Current Events – Page 22 – The Laughing Wolf

Slightly Scattered Update

Yesterday got away from me. It was a doctor day, it was a rough day, an age of accomplishment and an age of foolishness. 9/11 is still a bit rough, and on top of the personal news from last week with the loss of my niece A’s eldest son, it hit a bit. For those new, this is a small bit about that day.

Several years ago, my niece A and her two sons got to spend some time in NYC, and I was able to recommend a number of fun things to do and tasty places to eat. I also recommended they go to the memorial, and they did so. They sent me a photo of themselves with Rick Rescorla’s name as they had read up on him as I recommended.

Which leads to a point to make for today: Get comfortable with disobedience. Had Rick Rescorla not disobeyed orders, and encouraged colleagues to do the same, the death toll that day would have been far worse.

Yesterday was the six-month checkup with the GP, and it went well. Have to do some bloodwork next Monday morning, but hopefully that will go well too. It was also a PT day, though much later than normal, and I was beat afterwards. Good news is yet more significant improvement in range of motion. Here’s hoping the stretches and an odd thing help regain yet more.

The odd thing is the use of something called The Bodyblade. I sorta remember seeing it advertised on TV at some point, and thought it was just another one of those wonder workout ripoffs. While I won’t swear to just regular exercise, I will attest to its effectiveness in PT. Doesn’t take long, but boy howdy(! even) do you feel it. Would love to get one to add to the PT gear. I continue to add to my collection, and pleased that the last two purchases were $5 or less. Few more things to pick up, hopefully in the same range, that will help with stretching out the locked-up muscles and tendons. If it makes my back feel better as well, I’m all for it.

We are already starting the process to get some more PT sessions authorized. Have the feeling it may well be a fight.

I did get a new batch of chili-lime mayo made, though there were some issues. The first batch didn’t set when blended, and suspect I may have accidentally put in too much oil. At any rate, the second try went perfect and I’m very happy with the flavor. Used sweet smoked paprika instead of hot, and it seemed to hit the spot. So, for the record, added 1T Tajin, 3T key lime juice, 1t chipotle, 1t smoked paprika, .5t cumin, .5t garlic, .5t mustard, and a couple of dashes of Cholula tequilla lime hot sauce. Add olive oil and egg, and it’s good.

Continuing to watch the fascist Grisham, and am quite surprised at some of the domestic push back she’s getting. Remember, this is the governor who shut down grocery stores during the lockdowns with pretty much no pushback. So far, the local sheriff and the local DA (both Dems!) have said that her actions are unconstitutional and will not be enforced. No sign of anyone in the democratic supermajority legislature growing a brain or a spine, but two Republicans are moving for impeachment. This needs to be stomped hard, fast, and with consequences beyond a slap on the wrist. Otherwise, how soon will others follow suit? I think High Tax Holcomb would do it in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it.

Continuing to watch the decline of the demented meat puppet and the flailing of the Biden Regency. They had tried their best to contain him my having him in Alaska (esp. after the fiasco that was Vietnam), but he still managed among other things to make up a story about being in NYC on 9/12. Oh, and if you think the Iran and other announcements yesterday were the Biden Regency being tone deaf, you are mistaken: those were very deliberate thumbs in the eye. If you didn’t know before, you have yet more proof of how they feel about the Republic and about you.

There’s more deserving comment out there, but for now I leave you with this and this as good reads for the day.

Meantime, be good Scouts and Be Prepared! Keep your friends close and your things where you can find them in the dark. More soon.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

The Trojan Safe

I could go off on a nice rant at Liberty Safe, but I fear many would miss the real problem and point. The real problem and point is that it is not just Liberty Safe, but a whole array of companies and products that will turn on you in a heartbeat.

For those that missed it, Liberty Safe was told by the FBI that they had a warrant in regards a Jan 6 persecution and, apparently, without verifying that warrant or what it allowed, Liberty provided the FBI a master code so they could open, search, and seize contents of the suspect. News to many was that such a thing existed; that Liberty did not have a more rigorous process in regards warrants; and, that Liberty did not hold it’s customers or their rights in high regard.

The backlash has been enormous, and Liberty is deservedly getting pounded by outraged customers and shedding business in a hurry. I say deservedly, as the owners of the company hate guns and gun owners, and have worked to undermine both since before they bought the company. Here’s a good takedown on that. No surprise they were so eager to assist the FBI.

Thing is, they are not alone. Do you know who owns the company from which you are buying products for your safety and security? Guess what, lot of situations like this.

Have a video doorbell or, like my landlord, have it and multiple cameras around the house? How secure is that service and what rights have you given to the company you bought it from? Have a fancy electronic deadbolt that opens when you cell phone gets near it and/or locks you can control from a phone app? Again, not very secure and you may well have given the company behind it rights to your data. How often do any of us read the entire legal agreement, much less understand some of the intense legalese?

How about your car? Again, your data and records of what you do when and where are not yours. Stephen Green has a pretty good takedown on that in this article. He also correctly notes how much data your phone is sending to others, and trust me it’s a huge amount that just increases every time you add an app.

If it has to do with the safety and security of your home and family, and it’s digital, you are not as secure as you think you are. Heck, while not part of your security have you checked to see how much data your smart TV is collecting on you, or how easy it is to activate cameras and microphones remotely? TVs, tablets, and more can and have been turned on their owners.

Even mechanical locks and other items can have a master code or a master key. My trust in mechanical padlocks went out the window decades ago when a cousin who worked for a power company showed me the ring of master keys for every major (and many minor) brands of padlocks they had so they could access any property at any time for repairs or maintenance.

So, that non-digital lock or locks you got for your front door — who made it? Do you know if they have a master key for it? Do you trust them to tell you if they did?

Before you buy a safe, look at who owns the company and where they stand. Check to see if they will admit to having a master code or if you can trust them to be honest with the answer. Same goes for any major purchase.

Start demanding better, and vote with your wallet for privacy and your rights. Small or large, each purchase can make a point and even now, a difference.

They Didn’t Learn

And we are likely to pay. The so-called leaders who were the most draconian during COVID faced no sanctions of any kind for their illegal, high-handed, and unconstitutional orders. Heck, most of them have been re-elected despite all the damage they did. Just look at Indiana where human petri dish High Tax Holcomb was sailed merrily along raising taxes, and Boss Hogsbreath, the mayor of Indianapolis who went both missing and Screwloose at different times, is likely going to be re-elected. Look at Reichsgovernor Witmer in Michigan, along with so many more.

The true poster child of the lockdown left, however, was Gov. Grisham of NM. I’m really surprised she didn’t get more of a national stage (which seemed to be her goal) as she not only went full lockdown, but even shut down grocery stores for two (or more) weeks. Let the peasant’s starve! She also took full advantage to regulate liquor and other stores because she could. Where was the principled opposition to her draconian and over-reaching orders? Good question. I haven’t found any significant opposition to her then, or now.

Yes, now. Yesterday, Gov. Grisham declared the 1st and 2nd amendments null and void in the area of Albuquerque over a public health emergency of violence. She is also demanding and/or seizing a lot of info into types of guns, calibers, etc. and may be demanding it of local gun dealers. You don’t go after that info unless you intend to use it.

The Albuquerque chief of police has thanked the governor for her actions, though he has noted in a memo that enforcement will be by state-level resources. In other words, APD is not getting involved with making those arrests or decisions. There are a lot of problems with LE and prosecution in the Albuquerque area, and I leave that research up to you. I used to go out there on a regular basis for NASA, and saw the slide start. You get out from there, and things aren’t bad except for a spineless legislature and a fascist governor. The latter are why I have not looked at NM as a viable location.

A quick note for LE and those working for state and county governments, and not just in NM though they are the audience I hope to reach. I wrote a while back about the need to make decisions, as circumstances are putting people in the position of assisting, enforcing, or otherwise implementing illegal and unconstitutional orders The shadow of Nuremberg is upon us, and you have decisions to make. Will you be a good little servant and do as you are told, and join the ranks of the Stasi and party bureaucrats? Or, will you have the courage, honor, and integrity to refuse even if it means your job, or life? The choice is yours, and I will note that if you refuse to make a choice, you still have made a choice you just don’t have the integrity to admit to yourself.

For everyone else, be aware of who makes what choices. This is a chilling reminder that there are many who will cheerfully and willingly enforce illegal orders. There are even more who will keep the bureaucratic machine running so as not to rock the boat.

The governor, who seems to think she’s the Präsident der Republik Grisham, needs to be removed from office ASAP. I’m not sure what the mechanism is per the New Mexico constitution, but clear violations of the Constitution can’t be allowed to stand. This order and power grab needs an emergency injunction via the Supreme Court as well. Provided that court and others don’t wimp out again and declare that the citizens of the state don’t have standing to question their betters. Also, this does require New Mexico legislators and politicians (or even LE) with a spine and a brain — which seems to be in short supply.

This needs to be dealt with hard and fast, because if it isn’t, she may be the first but will not be the last. Expect to see every power-hungry wanna-be tyrant declare public health emergencies on a similar vein, and they won’t just be going after guns though they will at the start. Remember what has happened to every disarmed population in history… The Biden Regency and imperial governors are also hard at work to destroy the First Amendment, and will use these orders to advance that effort. So, find ways to call this out, to help those who can stomp it hard and fast in the courts, and to hold those abusing power accountable so that they suffer consequences, real consequences, for their actions.

Otherwise, the dark days I see coming will get here a lot sooner than they would otherwise. We’re still in the Golden Hour, but efforts like this, unless met, will erode that hour to uselessness.

Kadyrov, hmmmmmm

I’ve noted for a while now that I considered Kadyrov to be the kingmaker in ongoing Russian politics. Almost fanatically loyal to Vladimir, he has benefited from Vladmir’s largely successful efforts to integrate him into the current Kremlin political structure. That has required a level of ongoing effort by Vladimir, as not everyone is fond of Kadyrov’s past or the fact that even before the “coup” attempt he had 1,000 troops stationed next to the Kremlin for the use by and protection of Vladmir. During the “coup” he was bringing a lot more troops in to protect Moscow, the Kremlin, and Vladimir — and key Russian figures moved none.

If you are not familiar with the relationship between Russia and the Chechens, let’s just describe it as interesting. There’s long been a push for a ‘free Chechen republic’ and a lot of friction (massive understatement) and not just in the last few decades. Add to it that Vladimir cemented his hold on power by blaming the Chechens for the apartment building bombings (done by the FSB) and fomenting a war. Despite all this, things worked out for Kadyrov to become a Vladimir loyalist and a major power player in Kremlin politics. Or, possibly, former major power player.

Keep in mind that I don’t think Vladimir is anywhere near the top of his game anymore. In fact, I continue to see signs of personal and political decline. Pringle’s “coup” seems to be accelerating the latter. Back to this in a minute.

For all the publicity, Pringles was a vassal to a vassal of Vladimir within the power structure, for all intents and purposes. For all he had turned into a billionaire and small-time oligarch, he was not the key player he (and most corporate media) portrayed. For all that he was a staunch supporter of Vladimir, his first love was to himself. To build the empire he wanted, and to enjoy fully the lifestyle he very much enjoyed (the uniformed figure camping with the troops was mostly for show IMO), he advanced by parroting others. He echoed Vladimir extensively. It has also been noted that when Kadyrov spoke, Pringles echoed.

This was particularly true in regards criticism of the MoD and the general (cough) incompetence in regards the war. For all that both wanted to put the blame for issues squarely on the MoD, and not them or their troops, I think that Kadyrov, more than Pringles, was unhappy at excess casualties and other issues. Kadyrov was, however, far better at playing the game than Pringles, and despite some apparent attempts to get Pringles to calm down, Pringles launched his coup while trying to frame it as focused on the MoD and not Vladimir, and perhaps even within certain circles to present it as an effort to protect Vladimir from those who were effectively betraying him.

That didn’t fly, however, and both Vladimir and Kadyrov both condemned the “coup” and labeled Pringles as a backstabbing traitor. Interestingly enough, both have come out faintly praising/praising Pringles and noting that he let his ambitions get the better of him. The faint was, of course, Vladimir. The not-so-faint was Kadyrov. It is the degree of the difference of the praise that may be very interesting.

As an aside, yes, I do believe Pringles is dead. If it were some sort of Hollyweird “WitSec” effort, it would require not only extensive plastic surgery for Pringles and Utkin, but also personality transplants. I don’t think it psychologically possible for either one of them, even with new faces and identities, to simply go live a quiet life somewhere.

Over the years, I’ve met two people in witness protection who exemplify what I’m talking about. In the first case, when I first graduated I worked at a large bookstore, where we had an “interesting” older female customer. Always trying to pull fast ones, total PITA. Turns out, she was doing interesting things at her business, which led to law enforcement investigation(s), which led to the story coming out in the paper that she was in witness protection and they had to know she was scamming people even before they moved her again. The other was an accountant turned restaurant owner who opened an Italian place where I was living at the time. Actually, some of the best Italian I’ve had in the U.S. His fast one involved (possibly among other things) not paying the witholding for his employees. Again, as law enforcement moved in, he was moved out as he really was an accountant who had testified against the mob.

Is there anyone out there who believes Pringles and Utkin could just go off and not do something similar? Coming from the Russian government, the DNA evidence is automatically suspect, but it is out there. That said, lot of circumstantial evidence around that they are indeed dead. While it wasn’t Vladimir’s normal extra-gruesome death for those he feels have personally betrayed him, it was a stark reminder that even if you are surrounded by troops pretty much 24-7 as well as security he can and will get you. That’s a message on more than one level, and with more than one target.

Which ties in to previous discussions on smart moves and why I expected the hit to happen later. Russia was using Wagner to great advantage in Africa, even more so than in the Middle East. I honestly expected to see them use them even more before striking. I think two things may have changed that calculus. First is Niger, where Wagner had extensive involvement. Did Pringles push some things against orders to curry favor and build back power? Interesting questions. There are, of course, rumors of that and other things that would have not sat well with Vladimir or other power players. Second is that Vladimir took some serious internal political hits during and after the coup. He very much needs propping up/shows of strength right now.

The whole “push some things” holds true in many regards to Kadyrov as well. Kadyrov moved troops against the “coup” both in occupied Ukraine and in Moscow. Keep in mind this so-called coup had silent backers in Moscow and beyond, and not just in one or more major players. More than ever I think it had silent partners in several key players and a number of oligarchs outside the regular power structure.

Keep in mind it doesn’t take much of a mispeak to make Vladimir suspicious of you, especially these days. Now, look back over the last year of what Kadyrov has said and compare it to Pringles (including his echoes of Kadyrov). Think it would take much to make an increasingly paranoid Vladimir see Kadyrov as a threat?

There are a lot of people who are not Vladimir supporters who would have good reason to encourage it. Think about those silent backers of the so-called coup. Those who would like to see Vladimir out of power (and/or dead).

Which makes it more than interesting that opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov appears to be warning that going after and/or eliminating Kadyrov would be a mistake (possibly of epic proportions). Doing so in public and in private apparently. Veerrrrry Interesting.

Which brings up another point. I’ve taken some flack in the past for pointing out that we do have an obligation to Ukraine on defense (though we totally reneged on it in 2014), that leaving Russian aggression unchecked is a bad idea, but that our current efforts are neither smart nor sustainable and could lead to escalation. I also remain convinced that any unilateral enforced peace is a bad idea that will only lead to something magnitudes worse within a fairly short period of time. The only way to ensure long-term peace is for the current Russian Federation to come apart (and Russkiy Mir get a wooden stake through it) — which could lead again to very bad things happening if NATO/West/China/Other were to do it. Yes, as previously discussed China has great reason to make this happen. Ability is a different issue, but they do have the interest.

Things could still go sideways with ease if it happens from within. That said, the “coup” brought out a number of fault lines within the Federation. More than one region apparently told Vladimir that he was on his own. Others were a little more creative, but assistance was not guaranteed shall we say.

Now we have a situation where RUMINT says Vladimir is no longer able, or possibly willing, to continue to spend the effort to keep Kadyrov integrated into the power structure. A power structure in which a number of people don’t like or trust Kadyrov or the Chechens. Can Kadyrov hold his own?

What happens if Gudkov and others are right, and either Vladimir or elements of the Kremlin power structure move against Kadyrov? What will the Chechen republic do?

I don’t think it will go the way many appear to be thinking it will. First up, the power structure of the Kremlin was badly off on the whole invasion of Ukraine, as well as on the capabilities of the Russian military. Second, our own top political and military leadership has yet to be right on matters involving the Ukraine. In fact, they’ve been as badly wrong as the Kremlin leadership, if not more so.

Which is why I sincerely hope we don’t go fishing in those troubled waters, as our current leadership couldn’t successfully organize a drinking party in a distillery, and have to have sex lying on their back as they can only fuck up. While it appears China and Iran may both be trying to fish in these waters already, there are internal dynamics at play that I think may backfire on them as well. For now, I’m more inclined to sit back, wait, watch, and hope that despite the odds that our so-called experts will do the same. The issue of the Russian Federation breaking up may well take care of itself for us.

Good Read & More

A good read from the good CDR Salamander. Ties into something I wrote a while back, will try to link it here later. Update: Here it is.

Right now, need to do a bit of exercise, and burn off some frustration. Yet again, someone didn’t do what they were supposed to in regards the insurance paperwork for more PT. Tomorrow’s visit not looking very likely right now.

More soon.

Execution

Over at Hot Air, Jazz Shaw has up a post about Alabama’s efforts to use nitrogen for executions. A lot of good food for thought there.

When it comes to executions, humanity has displayed its creativity to excess. Given that the purpose of execution was to make it clear to others not to do X (especially if aimed at the king, etc), any number of very horrific methods were developed. Sawing someone in half with the blade coming up between the legs, drawing and quartering, broken on the wheel, burning at the stake or in an oven, impalement, having molten metal poured down your throat, and, well, you get the idea. In my lifetime, I know of hanging, the electric chair, firing squad, and lethal injection being used here in the U.S. For many years, Russia used a bullet to the back of an unsuspecting prisoner’s head. What goes on in some countries tends to hark back to earlier times.

We moved from the concept of making the death as gruesome as possible to simply having death, and the ability of the state to kill you, as the deterrent. The problem is, our current system makes it about anything but a deterrent. Even with executions being legal (again), the efforts to sabotage the process are well underway. Such efforts are why it is almost impossible for states to get the needed drugs for lethal injection. It’s why several states have opted to reinstate firing squads as an option.

So, Alabama is going to try (or try to try) using nitrogen. The parenthetical is because corporate media and the anti-death penalty brigade of the lawyer’s guild are already fighting against it. Untested, unproven, yada, yada, yada. Except it has been used, fairly extensively, with animals and I remember reading a few years back about an assisted suicide company/euthanasia outfit having some famous designer work with them on a chic portable death chamber where the person inside could watch the world/be in a favorite place as they died from the nitrogen. After all, with nitrogen there is no choking/suffocating sensation, and it’s all rather peaceful.

My own personal take on the death penalty is that I prefer it to happen at the hands of the intended victim on the spot. That’s not always possible, unfortunately. My problem with state executions is that part of me does not like giving the state that power; and, the possibility of a false conviction. It does happen, and if the raft of prosecutors exposed for lying, cheating, and worse doesn’t concern you, it should. Especially in a case where the plaintiff could face the death penalty.

That said, I do feel there are some people who need to be permanently removed from the world for the safety of the world. For all that I do worry about someone who’s innocent being jailed, much less executed, the current system is a joke. When you have a process that can literally stretch out for decades, something’s wrong and you have no deterrence from the penalty.

As for this specific method, I don’t have a problem with it. It works, it’s relatively humane, and it’s something not dependent on big pharma and such. If all goes smoothly, it will be a way to get the system moving again, which is exactly why it’s being opposed. After all, if it does become a deterrent again, crime might drop instead of climbing unchecked. We can’t have that, now can we.

The Death Of Pringles

23 June. 23 August. Kinda hard to miss the message. Whether it was a S-300 enema or something onboard, the top leadership of Wagner and the group responsible for their part of the “coup” are dead. Surovikin has been dismissed and may have been detained. There are some other rumblings that seem to suggest more is going on behind the scenes.

I do find the timing interesting, in that I would have either expected it sooner or around next June. Wagner was/is a key piece of operations in the Middle East and more importantly, Africa. The latter is extremely important to the Kremlin (resources and blocking Western counter-terrorism activities and influence) and many of the relationships with various countries were built on personal interactions and relationships with Utkin and Pringles.

The coup in Niger was not just Russian backed, but was backed and apparently assisted and encouraged by the Wagner Group. How much assistance and guarantees of future assistance were made by the men on the plane? What does their loss mean for the coup and efforts to overturn it?

The pivot of Wagner to Africa and the Middle East after the “coup” made a lot of sense. It put them where they could do the most good and it got them (mostly) out of the war with Ukraine. Which is why I figured any retribution would wait for a year or so, until certain goals were accomplished. Between that and internal Russian politics previously discussed, I thought it would be longer. Which suggests that something has changed in Africa in regards Wagner and Russian influence operations, and/or something has changed the political calculus in Moscow.

Pringles was a member of the “St. Petersburg Mafia” that took over Russia after the fall. Quick aside, if you aren’t familiar with the tension (sometimes warfare) between the Moscow faction/leadership and the St. Petersburg faction/leadership, it really is fascinating and goes back almost to the day of St. Petersburg’s founding. It still exists and is very much in play today. Despite all the media and PR, Pringles was not a senior member of the group and despite his friendship with Vladimir he was as close to being the lowest ranking member as possible. As someone put it on Twitter, he was a vassal to a vassal.

Unless I’m mistaken, he is also the first member of that mafia to experience the tender ministrations of 29155. Again, message. There are several layers to the message, this one being no one is safe. Toe the line, or else.

I’ve gotten the impression that the silent backers of the “coup” are still not all identified, though a lot of people are looking for them for a variety of reasons. I’ve also begun to suspect that some messages from Pringles to Vladimir may not have been passed along. I think he was genuinely surprised when Vladimir took it as an attack on him, rather than an effort to remove those who were misleading and botching the war on Ukraine per Pringles.

If he thought that his friendship with Vladimir, and the Kremlin need for Wagner, would save him and the others, he was mistaken and not paying attention. Once Vladimir feels someone has betrayed him, particularly in public, no amount of new information, apologies, etc. help. You are dead and quite often in ways as creatively nasty as possible.

There are unconfirmed reports that Pringles regular pilot was not onboard and may have been involved. Patsy? Also, it may be that none of the regular crew was onboard. If the crew was essentially a pickup from an FBO, they would be the only ones for which I would feel sorry.

There is more to come, and I expect 29155 to be busy in the days ahead as payback continues. There are some interesting fault lines in both the Russian Federation, and in the political structure around Vladimir, starting to show. The times may be about to get even more interesting for those in the Kremlin.

Some Thoughts On Maui And Emergency Management

The disaster on Maui has been years in the making, and has nothing to do with climate change. It has everything to do with incompetence in our elites and power seeking in politics. Emergency Management is not immune to this unfortunately, and I think is headed for a very bad place.

From the start, let me say that I’ve never had to manage a major disaster. For that, I do sincerely give thanks. My first real career job was at a military R&D center, where the office I worked in was part of emergency operations. Got to know the Emergency Management team, and learned a lot working with them. They helped me get our office ready for emergencies with “crash kits” distributed to team members and things we might need electronically stored in multiple places for access at need.

The driver for this was a mishap at the center one night that almost knocked me out of bed ten miles away. A phone call to security resulted in my making a very fast trip in to base, a search for the one crash kit available at the time, and later realizing at the ops center that it needed upgrading and updating. Hadn’t been a priority for my boss at the time, and afterwards I was told to make it happen and do it right as the big bosses were now watching. Amidst all the attaboys for what I did, got a quiet “oh shit” from said Boss who felt that while what I had done had indeed gotten us a lot of attaboys, good exposure, and made the office look good, that it had made him look bad… Ah well, that’s life. Meantime, I became our point person on the incident and recovery efforts.

So, I got earmarked as “that guy” you sent to classes, workshops, and meetings on disaster preparedness and emergency management. That continued in several jobs, and when I served a (sadly abbreviated) hitch in the Indiana Guard Reserve (State Guard, not National) I had fun with a lot of the disaster preparedness/response and emergency management component. Like many, I earned my basic Military Emergency Management Systems (MEMS) badge, part of which included doing all the coursework for becoming an On Scene Commander. Doing the shadowing, practicums, and other to get the advanced MEMS and actually serve as an On Scene Commander was cut short by my aborted embed to Afghanistan and then moving out of state.

To say I have mixed emotions about the FEMA emergency management system is a bit of an understatement. It is very top-down, buttoned up, by-the-numbers where initiative is not really appreciated. When I semi-self deployed all those years ago (Sir, I can’t tell you to come in but…), all but my boss applauded. Today, it would have me sent home and quite possibly up for discipline if not charges. Nothing gets done without the approval and/or order of the On-Scene Commander. Anyone attempting to render aid or do pretty much anything to help those in the declared area that are not fully under the control of Emergency Management will be run off or arrested. I thought at the time there was a lot of “we are the experts and in charge” to the system, and I’ve heard it’s gotten worse.

Thing is, I can understand some of the stated reason for such control. Some of it even makes sense in an active situation, at least to some extent. You don’t want something done to make things worse, or to have people go into areas where they or others could get hurt or killed. That said, it only works if the people in charge are competent, in communication, and on the ball. There are some good people in DP and Emergency Management. They do amazing things. Then, there are others who are not.

I can’t write what I would like to write about the apparent situation with Maui (and Hawai’i) DP/EM. I need to start by saying that years back, Hawai’i DP/EM was on the ball. They had plans and preparations, backups to the backups to the backups, and they practiced and drilled to check and double check. Don’t know if anyone that I might have known is still there, but it sure appears that none of the old school was present in the Maui office. You had a director with no DP/EM experience, and who was proud he didn’t sound the sirens that could have saved lives. You have someone over water who feels it should be revered and worshiped, not used. The failure to activate the sirens and the failure to release the water in a timely manner directly resulted in more than 100 deaths, possibly hundreds. Frankly, they should both already be decorating lamposts as this is far beyond tar, feathers, and a rail.

Nor did it happen by accident. Hate to say it, but at this level, leadership and operations are a political matter. These people didn’t earn the positions; rather, they had to be appointed or otherwise selected through a political process. How else would one get a “leader” who had no background or experience in DP/EM?

Want to know why the official response to the fire is getting so many complaints? EM is the bottleneck, and X, Y, and Z must be done though A, B, and C are needed and available. Bring the Feds into the mix, and it’s like adding concrete to the trickle. Add politics and incompetence to that mix, and, it’s a good thing the Citizens are responding. They see or are told M needs N at O right now, and they get N and take it O without the drama or approvals. Centralized control may be the best option as the disaster is occurring. May. A distributed network is far more responsive and effective in the aftermath.

BTW, anyone willing to take a bet on the lead-up to this? I’m very much reminded of California not all that long ago. Power company forced to spend money on things important to the politicians, not on maintenance and fire prevention. Add in “environmental” regulations that not only did not do what they were supposed to do, but built up the materials that fuel the fires… I will make a cash bet right now that the same thing happened in Maui.

Years ago, it was pointed out by some smart people that if you let natural fires happen and burn, you got a lot less damage and healthier forests. It was tried, it worked, and certain people and groups pitched a fit. So, back to the old way. What happened? Far worse fires with lots more damage. When it comes to areas around people, clear the hazards, keep it maintained, and don’t be stupid. But, all too often, you can’t clear that brush or other hazard, that’s the habitat of the dodderingmealticket. What happens? Disaster.

I’m told that in Maui, which has fires every year, the locals had warned the government that something needed to be done. That the wet spring led to an overabundance of grass and such, and that it needed to be cleared. Nothing was done. Not then, not when it got dry. Not even when they knew the winds were coming. Willing to bet that if anyone had tried to do anything, the government would have prevented it. Now the government is talking about buying up all that prime land. Any bets on how fast it ends up in the hands of the politicians developer pals and donors? Yeah, I am a bit cynical…

I hope all those responsible for this preventable disaster are held accountable. Don’t expect it, but still hope. It’s up to the people to publicize and mock. No, it won’t do a thing to stop them after the fact. It’s not about them. It’s about those looking at this. It’s about making clear to them, particularly the younger, that this behavior is not acceptable and carries a high price. Pour encourager les autres.

In days of old, I would list some groups that did good work helping people after disasters here. Increasingly, I’m hearing, the feds are working hard to keep groups out (at least on the mainland) unless they agree to all the rules and regulations and to be controlled by the government. Not all are playing ball, and I’m not going to list them here. I don’t want to put a target on their back. I will say, research and pick your choices well. There’s a lot of scams, and a lot of roadblocks. Find the ones that aren’t scams and go around the roadblocks. Look for those in the distributed networks who are getting the right things done at the right time in the right place. Those are who you want and need to support.

The Great Kansas Newspaper Raid

I’ve long held it a truism that the smaller the puddle, the more vicious the fighting to be on top in it. In nature, very true and you get to see nature red of tooth and claw rather clearly. In a company, whatever is going on at the top, go to the smallest and least important department and watch the fighting to be top in it. For all that national politics can be a literal blood sport, if you want to see blood literally spilled, lives lost, and other lives ruined, go check out small town politics.

A recent bit of such vicious local politics has gone international, with national implications for free speech, first amendment rights, and the survival of local journalism. Police in Marion, Kansas, made use of a loophole in federal law to raid the “aggressive” local paper that apparently was looking into several things that the police and local politicians did not want them to look into. In addition, they also seized the electronics of a local official. To top it off, the 98-year-old co-owner apparently died as a direct result of the raid, which also included the homes of the owners and employees.

First up, I’m not sure anyone involved in this raid, including judge Laura Viar who signed off on something apparently illegal under Kansas law, thought at all. Certainly not past the end of their nose. If they did indeed want to bury a story about a local business owner having a DUI and other issues, they didn’t succeed. Not only that, but it turns out judgywudgy has some DUIs and history of her own. The police chief, Gideon Cody, seems to have left his previous job right as he faced discipline for insulting and sexist comments to a fellow officer. One does wonder what else may turn up in the days ahead, as both LE and every facet of journalism is digging into the story and even the White House has weighed in with concern.

The KBI took over the “investigation” pretty quickly, and equally as quickly withdrew the warrant. The newspaper is having the returned electronics forensically examined to determined if they were illegally accessed, since any effort to access them on the basis of the withdrawn warrant would be illegal. Meantime, Cody, Viar, and others seem to be doing their best to avoid questions or answers.

For all that I expect a lot of sound and fury over this, I really don’t expect anything to happen. The only reason I will give any odds on anything being done other than wrist slaps is that they fucked up and attacked the media arm of the Democratic party (hence the White House viewing with concern). I would love to be wrong on this, more than I can say. But…

Those behind this raid have blood on their hands. Yes, the lady was elderly, but they knew it and did it anyway. All of the officers in that police department took part, and not one refused an illegal order. You know my thoughts on that. So, that leaves only one way to stop the spread: give them and the incident all the publicity possible; mock them for the authoritarians/totalitarians they are; and, shun them. Yes, they are getting a lot of attention now, keep it up and make it rain. Odds are they, like the West Yorkshire Police, are going to try to hunker down and hope it all goes away. It’s not, it should not, and it really is up to everyone to make sure it doesn’t. BTW, go read the ratios of the WestYorks in the posts where they try to pretend nothing happened.

Don’t count on the courts, other judges, or LE to do the right thing. The only way to make clear that this type of behavior is unacceptable is for each and every member of society to reinforce that it won’t be tolerated. Without that social pressure, nothing is going to change.

New Old Country

Growing up, I was indeed a child of rock and roll, though I tried to keep how much so hidden from my mother. Much I could say, and I do ask for prayers for her soul, but let’s just say she was not a fan of rock and roll for all she did seem to enjoy the Beatles and others on the Ed Sullivan show. That said, she much more enjoyed other acts and encouraged me to do so as well.

Her preference, and to some extend Dad’s, was much more into classical/baroque music, musicals, and bluegrass/old-school country. By old-school country, I mean what you would hear at the Grand Old Opry back when it was in the Ryman auditorium. If you don’t know who Stringbean and Bill Monroe are, much less Flatt and Scruggs, you are missing something. Have to admit, glad I got to go there before the Opry left Ryman. Yes, Porter Wagoner was a regular watch in our house. When Hee Haw started, it was a regular watch as well, and they brought in a lot of the old school to share with modern audiences. Sort of interesting to think back and realize that Roy Clark and Buck Owens were considered in some ways as ‘the new kids’ (Stringbean and Grandpa Jones being old school) despite having been around a while. Also, have to confess to having quite a crush on Cathy Baker…

Bit of an aside, mom tried hard to get me into musicals and I did sort of enjoy them. Think she finally gave up when she found out my favorite line from a musical was “I knew I loved her when I saw the moonlight gleaming off, the barrels of her father’s shotgun.” Also, she may have caught some of the alternative lyrics I devised for some songs, which became a bit, er, risque, as I hit puberty.

The reason for the discussion is that two bits of music have caused quite a stir in certain circles. I’ve listened to both, and have a couple of thoughts to share.

First up, Jason Aldean has a slick piece up that shook up what I consider to be the right people. High production values, fancy video, and a message to go with it. For me, not racist (if you hear the dog whistle, you are the dog; and, if you hear dog whistles in everything, get help) or any of the other wrong-think attributed to it. A solid commercial country hit.

Second, we now have Oliver Anthony coming out of left field with an anthem that is taking the world by storm. Not as slick, not as polished, but from the heart. The sound, to me, is a mix of old-school country/bluegrass and just a bit of the new. I hear a lot of influence in both music and lyrics from the bluegrass world.

Of the two, I have to admit I’m going through everything I can find by Mr. Anthony on the web. I’m not going to get into analyzing all the lyrics, but the music is something I think has been missing. A synthesis of some of the best of the new country and bluegrass, with a heapin helping (sorry, couldn’t resist) of old-school sounds and even techniques. Also, if you go back, even messaging.

I will say this about his lyrics: they resonate. I think they are going to resonate with more people, and in a deeper way, than Mr. Aldean’s good song. The word choices, the inflections, the feelings are in many ways raw and compelling. He’s singing the way average people, working people, outside the bubbles talk and think. That’s why it hitting home for so many people across a range of demographics. It’s why so many in the authoritarian/totalitarian camp hate him, and will try any way they can to cancel him. Which is also why I expect a lot of corporate Nashville (which is Big Music these days) will ignore him. Which also just makes this both more funny and more likely to be another Babylon Bee prophecy.

For me, in many ways, I just want to sit back and enjoy the music. The lyrics are okay and hit home, but it’s the sound that makes it all work. Check out some of his other work, think it is worth the time. If you are into such things, tell me you don’t hear a bit of old-school Stringbean coming out in that. In fact, good odds I will not just listen to what he has out, but go back and listen to some of the old-school classics as well. Time well spent on both I think.

So, tell me. What do you think of the message, and who all do you hear reflected in his somewhat unique sound?