Merry Christmas

To my visitors:

I know we are in for some difficult times ahead. Somehow we wound up under the control of the worst possible politicians. Our economy is tanking and those of us still working for government are facing far less desirable working conditions.

I hope the New Year brings wisdom and sense to our elected leaders. We are all Americans that want safety, prosperity, good health and a reason to keep smiling. That will be our future if we stick together and fight for that.

We will never all agree on everything but in the end we have more in common than we disagree about.

Here is my favorite Christmas experience as a cop:

I could not top this Christmas story from so long ago when I was a young cop. I am republishing this because it’s really special to me and I hope everyone else that reads it.

I remember working every Christmas of my life when I was a cop. I never really minded that because it was always an easy day.

One such Christmas, We received a disturbance call and responded to a rat hole apartment building on Chicago's Roosevelt Road. We came in expecting trouble but found no disturbance. The problem was that the mom and dad of the house could not operate their brand new Polaroid camera.

The apartment was modest, but clean and tidy with fresh cake and cookies on the table. Our mom and dad were both unable to read the camera instruction book. There were five kids with their presents that needed to get their pictures taken next to their Christmas tree. That was a quick fix. Before we left we took pictures of the whole family all smiling and happy.

One thing more, there was a cross and the wall with a picture of Jesus Christ. In the middle of poverty there were some lucky children being raised by two parents that had some dignity and pride. That made my Christmas a little more enjoyable.

Crime, Guns and Video Tape wishes all our visitors a wonderful Holiday Season!

Obama Cleared Himself! Thank God It’s Over!

Chicago, IL—I was so worried that Barack Obama and his transition team might come back with a finding of impropriety or even criminal conduct in the Blagogate matter. Whew! They were able to clear themselves!

I guess Obama must think the whole world is as dumb as the dopes that voted for him. I wonder how many other crooked politicians would have gone away to Club Fed if they too were allowed to investigate themselves? Hell if Obama gets to investigate himself Governor Rod Blagojevich should being entrusted with the same ability to clear himself! Let’s play fair.

I can’t help but consider Obama’s self-serving-self-probing is anything less than laughable. Where are the telephone and e-mail records? Records? We don’t need no stinkin’ records!

Vote For Your Favorite Police Blog

Cyberspace News Flash—There is a poll out where you can vote for your favorite police related blog. I voted for myself a half million times but not one vote registered! Is the fix in?

Vote early, vote often!

Crime, Guns and Videotape is halfway down the list!

VOTE HERE!

Why Am I Not Surprised Obama Reneged

President-elect, Barack Obama promised us full disclosure on his and his transition team’s communications with embattled and accused Senate Seat Seller, Rod Blagojevich.

What we know now is that Obama reneged and full disclosure ain’t gonna happen anytime soon. No memos, phone or e-mail records will ever see daylight. This is hardly a great start for the, Administration of Change that has not even begun yet. Is this a sign of things to come?

Why am I expecting a cover up that would even make Richard Nixon roll over in his grave? The really bad news for Obama is the rats that surround rats can be counted on to eat each other. It’s only a matter of time…

An Actor’s Strike On The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Los Angeles, CA—As a long time member of the, Screen Actor’s Guild, I’m watching the movement toward an actor’s strike.

In Los Angeles acting is a tough game. Unless you are closely related to, sleeping with or have decapitated some Hollywood big shot's prize horse and put put that trophy in his bed your chances of making a decent living are really slim.

It’s the agents who control who does or does not work. For the unemployed or underemployed actors there are auditions with endless driving, waiting and all manner of roadblocks. For example you must pay for your own parking during auditions. Hundreds of actors are submitted to producers for nearly every single role.

I know may actors that are lucky to get five tiny parts in an entire year. For that they are compensated at $759.00 per day for speaking roles. The Internet and related new media threatens actors on any residuals. The Internet has no control and actor’s products are subject to perpetual play.

Yes there are a small percentage of actors that are multi-millionaires That’s not a reason to not pay the lesser exposed actors who after all make these films possible.

Actors I know are always one step-ahead of the bill collectors, landlords and starvation as they live hand to mouth. Too many of these SAG members are reduced to prostituting their services to non-union producers just to eat. Too many lives have been shattered on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams by poverty.

Even during these hard times I’m in favor of a strike. Entertainment always has done well even during the Great Depression. With a zero percent interest rate investing in movies seems less risky and handsome returns can still be made. To the producers I say Pay up or do without.

Santa’s Helpers Disable Red Light Cameras In Phoenix!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause!

Oak Park Illinois Latest Most Wanted Criminal

Oak Park, IL-This quiet, progressive and wealthy town was the location of an armed robbery. I can’t understand how that could happen since the Village of Oak Park politicians have done their best to make laws banning guns for simple self-defense.

As one man was putting gas in his car, two other men decided to try and rob him of his leather coat. Instead of handing over the coat the intended victim drew a gun and shot one of the robbers twice and quickly left the scene. Of course leaving the scene of the shooting is not a crime anywhere in America.

The wounded stick-up man had some very nasty but non-life threatening injuries. So far police have arrested nobody but a dragnet has been cast for the intended victim.

I just hope the lucky fellow who survived the robbery attempt is smart enough to remain absolutely silent and demand a lawyer if they ever catch up to him. Thankfully this fellow put his own life at a higher priority than blindly obeying unconstitutional Illinois gun laws.

The spirit of Paul Kersey lives in Oak Park! This is yet another bedtime story with a happy ending!

Certain Paid Sex Is Legal In America

"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 grievence."

—The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

First let me say it’s a great country we live in. As difficult times approach new business opportunities may be rare. I have an idea suited for some to help bring home the bacon.

It’s really quite simple, making films and paying actors to engage in on-camera adult consensual sex acts is constitutionally protected activity.

For example a woman offered to produce either still pictures or video of herself and a willing partner that’s not a crime. Likewise that same woman would be allowed to sell or rent to you a camera for your very own Cecil B. DeMille, close-up encounters of the sticky kind.

Of course that camera with instruction may cost $500.00 for an hour film making session. The person renting or buying the camera would have full publishing rights to the images along with the actual camera or media used for the session.

May I suggest the new and inexpensive, high definition Flip Camera pictured above?

The only involvement for the government is to collect sales tax of the camera rental or sale and income tax. Otherwise this is just another film making venture. Also a proper statement must be filed that the actors were over the age of 18. I hope I have helped spark some new commerce.

Want To Make Money? Open A Gambling Casino In Your Town.

Anytown, USA—I don’t see what the problem is. Government allows certain types of betting in certain places. Native Americans have gotten filthy rich with casinos, why can’t I do the same?

It’s very simple some Americans are more equal than others. Equal protection under law is a total myth in America. The government’s refusal to grant me a license is a solid denial of equal protection under law. Someone please tell me why I’m wrong?

Our Politician’s Tax Stimulus Rebate Money—I just don’t get it…

Washington, DC—Those people we sent to Congress want to have the Treasury Department send out checks to taxpayers as a way to stimulate the economy.

I would expect thousands of checks will be obtained through criminal means. The government has to do the accounting, prepare and send checks and that in and of itself will cost millions.

My thoughts are that it makes more sense to suspend withholding tax from American’s paychecks. They could also suspend small businesses from sending in quarterly reports. That would stimulate the economy without including so much unneeded bureaucracy and additional cost.

Of course the downside is people who don’t work or pay tax won’t get the free money. Perhaps that’s incentive for the folks that don’t work to take a job, any job. I guess that’s not a downside after all.

I guess I don’t understand the teachings of Karl Marx and need to spend time in a government re-education camp.

Domestic Violence and The Right To Keep And Bear Arms

During a documentary interview the late TV journalist, Jessica Savage posed a question to author and police trainer, Massad F. Ayoob for a PBS Fronttline Piece:

Q. Should a man who beats his wife be allowed to have a gun?

A. A man that beats his wife should not be allowed to have a wife.

Washington, DC—That’s the very issue before the United States Supreme Court in, U.S. vs. Hayes.

Of course the, Lautenberg Amendment covers simple assaults of anyone who shares a dwelling with someone he has been convicted of assaulting. A person convicted of even to the most minor assault is barred from owning firearms for his or her entire life.

These types of crimes are never recorded by video surveillance cameras or observed by independent witnesses so far too many convictions here are flawed for two reasons. People lie and courts too often error on the side of conviction because the popular conception is conviction with probation or other punishment will prevent a second such accusation therefore the peace will be kept.

The major flaw is anyone convicted of even an inconsequential domestic assault is branded for life even though the so called victim never even wanted a prosecution in the first place. Our modern domestic violence laws don’t allow the person determined by police to be the victim to withdraw from the prosecution of the accused.

If the assault was serious enough where any injury requires medical attention felony charges along with that standard prohibition against gun ownership has been the law for many decades.

The Lautenberg Amendment was merely a tool used by the confirmed gun-rights hating author to bar thousands of non-dangerous Americans from their Constitutional right to possess firearms.

Guns in domestic violence matters are nearly meaningless because the offenders are physically capable of killing or severely injuring their victim with mere hands and feet. Of course every household holds every manner of deadly instruments from kitchen knives to fireplace pokers. That being said not having a firearm has absolutely no impact on domestic murder.

We will soon have an answer from our nation’s highest court on the sheer folly of the Lautenberg Amendment.

A Sobering Story for Everyone

From a reader:

For those Americans that think things are tough right now with our failing economy your troubles are less than they could be. That and the fears of the horrible onset of Socialism replacing our freedom and liberty with wealth redistribution and collective rights will be overshadowed by this little heartbreaker...