Friday, May 8, 2015

I Am Happy I Left That Shitberg...

...known as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when I did leave it in November 2011. I spent about 8 years and 6 months under DHS - first in the Bureau of Immigration & Customs Enforcement (until the FBI got peeved that the name contained the word bureau), then in ICE, then in HSI (when the ICE Office of Investigations was sick and tired of being associated with ICE, it changed its name to HSI, but ironically remained under ICE). ICE had one of the worst ratings, if not the absolute worst one, as to the morale of its employees as compared to other government agencies and it reportedly has stayed that way for years (source).

I spent 32 years plus in federal law enforcement, the first 4 in the Border Patrol, the next almost 20 in the U.S. Customs Service and the last 8 plus a bit in ICE/HSI. My last 8 years were miserable. Yes, I will admit, I think GWB fucked up big time by creating DHS but I must also point out that it got much worse under BHO. It was, in my opinion, the political arse kissing numbskulls put in charge of the department from the cabinet level positions, down through the ICE's management, mid-level management, down to some of the lowly group supervisors of the agency, that made it a miserable place to work. (I will note I had some excellent supervisors too but many on the job were not cut out to be managers other than at Mickey D's. ) Even some of the street agents were absolute arsehats (but not most by far). So, the lion's share of the blame goes to mismanagement and the lack of strong supervision. Supervision lacking, what was abundant was piss poor managing and that made working there really miserable. In all of my career, I never before had experienced an outfit with less understanding of its purpose, more floundering, less direction,  more politics, and sheer inept boobs in charge who tried to make things like basic round-ups of known wanted petty criminals look like major investigative achievements than I did during my time in ICE. In addition, as far as I could tell, disregard for the Constitution and the rights therein ran fairly high at ICE in some instances.

Now, while you may note I speak from personal experience, in the first person, it is not just me who feels that way about morale while having worked there. That there are many others who feel/felt likewise is evident in the fact that once again ICE reportedly rates at the bottom for morale among federal agencies as apparent in this quote:

"If the latest federal workforce employee survey is any measure, the Department of Homeland Security is the worst office Uncle Sam runs, and and its Customs and Immigration Enforcement agency is its least desirable post."  (Source.)

Do I miss ICE/HSI? Yes, a little bit but not very much at all, certainly nowhere near as much as I miss the Customs Service Office of Investigations, or the Customs Patrol Tactical Enforcement Division, or the Border Patrol; those were good agencies and excellent jobs. In fact, I miss almost nothing at all about the job at ICE if only because it truly sucked the goodness out of federal law enforcement work and destroyed the employee's desire to get the job done (that is if the employee could figure out exactly what was the job).

I do, however, miss many of the people with whom I worked; most were good at heart, moral, ethical and hard working law enforcement agents and personnel. God or Nature bless them and give them a better place to work, under a new and better administration, as soon as possible.

If you are wondering why I called it a "shitberg" in the title of this post: ICE had a poster made up showing a huge iceberg mostly submerged with the saying, as best as I can recall: "ICE—What you see is just the tip of the iceberg". My reply to that was that only ICE floated lower than shit. How true that thought seems to have been for so many of its employees, based upon their repeated low reviews of morale while working there, is a shame. Sadly, despite the grand purpose that was underlying the creation of DHS and ICE, ICE seemingly has turned out to be little more than a travesty of  professionalism among all other federal law enforcement agencies.

All the best,
Glenn B

Yet Another Woman With Her Finger On The Trigger

Once again, for purely educational purposes as related to firearms safety, I post another image of a woman with her finger on the trigger:


What is wrong with all these woman posing with their fingers the trigger; don't they know anything about firearms safety!

All the best,
Glenn B

A Few Of My Favorite Blogs

A few of my favorite blogs and bloggers:

1. Knuckledraggin My Life Away There may be a better overall blog on the Internet that combines patriotic content, gun stuff, snarky remarks on current events, images of camel toe & titties, and humor but I have not found it. Wirecutter (Ken) is a proclaimed IIIper and I am sure will be a Iper should the SHTF in the form of a national crisis spurred on by tyranny or a societal breakdown. At great risk to me of being spied upon by the NSA, DHS, FBI and whomever else - this is probably number one in how often I visit any blog.

2. Double Nickel Farm I don't visit Jen's site nearly as often as Wirecutter's but I enjoy it, more than any other blog I visit. Jen is a true and dear friend even though we have only met via the net; so, anything she writes is of interest to me. She helped me out spiritually, morally and inspirationally when I was down in utter misery with stage 4 C. I don't know if I can ever express my thanks to her and her family as much as I owe them. She is truly an excellent friend, wonderful mom, great patriot, decent to excellent cook and one heck of a farmer (and now a budding artist too). She, her husband Bill, and their children (now all grown) are in my heart forever.

3. MArooned: One of the most well written blogs on the Internet with lots and los of firearms content and commentary of current events. I would imagine that Jay G was able to land his job at the NRA, at least in good part, due to this blog. Jay is also a friend, a good one at that. We have only met a few times (think Northeast Blogger Shoots and another in West Virginia) but I think we have developed a good bond in person, via our blogs and by way of Kilted To Kick Cancer (in which Jay kilts up annually). He also co-hosts The Squirrel Report on Thursday nights; the show is worth a listen.

4. Cap' Bob & the Damsel and The Wandering Minstrel  I combine both of these blogs as one essentially because they are a husband and wife thing. I met Bob and Damsel (I am embarrassed I cannot remember Damsel's real name) out in Arizona, I guess it was in 2009. Two very nice people who blog about firearms, politics, astronomy (especially about happenings on old sol), flora and fauna of AZ and on their lives in AZ in general. I have visited AZ numerous times for extended periods and short trips alike, and love the memories that are stirred within my psyche each time I see a photo of a cactus bloom, or of a reptile, mammal or bird native to the state of Arizona on either of their blogs. I think they were the first bloggers I ever met in person and have to say they are very nice folks indeed.

5. The Feral Irishman Yet another darned good blog with the right leaning libertarian political stance and patriotism as a couple of the main themes mixed in with some great humor and some excellent images among other things. Friday Femme Fatale is also one of my favorite  the blogs extremely enjoyable features. Damned blog takes a virtual cyber-forever to load but is well worth the wait.

All the best,
Glenn B

To SG and Others...

...and you all know who you are. Please stop sending me your repeated emails and comments asking to me to link to your blogs, or to write posts for your blogs, or to place advertisements for you or your affiliates here on my blog. I do not do requests.

I appreciate that some like TG would like me to write an article about firearms or firearms related gear. I have considered doing it now and then but have not yet, except for the Firearm Blog, and probably never will again do so unless I initiate it. So TG, give it a break and please stop sending me emails.

As for SG (not a typo, I mean SG not TG in this instance), yes especially to you SG, you sir are a pain in the neck (to put it mildly) with your repeated comments and emails in which you all but beg to be included in my blog roll. You are so much of a pain in the neck that if I could somehow blacklist your blog, I would consider doing so. I have told you "...no..." before in response to your requests. Yet you do not take 'no' for an answer. Persistence will not get you what you want with me since I do not intend to give a link to your blog.

Has my previous answer of "no" been so difficult for you to comprehend that your must keep sending me your requests or is it you are just that full of yourself and that much of a spoiled brat that you think pestering me with your arse kissing will make me break down? No matter how much arse kissing you do, with your repeated and annoying form letter type emails and blog post comments (yes I have discovered you send virtually the same arse kissing requests to other bloggers), I am not about to link to your blog. So take this as more than just a hint and please stop making a nuisance of yourself.

Thanks,
Glenn B