Bobblehead Bomber

I used to have a Bobblehead Mohammad Bomber. For the life of me, I cannot remember what I did with it or what happened to it. I doubt I gave it away or lost it and while it is possible that the wife threw it out when I was away on a work assignment, I get the 
extremely vague feeling, if not exactly a recollection, that it was stolen lifted from my desk when I worked for the G. Of course, I may have lost it on 9/11 in the Custom House at 6WTC. I really don't remember one way or the other with any certainty.

Now, I don't know exactly why it has come to mind, again and again, but it sure has been coming to mind quite a bit over the past several days. So much so that I sure wish I could find that one or at least a source for another one. I checked on Amazon, at Ebay and by doing a general search of the web but found nothing available. In fact, I could only find a single photograph of one online but it is exactly as I remeber the one I had so long ago.

Anyone know of a source?

All the best,
Glenn B

That Under The Weather Thing Continues

Went to Costco late this afternoon. I hate it there when it is crowded, especially on Friday afternoons and had I thought of what day it was, I would have waited until tomorrow in the middle of our expected snowfall to have gone then. Anyway, I am still feeling so crappy, I don't know why I went at all. Yeah, I was feeling somewhat better yesterday but whatever bug I have hit back with a vengeance today and I have been hacking away most of the day. I guess those little germ bastards don't like whatever antibiotic I am taking and are fighting back; hopefully they will lose and will not start eating the antibiotic with gusto.  

Well, once back home, when I walked in the door, there was my daughter for an unexpected visit. She and my son were gracious enough to help out with all the stuff from Costco which was not all that much but enough to just about knock me out in my current condition. Once I got all the stuff out of the car and to the doorway, they helped me bring it inside. It really had dragged me down to get that done and I started hacking nonstop for a good long time - too long a time. Too bad I forgot to hit the pharmacy for the prescription cough medicine that awaits me there before I came home. Well, as I was hacking away, what does my daughter tell me?????????? She says I am to be her designated driver tonight after she gets sloshed at happy hour somewhere (to be announced later when she calls me to get her). She will be lucky if I am alive, let alone feeling like picking her up, when she calls judging by how I feel right now.

Oh well, probably better me than her behind the wheel if she will have been drinking. Time to take a rest before I have to pick her up. Maybe this time I will remember to also hit the pharmacy.

Lest I forget to mention it, allow me to add, at least my bout of gout seems to have ended and that is a very good thing indeed.

All the best,
Glenn B

Lightweight RazorSword - I Am Sure NY State Will Ban It Soon...

...or maybe it's already banned. I mean, after all, NY State Senator Tony Avella is currently trying to ban machetes so why not also ban this sword! Whatever the case in NY, the embedded video gives a brief demo of an interesting product, the Lightweight Razor Sword by RazorRazor that will probably remain commercially available in free states.



I have to say, it sure looks like a lethal surprise and as if it could be quite effective in a bad situation. Personally though, I would probably never carry one. Anything that apparently requires me to wear my belt, a does good the man in the video, without passing it through all of my belt loops would be problematic. First off - my pants would be falling, secondly - my strong side hip holster would not be secure or maybe not possible to wear with one of these belts as far as I can tell. Then there is the fact that some of the blades are laminate bladed. Laminate makes me think of the word separation but maybe that is just me who thinks like that - so enough said on that. Of course, there is also the fact that I am no swordsman.

The company offers a variety of such swords and also offers daggers to fit a similar style belt containment method. They all look deadly but even in the other videos I watched, videos showing the daggers and other swords, the belt seemingly was never placed through all of the belt loops on the guy's pants. It would seem at least next to impossible, if not actually impossible, to be able to rapidly deploy a sword or dagger so concealed if the belt went through all of the loops, especially through the most forward belt loops. Thus, my guess is that it is next to impossible to use the RazorRazor belt concealment system as a belt to properly hold up pants and securely carry a gun while also using it for effective concealment and rapid deployment for this sword. That is just my guess though and I readily admit, no I did not watch every one of the at least 54 (yes - fifty four) videos this guy has on the company's video page to see if he ever passes the RazorSword belt concealment system through all of his belt loops.

Regardless of how many videos this guy has, and if the belt passes through the loops or not,  I am not interested in these products enough for me to make an inquiry of the company. Not making the inquiry I just mentioned in that last, struck out, sentence would be less than responsible of me. So, what I just did was actually made a inquiry of RazorRazor via their contact page/form about whether or not the system can be utilized effectively while the sword belt concealment system passes through (under) all of the belt loops on a typical pair of trousers. I will probably repost any reply here on my blog as a follow-up post or comment within this post.

I am just stating my opinion here and will not try to encourage or discourage you from purchasing one of these items. Yet, I do recommend that if you are considering getting one of these systems and can't wait for me to receive and post that requested reply here, that you make such an inquiry yourself (if you want an answer in a hurry, their phone number is listed on the linked contact page) to determine if one of these suits your needs. My needs would be that the belt could be worn as a normal belt (under the loops) and still be effective to conceal the sword or a dagger while maintaining the capability of rapidly drawing the blade, act as a normal belt, and secure a firearm in a holster all at the same time; your needs might differ.

As for me, I think it not being under at least some of the loops potentially could be problematic in as much as I would foresee the sword (or dagger) possibly shifting out of concealment as you move this way or that way during the course of a day wearing it. Watch video 5 and you will see that merely turning the belt over and lifting it up a bit causes the dagger handle to pop out. Normally the front belt loops on your pants would prevent a belt from riding up or flipping over near the buckle. What is to prevent the belt from doing that when the belt does not pass under the loops - say as you climb in and out of a vehicle or do other activity that may cause the belt to flip and move up? It appears to me that nothing is preventing that from happening and that is another reason I am a bit leery of such a system but again that is merely my guess.

If anyone has personal experience with this sword containment system, it's utility and quality and how well it stands up after continued use, I encourage you to please leave a comment about your take on it. I am curious to learn more about it. In all, I think it could be a fairly effective way to conceal a sword or dagger and also be an effective surprise method of concealment and delivery for such a weapon within the limitations I see for it. As I said think I have already made clear, you can make up your own mind as whether or not to make a purchase and none of the above jabber is intended to persuade or dissuade you from legally purchasing any of these products.

As a side note, the next time you get into it with some dude wearing his belt without it passing through the loops, and he keeps fidgeting around the buckle - beware.

A Hat tip and my thanks to Kerry F for sending me the video.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Almost Always Recommend A Strong Side Hip Holster...

...for both open and concealed carry of  handgun. While carrying concealed, in an on the outside of the belt, or in an inside the waist band, hip holster does limit how you can dress - I usually explain, to someone asking about holsters, that limitation should be of minimal concern under most circumstances and furthermore that what is of primary concern is safety. Under most conditions, more so than with other holsters, a strong side hip holster assures you can draw on target without jeopardizing yourself or others as you otherwise might do when drawing from cross draw, shoulder, groin, or ankle holster or from something like a belly band or bra holster. It is virtually always better than carrying in pocket carry or carrying stuffed inside your waistband without a holster. With each of those other holsters, or types of carry, it is very likely you will cover yourself or someone else while drawing or that you will necessarily point the weapon in a direction other than at the target. The same goes for other concealment specialty holsters such as belly bands and bra holsters. You are simply less likely to ever point the weapon at yourself when drawing from a strong side hip holster if drawing with the strong side hand which would be the normal way to draw from one. It is almost always easier to holster a pistol, using only one hand (which can be a great tactical advantage) with a strong side hip holster (on the outside of the belt).

A single yet very sad example of why I do not like, use or recommend other types of holsters can be seen at this link in a brief article about a woman who accidentally and fatally shot herself while adjusting her bra holster. Of course, it may have been a good idea to have removed the gun from the holster before trying to adjust the fit of the holster on her body but I readily admit, I hike up my belt while the gun is in a hip holster on the belt; yet, never with a chance that I can think of that I would shoot myself with my pistol while secured in that type of a holster (at least in one that covers the trigger). Reaching inside my clothing to push around, let's say a groin holster, with the pistol still in it, would not be something I would do - it's small enough already. Likewise I would not recommend a woman reach down to adjust a bra holster while the pistol is in it; it's just too risky and as I said, I don't even recommend carry in that type of holster.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

Gout Sucks...

...but luckily for me, I currently have only a minor bout of it. Yet, I still am feeling miserable from my so called bad cold. In fact, I was diagnosed today with an infection in my lungs or with bronchitis - luckily it is supposedly not pneumonia. Whatever it is, the doc was not very clear on it except to assure me I have a pulmonary infection so she started me on antibiotics.

That put the kibosh on an outpatient test (in the hospital while under anesthesia) on Monday, that now has to be rescheduled. I was hoping to get that unpleasantness over with sooner than later so, I did not need the infection let alone another bout of gout. Oh well, I'll have to pick up some Moonshine Cherries since cherries are supposed to do wonders for reducing uric acid in the blood. 



The Gout by James Gillray. Published May 14th 1799

and no one has illustrated it better since then.

Anyhow, Jay G over at MArooned is also suffering from a bout of gout. Why not stop by and leave him a comment wishing him well, I am sure he would appreciate it if you did so.

All the best,
Glenn B

Sometimes You Probably Are Better Off Calling The Police...

...instead of trying to take care of business yourself. That holds especially true if you were involved in an incident that you got away from safely such as having arrived at home safe and sound and out of danger. Too bad the mom who was recently shot to death in Las Vegas and her son did not think that way. New information has revealed that after an initial incident (an apparent verbal altercation) with a group of guys in another car, during driving lessons for her 15 year old daughter, the mom and daughter headed home. Once at home, the mom had her armed son hop into her car with her and went back out looking for a carful of guys with whom she had just had an altercation. After finding them, she followed them for awhile, then she and her son headed back home. The thing is they went out looking for trouble and they found it - more than they expected because the guys in the car followed them home and at least one of them allegedly shot the mom. More here. I think they would have been much better off had they just called the police or maybe better yet had they just left it alone once she arrived home the first time or even better yet if her daughter had minded her own business because it was her action that apparently triggered the altercation. No, she did nothing that deserved her mom getting shot but when I look at the big picture, I see the possibility that at least three members of the family seem to maybe be the type that go out of their way to look for altercations. If that is the case; well, this time they found one that was way more than they could handle.

All the best,
Glenn B

Stop On Over At Borepatch's Blog...

...to wish him well. He evidently was in a motorcycle crash and had to have surgery to put his collar bone back together and now has a "potential" bone infection. More here. 

I swear by all that is everywhere, I am ever so happy I never let anyone talk me into getting myself a MC.

All the best,
GB

Don't Tread On Me

I don't know if the photographer named this picture or not but the title of this post would be more than apt.

It makes one hell of a wallpaper. You can download the full sized one here:

http://www.pickywallpapers.com/miscellaneous/guns/snake-and-gun-picture/

All the best,
Glenn B

 

Been Sick As A Dog...

...and feeling pretty miserable, aches and pains everywhere. I slept away most of yesterday and the day before and have been hacking away quite a bit. Been thinking I have bronchitis or just one hell of a cold. More blogging whenever I feel up to it

All the best,
GB

Another Ammo Buying Frenzy?

Here we go again, another ammo buying frenzy evidently is well underway (and please note I did not say definitely underway but the evidence seems to support that such is the case).

BATFE recently announced that it is moving to remove the exemption for 5.56x45mm M855 ammunition as armor piercing ammunition which would in effect make it illegal to manufacture, import or sell within the USA (at least in the commercial market). I got that wonderful news at three different sources:  Knuckledraggin My Life Away, at Nobody Asked Me and at their source: the NRA/ILA. (I obviously was behind the times on that one since the NRA/ILA alert came out this past Friday; I have since resigned-up for alerts from them.)

That news spurred me on to check to see if I could find any available M855 at online retailers. I checked with 17 different online ammo dealers. Almost all of them that I checked were already out of stock although three (3) dealers had it at (one of them appeared to have it but did not list it as M855). In my opinion, all offered it at very over inflated prices – one for as much as about .72 cents per round (which would work out to about $720 plus dollars for 1K rounds). Here are the results of my search for 5.56x45mm M855 ammo, as of 1730 hours, on February 15, 2015:

AIM Surplus sold out of M855 

Able Ammo M855 out of stock

Ammo Man – while they have 5.56x45mm 62g, FMJ ammo, none of it is M855 

Ammo Supply Warehouse out of stock 

Cheaper Than Dirt none in stock although they offer 62 grain 5.56x45 

Classic Firearms – no M855 in stock 

Keep Shooting sold out M855 

Lucky Gunner M855 out of stock 

Midway USA M855 shown as out of stock or temporarily unavailable depending on brand 

Military Shooters no M855 in stock 

Natchez Shooter’s Supplies out of stock M855 

PSA M855 out of stock 

Surplus Ammo - ammo labelled M855 not available in bulk 

U.S.A.C. M855 none in stock 

Some of the above sites were indexed on www.gunbot.net as having M855 in stock within the last few hours prior to my checking the actual sites; however, when I checked with the actual sites they were almost all out of it. A few sites had it in stock but at inflated prices: 

Ammunition Depot had 150 round boxes of Federal American Eagle 5.56 NATO 62 Grain XM855 FMJ Ammo at $67.47 per 150 rounds (about .45 cents per round) see this link.  
 

Cabela’s has Winchester 62 grain, green tip ammo, for $12.99 per box of 20 (about .65 cents per round), see this link. Note: I am not certain if this is actually M855 spec ammo or not but it is shown as 62 grain, green tip.

J&G Sales has, what I think is, the outrageous price of $649.80 for 900 rounds (about .72 cents per round) of Australian Defense Industries M855, see this link.

Good luck finding any at a reasonable price within at least the next month. BATFE is accepting comments on the proposed change up until mid-March. Please see the NRA/ILA article on how to contact BATFE to oppose this change.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

Rocks Can't Hurt Law Enforcement Officers - Yeah Right!

I remember, it was way back when I was a Border Patrol Agent, the agency head (or possibly one of the heads of the I&NS in general) came out with a statement that in essence said the agents were not justified to use deadly force against someone throwing rocks at them because rocks could not hurt us. A new policy came out that we should not shoot at rock throwers. If I remember correctly, it was less than a month later that a Border Patrol helicopter was flying low to the ground in the Chula Vista Sector of California when illegal aliens started to throw rocks at it. A rock evidently hit the rotor blade breaking it and that caused the helicopter crashed (source). Note, that as I recall this was in 1980 and not in 1979 asstated in the linked article but that is my memory speaking just as the article relied on another agent's recollection for the date. Also note that, in 1979 I was not in the field yet, I was at the academy, but my recollection is vivid as to the point that this took place while I was already actually working in the field in Calexico, CA. Then again my little grey cells are not as sharp as they once were once upon a time in the west.

Regardless of the time frame, I do not remember if the pilot or passenger were injured but the potential for them, or for anyone else in the chopper or on the ground under it, to be killed or badly injured was certainly there (just look at the photos in the above linked article). As I recall, the new policy about being unable to defend yourself against a rock thrower, by using deadly force, was rescinded almost immediately after the downing of the chopper.

I also remember having the windshield of my Border Patrol vehicle smashed by a rock thrown at me and glass winding up all over my face and in my eyes. That was because a group of wetbacks threw several rocks at me in an ambush for which they had set me up. I fired on a guy in the group, who was winding up to throw another rock at me, and was subsequently fully justified for having done so (too bad I missed). In another case, a brother agent, in Calexico, was afoot chasing an illegal alien and when he reached a blind corner. The illegal he was chasing ambushed him and a relatively large rock at him striking him in the testicles. They blew up to the size of grapefruits and the doctors at the time considered that injury to have been life threatening and believed he would possibly be sterile after the incident. There are many other cases of people being injured and even killed by rocks that have been thrown at them.

Yet for some reason today - just like with the head of the agency back then - politicians, bureaucrats, race baiting individuals and groups, and sometimes even the public in general seem to think that rocks being thrown at a law enforcement do not constitute deadly force being used against the officers. I just don't get it because they certainly are deadly weapons and when a deadly weapon is used against you it definitely constitutes deadly force. I suppose it is mostly political correctness gone amuck, ignorance or even anti law enforcement sentiment that would make someone believe a rock thrown at an officer cannot seriously injure or even kill the officer.

Such sentiments seem to be in play if the suspect in this linked article was throwing rocks at the police, as claimed by police and witnesses, then ran from them, then turned and appeared as if he was about to throw another (or even grab another to throw). However, the police involved are now the subject of a multi-million dollar lawsuit and the potential for criminal charges against the officers is being weighed. Tell me though, why would the police have been wrong to have shot him if the facts, as I just mentioned them, are correct? Of course, the actual facts could conflict with those I just stated; they are what I have gathered from news reports but my guess is that people are all to ready and willing to hang law enforcement officers even when they were justified in doing whatever it was they did that led to the controversy.

I would prefer to wait for all the facts to be presented and reviewed in an objective manner, unaffected by political correctness, police cronyism, racism and or money grubbing mud-shark lawyers, before anyone makes a decision on this one. I would also prefer that people wake up and realize that if you are going to attack a law enforcement official with deadly force, law enforcement officers involved are likely going to take appropriate defensive measures to stop you and those will include the use of deadly force to defend themselves. Just as you have a right to defend yourself against the unlawful use of deadly force, so too do law enforcement officers have the right to defend themselves.

All the best,
Glenn B

Saudi Arabia Calling Killings Heinous Terrorist Act

Of course, they are not calling the killings committed by Muslim terrorists that. Wouldn't it be something noteworthy and a step in the right direction if the nation of Saudi Arabia condemned every killing of a Jew, Christian, Hindu, Muslim (or anyone else) by Islamic terrorists? Sure it would but that is not the case. What they did, by way of their official press agency, was to condemn the killings of the three Muslims in North Carolina as a "heinous terrorist" act. The killings they condemned were apparently motivated by a dispute over a parking spot and not by terrorist ideology. Whether or not that was a so called hate crime, and whether or not their religion was a factor, that played a part in the motive for their murders - the act was not terrorism per se. Yet, in Qatar, Muslims are marching in protests by the thousands and an Egypt based Muslim institute, al-Azhar, has called the killings of the three people in NC a "cowardly terrorist act." (Source.)

Even if it winds up being classified as terrorism by investigating authorities, what about all those other terrorist killings on which Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Muslim world have remained mum - the ones committed by Muslims. Sure, they have spoken out now and again on a few of them but for the most part they ignore them and by their silence are, in essence, supporting them.

Isn't Mecca in Saudi Arabia - if we nuked it until it glowed - wouldn't that give the Saudis and all of Islam a good reason to call something a heinous terrorist act and this time they would be right! (Yes, the sarcasm alert should be on, or on second thought...)

All the best,
Glenn B

Black Sabbath My All Time Favorite Album

Sometimes I actually give some little time wasting consideration to the question of what is my all time favorite album and I kind of teeter back and forth between a few from The Grateful Dead such as: Workingman's Dead (the original) or American Beauty or Reckoning (disc 1 & disk 2) or Grateful Dead (the album) as compared to Black Sabbath's first Album - Black Sabbath. Such was my mindset this evening and I arrived at my usual and unerring conclusion. Without a doubt, the hands down winner is Black Sabbath. Now, let me tell you, I was and remain a bigger fan of the Dead than I was ever of Black Sabbath. Yet, nothing in my mind beats that album for music or lyrics.

Listen to it here, and hopefully this is an unadulterated version:

 

I love it, not only because it was one of my first albums, if not the first album, I ever owned and not only because it was banned by the Catholic Church in its newspaper The Tablet but because it was and remains one hell (no pun intended) of an album. It is truly an excellent work.

My favorite set begins at about 27:43 and ends at about 38:08 in this version of the album.

By the way, for second place - it's probably a tie between one of those Grateful Dead albums I just mentioned. Man do they bring back memories of time gone by.

All the best,
Glenn B

Thinking Of You

 

All the best,

Glenn  B

Food For Thought - Are Shooting Lessons Appropriate Mental Therapy

You know,  I believe the guy who shot them should be executed (or at least wind up in jail for life) if convicted; yet, I also find myself pondering why they ever took a guy reportedly suffering from both PTSD and schizophrenia out shooting (source). I know the reason - on the face of it - was to help him. Still, I find myself asking did they consult with anyone who was treating the guy or with any mental health quack professional to see if that would an acceptable activity or if it would be considered a dangerous risk with a guy in his state of mind at the time they took him shooting? (It is my understanding, and I may be wrong, that they knew he reportedly was suffering from both PTSD and schizophrenia.)

Don't get me wrong, I am not faulting them in any way, they were trying to do good for the guy. Now that it has happened, I am just trying to give food for thought to others who might think that a day at the range might be just the thing for a person with a mental illness. I am thinking that in some cases the answer is a definitive yes but also that in other cases, such as folks suffering from a psychosis, you would be risking your life, or the lives of others, to do so. If you plan on taking a mentally ill person, especially a severe case, to the range, you had best give it some long hard thought beforehand and may want to consider consulting with a mental health professional beforehand.

Hopefully justice will be done.

All the best,
Glenn B

Survey Says - Police Brutality Or Not - Was The Officer Justified

Based on the scant evidence available to the public, what is your judgment as to whether or not the police officer, in the following video, is guilty of assault or was merely doing his job as trained and as justified by use of force guidelines and by the actions of the suspect? Watch the video. Then please answer my question by jotting down your answer immediately after watching the video, don't read ahead until you do so. 



Maybe you want to watch it again before proceeding.

Okay, now that you have watched the video and jotted down your determination as to justified or not, please read the article at this link (also watch the video that is in the article, it is a bit different than the first one as it shows two views). Pay careful attention to the facts that are divulged in the article and accept them as facts on the face of it until proven otherwise just as you accepted what you saw in the video as factual on the face of it. Now that you have read the article, telling you what the police said happened, is your determination as to whether or not the officer was justified the same as it was before reading the article. Please jot down another note marked as #2 as to what you now believe. When you make your note this time, please do it independently of the statements and or actions of the chief of police and the district attorney and based only on the facts you know so far (after seeing both videos and reading the news account) directly bearing on the actions of the officer. After watching video and reading the reported facts, is your take on this the same as that of the chief of police who said the officer will be fired and the same as that of the District Attorney who has charged him with assault. Do you think those determinations correct or do you think they were made due to political correctness after recent police related incidents which resulted in violent protests?

Bear with me please for just one more request for another comment from you. I want you to determine yet a third time as to whether or not you think the officer was justified or not. Before making this third decision, bear in mind that:

The officer legally had a right to stop the man after receiving a call about a suspicious man, engaged in suspicious activities, in the neighborhood. He also had a right to question him. If what the police said is true, about the man continually trying to walk away from him and then trying to jerk away from him during the frisk (which is apparent in yet a longer length video of the incident) and you add that to the call of suspicious activity and maybe add that the suspect (which indeed Mr. Patel was a suspect at that moment) was acting hinky (nervous) and that Mr. Patel reportedly put his hands in his pockets as he tried to jerk away, the officer probably had enough reasonable cause to frisk him for weapons. Also bear in mind (and I readily admit I could not tell one way from the other by watching the video) if the officer reasonably believed that the man was going for a weapon (putting his hands into his pockets as he tried to jerk away from the officer), the officer had the right to stop the perceived threat to defend himself.

As for the move he used, the officer was almost definitely taught the move he used in his police training and even if not, it would have been considered an acceptable and legal amount of force in such an instance (if indeed the suspect put his hands into his pockets and tried to move away while being frisked) in any training I ever received or taught during my 32 years in federal law enforcement if an officer reasonably believed a suspect was reaching for a weapon (or even if merely trying to escape under some circumstances). There is no reason for that to have changed in the three plus years since I retired except maybe because of someone using political correctness to guide his judgment.

Now, accepting that what I said that the legality of the stop, the pat-down and the use of force are legitimate, please note down one more time if you think the officer was justified or not in the use of force. Please do not argue that you think it not justified based on your personal opinion and feelings. Unless you can argue those points from a purely legal standpoint don't distract from this discussion by ranting on and on about how the state is a tyranny and officers are running amuck. In other words, please go by the law and not by your opinion of the current law. If you want, please also add an explanation as to why you think he was or was not justified. Then put all three of your answers labeled 1,2 and 3 into a comment for this post. I am looking for intelligent and respectful discussion here, any deviation from that will be deleted. Don't read further here until you have done so because I do not want to influence your decision by what else I have to say here.

As to the extent of injuries suffered by Mr. Patel (the suspect and or victim depending on how one sees it), I can only imagine that the man suffered from some condition by which the bones of his vertebrae were weakened. I base that on lots of experience with takedowns over the years, both personally doing them and seeing other officers do them - most onto sidewalks or blacktop and not onto front lawns. After participating in and seeing literally hundreds of them, I never once saw anyone injured in anyway that even came close to the injuries sustained by Mr. Patel. About the worst I have seen, from such a takedown, was a broken nose. In fact, I and probably you have seen way too many news reports with videos of people getting brutally beaten but that have not resulted in such horrific injuries.

One thing I have seen though that you probably have not unless you are in LE, and have seen it at least scores of times, was suspects reaching into their pockets to pull out a weapon. I have never seen a man put his hands into his pockets, in a frisk situation, for no reason except to either pull out a weapon or to try to dispose of drugs or other evidence (usually running suspects are those who try to dispose of evidence but I have seen it with stationary suspects as well but with them a weapon has been more likely in my experience). Before you say it, allow me to note that not even once have I seen someone try to pull out ID when I was frisking them like that and not even once have I seen a guy just put his hands into his pockets like that during a frisk for no apparent reason. In my experience it would have been probable that it was due to him trying to grab a weapon. I am not saying that it might not happen simply because someone has a weird reaction to being stopped and frisked but what I am saying is that a move like that, if it indeed took place (which I cannot tell from the video) would be more than enough reasonable suspicion that the man had a weapon for the officer to have used a defensive takedown, in fact with all things considered that the officer knew, it would have amounted to probable cause.

Now think about it, it was evidently a defensive takedown (in my opinion) on the face of it if in fact the officer believed he was at risk (and again I am not sold on that yet but neither am I denying the possibility of it). It was defensive because as soon as the officer took him down and controlled him, he handcuffed him. He, nor any of the other officers, began to beat or otherwise do anything to Mr. Patel except try to get him up to complete the frisk and they did so without applying any unnecessary force. Then they gently helped him back to the ground when they realized he was incapable of walking or standing. They did nothing that would indicate police brutality as far as I can see unless the takedown itself was brutality and was not legally justified. On that point, without me making up my mind one way or the other on the actions of the officer, I believe the chief of police and DA has overreacted out of political correctness but, of course, they may have more evidence available to them so that is merely my guess right now.

Note just one other thing, I am not making a determination one way or the other as to whether or not the officer was justified so, don't start an argument with me over what you believe is my mindset on this issue. My mind truly is not made up on it but I am very curious to see what others out there think after they see the video, then after they see some additional background on it, and then after they understand what would justify those actions on the part of the officer.

As a final note, bear in mind that if you are ever stopped by law enforcement officers, whether you think the reason for the stop legitimate or not, I highly recommend that you do not make any sudden move(s) that the officer(s) might see as you reaching for a weapon. Again though, with this last comment, I am not justifying or condemning the action(s) of the officer in question, just trying to let you know a good way to prevent yourself from being injured when in a stop situation.

Oh, one more question. I mentioned a longer version of the video above - in the event you would you take the time to watch it, I have embedded it below. It gives a lot more information:




I wonder, did the additional content of the longer video change your mind at all as to the facts and as to justification or not?

All the best,
Glenn B

 

An Arsehat & A Cell Phone = A New Boyfriend?

Watch this video all the way to the end. It's a perfect example of why we need to put down the cellphone now and again. The guy in the video is obviously oblivious not only to his girlfriend but to a whole stadium of hooting fans who are all falling out of their seats over what an arsehat he is being. You can probably bet safely on four things being the result - the arsehat now pays more attention to what is going on around him, he was never so embarrassed (or in his case angry) before in his lifetime, his girlfriend now has a new boyfriend, the bull is a very happy stud.

  

That was excellent.

All the best,
Glenn B

Rafael The Pussy Scumbag

He evidently liked to abuse his girlfriend's dogs but now that the police are looking for him he is on the run too scared to face whatever he has coming to him. The girlfriend knew something was wrong with her dogs and set up hidden video cameras to record what was going on when she was out. This is what those cameras captured - Rafael being a piece of crap to two small French Bulldogs:
 

This reportedly happened down in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil recently. More info here in a brief news report:

http://www.myfoxla.com/story/28073290/womans-hidden-camera-captures-her-boyfriend-abusing-her-dogs.

Too bad someone can't smother his nutsack with Alpo and let those dogs at it when they are really, really hungry.

All the best,
Glenn B

Almost A Good Shoot?

Here is a case of the police being involved in what probably can be described, by some, as 'almost a good shoot' and that some will even try to attempt to classify as a good one. Two police officers reportedly saw a 15 year old boy holding what appeared to be a hand gun while he reportedly was pointing it at another boy. They ordered him, more than once, to drop it but he did not. One of the officers fired striking the boy in the back. The thing is, the officer shot the other boy standing next to the one holding the replica gun and not the one who was actually holding what appeared to be a weapon (source). It seems the officer almost got it right and almost hit his target.

'Almost' does not count except in horseshoes, hand grenades, and nuclear weapons. 'Almost' certainly does not count in making a determination of whether or not a police shooting was a good one as far as who you hit went. It could have been a big enough mess had the officer struck the kid holding the suspected handgun (a justified mess at that but still a mess) but 'almost' shooting a suspected bad guy and instead hitting someone else instead should be considered a terrible shoot under the reported circumstances.

I wonder - did the officer who fired consider, for even a single moment, that he (the officer) would be endangering the lives of innocents by shooting? Did he ask himself, is this a shoot or no shoot situation? Did he think that maybe if he missed the guy holding the gun would open fire on the person at whom he had been pointing it? Did he ask himself if this was a hostage situation better handled by a negotiation team? Did he take appropriate cover, allowing himself that moment to consider all those factors even if in only a split second? Did he wonder, were there risk mitigating factors that allowed him to, even demanded that, he take the shot? And again, did he at all think of the possibility of not firing because others were in the line of fire?

I don't know the answers to any of those questions but someone needs to find out because we don't need police officers who are willing to unnecessarily risk the lives of innocents because of their possible recklessness. Now don't get me wrong, I am not condemning the officer who fired. He could fully could have been justified to have done so. It wasn't just two teens there but a larger group. For all we know, the guy who was shot could have been standing next to the one with the replica gun and doing something that made it appear as if he were the gun holder's accomplice and making it seem as if the others were victims. That alone may  not have justified him getting shot but there may have been additional contributing factors as well that would have.

In this case though, it seems the police are implying that the shoot was a mistake. Yet, they obviously, in an official statement, have blamed it on the kid holding the "replica" gun. An official police statement was: "It’s certainly an unfortunate situation..." "But because of people bringing replica weapons out like that, it certainly could have been a terrible tragedy." There was no reported hint that the police said it could have been a terrible tragedy because of a mistake made by the officer or because of poor shooting skills on the part of the officer. maybe they said it and it was not reported by I tend to doubt it.

Regardless, the fact is, had that child been shot, the one holding the gun, then yes I would agree - it was his fault. Truth is though, that child was not shot, it was a bystander who was shot and unless there were legal justifications to shoot him - or unless there were legal, ethical and appropriate risk mitigating factors* that justified taking a shot at the boy holding the weapon that overrode the risk factor to others - that shot should never have been fired. The justification for that shot being taken could have been there (and note even though that may justify taking a shot under risky circumstances it does not justify hitting the wrong person but it may fully negate any criminal liability and may also mitigate the civil liability somewhat). Anyhow, as I said:  'almost' only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and nuclear weapons.

*By Appropriate Risk Mitigating Factors - I mean circumstances  that would override the potential risk of shooting a bystander while trying to stop the bad guy. In other words, they would allow the officer to take a risky shot regardless of the risk it posed to others. Such a case could arise if the threat posed such a large risk to the public, that if the officer did not attempt to immediately stop that threat,  many others would be hurt by the threat if the officer did not shoot him immediately and the threat to the public from the shooter was much greater than the threat of the officer firing at him. An example would be a shooter who was firing into a large crowd and obviously hitting people injuring them with his shots. An officer arrives, commands him to drop his weapon and he just keeps shooting into the crowd and wounding people. The officer has a chance to shoot him but there are innocent bystanders in the path of the officer's shots beyond the shooter. If the officer misses, he realizes, he will almost surely hit one of the bystanders but if he does not shoot, he realizes, that shooter will most likely hit and wound or kill several other people. The officer would be justified, in my opinion based upon my training and experience, in taking the shot or shots necessary to terminate the threat because the threat posed to innocents by the bad guy continuing to shoot is much greater than the threat posed to innocents by the officer trying to shoot the bad guy. It would be one hell of a tough call to make but likely one that would have to be made in a split second with almost no time for delay.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Public Service Announcement To All Men

Don't forget - Valentine's Day is on February 14th. Here is a little reminder to help you keep it in mind, it's quite the seasonal piece:
 

Just as a side note, Fur Elise has always been my favorite Beethoven piece and that's no shit.

All the best,
Glenn B

Why I Am Not A Do It Yourselfer

I believe in Murphy's Law. I am also a realist, at least to some degree, especially about my capabilities as me being a confident home improvement DIY type of guy. I am not. Sure, I do some minor things around the house. I can paint but I suck at plastering (unless I am getting plastered). I probably can even put up a wall fairly well and plumb (anyway a contractor once told me I had done a great job at three of them I had put up in my basement remodeling attempt that took me three years and was never completed until we hired the contractor). Yep, besides not having much confidence in my handyman skill set, I am also The Great Procrastinator. Again though, let me reiterate, I believe in Murphy's Law and I often have that feeling that any such job, that I attempt, will come out wrong - very wrong. So I avoid DIY crap as much as possible.

Too bad the guy in the photo didn't follow suit. He was a DIY type and apparently is also the perfect example of why all that DIY stuff is best left to the professionals.
 

 

Yes, that is a section of steel rebar that has pierced his head.  It fell from above as he was demolishing his house or part of it. You can read more info and see a video, here, of rescuers cutting the bar somewhat before he was transported to another hospital where the bar was surgically removed. Why they cut off a small section of bar like that, instead of just bringing him to another more suitable hospital immediately boggles my mind. Reportedly, he survived and was doing well after the incident, that is also pretty mind boggling.

 

So, I usually stay away from all that DIY home improvement (or in this case home demolition) stuff and hopefully am better off for it.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

Kanye Who?

I am none to sure of who is Kanye East (or was that West) except that he is (or is married to) an entertainer. I did see him on television a day or two ago, on the so called news, acting like a totally childish and disrespectful jerk-off during some award ceremony. He was saying the award that some guy named Beck (?) had just won should go to Beyondsay Beyoncé (yes I have an idea of who she is). Anyway, this video about sums up the whole way I feel about Kayne East West.

 

All the best,
Glenn B

This Day In History (Actually Yesterday Now) - Bubble Butt Lover's Paradise Came To Be

February 9, 1895 probably was pretty much just another day when William G. Morgan rolled out of bed in Holyoke, MA. Before that day had ended though, he had unwittingly (or maybe he was smarter than I give him credit) had created a new sport that would enthrall men up to and including this very day and probably for at least centuries into the future as long as women are playing it. While working at a YMCA he came up with the idea for the game of Mintonette and men have never looked at more women's backsides since. Never heard of it - sure you have but by another name, just look below and the name will come right to you:



 



Yep, he invented Volleyball. As you can see, it's a sport in which women have long loved to participate and I can assure you that men have long loved to watch (as long as women are playing). At first, the gals wore loose skirts when they played and that later changed to modest shorts and tee shirts but over the years it has morphed to something that a true ass man can sink his eye teeth into. Enjoy:

 

 

 

How can you blame the average guy for gawking when even our former president GWB can't seem to get enough of it:

 

 



Yes men, this gal seems to be indicating we have a lot to look forward to with volleyball butt...

 

 

...I don't think you can fault me for looking behind...

 

 

...again and again!

 

 

 

Any angle you look at it from though, we have this man to thank on this day (actually yesterday now) in history - February 9, 1895!

 

 

William G. Morgan - apparent ass lover and
the creator of volleyball. More on volleyball here.

 Hell, there should be a holiday in his honor and a statue of him surrounded by bubble butts at every venue in which they hold volleyball games. God bless him because he gave us this:

 

 

All the best,

Glenn B

 

 

I Hope The Driver Is Not Prosecuted But...

...if they are as tyrannical in Australia as they are in England in assuring that no one has a right to defend themselves, then the driver of the blue car is going to wind up in jail or at least charged with something like attempted murder. Being that it happened in Australia though, I imagine the driver will be given a medal for having done a public service by running down the dirtbag who was running from the police and who was shooting at the driver of the car.

Talk about epic fails - this bad guy was a true douchebag at being a tough guy. The guy driving the 1.5 ton blue bullet, he (or she) was the real bad ass and had great aim too. Too bad the car wasn't going faster.

Interested in finding out exactly what I am talking about, go here: http://video.foxnews.com/v/4040514467001

All the best,
Glenn B

Shooting Her Way

Just gotta admire a gal who knows how she likes to shoot and doesn't let anyone tell her otherwise.

All the best,
GB