Tag Archives: security

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Pretty Little Snowflake

Canadian snowflakes are flakier than Americans snowflakes.  I can prove it.

It all began on a warm, sunny, Southern-Ontario, summer day.  One, of Canada’s answers to American First-Amendment auditors, put on a floppy hat, a large pair of dark sunglasses, pulled his Covid mask up over his nose, grabbed his expensive electronic recording equipment, and went to a nearby plaza.  There, he stood outside, on the public sidewalk, and recorded cars going through a Tim Horton’s coffee-shop drive-thru lane.

The 18-year-old, female drive-thru server was just terrified by this apparition.  She did not contact plaza management.  She did not notify plaza security.  She did not voice her concerns to her own manager.  She just called 911.  Two police officers soon arrived.  They had a quick look.  They asked a couple of questions.  They shook the cammer’s hand, and went into the coffee shop to assure staff and patrons that there was no danger, and that everything was legal, and left.

But they didn’t make the big, bad man go away, so she did what every Entitled Princess-In-Training would do – she called her Mommy and Daddy.  They arrived, and confronted the photographer.  Mrs. Entitled immediately went into full harpy mode – screaming, yelling, demanding, ordering, insulting, and ending by, live and online, accusing the cameraman of being a pervert and a pedophile.

When the cammer stood his ground, Mr. Entitled aggressively pushed him in the chest three times, the last one almost driving him into the path of a car exiting the plaza.  He then violently swatted the recording equipment away, breaking the support frame, and smashing the camera against a passing car.  THEN THEY CALLED THE POLICE.

The cammer was able to show the responding officer video footage from a body-camera, and was close enough to record the Entitleds’ report.  Mr. Entitled was quiet, but his wife was still in full rant mode.
He’s a pervert, and a pedophile, recording a minor!
The daughter you just told me was 18??
Well, he made death threats!
Do you have any recorded proof of that, or corroborating witness?
No, but just look at him.

They were just astounded at what their little snit earned them.  Mrs. Entitled was charged with improper use of an emergency system, filing a false police report, public mischief, and a civil charge with litigation, for defamation of character and malicious libel.

Daddy Dearest got four separate charges of felonious assault, one of reckless endangerment, two of destruction of property, and two civil suits for repair/replacement of the destroyed video camera, and the unfortunate, innocent, passerby-driver’s car.  This pampered little nut didn’t fall far from the dotty doting parent trees.

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Give ‘Em Liberty Or Give ‘Em Hale

For a country founded on freedom, a disturbing number of Americans are now willing – anxious – to give it up, especially if it is someone else’s.  Far too many police officers don’t want to enforce the law.  They want peace and quiet…. and control.

One of America’s best First Amendment Auditors invited his friend, a fellow military veteran, to set his cell phone on ‘record,’ and join him for an audit.  They went to a nearby DEA building, parked in the rear “Public” parking lot, climbed out of the car, unlimbered their lenses, and began walking toward the building.

They hadn’t got 50 feet before a large, strong, young, Junior G-Man spilled out of his Jeep, rapidly strode toward them and, without saying a word – without asking a question – without giving a command, he shot his right hand forward, like a punch, grabbed the friend’s cell phone, driving it into his nose and forehead and causing pain and a slight injury, snatched it from his hands and walked away with it.  That is aggravated assault, common battery, and theft of property

Local police were called.  One officer went to get the cop’s story, another came to speak to the injured auditor.  This was not to be a sympathetic victim interview.  It was an arrogant, antagonistic, blame-the-victim, cover the cops’ asses,’ assault.  That was clear from the first question.
Why did you come here this morning to record this building?
Did you say anything to the officer?
Did you stick your camera in his face?
Were you blocking the sidewalk?

In reverse order, the answers were:
We were not blocking any walkway.  A polite ‘Excuse me.’ would have caused us to move out of the way.
The injury clearly shows that it was my face that the camera was in.
His rapid, immediate attack gave no time to say anything.

The answers to the first question were;
Because I can
Because I want to
Because it’s perfectly legal to do so
Because it’s a hobby
Because it’s a source of taxable income
Because it’s educational
It’s none of your damned business and, like the other three answers, is not justification for assault and theft.
Because it’s a constitutionally protected activity – and –
Because, in 2018, the Department of Homeland Security issued a memo which all public officials are supposed to read and heed.  It plainly states that, with the exception of clearly-marked security areas, the public is free to record all government property, real estate and equipment, as well as all government officials in the course of their duties.  Simply recording cannot be made into a crime.

The bias in the first question shows in its improper construction.  They did not go there that morning TO RECORD THE DEA BUILDING.  They went there to observe and record and disseminate the actions and reactions of supposedly knowledgeable and trained police personnel, to an uncommon, but unthreatening and legal occurrence.  The results were distressing!

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’25 A To Z Challenge – H

I have never let the cat out of the bag.  I have never bought (or sold) a pig in a poke – because I have never owned a

HAVERSACK

A haversack is a one-strap backpack.  The single strap can be draped over one shoulder, or looped over the head for greater security.  It is also known as a ditty bag, where I keep sheets of paper with all the lyrics to the songs I like, so that I don’t start belting out mondegreens, – Excuse me while I kiss this guy – and also a musette bag, where I keep all my little Muses, until they traipse away, leaving me with no inspiration, and a dry, dreary blogpost like this.

It came from the Old German word, havre + sack.  That meant just what it looked like it meant, if you remove the letter R – have, only with the subtle definition distinction of not being a sack that you have, but a sack that existed to have something in.

The French took the “contained and safe” meaning, and turned the word into a haven, like the seaport Le Havre.  I’m going to have to buckle down, and start to compose something for the letter I – besides Idiot, and Imbecile.

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Fibbing Friday #269

Once again it was thanks to Pensitivity101’s newsletter for last week’s questions. They were simply too tempting not to share!

1] Which country has the largest number of Spanish speakers?

That changes day by day.  Sometimes it’s the United States.  Then Trump tosses a couple of million back over the wall, into Mexico – or Honduras – or Venezuela, just not cheap groundskeepers at Mar-A-Lago.

2] Name the first computer virus

Well, I’d like to call it Eugene, but I thought it already had a name.

3] Name the highest paid athlete in 2023

The basketball player who gets his weed from the same guy as Snoop Dogg

4] What is the longest running Broadway musical?

It’s a bureaucratic farce, titled, On Hold With The DMV.

5] How many eyes does a Bee have?

The same as the number of security cameras on a Tesla – but she still winds up splatted on the windshield

6] What number of US states have two words?

Pretty much every State motto has at least two words.

Maine – Rugged individualists – just like everybody else
Florida – Hurricanes?  Again??!
Kansas – It’s flat!
California – We’re burning
Texas – Yee-Haw
Oregon – Growing mould gracefully
Illinois – Remember the Capone
Iowa – 1962 Forever
New Mexico – Another brick in Trump’s wall
Idaho – America’s French fry capital

Why does the Miss Black Teen beauty contest only have 49 entrants??
Because no Black chick wants to wear a sash that says – IDAHO

7] Which ‘Popeye’ actor died in 2025?

The little guy who played the can of spinach.  He passed away before achieving his goal to star as a bowl of guacamole.

8] At the Oscars in 2025, which film won the best picture award?

It was the one where the studio’s PR flack spent the most money and ass-kissing, to persuade the majority of the Academy voters that it was the most Woke and inclusive movie.  I can’t remember the title, but I think it started with LGBTQ.

9] Who is the author of ‘James’ published in 2024?

Some lady writer named Joyce Ulysses

10] The inventor of the telephone was born on the 3rd of March, in which year?

He was Scottish, so I think that it was probably in the Year of the Ram, don’t ewe?

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Google One Liners

I Googled “Missing Mediaeval servant”….
…. It came back, “Page not found.”

My date said, “I’m looking for someone who is kind and intelligent”….
….Oops, I thought you said kinda intelligent.

Proud to announce that my goal of becoming a criminal lawyer is half complete….
….Just working on the lawyer part now.

The doctor told me that I have hypochondria….
….I replied, “That too?”

The wife reached another culinary milestone today….
….by setting off the neighbors’ smoke alarm.

I hate people who take drugs….
….For example, airport security.

Taco Bell is selling fries….
….Burger King is selling tacos….
….KFC is putting Cheetos on chicken sandwiches….
….I knew we shouldn’t legalize marijuana.

Both the Bible and the Quran tell us to love one another….
….The Kama Sutra is a little more specific.

On the Internet, you can be anything you want….
….It’s strange that so many people choose to be stupid.

Unlike the brain….
….the stomach alerts you when it’s empty.

My therapist says I have trouble expressing emotion….
….I can’t say I’m surprised.

A lot of people were confused at the opening….
….of my ribbon repair company.

Trump is nothing like Hitler….
….No way could he write a book.

I don’t have arthritis….
….I have early-onset rigor mortis.

The four seasons are all different….
….Summer warmer than others.

The difference between coffee and your opinion….
….I asked for coffee.

I tried cooking with wine last night….
….After five glasses I forgot why I was in the kitchen.

There are two kinds of people in the world….
….I try to avoid them.

In the ‘60s, people took acid to make the world weird….
….Today the world is weird, and people take Prozac to make it normal.

I may not be much to look at, but I fuck like….
….the government.

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Bad Luck Fibbing Friday

Here are Pensitivity101’s questions (pantos and songs, but you may have other ideas!) from last week.

1.   Who saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus?

With all the CCTV security cameras these days, pretty much anyone who can access the internet.

2.   All I want for Christmas is ……………….. ???????

A renewal on my Viagra.  That shouldn’t be too hard.

3.   Rockin’ around the ………………………….???????

Retirement home

4.    How did Buttons get his name?

What else ya gonna call a Billy goat??!

5.I wish it could be ……………………………???????

OVER!!  New bride says to husband, “You liked beans on Monday.  You liked beans on Tuesday.  You like beans on Wednesday.  You liked beans on Thursday.  Now, suddenly on Friday, you don’t like beans.”
Christmas was fun the first few dozen times, but now, as I dodder past 80, the repetition, and the increased commercialism, just ain’t fun anymore.  How many different versions of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer must I listen to??!  😕  😮

6.    Last Christmas, I gave you……………….???????

An STD that I claimed I got from a public toilet seat

7.    Who was the eighth dwarf?

BDSM dwarf, Leather

8.   Why was Rudolph’s nose red?

Canadian whiskey made from maple syrup.

9.   Why didn’t Cinderella’s glass slipper crack?

It was made by the same firm that built her Smartphone, and had a Gorilla-Glass coating on it.

10.  Who was the Frog Prince?

Pierre Poilievre (A joke only Canadians get – whether we want him or not)

 

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Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death

Those who give up freedoms for security, will receive neither.

Police do not want to enforce the laws.  They want peace and quiet.

Sadly, so do too many citizens, at the expense of their, and others’, guaranteed rights and freedoms.  I hear apologies and excuses like, “Somebody nosing around the back of a police station could be setting a bomb, sabotaging vehicles, or planning an ambush shooting. People pushing their rights should think about how they look to those they are pushing against.”

All of that is true.  HOWEVER….  Anticipating that police are often required to make difficult decisions quickly, cool-minded, forward-thinking planners have established a whole directory of rules and regulations, tactics, plans, procedures, policies and protocols, strategies, statutes, and laws that should be followed in any problematic situation.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that ‘suspicion’ is not a crime, and that investigation must be carried out before slapping handcuffs on someone and hot-boxing them in the back of a cruiser.  Police are not allowed to definitely break the law, just because a citizen might be doing something illegal.

A well-known Florida auditor travelled to a small Georgia city, also well-known for mistreating homeless, panhandlers, transients…. and auditors.  He stood right outside the city hall, with a large cardboard sign that read “FUCK City Hall.”  Immediately, the mayor and three police officers appeared.  At first, they tried to claim that he was ‘soliciting’ (panhandling – which the US Supreme Court has ruled is an appeal for social assistance, and protected First Amendment speech) but he quickly rebutted that, and claimed freedom of speech.

They were obviously more enraged at this act of rebellion, than the content of the sign, but made a big deal about it, claiming that the word ‘FUCK’ was an obscenity that the city had a bylaw against.  He informed them that, again, it was protected free speech.

Several times they demanded and ordered him to leave.  Several times he demurred, citing the Constitutional right to redress of social grievances on the steps of city hall.  The attacks grew sharper and stronger.  Finally, he said,  “What are you gonna do, if I don’t leave?”  “You will be arrested and charged.”  “I don’t want to be arrested, because then I would have to sue you for violating my Constitutional rights.”  “Go ahead and sue, smart guy!  I don’t give a shit about your Constitutional rights!” – an attitude mirrored by far too many police officers.

“Okay, under threat of arrest, I will leave.”  “Too late!  If you wanna play the game, you have to pay the price.  You’re under arrest.”  The actual, final outcome of this altercation was probably strongly influenced by the handsy female Negro cop, who was clearly seen and heard on camera to say, “If we can’t do it the right way, we’ll do it our way.”  A year later, the Georgia Supreme Court ordered that all records of his arrest and charges had to be expunged.  The unlawful panhandling and obscenity bylaws had to be rescinded.  The mayor had to issue an official, printed apology, and ensure that a digital copy was posted on the city’s website, and an unspecified amount of punitive damages had to be paid.

King James (Yeah, That King James – the one with the Bible) once said, “It is better that a thousand innocents be tortured to death, than that one witch be allowed to live.”  It is disheartening that the actions and attitudes of petty tyrants have not improved appreciably in four hundred years.  😮

Original post here

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Stop That

I regard the preservation of my constitutional rights to be far more important than someone else’s vague, undefined “upset.”

I occasionally watch YouTube videos posted by Civil Rights Auditors.  These are people who try to ensure honesty and transparency in interactions between civilians and all levels of Government, by recording and posting videos of politicians, civil servants, and police.

There is something about the presence of a video camera that drives some people crazy.  You can wander up to, or into, city halls, DMV offices, even police stations, wander around, staring at stuff, and no-one questions your presence.  Bring along a camcorder, or set your cell phone to record, and all Hell breaks loose.

In a recent video, a young man with a camera walked behind a police station, and wandered around the parking area.  Almost immediately, three young, white, male officers coalesced out of the ether – and the harassment, intimidation, and lies began.

What are you doing here?

Performing a Constitutionally-protected activity.

You can’t be here. You can’t record our vehicles!

The First Amendment says I can.

You’re trespassing!

I can’t be trespassed from public property unless I’ve committed a crime.

You’re acting suspicious!

The US Supreme Court has ruled that “suspicion” is not a crime.

This is private property!

This is County property, and obviously public.

This is a secure facility!

No fence, no gate, no signs.

Finally, it came – Give us your ID!

I don’t have to provide identification unless I’ve been lawfully detained.  Please give a reasonable, articulable suspicion of a specific crime.

The debate raged for about ten minutes, until an older Captain was called out, and reluctantly admitted that all the claims and demands were false.  As the cammer was exiting the parking lot, he was passed by another officer in a cruiser.  He yelled at the officer, “You’re not wearing a seatbelt.  Obey the law!  Put on your seatbelt.”

I know what he was doing, and why, and I commend him for it.  He was trying to ensure that Police Officers obey the same laws that the rest of us have to obey.

Here is where I insert my usual –HOWEVER!

Almost every jurisdiction I am aware of – US States, Canadian Provinces – have ‘exception clauses’ in their seatbelt legislation, to cover certain class(es) of vehicles.  “Any vehicle where there is a requirement for rapid and/or repetitive exits.  The list shall include, but not be limited to: garbage trucks, fire trucks, police, ambulances, taxis, delivery vehicles, and public transit.

No subway riders, or bus riders, wear seatbelts, although the bus drivers usually, wisely, do.  For no obvious reason, about a year ago, there was a local, public kerfuffle.  If we have to wear seatbelts in our cars, shouldn’t children wear seatbelts in their school buses? Shouldn’t our kids be safe??  It finally died away, after an automotive engineer published an article.

School buses are designed and built with what engineers call “Egg Crating.”  The backs of the seats are high enough, strong enough, and flexible enough, to control and dissipate forward momentum.  They also slope backward, to further absorb and deflect the energy of ejected students, downward.  In the event of a real emergency, like a fire after a collision, there is not enough time or space to unlatch or cut off seatbelts from 30 panicked youngsters.

I’m gonna stop here for now, and go have a belt.  See you in a couple of days.

 

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To Put It Another Way III

 

Another (hopefully humorous), headshaking report about the havoc that some folks wreak upon the poor English language.  One blogger tried to justify using ‘affect’, instead of ’effect,’ “because I’m a bad speller.”  ‘Neice’ instead of ‘niece’ is bad spelling.  Many of the following examples are the wrong words – the wrong meanings!   Some of them aren’t really words at all.  Hang on, here we go.   😮

Pros

He inhaled the oleo of aromas – Olio, olio – oxen free

The most reknown of all battle cries – It was well-known that the word was renowned.

A beam of light shown from the open door – It’s been shown that it shone.

The Panzer tanks were arranged in a leaguer around the camp – I’ll bet a lager it was a laager.

Coyotes develop an infinity for beer and motorsports – and an affinity for misusage.

With the advent of chemical dies – I would die if I didn’t spell it dyes.

What a thoroughly incite full commentary – full of something – just not insight

Security guard gets paper sprayed – I take that with a grain of salt

Amateurs

Clear ants sale – I’m glad we got rid of them.

Out of hot chocolate.  Sorry for the innocence – But you’re guilty of no hot chocolate.

The pickup had the right away – Right away, look up right of way.

You are stupid and a literate – takes one to know one

I read his a bitch you worried in the paper – I almost died too.

Don’t let the past make you’re dicisions four today – That home-school decision sucks

She ordered chicken sees her salad – and I almost had a seizure, laughing.

He was in otter shock – If he was a cow, he’d be in udder shock.

If you eat peanut butter, you go into intergalactic shock. – I know I’m shocked!

That joke was a Larry us – but not as hilarious as that phrase

Is that toe food? – No, that’s tofu.

I was sick, and coughing up flame – because the cold was dragon on.

I’m an avoid reader – I can see that you avoid reading.

I’ll snatch you ball-headed – If you pull out all my hair, I’ll be bald-headed.

I tolled him about his mistake – did you toll him about yours?

Bicycle for seal – my seal prefers a scooter

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Where Angels Fear To Tread

More like Angels With Dirty Faces.  What the TSA don’t know about what happens on the highways, can’t hurt me.  We haven’t been anywhere since our visit to BrainRants, five years ago, long before COVID.  We paid off our mortgage.  We paid off our car.  We beat our credit card balance down to a reasonable amount.  I felt that we deserved a treat, so I ensured that the air pressure in our passports was up, and started to plan and plot

Even earlier than our BrainRants trip, we had managed to visit John Erickson and his wife for a mere two hours.  As a penance for using my blog-site to prove that his wit was faster than mine, (Mine is tied to a calendar, while his springs off a stopwatch.) he grudgingly agreed to allow us to visit for a whole two days.

I immediately booked a three-night stay at a nearby Red Roof Inn that doesn’t have a red roof.  Like the one that the son and I stayed at, in Batavia, NY, this one was purchased from another chain.  The roof has not been redone, and may never be.  It has internal corridors and room doors.

After the $500/night financial fiasco at the big Toronto hotel, I didn’t pay the online-listed $79/night charge.  I didn’t pay the members’ 15% reduced fee of $68.  When I phoned in my reservation, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I was only being charged $55/night USd = $73.35 Cdn – and they will provide a free continental breakfast, and free long-distance telephone calling.  Finally, the Universe is trying to even out my karma.

On our last visit, we were in and out of beautiful, metropolitan, Dogsbody, Ohio, quick and sweet – no fuss, no muss, no bother.  Aside from John and his wife, the only people who even knew we were there, were the Mensa Organization meeting folks, over to thuh gen’ral store.  This time, it will be longer and more obvious.  If you hear that the Ohio National Guard has been called out, don’t worry.  It won’t be another ‘Kent State massacre,’ they’ll just be politely but firmly, putting down a local Amish insurrection of disaffected Elders, who are armed only with beards and buggy exhaust.