Wednesday, October 25, 2017
PERMITLESS CARRY AKA CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY
by Bob Walsh
I thought I would do something radical here and throw some actual facts into what is often called Constitutional Carry. There are currently 11 states that allow a person who is in legal possession of a handgun to carry that handgun concealed without a permit. Those states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginian.
In addition two other states, Idaho and Wyoming, extend this right to their own citizens within the state, but not to visitors.
Alaska has had permitless carry for ten years. In that time their murder rate has dropped 28.3%. In Arizona it has dropped 33.8% in the seven years since the plan was implemented. In the four years Wyoming has had permitless carry the murder rate has dropped 10.7%.
Of course it is completely possible the murder rates came down for some other reason. I'm just throwing the numbers out there for your information.
I thought I would do something radical here and throw some actual facts into what is often called Constitutional Carry. There are currently 11 states that allow a person who is in legal possession of a handgun to carry that handgun concealed without a permit. Those states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginian.
In addition two other states, Idaho and Wyoming, extend this right to their own citizens within the state, but not to visitors.
Alaska has had permitless carry for ten years. In that time their murder rate has dropped 28.3%. In Arizona it has dropped 33.8% in the seven years since the plan was implemented. In the four years Wyoming has had permitless carry the murder rate has dropped 10.7%.
Of course it is completely possible the murder rates came down for some other reason. I'm just throwing the numbers out there for your information.
ACTRESS ACCUSES FORMER PRESIDENT OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING HER FROM HIS WHEELCHAIR
Heather Lind made the allegations against 93-year-old George H. W. Bush
BarkGrowlBite
October 25, 2017
Actress Heather Lind accused 93-year-old former president George H. W. Bush of sexually assaulting her from his wheelchair while wife Barbara was sanding next to him during a photo shoot four years ago.
Here is what Lind said on Instagram:
I was disturbed today by a photo I saw of President Barack Obama shaking hands with George H. W. Bush in a gathering of ex-presidents organizing aid to states and territories damaged by recent hurricanes. I found it disturbing because I recognize the respect ex-presidents are given for having served. And I feel pride and reverence toward many of the men in the photo. But when I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo. He didn’t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say “not again”. His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo. We were instructed to call him Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy. He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me. What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn’t so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them. I can vote for a President, in part, by the nature of his or her character, knowing that his or her political decisions must necessarily stem from that character. My fellow cast-mates and producers helped me that day and continue to support me. I am grateful for the bravery of other women who have spoken up and written about their experiences. And I thank President Barack Obama for the gesture of respect he made toward George H. W. Bush for the sake of our country, but I do not respect him. #metoo
Good old old George. There’s life still left in the old dog.
Bush released the following apology: “President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind.”
If these accusations continue, there’s no telling who will be hit next. I fully expect some actress to come forward to say that Pope Francis sexually assaulted her.
BarkGrowlBite
October 25, 2017
Actress Heather Lind accused 93-year-old former president George H. W. Bush of sexually assaulting her from his wheelchair while wife Barbara was sanding next to him during a photo shoot four years ago.
Here is what Lind said on Instagram:
I was disturbed today by a photo I saw of President Barack Obama shaking hands with George H. W. Bush in a gathering of ex-presidents organizing aid to states and territories damaged by recent hurricanes. I found it disturbing because I recognize the respect ex-presidents are given for having served. And I feel pride and reverence toward many of the men in the photo. But when I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo. He didn’t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say “not again”. His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo. We were instructed to call him Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy. He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me. What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn’t so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them. I can vote for a President, in part, by the nature of his or her character, knowing that his or her political decisions must necessarily stem from that character. My fellow cast-mates and producers helped me that day and continue to support me. I am grateful for the bravery of other women who have spoken up and written about their experiences. And I thank President Barack Obama for the gesture of respect he made toward George H. W. Bush for the sake of our country, but I do not respect him. #metoo
Good old old George. There’s life still left in the old dog.
Bush released the following apology: “President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind.”
If these accusations continue, there’s no telling who will be hit next. I fully expect some actress to come forward to say that Pope Francis sexually assaulted her.
OHIO COPS SAVED THE LIFE OF A WORTHLESS SCUMBAG WHO TWO YEARS LATER SHOT DEAD A POLICE OFFICER
Police Once Saved Life of Suspect Accused of Killing Ohio Officer
Tribune Media Wire
October 24, 2017
Police say they saved the life of alleged cop killer Jason Marble by performing CPR and giving him Narcan in 2015. Marble is now accused of fatally shooting Ohio police officer Justin Leo.
“It was rather disturbing to find out that we saved his life, and two years later he ended an officer’s life,” Liberty Township Police Chief Rich Tisone told WJW on Monday.
Police were called to a home on Indiana Avenue in Girard about 10 p.m. Saturday. Shortly after they arrived sources say Marble shot Officer Leo. Another officer returned fire killing Marble.
Several police flags line the street where Leo was shot. Some neighbors have blue ribbons tied on trees and small memorials in their yard. Leo, 31, had worked as a police officer for Girard for about five years.
Girard Mayor Jim Melfi said in the past few days they have heard dozens of stories on how the young officer impacted so many lives.
“For example, he had a call about some young kids playing in the neighborhood, maybe trespassing and he showed up in uniform. He ended up tossing the football to them,” Melfi said.
There are others who have written on Facebook, saying the officer even helped pay for a traffic ticket that was given to a disabled veteran.
“He was an amazing person,” Melfi said.
Many lined the streets Monday waiting for police to escort Officer Leo’s body to a funeral home in his hometown.
“I wanted to be here for his family,” said Don Whisler, of Girard. “I didn’t know him. But it’s so sad. It hurts.”
Tribune Media Wire
October 24, 2017
Police say they saved the life of alleged cop killer Jason Marble by performing CPR and giving him Narcan in 2015. Marble is now accused of fatally shooting Ohio police officer Justin Leo.
“It was rather disturbing to find out that we saved his life, and two years later he ended an officer’s life,” Liberty Township Police Chief Rich Tisone told WJW on Monday.
Police were called to a home on Indiana Avenue in Girard about 10 p.m. Saturday. Shortly after they arrived sources say Marble shot Officer Leo. Another officer returned fire killing Marble.
Several police flags line the street where Leo was shot. Some neighbors have blue ribbons tied on trees and small memorials in their yard. Leo, 31, had worked as a police officer for Girard for about five years.
Girard Mayor Jim Melfi said in the past few days they have heard dozens of stories on how the young officer impacted so many lives.
“For example, he had a call about some young kids playing in the neighborhood, maybe trespassing and he showed up in uniform. He ended up tossing the football to them,” Melfi said.
There are others who have written on Facebook, saying the officer even helped pay for a traffic ticket that was given to a disabled veteran.
“He was an amazing person,” Melfi said.
Many lined the streets Monday waiting for police to escort Officer Leo’s body to a funeral home in his hometown.
“I wanted to be here for his family,” said Don Whisler, of Girard. “I didn’t know him. But it’s so sad. It hurts.”
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
POSTURING OR THE REAL DEAL ??
by Bob Walsh
The United States is preparing to place our fleet of B-52 bombers on 24 hour alert for the first time in nearly 30 years. It is unclear what armaments the bombers would be loaded up with but the reports I have seen strongly imply that at least some of them will be loaded with nuclear weapons. Barksdale AFB in Louisiana is being upgraded to support the instant readiness of the 2nd Bomb Wing and Air Force Global Strike command, which manages our nuclear arsenal.
Whether this is just Trump showing the Norks that they don't have a big enough Johnson to get in a serious pissing contest with us or Trump and the Air Force wanting to be reading to go if the guy with the toilet brush haircut goes nutso I would not care to bet.
I do know without a doubt what the final outcome would be, but it could become really interesting along the way.
The United States is preparing to place our fleet of B-52 bombers on 24 hour alert for the first time in nearly 30 years. It is unclear what armaments the bombers would be loaded up with but the reports I have seen strongly imply that at least some of them will be loaded with nuclear weapons. Barksdale AFB in Louisiana is being upgraded to support the instant readiness of the 2nd Bomb Wing and Air Force Global Strike command, which manages our nuclear arsenal.
Whether this is just Trump showing the Norks that they don't have a big enough Johnson to get in a serious pissing contest with us or Trump and the Air Force wanting to be reading to go if the guy with the toilet brush haircut goes nutso I would not care to bet.
I do know without a doubt what the final outcome would be, but it could become really interesting along the way.
DO THE SCOUTS NOW HATE FIREARMS?
by Bob Walsh
Ames Mayfield was a Cub Scout in the greater Denver, CO.area. His pack was taken to a talk by State Senator Vicki Marble. They were told to prepare questions about issues that were important to them to put to the senator.
Ames was kicked out of the pack because he asked about gun control. The scouts deemed it to be inappropriate, disrespectful and political. (I thought the idea was to be political.)
The Boy Scouts of America have declined comment but have said young Ames will remain in the program with a different group. The spokeshole for the organization also asserted that the Scouts are a "wholly non-partisan organization and does not promote any one political position..." I guess that whoever said that got their BULLSHITTER merit badge.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I am an Eagle Scout and back then I believe the Scouts had a shooting merit badge.
Ames Mayfield was a Cub Scout in the greater Denver, CO.area. His pack was taken to a talk by State Senator Vicki Marble. They were told to prepare questions about issues that were important to them to put to the senator.
Ames was kicked out of the pack because he asked about gun control. The scouts deemed it to be inappropriate, disrespectful and political. (I thought the idea was to be political.)
The Boy Scouts of America have declined comment but have said young Ames will remain in the program with a different group. The spokeshole for the organization also asserted that the Scouts are a "wholly non-partisan organization and does not promote any one political position..." I guess that whoever said that got their BULLSHITTER merit badge.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I am an Eagle Scout and back then I believe the Scouts had a shooting merit badge.
NO DECREASE IN THE USE OF FORCE WHEN COPS WEAR BODY CAMS
Body cam study shows no effect on police use of force or citizen complaints
By Nell Greenfieldboyce |
National Public Radio
October 20, 2017
Having police officers wear little cameras seems to have no discernible impact on citizen complaints or officers' use of force, at least in the nation's capital.
That's the conclusion of a study performed as Washington, D.C., rolled out its huge camera program. The city has one of the largest forces in the country, with some 2,600 officers now wearing cameras on their collars or shirts.
"We found essentially that we could not detect any statistically significant effect of the body-worn cameras," says Anita Ravishankar, a researcher with the Metropolitan Police Department and a group in the city government called the Lab @ DC.
The findings come as the Los Angeles Police Department continues to equip its own officers with body cameras and faces questions about public access to the video footage. The city's civilian police commission, which oversees the LAPD, is currently conducting a review of the department’s policy on when to release such videos to the public and is due to present its findings in the coming days or weeks, according to the L.A. Times.
"I think we're surprised by the result. I think a lot of people were suggesting that the body-worn cameras would change behavior," says Chief of Police Peter Newsham. "There was no indication that the cameras changed behavior at all."
Perhaps, he says, that is because his officers "were doing the right thing in the first place."
In the wake of high-profile shootings, many police departments have been rapidly adopting body-worn cameras, despite a dearth of solid research on how the technology can change policing.
"We need science, rather than our speculations about it, to try to answer and understand what impacts the cameras are having," says David Yokum, director of the Lab @ DC.
His group worked with local police officials to make sure that cameras were handed out in a way that let the researchers carefully compare officers who were randomly assigned to get cameras with those who were not. The study ran from June 2015 to last December.
"This is a very methodologically rigorous study. It is very well done. And that's not a small issue, because there have been many studies of body-worn cameras that are not rigorous," says Michael White, a researcher at Arizona State University who has studied body-worn camera programs in Tempe, Ariz., and Spokane, Wash.
It's to be expected that these cameras might have little impact on the behavior of police officers in Washington, D.C., he says, because this particular force went through about a decade of federal oversight to help improve the department.
"They're hiring the right people; they've got good training; they've got good supervision; they've got good accountability mechanisms in place," White says. "When you have a department in that kind of state, I don't think you're going to see large reductions in use of force and complaints, because you don't need to. There is no large number of excessive uses of force that need to be eliminated."
The big question about cameras now is, White says: "Is it worth the cost?" Besides buying the actual cameras, cash-strapped police departments have to pay to store and manage many thousands of hours of video footage. "I think a big part of the answer to that question is going to come from what the police department and the community want to accomplish with the rollout of body-worn cameras."
The results of this study call into question whether police departments should purchase body-worn cameras at all, says Harlan Yu, who works for an organization called Upturn that studies how technology affects civil rights and social justice issues.
"This is the most important empirical study on the impact of police body-worn cameras to date," Yu says. "If cameras don't decrease use of force, don't decrease the number of misconduct complaints and don't change officer behavior, then what are we adopting cameras for?"
He notes that a lot of recent footage showing police violence has come from bystander video, not officer body cameras.
And while cameras have had neutral effects in Washington, D.C., Yu says the devices might have harmful effects in places with policies that, say, allow officers to review footage before writing their initial reports of violent incidents.
Despite this study's results, the nation's capital has no plans to get rid of its cameras, according to Newsham.
"I am a little concerned that people might misconstrue the information and suggest that the body-worn cameras have no value. I don't think that this study suggests that at all," he says.
In his view, the cameras have helped his department enormously after contentious encounters like a recent one on Christmas, when police officers fatally shot a man who was brandishing a knife. Some had suggested the man was not armed, but Newsham says the video shows otherwise.
"I think it's really important for legitimacy for the police department," says Newsham, "when we say something to be able to back it up with a real-world view that others can see."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says in a statement that the city "invested in one of the most comprehensive deployments of body-worn cameras in the nation to ensure even greater transparency and accountability. As we conclude this comprehensive study, we will recommit ourselves to always evaluating what works —and what does not— to better serve our residents and creating a safer, stronger DC."
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the end it’s all in the eyes of the beholder. Those who are looking for police brutality will see it. Those who want to ignore black brutality will not see it even though it clearly shows up on the body cam footage.
By Nell Greenfieldboyce |
National Public Radio
October 20, 2017
Having police officers wear little cameras seems to have no discernible impact on citizen complaints or officers' use of force, at least in the nation's capital.
That's the conclusion of a study performed as Washington, D.C., rolled out its huge camera program. The city has one of the largest forces in the country, with some 2,600 officers now wearing cameras on their collars or shirts.
"We found essentially that we could not detect any statistically significant effect of the body-worn cameras," says Anita Ravishankar, a researcher with the Metropolitan Police Department and a group in the city government called the Lab @ DC.
The findings come as the Los Angeles Police Department continues to equip its own officers with body cameras and faces questions about public access to the video footage. The city's civilian police commission, which oversees the LAPD, is currently conducting a review of the department’s policy on when to release such videos to the public and is due to present its findings in the coming days or weeks, according to the L.A. Times.
"I think we're surprised by the result. I think a lot of people were suggesting that the body-worn cameras would change behavior," says Chief of Police Peter Newsham. "There was no indication that the cameras changed behavior at all."
Perhaps, he says, that is because his officers "were doing the right thing in the first place."
In the wake of high-profile shootings, many police departments have been rapidly adopting body-worn cameras, despite a dearth of solid research on how the technology can change policing.
"We need science, rather than our speculations about it, to try to answer and understand what impacts the cameras are having," says David Yokum, director of the Lab @ DC.
His group worked with local police officials to make sure that cameras were handed out in a way that let the researchers carefully compare officers who were randomly assigned to get cameras with those who were not. The study ran from June 2015 to last December.
"This is a very methodologically rigorous study. It is very well done. And that's not a small issue, because there have been many studies of body-worn cameras that are not rigorous," says Michael White, a researcher at Arizona State University who has studied body-worn camera programs in Tempe, Ariz., and Spokane, Wash.
It's to be expected that these cameras might have little impact on the behavior of police officers in Washington, D.C., he says, because this particular force went through about a decade of federal oversight to help improve the department.
"They're hiring the right people; they've got good training; they've got good supervision; they've got good accountability mechanisms in place," White says. "When you have a department in that kind of state, I don't think you're going to see large reductions in use of force and complaints, because you don't need to. There is no large number of excessive uses of force that need to be eliminated."
The big question about cameras now is, White says: "Is it worth the cost?" Besides buying the actual cameras, cash-strapped police departments have to pay to store and manage many thousands of hours of video footage. "I think a big part of the answer to that question is going to come from what the police department and the community want to accomplish with the rollout of body-worn cameras."
The results of this study call into question whether police departments should purchase body-worn cameras at all, says Harlan Yu, who works for an organization called Upturn that studies how technology affects civil rights and social justice issues.
"This is the most important empirical study on the impact of police body-worn cameras to date," Yu says. "If cameras don't decrease use of force, don't decrease the number of misconduct complaints and don't change officer behavior, then what are we adopting cameras for?"
He notes that a lot of recent footage showing police violence has come from bystander video, not officer body cameras.
And while cameras have had neutral effects in Washington, D.C., Yu says the devices might have harmful effects in places with policies that, say, allow officers to review footage before writing their initial reports of violent incidents.
Despite this study's results, the nation's capital has no plans to get rid of its cameras, according to Newsham.
"I am a little concerned that people might misconstrue the information and suggest that the body-worn cameras have no value. I don't think that this study suggests that at all," he says.
In his view, the cameras have helped his department enormously after contentious encounters like a recent one on Christmas, when police officers fatally shot a man who was brandishing a knife. Some had suggested the man was not armed, but Newsham says the video shows otherwise.
"I think it's really important for legitimacy for the police department," says Newsham, "when we say something to be able to back it up with a real-world view that others can see."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says in a statement that the city "invested in one of the most comprehensive deployments of body-worn cameras in the nation to ensure even greater transparency and accountability. As we conclude this comprehensive study, we will recommit ourselves to always evaluating what works —and what does not— to better serve our residents and creating a safer, stronger DC."
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the end it’s all in the eyes of the beholder. Those who are looking for police brutality will see it. Those who want to ignore black brutality will not see it even though it clearly shows up on the body cam footage.
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