ pockets, and give them a better paycheck at the end of the week.  Those greedy business owners have been holding back, giving the workers a “slave wage,” and now it’s time for them to pay up, right?

I mean, why shouldn’t the business owners simply pay their lower workers more money?

The problem is that it does not work this way in reality.

For starters, minimum wage was never be designed to be a living wage as many proponents claim these days.  It was never designed to support families.  Minimum wage jobs are there for you to establish yourself in the workplace and then move up, through hard work and experience, to the better paying jobs.

So what happens when you simply increase the minimum wage in a move to give low-level employees more money? Read more…

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — And The Rest of The Year

Each year on the third Monday of January, the country pauses to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the impact that he had on the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s.

There’s no question that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key and very influential figure during the Civil Rights Movement.  The racial segregation in schools, places of employment, public facilities, and other parts of life was unfair, and something had to be done about it.  Thankfully, somebody like MLK stepped forward and led the country to the ending of segregation through non-violent demonstrations and peaceful protests.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was also a bright and intelligent person, and he had earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948, a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1951, and finally a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1955.  MLK worked as both a pastor and Christian minister until taking a trip to India and then becoming involved in the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 when visiting Memphis, Tennessee.

Here in Atlanta, Georgia, MLK’s home town, we also have The King Center, a memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy and ideas promoted by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Center is a natural gathering point here in Atlanta on MLK Day.  It’s also where you’ll find politicians bending over backwards trying to show how sympathetic they are to black problems and issues.  This happens to be an election year, and we all know how politicians love to make a thousand promises when it comes to “buying” votes.

On this day each year the news media also bends over backwards in their coverage of MLK Day speeches, rallies, and other events.  Sometimes it feels like overload when you factor in all of the attention that this national holiday receives.

Yes, the Civil Rights Movement was a critical part of our country’s history.  Because of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, our country has become better for all citizens.  Both of those acts are responsible from the actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership.

All of this is heavily celebrated on the third Monday in January.  What has been earned should certainly be honored and respected, just like our nation’s independence being celebrated on July 4th.  No problem there.

But what happens throughout the rest of the year?  Are MLK’s lessons reflected upon and followed on the *other* days of the year?  It certainly does not seem like it when you take a look at certain parts of society including: Read more…

Movie Review – Parkland (2013)

Most people are familiar with the basic events that occurred during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy arrived in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.  As his presidential motorcade was going through the city, shots rang out and the president was fatally wounded.  Lee Harvey Oswald was quickly captured and accused as being the assassin.  Two days later Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.

What many people do not know is that both Kennedy and Oswald were taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where a team of doctors tried hard to save both lives.  That’s where the 2013 historical documentary film Parkland comes into play.

Parkland tells the story of the events that happened at Parkland Memorial Hospital.  We watch as the doctors try to save the life of JFK after he’s struck by an assassin’s bullets.  Two days later we see the same doctors try to save Lee Harvey Oswald after he’s shot in the abdomen by Jack Ruby.  In addition to the events at the hospital, Parkland also features Abraham Zapruder and his film that shook the world.  We also see Oswald’s mother and brother, and how they handled the news of Lee’s actions.

Directed by Peter Landesman, Parkland features a variety of actors including Zac Efron as Dr. Charles James “Jim” Carrico, Jackie Earle Haley as Father Oscar Hubert, Marcia Gay Harden as Head Nurse Doris Nelson, Ron Livingston as FBI Special Agent James P. Hosty, Glenn Morshower as Mike Howard, Billy Bob Thornton as Secret Service Special Agent In Charge Forrest Sorrels, and Paul Giamatti as Abraham Zapruder.  Two of the film’s producers are Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton.

Parkland begins on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

Parkland (2013) – (c) Exclusive Media Group

We see the everyday people preparing for their day like normal.  While some people are at work, whether it’s at Parkland Memorial Hospital or the city’s FBI building, others are lining the streets and preparing for President John F. Kennedy’s arrival.  Air Force One lands at Dallas’ Love Field, and the president departs from the plane and enters his limousine for his trip through the city.  Secret Service Special Agent In Charge Forrest Sorrels (Billy Bob Thornton) feels that his men are ready to handle the president’s security. Read more…

Movie Review – JFK (1991)

On November 22, 1963, the world was shocked by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

According to the Warren Commission, it was Lee Harvey Oswald who fired three aimed shots at JFK’s motorcade from the Texas School Book Depository, resulting in the assassination of the president.  But was that the truth?  Did Oswald really pull off the assassination, or was another group responsible for the act?

JFK, a 1991 film by Oliver Stone, takes a look at the assassination of President Kennedy and the possible conspiracy behind it.  The film stars Kevin Costner as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison.  Garrison leads the investigation and tries to find the truth behind JFK’s assassination.  Supporting him is Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw (a.k.a. Clay Bertrand), a New Orleans businessman accused of being involved with the investigation.  Along with them are a variety of stars including Kevin Bacon as Willie O’Keefe, Joe Pesci as David Ferrie, Laurie Metcalf as New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Susie Cox, Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald, Sissy Spacek as Liz Garrison, Jack Lemmon as Jack Martin, Walter Matthau as Senator Russell B. Long, Donald Sutherland as X, Brian Doyle-Murray as Jack Ruby, Wayne Knight as Numa Bertel, and John Candy as Dean Andrews, Jr.  The film’s score is composed by John Williams.

JFK begins with a montage starting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell address along with the actions faced by President John F. Kennedy during his first few years in office, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The montage concludes with President Kennedy’s arrival in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963 and his fateful trip through the city.

JFK (1991) – (c) Warner Bros.

In New Orleans, District Attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) is alerted to the news of President Kennedy’s assassination.  He goes to a restaurant across the street and pays attention to the news along with a bunch of other concerned people.  It’s then announced that Kennedy has died and Vice President Johnson is preparing to assume the presidency.  Most of the people are shocked, but a few patrons celebrate the news of Kennedy’s death, happy that somebody finally ended the life of the so-called Communist and traitor to this country.

Later, news breaks about the capture of Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman) and his connection to the murder of a Dallas police officer.  It’s also implied that Oswald might be the shooter and assassin of President Kennedy. Read more…

Movie Review – Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

Opening in the U.S. this weekend is Olympus Has Fallen, an action thriller that tells a tale of terrorists seizing control of the White House and taking the president hostage.

This is a film that combines the first Die Hard movie with that of Air Force One with some Under Siege on the side.  Bring those together, have a plot straight out of a Vince Flynn thriller (specifically Transfer of Power), and there you go.  This is a pure badass movie that is a fantastic experience on the big screen.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Tears of the Sun, Shooter, etc.), Olympus Has Fallen stars Gerard Butler in the title role as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning.  Aaron Eckhart plays the role as President of the United States Benjamin Asher, and Morgan Freeman is Speaker of the House Alan Trumbull.  Supporting them as Ashley Judd as First Lady Margaret Asher, Rick Yune as terrorist leader Kang Yeonsak, and Angela Bassett as Lynne Jacobs, the head of the Secret Service.

Olympus Has Fallen begins at the Camp David presidential retreat in December of 2010.  Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is in charge of the Presidential Detail.  In addition to being a former Army Ranger tough guy super soldier, Mike Banning has a friendlier side and shares a close relationship with U.S. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and his family, First Lady Margaret Asher (Ashley Judd) and their son, Connor.

Olympus Has Fallen (2013) – (c) FilmDistrict

It’s a snowy night in the mountains as President Asher takes his wife and son with him on yet another campaign trip.  Connor is reluctant to go with his father, but he persuades his dad to at least let him ride in the other car with Mike Banning.  Banning agrees and the president and first lady ride ahead in the presidential limousine.  Suddenly a frozen tree limb falls onto one of the lead Secret Service vehicles and this causes a chain reaction crash on a snow and ice covered bridge.

The presidential limo crashes into the barrier and hangs on the edge, threatening to fall into the icy river.  Agents rush to the aid and Mike Banning manages to cut the president’s seat belt and pull him from the car.  They’re unable to open the door for the first lady, and the agents are too late from pulling her out the other side of the car.  As soon as the president is pulled free the car falls over the edge of the bridge and plummets to the icy river, killing a couple of Secret Service agents along with First Lady Margaret Asher. Read more…