What To Expect Next

 

I went to bed last night filled with despair and sorrow, hoping that I would awaken this morning to the news that the asshole who assassinated Charlie Kirk had been caught while I was asleep.  I didn't wake up to the news, but the news came shortly after that.  Needless to say, that brightened my whole day.

So now half of the nation - the half with morals, common sense, and a sense of decency - is celebrating the capture of this assassin, while the other half of the nation is preparing to make excuses for this asshole's actions.  Keep in mind that these are the same people who openly celebrated Kirk's assassination, so that should tell you what you can expect next.

But just for giggles, let me tell you what I think we can expect next.

We can expect the libtard left to make excuses for this killer's actions.  Those excuses will run the gamut of bullshit excuses, everything from his lousy childhood to his not being picked for basketball to his inferiority complex from whatever bullshit reason the left can come up with.  

Next, some libtard asshole will start a GoFundMe account to pay for this asshole's defense, but that will be short lived because as we saw last week with the killing in Charlotte the nice folks at GoFundMe will not allow any account to be created for the support of someone who is accused of a crime.  But the libtards will try anyway, and they'll bitch, whine, moan, and complain when GoFundMe shuts them down.

Then they'll try to shift the blame someplace else other than where it belongs, that being square in the lap of the asshole who pulled the trigger.  That's a play right out of the libtard playbook - never accept blame for your actions because it's always somebody else's fault.

And of course, there will be the renewed cries for gun control.  That has actually already begun, with the first libtard making that absurd statement within an hour of the incident taking place.  The ones who will be saying this are the same ones who will ignore the fact that the shooter is a libtard, just as they ignored the fact that the previous 9 shooters were all libtards of which 8 were trans.   The simple fact is that if democrats stopped shooting people, gun violence would drop by 90%.

The information on the purchase and legal/illegal possession of the rifle used hasn't been released as of the time I'm writing this, but when - not if, but when - it's proven that the rifle was legally purchased, that will only serve as yet more proof that gun control laws don't work.  After all, murder is illegal, but that didn't stop the Asshole of the Century, did it?

In the mean time, all we can do now is sit back and let the Trump DOJ do what it does best.  As a rule I'm not a supporter of the death penalty as I've explained in a previous post, but in this case I'm willing to make an exception.  I'll say here what the libtards in control of TikTok won't let me say there:

FRY THE BASTARD!

 Off on the bike to take a road trip to NC to see my family.  Catch you on the flip side.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

"Well Done, Thy Good and Faithful Servant"

 

Like the rest of the people in this country who have both common sense and a conscience, I'm still in shock over the political assassination - and that's what it was, make no mistake - of Charlie Kirk.  Here was a man who did nothing but speak the truth about both life and Christianity, and one of those people who preach 'tolerance, acceptance, and understanding' shot him in the neck and killed him for it.  He never advocated nor called for violence against anyone for any reason, yet his words upset some radical nutjob on the libtard left enough that he felt justified in taking Charlie's life.  Now there's a wife without a husband, and two small children without a father.

My only hope at this point is that they find the assassin and capture him ALIVE so he can stand trial.  And while I normally don't support the death penalty, in this case if the assassin is found guilty he needs to die.  Period.

I don't know which disgusts me more, those on the liberal left who refuse to acknowledge that it was THEIR rhetoric which caused this, or those demented, lowlife, scum-sucking assholes who are actually celebrating Charlie's assassination.  Those people are the lowest of the low, lower than whale shit, and it is my fervent hope that Karma pays them a visit very soon.

In the mean time, America has lost a true patriot and a hero, and Christianity has lost one of its most fervent supporters.  The only source of solace in all this is knowing that Charlie is with Jesus now, free from the hate and idiocy that surrounds us, courtesy of the liberal left and the Demoncratic party.

"Well done, thy good and faithful servant.  Enter thou into the joys of thy Lord." 

Rest in peace, Charlie.  

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

Sometimes I Wonder

Sometimes I just sit back and wonder to myself how in the hell the Demoncrats in this country believe the things they do, and why they are so stubbornly resistant to change that will not only benefit them but everyone around them.

Such is the case with the nation's illegal immigrant problem.  Thanks to the utter stupidity of "Creepy Joe" Biden and his equally stupid cohort, "Kameltoe" Harris and their open border policy, more than 7 MILLION immigrants crossed the border illegally during his disastrous term in office.  Those illegal immigrants are now placing an undue burden on the social support programs of the cities they're in, and to make matters worse many Democratic mayors are providing them with enough free stuff to keep them here forever.  Chicago's idiot mayor, Brandon Johnson, has announced that the city is bankrupt and has no more money, demanding that the Federal government bail him out.  (All this while refusing to enforce immigration laws in his city and ordering Chicago police not to assist ICE in their efforts to get the illegals out.)  

Yet every time Trump makes a move to try to do ANYTHING that will benefit the country, especially enforcing immigration laws, the Demoncrats fight him.  They do this while shouting 'No one is above the law!' while at the same time refusing to enforce the laws on their own elected officials and refusing to enforce the national immigration laws.  In the mean time, Demoncratic-run cities are going broke, crime is on the rise, and people in those cities are less safe than they've ever been.

And to make matters worse, even though their cities are crumbling around them, the Demoncrats continue to elect one stupid Demoncratic official after another, proving that you can't teach an old dog (or in this case, jackass) new tricks.  

Once again, look at Chicago.  You'd think that the people of Chicago would have had enough after the disastrous term of Lori 'Beetlejuice' Lightfoot, but noooooooooo.  Instead of electing a Republican who ran on the platform of law and order, they elected yet another liberal leftist idiot who has turned out to be worse than Lightfoot ever was.  And one year later the city is still the murder and crime capital of the nation, even with the strictest gun laws in the nation.  (Don't get me started.)

So now, after using the National Guard to clean up DC, Trump has set his sights on Chicago.  The reaction from the Demoncrats is as expected - the idiot mayor has vowed resistance, as has the equally idiotic governor.  And now, in the latest wrinkle to a story straight out of the Twilight Zone, the gang members - I'm sorry, the BLACK gang members - in Chicago have said that they'll unite to 'fight the National Guard in the streets.'

Yeah, right.  In the first place, I don't see the gangs in Chicago or any other big city ever uniting for anything.  In the second place, ghetto thugs with stolen guns up against the National Guard who are armed with automatic weapons, armored vehicles, tanks, and aircraft?  Something tells me this isn't going to end well - for the gangs, that is.

And in the mean time, both the lardass governor and moronic mayor continue to do nothing, reaffirming their status as a 'sanctuary' city and state while crime in their cities continues to rise.

This is gonna be good.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

Change My Mind

 

Here's a tip for you - no matter what you say, until the Demoncratic party changes their policies - which they won't - I will continue to believe that the biggest threat to the safety, security, and very future of our nation is the Demoncratic party.  And here are the reasons why.

1.  They're fighting for open borders.  Biden started this fiasco, and in the four long, disastrous years of his Presidency more than 7 MILLION illegal immigrants have entered our country.  This flood of illegals has put an unreasonable and unmanageable burden on the economies and services provided by the 'sanctuary cities' that they settled in, with the perfect example of this being Chicago.  (Chicago can actually served as the example for every disastrous policy the Demoncrats support, from gun control to illegal immigrants.)   The Mayor of Chicago recently announced that the city was going to run out of money, and TOLD - not ASKED, but TOLD - the Federal government that they had to come bail the city out.  

2.  They're fighting to keep illegal immigrants in the country.  Liberal judges across the nation have issued injunction after injunction to try and stop Trump from deporting these illegal immigrants, with the Supreme Court of the United States just releasing an opinion that District judges have NO AUTHORITY to issue nationwide injunctions, nor do they have the legal authority to rescind an Executive Order issued by the President.  So why are the Demoncrats fighting to keep the illegals here?  Because they know that the illegals will vote for them in the next election, that's why.  (That's also why they opened the borders.)

3.  They're fighting to protect criminals.  Trump proved when he sent the National Guard into the District of Columbia that enforcing the law isn't that hard, and that crime will drop when you do.  But of course the Demoncrats are fighting his efforts, trying to keep him from doing this in other cities (like Chicago) and protecting the criminals in the process.

4.  They're fighting efforts to require an ID to vote.  This goes right back to the reason why they're fighting to keep the millions of illegal immigrants in this country - they know that if the United States requires an ID in order to vote, the illegals can't vote for them.  

5.  They're fighting to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses.  Which is the ONLY way to get around the requirement to show a valid ID in order to vote.

I could go on, but I think you're getting the idea by now. 

By now you should be asking yourself why the Demoncrats are doing all of this, and the answer is simple.  They're doing it to try and regain control of the Federal government.  Once they have a Democrat in the Oval Office and a Demoncratic majority in both houses of Congress, then they're free to do all of the crap that they want to do in order to make our country 'a better, safer place to live.'  Like what, you ask?

Like repealing the 2nd Amendment.  After all, every good dictator knows that the first thing you have to do in order to control the public is disarm them.  

Like make abortion legal.  Abortion is murder, end of fuckin' story.

Like raise the national minimum wage to $25.00.  If you want to destroy the economy, this is the way to do it.

Like reinstate DEI policies and make them the law of the land.  Racism in its purest form, but of course they don't see it that way.

IMHO the only way to eliminate this threat is to eliminate the Demoncratic party.  Yeah, I know, that's never gonna happen, so the next best thing is to vote Republican to keep a Republican in the White House and a Republican majority in the Congress.  Do this long enough, and I believe the Demoncratic party as we know it today will self-destruct and change their policies to what they were back when they actually were "the party of the people" in the sixties.

We can only hope.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

Well...Bye

 

This is my reaction every time a so-called 'celebrity' makes the announcement that they're leaving the US because they don't want to live here while Trump is President.  Here's what I have to say to them - ALL of them, both the ones I like and the ones I don't.

First off, this isn't an airport.  You don't have to announce your departure.  Just pack your shit and leave.

Second, who cares?  I mean, really, aside from your close family, who cares?  You do what you think is best for you and your family, but do it without the unnecessary fanfare and drama.  Yeah, I know, you're a celebrity and a very important person, so you're used to the fanfare and the people drooling over your every move and expect this to happen every time you blow your nose or skin your knee.  

News flash - WE DON'T CARE.  Not even the most rabid of your fans will give a damn where you live, as long as you keep acting or singing or doing whatever it is you do.  Oh, a few of them will cry and moan and whine about you leaving - the ones with blue hair and a septum ring - but they'll be the exception rather than the rule.  Everyone else will just move on.

Third, and most important, what makes you think that your decisions and your opinions are worth more than mine or anyone else's?  Are you an expert in politics?  Science?  Math?  No?  Then why do you think your opinions matter more than anyone else's?

The truth is that they don't.  No matter who says it, an opinion is just that - an opinion.  And you know what they say about opinions, right?   

My advice for any performing artist of any kind, be it acting, singing, comedy, whatever, is very simple.

Just shut up and act.  Or sing.  Or whatever.  Keep your personal/religious/political opinions to yourself, and do whatever it is you do that makes you popular.  Speaking as a consumer, I don't listen to a singer or watch an actor because I like their religion or their politics.  As long as you can sing or act, that's all I care about.  I don't give a damn who you voted for or who you pray to, or even if you pray at all.  (On the other hand, if that person comes out as a rabid liberal ala Robert DeNiro, I'll never spend another cent on that person or watcth/listen to anything they do ever again.) 

Just shut the hell up and sing.  Simple as that.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

 

The Day The Music Died

 

I still can't believe he's gone, much less that it's been two whole years already.  There have only been two singers who have affected my life and touched me as deeply as Jimmy Buffett did, with the other one being John Denver.  

I remember hearing "Come Monday" when I was a teenager, but never paid much attention to it.  Jimmy first came to my attention when I was in the Air Force and stationed at Taegu AB, South Korea.  It was a Sunday afternoon and the base was dead quiet; pilots didn't fly on the weekend, so the flight line was just as dead as the main base (which was dead because everyone was still sleeping off the previous night's hangover).  I was the Flight Chief and was driving around the flight line doing post checks, listening to AFKN (Armed Forces Korea Network, the ONLY English-speaking station in the country) on the radio in the Dodge truck assigned to the Flight Chief.  Sunday was the day that AFKN played a newly-released album in its entirety without commercial interruption, and on that day they were playing the newest release by Jimmy Buffett called "Off To See The Lizard."  

Halfway through the album I thought it was pretty damned good, and by the time the album finished I was hooked.  I was a Jimmy Buffett fan, also known as a "Parrothead" as I would discover later.

The next morning I went to the Base Exchange to see what Jimmy Buffett albums they had in stock, and to my delight they had every single album he'd released up until that time in cassette form.  (Hey, this was 1989, remember.)  I bought them all, around eight or so, for a whopping $3 each.  I spent the next few days listening to them both on and off duty, and the more I heard of his music the more I loved it.  Like John Denver, he wasn't just a singer, he was a storyteller.  And like Denver, each of his songs had a story, and to me this is the one thing that set him apart from all the others out there.  

I finally got to see him in concert in February of 1999 thanks to my sister in law, Kim, when he played Madison Square Garden during his "Don't Stop The Carnival" tour.  He was even better in person, and that concert was one of the best times of my life. 

When he died two years ago, it felt like I had just lost a family member.  There have only been 3 celebrities that I've cried over when they died; John Wayne, John Denver, and Jimmy Buffett.

And I'm not ashamed to say it.

Sail on, sailor.  Bubbles up, Jimmy.  We love you and miss you.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

You Say 'Auditor,' I Say...

 

ASSHOLE.  Here's why.

To a man, every video I've ever seen by these self-proclaimed 'auditors' shows that they are doing nothing but causing trouble.  They call themselves 'auditors' and say that they're 'auditing' their ability to exercise their First Amendment rights, but let's be real.  That's total bullshit and everyone knows it, including the asshole with the camera.  The ONLY reason they're out there sticking a camera in everyone's face is to provoke them into a confrontation that they can record and then post on YouTube or TikTok to get 'likes' or catch their 15 minutes of fame.  

That's it.  There's nothing noble or righteous or even necessary about what they're doing.  They're attention-seeking assholes who are looking to get famous at your expense.  They pick an area that they know is going to be sensitive or controversial - like a military base or a doctor's office - and stand outside on the sidewalk on public land, turn on their camera, and wait for the inevitable response.

And I say 'inevitable' because just as sure as the sun is gonna rise tomorrow morning and God made little green apples, some well-meaning soul will get in front of the camera and make a scene about the asshole being there.  99% of the time these well-meaning souls will be tragically unaware of what's legal about this and what's not, but that only makes the video juicier which will result in more views, more likes, and more stroking of the asshole's ego.  (Every now and then the asshole will fuck up and film from private property, and when he gets arrested it's VERY satisfying to watch!)

So why is recording in public like this legal?  Simple - because the Supreme Court of the United States has said that when you are out in public you have 'no reasonable expectation of privacy.'  That means anyone can record you, and they don't need a signed release from you or your permission to record you.  Now, if they were going to use the recording for commercial purposes and make money off of it, THEN they would need a signed release from you.  Either that, or they'd have to obscure your face so you can't be recognized.  But these assholes aren't in it for the money, they're in it for the attention, so no release is necessary.  They know that most people simply don't like being recorded without their permission, and they're going to take advantage of it.

And THAT is what makes them ASSHOLES. 

How to handle these assholes is so simple it's ridiculous, but it requires control over your emotions which sometimes can be a challenge.  All you need to do is IGNORE THEM.  Just go about your business with the knowledge that if you don't give these assholes anything to post to TikTok, they won't post the video with you in it.  Don't even wave at them and tell them 'hello,' because they'll post that as an acknowledgement that what they're doing is OK and that no one has a problem with it - which will only encourage them to continue. 

So as tough as it may be, just ignore them and they'll go away.  You'll be glad you did, trust me.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

DUI Procedures - What's Really Going On

 

So let's talk about what's going on during a traffic stop for a suspected DUI.  But first, my credentials so you'll know that I know what I'm talking about.

From 1987-1989 I was a Certified Type II Breath Alcohol Operator in the State of Missouri.  This means that I was certified to operate AND REPAIR the Breathalyzer 900/900A in the state of Missouri.  From 1993 to 1998 I was a Certified Breath Alcohol Instructor for the Division of Forensic Science, Commonwealth of Virginia.  This means that I was certified to operate the Breathalyzer 900/900A and the Intoxilyzer 5000; additionally, I was certified as an Instructor and taught police officers from all over the state how to operate these machines.  I was also certified as a Field Sobriety Test Instructor from the DFS in Virginia, which means I taught police officers from all over the state how to conduct Field Sobriety Tests to include Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN).  I also have 212 DUI arrests with 212 convictions under my belt.  And just for giggles, I was also a Certified RADAR Instructor which means - well, you get the idea.

So having said all that, let me tell you why it's never a good idea to drive after you've been drinking, and what goes on from the moment a cop suspects you of DUI.  This is gonna be a tad lengthy, so get comfortable.

 First and foremost, most DUI arrests begin with a traffic stop for something completely different.  Most of my DUI arrests came from speeding violations, but the national average was 'Driving Too Slow.'  But for the sake of argument, let's say that the cop sees a car traveling down the roadway, and the car is weaving from side to side.  This is called 'Failure to Maintain Lane Position' in legalese, and is sufficient probable cause for a traffic stop.  Once the blue lights come on, the process begins.

First thing the cop is going to notice is how long it takes you - or how short it takes you - to see the lights and pull over.  If it takes you more than a minute or so to pull over, that's a clue.  If you pull over right away and slam on the brakes, that's a clue.  And trust me when I tell you that from the moment the cop decides to turn on the lights, he/she is making notes of EVERYTHING you do.

When the cop gets up to the car the first thing he's going to look for is the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the car and/or your person.  (Yep, more legalese for you.)  If it's there, that's a BIG clue.  

Next, he's going to look at your face and your eyes.  He's looking for flushed cheeks, a red nose, and bloodshot eyes.  If he sees any of these, that's a clue.  He's also looking at the condition of your clothing.  If you're covered in vomit, then yeah, that's a clue.  If the car reeks of urine because you've wet yourself while sitting in your car, yeah, that's a clue.  (Yep, I encountered both of these during traffic stops for DUI.) Then he's going to ask you for your driver's license and vehicle registration.  While you're searching through your wallet to get your driver's license, he's watching that, too, because if you're having trouble finding it, that's a clue - especially if you go PAST it at least once.  

And while you're searching for your driver's license, he's going to ask you a simple non-incriminating question.  With me, most of the time it was "Sir, what year is your car?"  If you're drunk, you're going to stop, look up at the cop, and go, "HUH?"  It is a scientifically proven fact that an intoxicated person cannot have two thought processes at once, so once the drunk gets asked a question while looking for his driver's license, his thought train is immediately derailed.  This is another BIG clue.   

Once you hand the cop your driver's license, he's going to ask you another non-incriminating question.  My go-to question was always, "Sir, what's your middle name?"  Invariably, if the driver was drunk he/she would tell me their LAST name, because that's what they're used to.  I mean, really, how many times has someone asked you your MIDDLE name?  This simple question involves a separate thought process, and a drunk won't be able to do it - they'll respond out of habit, especially if they're still looking for their registration, and will tell you their LAST name.  Another clue.  (Sometimes I'd ask, "What month were you born?" and most of the time the suspect would tell me their ENTIRE birth date.  Another clue.)

By now the cop has enough probable cause to ask you to submit to a series of Field Sobriety Tests, but most cops will take it one step further.  They'll ask the driver, "Have you been drinking tonight?"  For those of you who say, 'THIS IS A VIOLATION OF HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS!' my reply is no, it's not.  It's not a crime to have a drink if you're of legal age, and it's not an infringement of your rights to ask this since drinking itself is not a crime.  Now, if the cops asks the drive if he's drunk, then THAT is a violation of the driver's rights because the answer could incriminate the driver.  That's why a properly trained cop will NEVER ask this question.   

Now it's time for the Field Sobriety Tests.  Do you have the legal right to refuse to take the tests?  Absolutely.  Can you be charged with a separate offense for refusing this?  NO.  And about the FSTs - there is no 'pass' or 'fail' grade assigned.  The suspect either 'performed the tests as instructed' or 'did not perform the tests as instructed,' which will be followed by exactly what the suspect messed up during the administration of the tests.  

One of these tests is the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, or HGN.  This is the evaluation of the ability of a person's eyes to track a moving object traveling from side to side, and the cop is looking for three things:  smooth pursuit, onset of nystagmus (jerking of the eyeball), and degree of nystagmus at maximum deviation (how badly your eyeball is bouncing when you're looking all the way over to one side).  This test has been proven to be 70% accurate if a minimum of TWO of these clues are observed; that means if you have two of these clues, there's a 70% chance that your blood alcohol content (BAC) is AT LEAST 0.08%.  

In short, you're drunk.  And this test, unlike the Field Sobriety Tests, cannot be practiced because nystagmus is a naturally occurring involuntary condition present in ALL human beings, and intoxication only makes it visible by making it more pronounced to the point where it's easily observable.

This is the point at which the cop should advise you of your Constitutional right against self-incrimination, because if you've given him enough probable cause to ask for a breath test, he has enough probable cause to arrest you - and trust me, he's going to arrest you. 

Next is the Chemical Test, or Breath Test, if you prefer.  This is when the cop asks you to submit to a chemical analysis of your blood/breath/urine for the purpose of determining alcohol intoxication.  When the cop asks you this, shit just got real.  Do you have the legal right to refuse to take the test?  Absolutely.  Can you be charged with a separate legal offense for refusing?  ABSOLUTELY.  And I can guarantee you that you WILL be charged.  It's called the Implied Consent Ruling, and is a law in every state of the Union.  This law says that by operating a motor vehicle on the public/private roadways of your state, you have been deemed to have given your consent to a chemical test of your blood/breath/urine for the purpose of determining alcoholic intoxication when asked by a law enforcement official.  A failure to consent to this test is a separate criminal offense and WILL result in the AUTOMATIC suspension of your driver's license for a period of not less than 1 year.   

Tack that onto the 1 year suspension you're gonna get for the DUI charge (if it's your first offense), and you're gonna be taking an UBER for the next two years.

 So let's say that you refuse the FSTs, and you also refuse the breath test.  Can the cop still get a DUI conviction?  If he's properly trained to recognize the clues and you've given him enough of them, absolutely.  I went into court on several occasions with nothing more than my visual observations during the screening process (which began the moment I suspected intoxication) and got a conviction every time thanks to the copious notes I took on the many and varied clues the drivers gave me.  I even got a conviction with no FSTs, no breath test, and no advisement of rights.  When the defense attorney moved to have the case dismissed because I didn't advise his clients of his rights, the judge asked me why I didn't advise the suspect of his rights.  My reply was, "Because I didn't ask him any questions."  Case closed, 1 year suspension for Violation of Implied Consent, and 1 year suspension for First Offense DUI.

Why am I telling you all this?  A couple of reasons.  First, to let you know that there's a hell of a lot more going on when a cop stops someone for suspicion of drunk driving than the average person knows, and that the cops are more highly trained than anyone would think.  But the main reason is to try and get you to see while you're sober just how bad an idea it is to drive drunk.  A DUI charge will cost you somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000 dollars, not to mention what it's going to do to your insurance.  If you have a job that requires you to drive, you're really fucked now because you're going to lose your job.  If you have a CDL, you can kiss that goodbye for the rest of your life.

Even worse, drunk drivers kill more than 10,000 people each year, and the last thing you want is to go through the rest of your life with the knowledge that you were responsible for one - or more - of them. 

Unless you become one of them yourself.  Then your family gets to live with that for the rest of their lives.

Get the point?

In closing, let me say this:  if you're a friend of mine and if you ever need a ride home because you're too drunk to drive, call me and I'll come get you, no questions asked.  I won't tell anyone it happened, either - not your wife, not your mom, not your dad, no one.  Ever. 

That's what friends do.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

 

What I Believe - Burning the American Flag

 

Yeah, I know, yesterday I said I'd be discussing DUI procedures, but this topic popped up and caught my attention, so here it is.  I'll talk about DUI processing tomorrow, I promise! 

My feelings on burning the American flag are simple.  Burning the American flag in protest of whatever it is you're protesting is not "freedom of speech" and should be illegal.  The ONLY time the American flag should be burned is when it has reached the end of its serviceable life.  Other than that, nope.  I don't give a damn what you're 'protesting,' or what 'message' you're trying to convey - you DO NOT burn the American flag.  Make a sign, march in protest, shout until you're hoarse, but don't burn the flag.

Before someone says it (and I'm sure they will), no, I don't claim to know more than the SCOTUS.  But then again, the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written in language that is designed to be understood by the average citizen, and as I understand the Bill of Rights, nowhere in the First Amendment is burning the American flag covered or deemed to be okay.  I have no idea where the Justices got their reasoning from, but I vehemently disagree.  

For those of you who have never read it, here's what it says. 

Amendment I

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

To me, the average American, 'abridging the freedom of speech' covers placards and signs, because written words are a manner of speech.  Instead of vocalizing it you're writing it down, and that's fine.  But IMHO nowhere in the realm of realism and common sense can ANYONE construe this as meaning that it's OK to burn the American flag.  NOWHERE.  Again, IMHO when the SCOTUS delivered this opinion they fucked up.  And to me this is rather incredulous considering that in 1989 when this decision was published 6 of the 9 justices were Republicans.

Now for the elephant in the room.

While it is my opinion that burning the American flag should be illegal, the President of the United States does not have the power to make it illegal or order the prosecution of those who burn an American flag.  Regardless of who he/she is or what good he/she has done, they don't have the authority to make laws.  Only Congress can do that.  So yes, while I agree with his feelings on this, President Trump does not have the authority to make this act illegal, and I'm not surprised to see that he's getting backlash from conservatives on this.  We love what he's doing for the country, but we love our Constitution more, and that document says that only the Congress can make laws.  So no matter what the topic is, the President doesn't have that authority.  End of discussion.

But I will say this:  burn an American flag in my presence, and there's gonna be trouble.  I'll gladly go to jail over this and will laugh all the way to lockup while you're on your way to the hospital in an ambulance.

And now it's time for someone in Congress to introduce a bill making the burning of an American flag for any reason other than its disposal when it reaches the end of its life illegal.  Considering that the President has already made his feelings on this known and that the Republicans control both houses of Congress, any bill such as this could become the law of the land in a very short period of time.

The only question now is will someone in Congress have the balls to stand up and do this?  Judging from their dismal performance so far this year, I'd say no.  

And that's a shame. 

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

The Worst Legal Advice EVER

 

Social media, just like cellular phones, is a two-edged knife that cuts both ways.  It can be the best thing that ever happened to you, or the worst.  You can get really good advice from social media, but you can also get some of the worst advice you'll ever find as well.

Such is the case with these lawyers who post a video on social media where they tell you, "NEVER ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE POLICE!  NOT EVEN YOUR NAME!'

Speaking as one who worked within the legal system for 19 years as a street cop, I can tell you that while there is some good in this advice, there is more bad than good.  The good is, if you're a bad guy who's trying to hide something illegal that you've done, then not answering questions is not only a good idea but your Constitutional right as well.  And if the cops think you've done something wrong, they are required to advise you of your Constitutional rights before asking you any questions about it.  When this happens, your very best choice is to refuse to answer questions.  At that point the questioning concerning the illegal event being investigated is legally required to stop.  The cops CAN ask you other questions, such as your name, address, things like that, but once you've invoked your 5th Amendment rights they cannot legally ask you anything else about the suspected crime.

But the absolute worst thing you can ever do is refuse to answer ANY questions from the police.  If a cop pulls you over, the first thing you need to realize is that he has a good reason for it.  (99% of the time, anyway.)  If he asks you where you're coming from, he has a reason for it.  Maybe he's looking for a car like yours that was involved in a crime, and he wants to see if he has the right car or not.  If not, he'll let you go.  Simple as that. 

So what's the harm in telling the cop your name when he asks?  If you refuse, he's just gonna ask you for your driver's license and find out that way, so why not just tell him?  I can guarantee you he's got a reason for asking instead of getting it from your license.  Most of the time he's screening you to see if you're intoxicated, and your ability to speak clearly and concisely - and the ability to remember your name - is one of the ways he does it.

Here's what happens if you choose to refuse to answer ANY questions from the police.

The cop automatically thinks that you're trying to hide something that he doesn't know about or hasn't noticed yet.  (Either that, or you're just being an uncooperative asshole.)  When THAT happens, the cop is going to start an investigation right then and there into your suspicious activities (and yes, refusing to answer simple questions such as what your name is can be considered suspicious) and he's going to legally detain you.  And he can detain you until one of two things happens:  until he's satisfied that no crime has been committed and that you're just being an asshole, or he proves that a crime has been committed at which time the detention is going to become an arrest. 

See, it works like this:  honest people have nothing to hide, and shouldn't have any problems with answering simple questions.  If you're one of those people who just don't trust the police and will refuse to answer any questions including what your name is for this reason, then you're just making things harder on yourself.  Your refusal to tell the cop your name is a giant red flag to him, and you're just asking for what comes next.  The cop is going to treat you as an uncooperative and possibly hostile suspect, and he's going to act accordingly.  His next step will most likely be to get you out of the car to separate you from any weapons you may have in there - but of course you'll refuse, and things will go downhill quickly from there.  End result - you face down on the ground in handcuffs, possibly with a couple of taser probes sticking into your skin and your nerves still tingling from the 50K jolt you just got.

Remember, you asked for this. 

Is there a point at which you should stop answering questions?  Yes, there is.  If the cop asks you a specific question concerning a specific illegal activity, if you are guilty of this offense then yes, you should invoke your 5th Amendment right and STFU.  (And it's not illegal to drink alcohol unless you're underage, so the cop is legally allowed to ask you this.) If you're not guilty, why not answer?  You've got nothing to hide, right?

Oh, yeah, you just don't like cops because you don't trust them, especially if you're black.  Gotcha.  Do you need me to tell you (again) how this is gonna turn out?

If you just feel uncomfortable answering questions from the police, there's a right way and a wrong way to let the cop know.  The wrong way is to just say, "I'm not answering any questions" and not elaborate.  Your attitude and tone of voice have a lot to do with it, too, and most of the time this response is given in an irate/hostile tone of voice with the person either glaring at the cop or not looking at him at all.  The right way is to look the cop in the eyes and in a smooth, non-confrontational tone of voice simply say "I'm sorry, officer, but I just don't feel comfortable answering any questions at this time."  If the cop replies with something like "Why not?" then he's not paying attention.  Just repeat what you said and let it go.  But most of the time the cop will just say "All right, then," and will just give you your ticket and be done with it.  

Now let me address the elephant in the room.

Are there bad cops out there who will break the law to get what they want with a suspect?  Sure there are.  Just as with any profession, there are good cops and bad cops, but the good news is that the good cops outnumber the bad ones by a couple hundred thousand to one, so your chances of running into one is slim.   But if you do, just keep your cool, stand on your rights, and let things play out.  

And when it comes time to get a lawyer, don't get one like Saul Goodman.

Tomorrow we discuss DUI procedures and what's really going on when the cop pulls you over.  Trust me when I tell you that there's more going on than you realize.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

 

Truer Words Were Never Spoken

 

Saw this slogan on another site this morning and it really struck home with me, because it describes me to a "T."

 

And the side effect of this, the side effect that most people won't recognize and will criticize the 'loner' for it when they finally do see it, is that having people you once trusted turn on you and betray you makes you not want to trust anyone.  It makes you suspicious of people and their reasons for doing things, which keeps you from doing things that you truly want to do.

 

I know because I'm going through this right now.  There are several groups I would love to get involved with that are motorcycle-related, because as much as I love riding it's a lot more fun when you're riding with others.  But because of just how bad I was burned by most (but not all) of the so-called 'brothers' in my former Masonic lodge, I'm very hesitant to get involved with these groups because I don't want to be hurt again. 

 

So I guess I'll just do the 'lone wolf' thing and wait until things get better, which I'm sure they will.

 

I hope.

 

Deo Vindice

IHC  

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

 I'm sure just about everyone else in this country has heard that slogan at least once in their life, right?  

Well, maybe everyone but Julie Felss Masino, that is.  She's the new CEO of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and she's made some changes to the chain that aren't going over well.  This is her:

I don't know about you, but I can take one look at her and tell that she's a screaming liberal.  The giveaway for me is the glasses - NO conservative that I know of would wear glasses like that.  Combine that with the changes she's made to a much-loved and revered brand, and it all becomes clear.  Her reasoning behind the changes is that the brand "isn't as relative as it used to be" and needs to be "revitalized."

Anyone who has been paying attention over the past 4 1/2 years or so knows what THAT bullshit means.  It means a liberal wants to change the way something has always been just because THEY don't like it, because it's not "modern enough."

What this woman fails to understand is that the draw of Cracker Barrel was just that - it wasn't modern.  When you walked into the country store lobby of a Cracker Barrel you took a step back in time to a place where the world was simpler, less complicated, and enjoyable.  Seniors would go there because it reminded them of their world when they were growing up, and younger people would go there because they just liked the decor and the feel of the place.

And the food.  The food was always top-notch, especially the biscuits and gravy.

But not anymore.  You won't find that item on the new menu.  Neither will you find the country store-like entrance, as that has been done away with as well, all in the name of "modernization."

We don't want "modern," Julie.  We want "old fashioned."  We want our biscuits and gravy.

The first thing she did was change the logo, the one that the company has been using for 48 years.  Here's the old and new logo side by side:

I don't know about you, but I think that the new logo has all of the charm and appeal of a dead fish.  There's no substance to it, no soul, no meaning.  It's just another corporate logo in a sea of corporate logos.  In other words, it's just another dead fish in a sea of dead fish.  But if you think that's bad, take a look at what she'd done to the inside.

Here's the old Cracker Barrel we all knew and loved:

And here's the new version:

Now I don't know about you, but that new version has all of the charm and family appeal as a McDonald's.  It's lost ALL of the country charm that made Cracker Barrel as popular as it was.

So now it looks like Cracker Barrel is going to go down the same path that Bud Lite took two years ago, and that's too bad.  I refuse to set foot in any of the "new" restaurants, no matter what.

This is a prime example of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."  And if Cracker Barrel wasn't broke before, it sure as hell is now.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

 

 

 

 

Remember When Being a Liberal Was A Good Thing?

 

Remember when being a liberal was a good thing?  I sure do.  I remember growing up listening to the news - back when the news just reported the news without an agenda - talking about these new, unheard-of changes that needed to be made in American society.  And I remember hearing all of the uptight, straight-laced conservatives saying how bad the change was, and that it would lead to the downfall of the nation and all that other crap.  Even at 6 or 7 years of age I could see that the conservatives were so stuck in their ways and so unwilling to change that they'd never see the good that liberals were trying to do.  

But thankfully the liberals got their way, and some very important things in American life changed for the better.  Things like desegregation, the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Act, and more women entering the work force.  And surprise, surprise, the nation survived.  How about that.  The liberals were all about changes that would benefit everyone, not just liberals.  Of course the conservatives refused to see this, and I'm happy to say that they were proven wrong. 

Well, that was then and this is now, and things have most certainly changed.  I won't say that some of the ideas that the liberals of today have will cause the downfall of the nation, but it'll be close.  Some of the causes that the liberals of today support have been disastrous to the nation, such as open borders.  Flooding the nation with illegal immigrants who take jobs from Americans and sponge off of the system by getting benefits to which they're not entitled (such as social security and health care) have a detrimental effect on ALL American citizens because those services are paid for with OUR tax money.  I don't know about you, but I didn't give up a percentage of my pay to Social Security every payday to have an illegal alien criminal apply for and get benefits.  

Allowing non-citizens to vote in our elections is another one.  The open border policy is directly tied to this one, because the liberals (spelled Demoncrats) know that if they let the illegals in, then give them benefits that they'll vote for whatever candidate the Demoncrats put up.  This will in turn allow the Demoncrats to remain in power and give them the chance to force more of their idiotic policies on us and further fuck up the nation.

 

 

But the thing that concerns and dismays me the most is the unabated, open hatred that liberals have for conservatives to the point where they openly state on all kinds of social media how much they wish Trump would be assassinated, how they hoped that all conservatives get sick and die of covid, and other shit like that.  And this, coming from the same group of people who preach tolerance, acceptance, and understanding in one breath, then turn around and wish sickness and death on anyone who disagrees with them in the next breath.  This is the thing that concerns me the most about the liberals in our country, and is the main reason I refer to them as 'libtards.'  

 

The mere hypocrisy of the libtards in our nation today is nothing short of astounding.  One of the things I have NEVER seen on any form of social media is a posting by a conservative in which the poster says that they hope Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi get cancer and die, or anything like that.  But a five minute trek through TikTok will show you all kinds of posts by blue and purple haired libtards wishing all of this and more on Trump, Vance, and literally anyone who doesn't agree with them.

 

This is disgusting, pure and simple, and contrary to what the libtards may think this is NOT the American way of life.  There is NO excuse for this, period.  But of course the libtards will disagree with you, then tell you that they hope you die.  

 

And that's why they're libtards. 

 

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

Sometimes It's The Little Things That Make Me Happy

  

Every now and then it's the little things in life that make me happy, and today's blog entry is about one of those.  It's called the "Watch Mug," and it's something that I'd been trying to find for a long time.  I just wasn't looking in the right place.

First, let me tell you about the watch mug.  This style of mug was first used by the USMC around 1913 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - or at least that's the earliest proven date by the stamp on the bottom of a mug shard found on Glass Beach at Gitmo.  The mug was designed to be heavy and sturdy to withstand the rigors of military use; it was also designed without a handle.  This was for two reasons - the handle was normally the first thing to break off, so they didn't put one on it.  The second reason is that Marines on guard or sentry duty - and later sailors on watch on board a ship at sea - would use the mug of hot coffee to warm their hands.  The size of the mug (it's HUGE) and the lack of a handle made it perfect for wrapping your fingers around it to warm them up in the cold weather.  This is how the mug got its name, the 'watch mug.'

 

 

The picture above shows a Marine on board a Navy ship after the invasion of Entiwok Island in WWII drinking coffee out of a watch mug.  You can see two other watch mugs on the table behind him. 

 

 As you can see from the picture above, the watch mug wasn't exclusive to the Marines and the Navy; the Air Force and the Army used it as well.

 

The mugs became standard issue on US Navy vessels, staying in use until around the time of the Vietnam War.  I haven't been able to find anything about when the mug went out of use by the other services, but I know that by the time I joined the Air Force it was long gone.

 

As soon as I saw one of these mugs I wanted one.  I thought it was cool as hell, and the fact that it was a part of Navy history is the part that intrigued me the most.  As you may recall from my previous posts, my father was in the US Navy from 1946-1951 stationed on board the USS MISSISSIPPI AG-128, which means that he drank from a mug just like this when he was either on watch or eating chow.

 

The first time I found one of these mugs was on e-bay (of course), and it was an original Corning mug from WWII - and the seller wanted $80 for it.  Nope, not happening.  I looked around some more, but couldn't find anyone who made a reproduction mug.  And all of the originals I found were all sky-high in price, so I was just about ready to give up.

 

Then, about two weeks ago, I found a company online called Glass Beach Mugs.  They make an exact replica of the 1917 USMC mug designed from shards of broken mugs found at Glass Beach, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  They also make three other versions of the mugs, one of which has the Masonic Square and Compasses on it.  (Too bad I didn't find this one last year, huh?)  Of course I immediately bought one, and since the Centennial USMC Mug was sold out, I went for the next one in line, the Filibuster Mug.  Including shipping the total cost was right at $30, and let me tell you it's worth every penny!

 

This mug is HUGE!  It holds 13 ounces of liquid, so if you use creamer in your coffee you're gonna want to leave a little room in the mug for that.  It's also HEAVY, weighing in at 1.25 pounds!  It's VERY thick, and I'm quite sure that if I dropped it on the floor it wouldn't break.  Like I said, this mug is worth every penny!

 

While I'm very pleased with all of the attributes of this mug, the main reason I love it as much as I do is very simple.  Since my father drank out of a mug like this when he was in the Navy, every time I use it I feel like I'm having coffee with my father.

 

Like I said, sometimes it's the little things that make me happy. 

 

I love you, Pop, and I miss you.

 

Electrician's Mate 3rd Class (EM3) Raymond Craig, 1950

Deo Vindice
IHC

 

 Glass Beach Mugs

You Say 'Auditor,' I Say...

 

Would somebody please explain to me the purpose of this whole 'auditor' thing?  You know, the guys who go stand in a public place on public property, point their video camera or cell phone at a sensitive building (such as a clinic or a bank or a hospital) and record the front of the building to include the people coming in and out of it?  This seems to be all the rave these days, and for the life of me I can't figure out a sound, logical reason for it.

In the first place, exactly what are they 'auditing?'  And why?  If they were hired by a company to take video, then that's one thing - but to just stand out on the sidewalk and record the outside of a building for no good fuckin' reason other than you can makes no sense. 

The clowns who do this - and IMHO that's just what they are, clowns - will tell you that they're 'exercising their First Amendment rights,' but I don't buy that.  Whenever they're asked why they're recording, they'll just say "I'm exercising my Constitutional rights" or "I'm exercising my First Amendment rights" without actually answering the question.  Nine times out of ten the people who are confronting them don't know anything about the Constitution or the First Amendment, so they'll always say that "what you're doing is illegal and I'm calling the cops!"  

News flash - this is exactly what these clowns want you to do.  They know that when the cops get there they'll say the same thing as the so-called 'auditor' - that he's on public property and can record anything he wants.  If it's happening in front of a clinic, the person who confronts him will claim it's a violation of HIPPA laws, but the truth is that it's not.  HIPPA laws cover the release of medical information on a patient to someone other than a family member; it says nothing about recording the outside of a clinic.  So no, HIPPA laws don't apply.

So why are these clowns doing this?  Simple - they're trying to stir up shit to have something nice and juicy to post on TikTok or YouTube and get their fifteen minutes of fame.  That's it.  That's the whole reason for it.  Either that, or to bait an uninformed cop into taking some kind of action against them, which will make the video even juicier and also let the 'auditor' sue the police officer, the police department, and the city.  And the sad thing is that every now and then some dumbass cop will do just that, and the video will go viral.  That gives ALL cops a bad name, and that's something that the good cops can do without.

Until someone gives me a sound, logical reason for these clowns standing outside anyplace and recording the people walking past, I'm going to stand by my opinion that they're doing it just to stir up shit and get something to post on the internet - all for the sake of VIEWS.

These clowns are both sad and pathetic.  If you have to stoop to something like this in order to get attention, then you have a serious problem.  

And if you're doing it just to stir up shit and cause trouble, then you're an asshole.

Period.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

What I Believe - Men In Women's Sports

 

One of the things I absolutely don't understand is why this topic is even being discussed, or why anyone with an ounce of common sense would support it.  My opinion on this topic is very simple - men don't belong in women's sports.  Period.  It is a proven biological fact that most - not all, but most - women are physically incapable of competing against men.  That's why they have women's sports in the first place, to allow women to compete in sports in a FAIR and EQUITABLE environment, where everyone has a fair chance at winning.  When you put a man who has a mental illness and thinks he's a woman into this environment, it ceases to become fair and equitable.

 

Need proof of this?  Okay, for all of you screaming libtards out there, here it is - every single time a man has been allowed to compete in women's sports, he's won.  Every.  Single.  Time.

 

And he won because biologically HE'S A MAN, NOT A WOMAN.

 

Yes, I said it - a man who thinks he's a woman has a mental illness.  I don't give a damn what anyone else says, in my opinion any man who thinks he's a woman and wants to cut off his own Johnson has a severe mental illness.  Likewise, any woman who thinks she's a man has the same mental illness - either that, or she has the most severe case of penis envy in the history of mankind.

 

And it's high time the majority stopped kow-towing to the 1%.  

 

I personally don't care how others live their lives because it's their lives and not mine, which means that it's none of my business.  I don't care what you do with your body, I don't care who you sleep with, I don't care who you marry, I don't care what 'pronouns' you use, and I don't care what color you dye your hair.  As I said, it's none of my business.

 

But when you start forcing your mental illness and/or your liberal lifestyle down other people's throats and start demanding that others give in to your lunatic demands, at that point it becomes my business because I'm one of the 'others.'  I refuse to use your 'preferred pronouns' because I refuse to participate and thereby legitimize your fantasy of what you are or what you think you are.  I'm not going to call a 'transgender' man 'she,' and I'm not going to call a 'transgender' woman 'he.'  As the meme says, if you were born with a penis, you're a man.  And if you were born with a vagina, you're a woman.  

 

Men don't belong in women's sports. And this includes Brittany Griner.  

 

End of story.

 

Deo Vindice

IHC