Category Archives: Abuse of Police Powers

Air Forced

It seems that DHS/TSA no longer is ambivalent about private security for airports.

Yup. It’s all about controlling the folks. Er, it’s all about control, folks.

But on Friday, the TSA denied an application by Springfield-Branson Airport in Missouri to privatize its checkpoint workforce, and in a statement, Pistole indicated other applications likewise will be denied.

“I examined the contractor screening program and decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports as I do not see any clear or substantial advantage to do so at this time,” Pistole said.

Yeah. He’s a pistol, all right. High caliber? Nah, not so much.

This Story Is One Sided

And highly suspect, I would say. The banner of the “news source” quite likely says it all.
“Liberation – Newspaper of the Party for Socialism and Liberation at PSLweb.org”

The story’s headline?
LA District Attorney orders Gestapo-style police raid on home of Jeremy Marks
Terror tactics in the police war on video

Somehow, I don’t believe most of it. How about you?

UPDATE: Analog Hole Shredded

UPDATEx2: Well, time to eat some crow. After some more serious troubleshooting, the only remaining thing to try was to power off everything. Computer, satellite box, PVR, flatscreen and AV receiver. Switching back on after 10 full minutes brought everything fully functional again. I apologize to any I have offended, particularly DirecTV and/or Hauppage, the maker of the PVR.
At least I learned something more over the past couple days. Unfortunately, I cannot say for 100% certainty just where (in which electronics) the fault lay at the time – which is the answer I would have preferred to find. Maybe another time.

Since I have calmed down some, I have been troubleshooting as best I can for awhile this evening. I am not yet convinced if there is a hardware fault in either the receiver box component output or the component input to the HD PVR.
At that, I will be calling DirecTV tomorrow to find out if there is anything they can do to troubleshoot the receiver.

Until then, I will hold my tongue and at least apologize for my hasty post.

Frankly, I am more than just peeved about this. I promise I will keep my worst curses where no one can hear them.

For any readers here that are technically aware, the suppliers of HDTV signals have now switched off the component video connections. On Blu-Ray players and, as I found out just recently, DirecTV HD satellite receiver boxes …….

This means they have rendered my legally purchased hardware/software package (Hauppage HD PVR model 1212) useless.
$199 down the drain. Just because they can do it. Just to force us to purchase/lease their equipment. To make us pay subscription fees.

Okay, who do I send the bill to? DirecTV? Who?

Anybody else notice this happen to themselves? Speak up, please.

Gone Too Far

Who knew the EPA could apply retroactive regulations?

How’s that Hope and Change helping you now?

Reasonable vs. Unreasonable

Okay, which is it?

Bill to ban crosshairs – Representative Bob Brady (Democrat) of Pennsylvania told The Caucus he plans to introduce a bill that would ban symbols like that now-infamous campaign crosshair map.

There is such a thing as the First Amendment you know, Bob. Can’t you at least wait awhile before opening your mouth and removing all doubt you don’t know what you are doing?

Reasonable people already know how to “tone down the rhetoric” – it’s the unreasonable people that do the things they do.

Don’t take your frustrations out on the rest of us.

I Don’t Buy It

Obama Eyeing Internet ID for Americans

Since when will this government hold to what it says about our privacy?

Ubiquitous? I don’t think so. More like GPS – it will mark your computer’s location, beyond that of your ISP’s IP address.

Gotcha.

Letter to DOJ

Posted at 1:46 PM ET, 01/ 6/2011
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Lamar Smith issues first DOJ oversight letterBy Jennifer Rubin

“little oversight” – indeed.

You’ll Fly When We Tell You

And not before.

Is that the message you want to get from TSA?

Well, this woman got that message. She is the one that stripped down to her underwear in order to demonstrate that she wasn’t a flight risk. You know, nothing to see here (in the way of tools or anything else to indicate possible terrorism).

Instead, the TSA seems hell bent on making an example of her. Just like that pilot that wanted us to know about possible unresolved security issues.

Hhhmmm. I sense a pattern.

Mayors Against What?

Against Crime? Against Guns? Is one out of two okay?

I’d say – NOT. An interesting little post about the circle of Mayors within the Mayors Against Guns group. Seems they have a bunch of problems of their own. A whole bunch.

And they want to tell those of us that are law abiding citizens that we don’t need to protect ourselves. Really? From who, them or other criminals? Both likely.

Hypocrisy abounds.

Rhode Island Atty Gen = Grinch

The Rhode Island state government, in the person of the Attorney General, who’s behind this program to destroy kids toy guns.

Feel safer now? Feel powerful now that you are manipulating kids, AG?

Can you just wrap yourself in the pathetic lapse of idiocy? Or, you did that already, yes? Yes. Looks like.

Sheesh. For Christmas yet. Tell me, AG, how much of taxpayer money did you waste on this effort to mess up children’s minds?
Come on, the voting taxpayers want to know.