LA County Sheriff Robert Luna is a Classless Thug

 Los Angeles, CA—It was anyone’s worst nightmare.  Vince Ricci arrived home to be attacked by two armed intruders Hell bent on a home invasion.  Ricci had previously qualified for a carry permit by completing all of the strict and patently unconstitutional hurdles designed to keep him unarmed by actually getting the carry permit.  

Within milliseconds the attackers rushed Ricci and  pointed their guns at at him but Ricci quickly drew his own gun and began furiously fighting for his and his family’s lives.  Ricci fired shots and the cowardly gunmen quickly retreated.  Nobody was physically injured.  Ricci acted in lawful self-defense.  As for the two thugs they escaped and will remain free until they get caught doing this to some other hapless victim. 

The incident was caught on surveillance video so we need not guess how this violent crime went down.  You can imagine the immediate emotional state Ricci was going through after such a traumatic event.  The Sheriff’s reaction was to suspend/revoke Ricci’s gun permit!  

Now Sheriff Luna responds that Ricci can reapply for a permit and of course go through all the steps as he waits months for a reapproval that may or may not come.  

Luna should be sued for violating Ricci’s Civil Rights including the denial for Fifth Amendment Due Process for not proving a hearing for Ricci on the matter.

In the meantime Lunatic Luna has strongly and vindictively advertised to the would be home invaders that Ricci and his family can be murdered now without resistance.  Luna has purposely placed these innocent lives is serious danger.  Luna’s malicious conduct here is beyond disgusting, despicable and reprehensible.  

Chris Burrous Left Big Shoes To Fill at KTLA-TV

Los Angeles, CA--While TV news is dying nearly everywhere, the late KTLA-TV weekend morning anchor, Chris Burrous found better ways to reach the audience. 

What made Burrous rock was his fearless attitude about broadcasting his way, always departing from the routine.  He was a TV Maverick that truly knew how to have fun.  

Burrous has proven his news reporting chops on so many high profile stories.  But there was always so much more for him to deliver to the audience! 

Rather than accept reality that few newsworthy things happen on the weekend, he used exceptional creativity to fill a five-hour show! 

Burrous often, brought the normally unseen weekend KTLA production crew into the studio.  

Burrous encouraged everyone connected to the show to simply relax and show his or her human side.  

There was much more on display than sterile anchors and a plastic studio set to see.  Burrous gave viewers real warmth as he made his own vulnerabilities acceptable! 

With Burrous there was real interaction with viewers as he merged their, e-mails, photos, tweets and fun into the broadcasts.  

Burrous really deserves a posthumous star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame! 

Broadcasters that try to copy Burrous will fail.  They should take a cue from him and many of the successful Internet vloggers that simply refuse to follow the very stale TV template of Murrow and Cronkite.  They need to create their own brands.

Let me say that the rest of the weekend morning show talent has likewise always delivered their fair share to the show.  

The void of Burrous leaves KTLA  is huge.  However, the show must go on!  

I expect great things from KTLA-TV News Director, Jason Ball.  Please let the unpredictable adventure continue. 

I always say, being number one is never enough.  

Use of Force And Self-defense Results In Too Many Bogus Prosecutions!

I have done this cases in many cities with incredible success.  It's my speciality!

Your “Toy” Camera Drone Can Save Lives, Really!

Los Angeles, CA—The word of the day is FLIR!  I knew this was in development but now it’s actually here!  FLIR became a major public safety and search & rescue tool more than two decades ago.  Now even civilian camera drones are in the FLIR mix! 

Flir has primarily been delegated to expensive cameras carried on board conventional aircraft for military, police, fire and every public safety application.

Recently the popular drone maker DJI and Flir teamed up to offer these now affordable lifesaving cameras.  They can now operate from the popular DJI Inspire1 and Matrice 100 drone platforms.  That means anyone with these drones can save or at least protect lives. 

Flir is simply an optical device that captures imagery of heat signatures or thermal patterns.  At 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit our bodies are normally warmer than the ambient air temperature.  At night the outside air is almost always colder than the bodies of humans or warm-blooded animals.

A human walking in total darkness in a desert or wooded are stands out as a bright shadow and easily spotted from either the ground or air.  In many ways the FLIR is superior to conventional night vision devices and is essential when looking for lost people, trespassing criminals, lost pets and other such suspects.

You can also spot recently parked motor vehicles by their heat signatures too.

For firefighting efforts hotspots can easily be pinpointed directing the efforts to extinguish fires faster and more safely.  More importantly firemen can know in advance if and when they need to evacuate rooftops avoiding potential agonizing deaths or injuries.

This is truly a game and public perception changer on the value of the popular camera drones.   At a minimum people will be locating lost pets, children or wild animals roaming in their surroundings.  Until now you’d have to wait for first responders to evaluate the need, and then for them to travel to the search areas.

In our world we have earthquakes, floods, tornados and wildfires. Drones can operate safely in tighter areas where helicopters cannot enter.  Civilian FLIR equipped drones particularly in remote areas can be worth more than gold.

At the 2015 International Drone Expo I interviewed FLIR VUE specialist David Lee about the new camera. 

I Really Love This Drone Video!

I shot this on November 11 in L.A. near the 405 Freeway and The Getty Center.  This was done with a DJI Inspire 1.  The highest altitude achieved was 300 feet and the further distance traveled was only 500 feet.  This is so addicting!  Please enjoy!

This is Audrey, She Needs Your help

Breaking news update:
I'm pleased to report that this was a bizarre but somewhat understandable mistake involving a caregiver and miscommunication.  It's not a criminal matter.  Little Audrey has happily been reunited with her father.  Case closed!  

Los Angeles, CA—The Grove is one of the better shopping centers in the world.  Movie stars shop here along with some of the wealthiest people anywhere.

It’s so close to Christmas and the Grove has one of the biggest Christmas trees anywhere.  The decorations are beautiful and every child is brought here promised a special visit from Santa Claus.

Little Audrey was abandoned here yesterday.  Now she has nobody.  Santa does not know where she lives to deliver her exciting toys like he does for the other children. 

I never had any children of my own and find this story incredibly heartbreaking.  Right now there will be no Christmas for Audrey. She is in custody of California child services.  That's a horrible place to be on Christmas. 

With all the wealth in Los Angeles, someone has to step up and makes sure this precious child get’s all the love, care and future she deserves.

KTLA-TV ran this story and people wishing to help should contact them.  I’d love to see a monster trust fund established that could put this child through the best education.  I hope two loving parents quickly adopt this little sweetie.

Last Week’s Los Angeles Downtown Inferno, an Update

Los Angeles, CA—Last week’s fire at the downtown Da Vinci Apartments under construction seemed to me to be an obvious case of arson.  Motives in significant arson cases are nearly always financial. 

The fact that the fire engulfed the entire, well over one million square feet evenly and suddenly indicates, at least to me a very large amount of accelerant like gasoline or paint thinner was used.

Arsonists often mistakenly believe that fires will consume all the evidence of their crime.  The reality is gravity preserves arson evidence.  The temperatures of fires are the coolest on the bottom of structures conserving precious clues.

Investigators are being understandably tight lipped about the things they know.  I also suspect that because the vast amount of real estate involved this crime involved multiple arsonists.

In this case the first arsonist that can get to a lawyer, contact authorities and snitch on everyone else wins!  With compelling information and testimony a, “Get out of jail free” card will undoubtedly be available.

I think it’s very safe to say arrests will be made in this case.  

Released LAFD video shows at least one male being aggressively pulled from the construction fence fire by firemen.  I’m amazed they did not hold him for police.  I’m waiting to hear that strange story for sure.

This fire was faster and more furious than any I’ve seen and that causes me to suspect that as investigators scour the scene that may find one or more bodies of arsonists that burned to death.  If that’s the case murder charges will be certainly brought against anyone connected the arson. 

The fire department just released a video of two men found by firemen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  A mere coincidence? Somehow I don't think so.  

They are suggesting these two are simply witnesses and that’s laughable.  The LAPD and BATFE investigators can’t wait to slap the handcuffs on those clowns and sweat full confessions out of them.  Extensive search warrants will be served I'd be shocked if they don't catch at least one really big fish to fry. 

Right now authorities are simply hoping that these lads are dumb enough to fall for the ruse thinking they might even be treated like heroes. 

Stay tuned because this story is just getting started!  Just who will we see caught up in this obvious conspiracy? 

Here are at least two of the obvious suspects:

 

  

Huge Downtown Inferno Rocks Los Angeles Overnight

Photo courtesy of KNBC-TV News

Los Angeles, CA—The City of Angeles was the scene of an overnight structure fire larger than I have ever seen before.  Reportedly over 250 firefighters battled the firestorm since it was reported at 1:20 AM. 

The massive blaze was adjacent to the Harbor #110 Freeway at the 900 block of Fremont Avenue. 

Additionally two nearby commercial high-rise buildings were severely damaged by heat, smoke, hundreds of broken windows and flooding from the sprinkler systems. 

Broken glass and debris could be found all over the neighborhood.  

By mid-morning the fire was nearly out but visibly smoldering.  I sent my drone up from the opposite side of the Harbor Freeway, which apparently was the only vantage point to see the ruins. 

The structure itself, which incidentally is located adjacent to a fire station, was to become the Da Vinci Apartments.  At least one million square feet of prime property was totally destroyed. 

Fire officials have said the blaze is very suspicious in nature and a massive investigation has begun with the LAPD and BATFE pooling their best resources. 

There are no damage estimates available right now but I'm sure it will be well into the hundreds of $Millions.

Reports are coming in that there has been criticism concerning the massive amount of wood used in the construction.  That causes me to shudder what a disaster this could have been had the apartments been completed and fully occupied.  Perhaps this was a cheap lesson in public safety. 

Here is some drone video of what’s left of the structure this morning. 

Jailed Drone Photographer Needs Legal Help On A Serious First Amendment Fight.

Daniel Saulmon/Tom Zebra

Los Angeles, CA—Daniel Saulmon, 42 better known as Tom Zebra is being held in a jail cell here since his 4:00 PM arrest on September 23^rd.  Saulmon was late for his misdemeanor citation received weeks earlier for flying his camera drone.  When Saulmon appeared later that morning they kept him waiting for hours and then was ordered held on a punitive $30K bail. 

Saulmon spent five days in jail until his supporters were able to post his bail.  

The crime Saulmon is accused of is flying his little plastic remote control Phantom 2 camera drone on Los Angeles park property. 

The little known L.A. ordinance Saulmon was arrested on is not new.  It banned flying of remote controlled aircraft.  However this put on the books long before the little multi-rotor Phantom gizmos with cameras ever existed.  

At the time they enacted this remote controlled aircraft law, the city council had no way to know the much gentler camera drones would be invented later.  Without specific intent to ban the multi-rotor  Phantoms the law should be considered void for vagueness.

The ordinance itself was enacted to prevent people from being injured by the much faster and less stable fixed wing remote aircraft being used at the time.  There are absolutely no reports of any deaths or remarkable injuries from the little drones like Saulmon used. 

The simple but unanswered question on these popular camera drones is, aren't they protected by the First Amendment?   

The real issue here is that Saulmon is a firebrand in the eyes of cops.  He’s challenged police authority to stop him from shooting video of them on public streets.  Saulmon has posted countless videos on YouTube of hostile confrontations with cops in every South Bay police jurisdiction.

Salmon patrols the streets on his bicycle and whips out one of several video cameras he carries and begins to record the action.  Often the cops take exception to Saulmon's activities and try to force him into presenting identification and to explain why he’s shooting video.  Saulmon usually refuses to cooperate with the police and it nearly always makes for interesting video.Saulmon also makes a modest living in part by selling newsworthy video to local news organizations.  

Our nation's cops are just beginning to learn that Saulmon’s activities are Constitutionally protected by the First Amendment.   The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken on this issue and cops have no reasonable expectation of privacy when engaged in their duties.

Over the last several years cops have conspired against, harassed and falsely arrested thousands of people taking their pictures.  This won’t end until the lawsuits begin to seriously drain public coffers.  

Saulmon recently added that Phantom 2 camera drone to his arsenal and that has ignited even more resentment from his police detractors.  The cops have consulted/conspired  with city and county prosecutors looking for any and all ways to sideline Saulmon’s activities.

Logic would dictate that the camera drones are just another form of media capturing devices like pencils, pens, paintbrushes, typewriters or any other camera!

Is this a conspiracy to violate Saulmon’s civil rights?  Given the history I think that may be abundantly clear.

Let me say I don’t personally approve of much of Saulmon’s tactics but the Bill of Rights says otherwise.  

I know a lot of cops that welcome cameras because they are a protection against bogus brutality complaints by criminals.  Not all cops agree on pushing Saulmann around or intimidating him.  The cops prosecutors and courts have to respect our basic freedoms.  The right of people to record and scrutinize the conduct of the police must be protected at all cost.

Saulmon deserves to be fully  supported by the camera drone manufacturers, media, civil libertarians and certainly the ACLU.

I hope someone reading this will arrange for a top flight First Amendment media lawyer.  

The fact is the news organizations stand to lose the most if the camera drones can be banned.  Camera drones are the next generation aerial electronic news gathering devices.  They are so much safer, agile and incredibly cheaper than helicopters. 

Saulmon will be in the Long Beach Superior Court on September 30^th, 2014 at 8:30 AM.  The court is located at 275 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach, CA.

Soulmon needs to serious legal help to fight this tyranny.   

Let me get a single point across here.  Our rights have never been won or preserved because of requests, begging or pleading.  Without the Tom Zebras of America constantly fighting for their rights there'd be no First Amendment.  

So You Want to Learn How to use an Unmanned Aircraft, Helicopter, or Quadcopter in Los Angeles? Sergio of Pirofilprc in Van Nuys Will Help You!

Sergio Marachilian

Los Angeles, CA—a close friend that is a long time pilot for American Airlines and before that TWA turned me on to this new hobby.  I have always loved photography and photographers always want to get the best view and angle. 

Arial photography was nearly always out of the question because of the high costs involved.   There are other issues such as; helicopters can’t always get into tight spaces.  Helicopter crashes can be catastrophic but a mishap with the new generation quadcopters almost never causes injury or property damage.  These new drones seem to escape any significant damage should they crash into something! 

Modern brushless electric motors and advanced batteries have radically changed the remote control world.  A whole new Galaxy of model planes, boats, cars helicopters and quadcopters is here.  They once were toys really; they seemed to have little value beyond frivolous entertainment. Not anymore at least for people like me. 

Quadcopters are relatively easy to pilot.  This like the entire never-ending onslaught of new technology provides a learning curve and challenges that is always easier to overcome if you have the right kind of help.

A new generation of tiny Unmanned Arial Vehicles have arrived!  At almost at the same time great video and digital cameras have been made incredibly small and weigh little.  It was a marriage made in heaven!  Quadcopters and little cameras work so well together!  

I could not help myself; I just had to get one!  I went online and got mine fro B&H Photo in New York. They are a reputable outfit but helping you learn about the Blade 350 quadcopter is not one of their better qualities. 

Reading instruction manuals written by engineers with language issues along with the fact they are not nor have they ever been writers sometimes fails.  There are lots of instructional videos on YouTube.  Some of them are very good and others are not.   It can be a tough jungle to navigate alone.  I was suddenly in possession of a Blade 350 Quadcopter and a GoPro Hero3+ camera and I was chomping at the bit to get it in the air.

The day came in just after Christmas for the maiden flight of my little Blade 350 quadcopter. I found out there is a remote flying field in Van Nuys.  It’s a great place because of the wide-open space but also there are lots of people that share this hobby.  They help each other with technical problems and field repairs.  My airline pilot friend was with me but he has a different brand quadcopter and it powered up differently than mine.

Getting my little quadcopter in the air was a little tricky.  Most of the people around me were hesitant to hand out advice because of timing there were not that many Blade 350’s out on the street yet.  At the flying field someone pointed out a fellow to me and said, “That’s Sergio over there and he can help you! He owns a hobby shop!”

I went over to this gentleman and had to wait my turn to meet him.  He was something of a celebrity and most of the people either knew him or about him.  Sergio it turned out was the real deal.

I introduced my self to, Sergio Marachilian, the owner of Pirofilprc located at 16205 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA.  His shop is just a few blocks from the flying field.  I told Sergio I needed help and he responded by helping me and quickly got my gizmo in the air handing the radio transmitter over to me.  I was suddenly flying!  Sergio was helping a total stranger that he knew bought his quadcopter from somebody else!  That was indeed very kind and generous!

I have visited Sergio’s shop now several times and no matter how busy he is, he’s incredibly helpful.  He takes his time with those customers that are beginners like me.  He is a born teacher.  Sergio has won me over as a customer in a big way.  This fellow has great people skills and is a savvy businessman.  Sergio knows that guys like me won’t be stealing all his time because they will become proficient in this technology.   They will continue patronize his shop for all their future needs. Additionally Sergio builds and rebuilds all manner of remote controlled devices.

If this hobby is for you and you’re in Van Nuys pay a visit to Sergio’s shop.  He’s also on the web at:  www.pirofilprc.com