The Sun Times BGA Story on The Police Blog with the Name They Can’t Repeat

Chicago, IL—When I learned the Better Government Association took up an investigation of the infamous and wildly popular (among cops) Detective Shaved Longcock blog, I knew it was going to get interesting so I wrote about it.

Without quoting or even paraphrasing a single passage or story DSLC was branded by the Sun Times and BGA as racist.  But is it racist to call attention to the reality that murder, rape and armed robbery is almost the exclusive province and behavior of Chicago’s African-Americans? Is that disturbing and sad truth somehow racist?

DSLC was biting and edgy as he used off color satire and humor to express his opinions.  It was in fact only the shock factor of DSLC that gained readership, attention and finally now some debate.

A polite and politically correct society avoids the discomfort of discussing touchy problems that could possibly offend anyone.  Until we can discuss and debate the African-American culture of ignorance, depravity and carnage we can’t make the necessary repairs.

How many more innocent little Black boys will we allow to be programed straight to prison or a violent death rather than the American Dream?  How many millions of babies will be born into abject poverty and violence because it generates income for single, ignorant and idle Black women? 

I guess we have to trust the Sun Times and BGA in their judgment that DSLC is racist since they didn’t provide a scintilla of evidence that the readers can judge for themselves. That would be comical if it was not so blatantly lame. 

The usual suspect credited for the blog is a Chicago cop on duty disability.  He’s severed from the department by virtue of a serious injury that the city deemed too severe for him to return to work. 

The injured officer is not performing any function whatsoever for the department his controversial publishing cannot be a concern to the department unless or until laws are broken.  The DSLC message is far more offensive to the City Administration over the avalanche of their corruption that is killing Chicago and it’s inhabitants.

The BGA and Sun Times is well aware that for several years the Chicago Police Department blocked access to the blogs like DSLC or my own.  That was done because of our criticism of official corruption, cronyism and mismanagement of the entire city government.

DSLC has the right to think, write and publish what he wishes.  We can only guess who has authored the blog that has attracted so many readers along with the attention of the media. 

Hate Mainstream Media Propaganda? Getting the Truth Out has Never Been Easier.

Los Angeles, CA—With the death of that young Internet giant Andrew Breitbart people are discovering what gave this genius the power and those financial rewards.

At a young age Breitbart began with two startup blogs, The Drudge Report and The Huffington Post taking them to incredible heights and readership. Those sites are user friendly, technical marvels that have all but destroyed TV news and mainstream paper publications. They began with the printed word, then soon added photographs and now there are significant amounts of quality video.

Those wonderful flat-panel TVs we own can now deliver Internet content that’s far more diverse and reliable than what CBS, NBC or ABC brought us. Unfortunately there are still not enough ordinary folks have the equipment and skills to deliver video content. That’s rapidly changing.

All that’s needed is someone with minimal skill, $5,000.00 worth of equipment and a decent broadband Internet connection. Now that really enables and facilitates democratization of a truly magical form of mass media. Yes, even you can do this.

Cameras are smaller, better and cheaper than ever. That creates vast opportunities to locate, document and expose government abuse and corruption. Government workers are in a position to see how billions of dollars are wasted and can pull a really tiny camera out, shoot it and and show the world once the video is uploaded.

Need training you say? There’s lots of it out there free on YouTube. There is hardly a piece of equipment in existence that someone has not created a tutorial to help you learn. There are schools that offer both classroom and on-line instruction such as the New York Video School.

Andrew Breitbart was a Conservative political bomb thrower that was either loved or hated. There was no middle ground with this icon. No matter your political beliefs you can learn from Breitbart’s accomplishments. Breitbart should be an inspiration to everyone that they too can have a voice.

If you want to avoid that political intrigue, conflict and discord you can help the world master skills that have benefitted you. Of course you can develop your skills as an entertainer too.

Age is a huge issue with the Internet since millions of older people don’t think they can learn. They’re dead wrong. They can overcome technophobia if they bother to try. They include too many doctors, lawyers and other educated professionals. They are our parents and we need to help them with this aspect.

Here is a video about video production equipment I put up a while ago...

Journalism, Race and Media’s Pimping for the Government

Chicago, IL—With the nasty rash of Black on White crime in the trendy Magnificent Mile area the media has fallen down miserably on their job of reporting news.

If you’re going to responsibly inform readers, listeners and viewers you must give the, who what, where and why or you fail. The recent bold attacks by roving gangs of Africa-American thugs on White residents and tourists have been covered up by the long established mainstream media until local cop bloggers forced the issue with their own reports.

The reasons for the cover up may well be designed to keep officials from sending more aggressive cops into strike force style units to combat this very real urban terrorism. The other issue is inflaming the community into demanding a strong police presence that would offend Chicago’s Liberals. The ignorant population can't take simple steps to avoid victimization unless they are informed.

The city administration on the other hand wants these stories killed so that tourism and the related cold hard cash taxation are not affected.

The last people anyone has concerns about are the victims of this crime wave. Failure to warn the public by both the city and the press is downright criminal. The blood of these victims is on the hands of the media and the city.

The Tribune’s editor seems to think that race is not relevant unless the height, weight, eye and hair color is given to them by police. Then only when they are seeking to identify the offenders. What kind of claptrap is that? Most of the time police are lucky to get more than sex, race and the approximate age from frightened victims.

Hiding the race of criminals serves no rational purpose except to satisfy a ridicules sense of political correctness. If you are going to hide any information from the public don’t bother doing the story at all. That changes the entire concept of a free press and turns the media into government propaganda shills. Gerould W. Kern, editor of the Chicago Tribune needs to know he’s been exposed.

My personal plea to Mr.Kern is to lean how not to be like that fellow in the picture. He wrote news to satisfy his government. He was later hanged for his news slant.

My Favorite Blogs

Perhaps it’s time that I let my visitors know about the blogs I visit every day and why. Blogs are the new, news media and they are here to stay.

Blogs are a terrific way to learn what’s going on in our world. Blogs are as different as they are similar. Some create their own content and others simply link you to their idea of the news you can use.

I have targeted my readers from the ranks of the politically conservative. I cater to lawyers, news reporters, cops, gun rights advocates, gun collectors and those Libertarians. Crimes, courts, criminal justice and government is my playground.

Most always, I create my own content or voice my opinion on burning newsworthy issues of the day. I try to use text, images and video with as much artistry as I can muster without adequate funding.

I don’t limit my stories to any one subject matter like a one trick pony. I scour the earth looking for content that I think will interest my visitors. I’m limited by geography and budget. Thankfully I travel quite a bit and that’s allowed me to do stories from major American cities, Europe and even India.

The sites below are by no means the only places I go but the most important ones. I go to cop run sites, entertainment news sites and numerous local news sites across the country every day. I cannot attack the Liberals unless I know what propaganda they are spreading.

1. Drudge Report

The Drudge Report is the grandfather of all bloggers. Matt Drudge and his staff find the most important stories in the world every day and simply link them. Drudge never creates his own content and can be counted upon to find stories politically Conservative readers need to know about. Smart liberals bloggers need to read Drudge too so they can spot those important stories and try to discredit them or spin them in another direction. This site is simplicity at it best avoiding graphic art but for a few pictures.

2. Huffington Post

The Huffington Post is the Liberal’s answer to the Drudge report. I must read it to keep my eye on the Leftist enemies of freedom who can all be found here. Technically it’s a great site that integrates text, images and video the way it should be done. Bloggers everywhere should learn from this site. The site is pleasing to the eye perhaps because of a woman’s artistic touch.

3. Second City Cop

This site is the product of an anonymous person who claims to be a Chicago cop. My best guess is that he or she is the real deal. SCC has obvious inside knowledge of the inner workings of the department and police work that takes years to acquire.

SCC creates most of their own content but often links to local media sites that have published department related news. Sadly SCC is challenged on photos and video. SCC’s real draw is that thousands of Chicago cops are chatting in the comment section. They expose newsworthy information that keeps cops alert. SCC will never miss a chance to expose or embarrass deserving bosses and politicians for their misdeeds.

There are plenty of trolls and pretenders that try to misinform in the SCC comments section. So verify the information independently before you believe anything. SCC is a wealth of information for those who need to know what’s going inside the CPD.

4. Detective Shaved Longcock

This site is the product of yet another anonymous alleged Chicago cop. Shaved lifts and links his content rather than creating his own. He does chime in with opinion and sometimes mildly offensive humor.

Bar none, Shaved is the most racially insensitive and sexist blogger found anywhere in police circles. Pointing out the over abundant Black on White violent crime in Chicago and other misdeeds is his specialty. With no pun being intended Shaved always calls a spade a spade.

I don’t think Shaved is racist per se, but he’s very unforgiving to the African-American culture of, entitlement consumption, corruption and senseless violence in Chicago.

Shaved attacks deserving police bosses and politicians whenever he can, with over the top ridicule and wicked humor. Shaved is a marked man. When they find him they will kill him.

Shaved is stumbling through as he learns the use of Adobe Photo Shop to give his visitor the best possible graphics. On this effort he improves his artwork through doing it.

Shaved is learning through experience as we all are. Shaved is steadily winning visitors by putting in all the content he can.

5. John Lott’s Website

John Lott is a master statistician who discovered through hard and cold research that the more guns in possession of citizens actually reduces crime. That concept is the opposite of the flawed but conventional wisdom we have believed for decades.

Lott is an author, speaker and expert who has offered a lot of statics backed opinions on the insane economics position of our current majority of Socialist politicians.

6. Of Arms and the Law

This site is run by Tucson gun rights lawyer and advocate Dave Hardy. Hardy monitors gun legislation and court opinions from across the country. Hardy also produced a compelling gun rights documentary film. Hardy’s site contains lots of linked articles by he also writes well and generates a lot of his own content.

Other sites.

Every day new bloggers appear on the net and others abruptly vanish. One thing for sure they are getting better every day. Blogging is the ultimate exercise of American, First Amendment Freedom.

On my right hand side bar there are a lot of additional sites I visit. Click on any of them and take a quality ride in cyberspace.

Watching My Fellow Bloggers Grow With Technology

As I write this I’m wringing my hands that I’m not in Chicago setting up a live video feed of the historic and unprecedented FOP march seeking the ouster of a police superintendent. At a minimum I’d like to put up a three minute video package that would accurately sum up today’s happenings.

Second City Cop, Shaved and this outlet has brought text, photos and canned video. I’d like to say I lead the pack with the video production, but I’m acutely aware that the other blogs are operated by working Chicago cops who must protect their identities. Shooting video and getting interviews requires exposure and that’s the rub for any anonymous blogger. Crimefile News operates freely under my name and reputation.

There are those out there that know how to use cameras and livestream.com that can feed video to any blogger without spending a nickel beyond the cost of the camera and laptop computer. On the other hand minimal funding for newsgathering assistance would solve the problem.

The blog readers are often out in the trenches and should capture video for their favorite bloggers. They can simply send their captured video the bloggers on those tiny flash drives. The bloggers can in turn get that video out to the masses.

Cell phone video sucks, but the cheap and tiny Flip Video HD cameras are terrific. The above photograph shows a Flip Ultra HD with a recommended Small tripod.

Bloggers must learn to shoot and edit video or be left in the dirt by competition. A $150.00 Flip Ultra HD camera along with a MackBook computer is that’s needed to get started. Any Apple Store offers free lessons on video editing with the free I-Movie software already on that MackBook. As the experience of the blogger progresses better cameras, microphones and lighting equipment will be acquired.

The Second City Blog is unique. It offers three simple stories per day of interest to Chicago Cops and their families. The excitement comes from the anonymous people posting comments. There is a huge amount of department gossip spread here. Journalistically it’s lacking in every respect but the banter opens the door for legitimate investigation of claims made by contributors.

Information left in the comment section has become very newsworthy on several occasions. One thing Second city Cop does well is casting sunshine onto questionable departmental policies and practices that imperil cops or the public.

Every blogger must strive to be accurate, honest and above all, get the best information to the masses.
Second City Cop
Shaved
Here is a Flip HD generated video.

Enterprising Bloggers Needed To Expose Corruption

So many Americans criticize the mainstream media for not exposing corruption in government. That’s true in too many cases but in the last ten years it’s not due entirely to their sympatric relationship with the Leftist politicians.

The real reason is enterprising news reporting takes money and resources. There is a depression in the news business these days that make reporting anything difficult. Newsrooms have had their manpower slashed by half over the last decade and things are only getting worse.

This creates great opportunities for bloggers to do what the TV news and print organizations can no longer do. It costs little or nothing for you to cover a story in your back yard. News organizations must spend a bundle just for reporters commuting to their stories.

Finding and publishing public records maintained in government records and databases is always safe as long as you credit the agency keeping the records as the source. You have no liability for erroneous or falsified public records as long as you did not create them.

Learn how to use those great and inexpensive Flip HD cameras. Editing video is easier than ever. If you have a Mac computer, any Apple Store will give you free lessons on editing video.

Carry your little camera at all times and when in doubt get the video. The next step is uploading it to a host such as YouTube. Once the video is uploaded, grab the embedded code and insert that into your blog.

It’s not enough just to point and shoot the camera. You must interview people that are either witnesses or involved in the story you are covering. Never forget to ask the people you talk to if they know anyone with inside information about your story.

You must be careful not to personally endorse the statements of witnesses you publish or you may be held responsible if they mislead you. Rather than saying someone is corrupt, your story can play it safe with, “Public records (or former employee) raise conflict of interest questions about photo radar enforcement contracts.”

Every television newsroom in the nation has gone the way of the Video Journalist or Backpacker Journalist. Reporters with producers and film crews are becoming endangered species. Today they send out one reporter with camera to do it all. I say it can be done and done well if the VJ is committed to bring in the story.

Bloggers are only limited by free time, geography or the inability to share their story.

Here is a great article about how ABC News must rely on enterprising VJ’s.

Newsgathering Tools For Bloggers

Los Angeles, CA—Many of my visitors think they can do what I do only better. Many have asked me what is needed to do so. I will reveal the not so secret needed information.

I thought I’d share with you the ultimate tools bloggers need to dazzle their visitors. The best tools will only help you if you are cleaver and aggressive enough to capture the content needed. Blogging could be a full time and well paying job if you can break news and promote your site.

You need a Computer and here I’d suggest a higher end Apple product like a Macbook Pro. A super fast Internet connection to upload video is very important.

The Iternet has great and free blog packages like Blogger or Wordpress. They provide easy instructions to get started.

You need both a video and digital camera. I suggest starting with a Flip HD model for video and a quality digital camera for high resolution stills. The Flip camera can get you in and out of difficult places without attracting attention or obstructionist security workers.

To get really great video and audio you must get a serious video Camera such as the JCV GY-H100U, High Definition camera. Whatever you get, should not use tape or DVD media. A hard drive or card media camera will make your life easy and save you hours.

If you have a higher end camera like the JVC you need one, or better yet two wireless lavalier microphones like those made by Sennheiser. Good audio is a necessity.

A tripod and two lights are a must. One is for back lighting interview subjects, and one to light the front.

Your Mackbook Pro comes with Imovie which will give you enough creative control to edit like a professional. The benefit of the Apple product is free lessons and solid support with the software at any Apple store.

You can upgrade to the industry standard Final Cut Pro that will allow you unlimited ability to do almost anything with video.

You upload your edited video on Youtube or any of the other video free hosting sites. Then you embed the video from the hosting site right into your blog with ease.

It is always better to have a helper for shooting stand-ups where you are in front of the camera. Always remember to stay conversational and not sound as though you’re reading or reciting your message. Relax and be yourself. Don’t try an emulate someone else that never works well unless you're Jim Cary.

Keep your sound bites SHORT and sweet. Place yourself in front of the action whenever you can, flat backgrounds are boring.

If you want to cover an event such as a convention get press credentials from the media relations people working with the organization you want to cover.

Don’t just film news happening. Interview the witnesses and news makers yourself. Learn how to use public records to support you stories. Shoot them and edit them into your video.

A basic Photoshop program will help you create snappy graphics for your blog.

There are schools you can attend or you can get tons of information on the Internet. Here is a handy site for more information.

You are entitled to access like any other member of the press. Get press credentials! Don't take no for an answer, ever!

Here is that sweet little JVC camera:

A Visit With Hi-Caliber Investigations

Hollywood, CA—I’m not the only licensed PI in L.A. I’m not the only PI that came from the ranks law enforcement to become and PI and operate an active Internet blog. In Cyberspace the stars collided as Hi-Caliber Investigations and Crimefile News finally met for the first time in person. Just like me Hi-Caliber Investigations CEO Bill Rhetts loves guns, cameras and gadgets.

The scene of this event was at a book signing for long time Arizona journalist turned true crime writer, Camille Kimball. Kimball was selling her book that exposes two serial snipers that paralyzed Phoenix, Arizona in 2006. Before that reign of terror ended there were 37 victims including eight dead. You will see a review of Kimball’s Book called, A Sudden Shot as soon as I read it.

As for Rhetts, his office is located inside the Inland Empire near one of the busiest criminal courts in the nation. Rhetts cut his teeth as a copper for the LAPD and now enjoys the life of a private eye that brings with it the ability to turn down those assignments so many cops hate.

Today we decided to introduce each other to our respective readers. We also enjoy many of the same people visiting our blogs.

Bill Rhetts’ blog.

Meet Bill Rhetts:

Tips For Bloggers Investigating their stories

Los Angeles, CA—With traditional media dying a very undignified death bloggers and various forms of citizen journalists are filling the need quite well. Some bloggers have become millionaires in the process.

The rules of news delivery have changed in a big way. Vetting the information we deliver has not and cannot change. Credibility and accuracy are as important as ever. In our litigious society those who libel others on purpose or by accident may learn hard lessons.

Here are some tips for my fellow blogging friends that are evolving with their content and the quality of what they post.

Bloggers need to break more news and get away from the idea of republishing what’s already out there. To do this you have to get up close and personal to the newsmakers.

Get yourself on the lists your local government public information officers use to send out their press releases. Go out of your way to attend press conferences and ask questions when you get there.

Don’t be afraid to check out the people you are reporting about. Get into the public records and find out about those people. Be very careful since people often use phony names when they get arrested and sometimes many people share the same names.

Video and photo posting has never been easier so we need to see a lot more of that.

Everyone should be able to post the printed word, photographs, audio and of course video. The equipment to do this has never been cheaper or better.

I’m available to anyone of my fellow bloggers to advise you just how to get your ideas in the best possible form.

Blogging And Blogger’s Tools

Click on picture to enlarge!

Los Angeles, CA—I have gotten questions from my readers about how I go about getting material for this blog. They also want to know the tools needed to do the job.

First let me say I write my own material. I don’t rewrite other’s property or lift other’s words.

I make those calls to the newsmakers and the various public information officers. I grab available court records and post them when it helps illustrate the story.

I do a lot of my own video and pictures. Court photography is different because rules require a pool photographer to share video and pictures with all of the other journalists.

The equipment needed is better, lighter and cheaper than ever. If you only use text for a blog all that is needed is a computer with Internet access. If you want graphics and video you need cameras, Photoshop and video editing software. I use Corel Videostudio Pro X2 that sells for around $100.00.

My newest video camera is amazing. It’s the $200.00 Flip Mino HD. It has no tape and will record for 60 minutes. You can deploy it from your pocket in three seconds. The video from the flip has blown me away.

Always make sure your camera’s microphone is close enough to your sound source. The Flip does not allow for external or wireless mics at this juncture. I’m sure future models may allow for that. Whenever possible have a good light source to bring out the color and definition of your video.

The equipment above includes:

1. The Flip Mino HD camera and a small tripod.
2. A good quality digital camera, pictured is the Panasonic Lumix
3. A digital recorder, pictured is an Olympus offering
4. A small rechargeable video light and bracket, this one is a Sima
5. A cell phone with e-mail capability

Not pictured is a laptop or desktop computer.

My Flip Mino HD is smaller than most cell phones you can get you video without people running and ducking to get out of your shot. I have added a video that was shot and uploaded with the Flip Mino HD. Be sure to click the HD button on the YouTube screen to get the maximum quality. This is my friend Andrea visiting from Berlin.

Cops, Private Eyes and True Crime Buffs Blogging

Los Angeles, CA—I’m not sure just how this contagious blogging phenomena has enslaved so many cops, private eyes and others but we are here.

It’s a labor of love with few rewards. For everyone who likes what I write there must be ten who don’t. I never log on to please everyone. Opinions, sarcasm and mean spirited jabs are everywhere in the blogosphere.

My goal is not to convince people as much as to invite thought and more importantly solutions for problems examined throughout the criminal justice system.

I’m a tough gun rights advocate that hates the death penalty. I demand fair trials due process for people accused of crimes. At the same time I support those three strikes laws that keep criminals behind bars.

As a blogger I must write about fun things in life too. I enjoy surprising my visitors with more than just the ugly things in our lives.

Along with my blog there are many others and now bloggers are profiling other bloggers. One thing for sure there is an interesting group profiled in Criminal Justice USA.

I’ve Been Avoiding Another Chicago Policeman’s Blog…

Chicago, IL-There is a growing list of bloggers everywhere. They come and they go. Some are boring and others are informative and entertaining.

There is this blog run by a knowledgeable fellow. I assume it’s a fellow, but who really knows? He’s funny, disrespectful, and vulgar however most often right on point. I suspect he fits the image of one of those oddball characters from Reno 911.

I have problems with his language not because I’m a prude but because I don’t want to offend those of my readers with sensitivities or religious concerns. I will send my readers with a harsh language warning. His blog title is a little over the top so I will only use a portion of it. I don’t understand why he picked that blog name since this is not a porn site.

You have been warned! Without further ado meet Shaved-------K.