Las Vegas Mutant Cop Killers and a Few Facebook Favorite Photos

Las Vegas, NV—This is very early information and it does not contain their criminal history or mental health information. of two maniacs that decided to murder two unsuspecting cops eating lunch her on a quiet Sunday.  There will be more to come. 

Apparently Jared and Amanda Woodruff Miller began their own revolution yesterday by ambushing and murdering the two young cops, Igor Solodo, 41 and Alyn Beck, 31 as they were both having lunch at CiCi’s Pizzeria .    After killing the cops they quickly stripped them of their guns, ammunition, body armor and police badges.  The announced that the revolution had begun and fled to a nearby WalMart.

The story from there becomes confusing.  A yet to be identified woman was murdered at the WalMart as the two maniacs shot up this big box store.  People fled.  There is a report that a yet to be identified licensed concealed weapon holder engaged the two in gunfire and many have wounded one of them saving lives.

Eventually they were surrounded by police and currently it’s believed that Amanda shot Jared dead and then killed herself. 

None of us can imagine motives or mindset for this kind of violence.  The press branded them as White Supremacists, but their victims were white.  That makes no sense.  But these kinds of things never do. 

It looks like their revolution is over but in a sick society that refuses to confine dangerously mentally ill people we can expect more.  These news making violent events were not part of the American Culture until the mental hospitals were all emptied and shut down.  

My Camera Armed Drones and Your Privacy

Phantom 2 Quadcopter

Los Angeles, CA—There is a bit of a debate going on involving one of technology’s newer gifts.  The somewhat inexpensive, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) drones are here.  Are they really a threat to your privacy?  I have the answer for you.

As most of my readers know, I’m a licensed private investigator.  I now have my own Air Force consisting of two consumer type camera-armed drones!  Can these gee wiz gizmos help me learn more about the people I’m investigating?  The answer is, not really.

First of all the devices are limited significantly by their power sources.  They are battery operated.  The longest they can stay in the air currently is under 25 minutes. 

They may be quiet but are visible especially at night because of their running lights.  The lights must stay on or the pilot can’t see or control it.  

For surveillance they are worthless because of the short flight time.  Traditional means of watching people are still more effective. 

If a person I’m investigating enters a vehicle I can only follow the vehicle for less than a mile under the best of conditions.  Tall buildings, power lines, lamp posts and trees all threaten my drones. 

Rain and wind are not friendly to my drones and I have no desire to risk seeing them destroyed. 

I’ve stayed awake nights trying to figure out ways of using the UAS to further my investigations.  I’ve found a couple that really don’t threaten privacy. 

Frequently I need high-resolution aerial images of accident or crime scenes to use during interviews and for court exhibits.  The drones are absolutely excellent for this purpose.

Locating stolen property or livestock has suddenly become easier.  Before I’d have to hire aircraft and pilots to look at property from the air to avoid allegations of trespass.  Now I can do the same thing but without spending a fortune with my drones.

Some could argue drones can be used to look through windows but so can any helicopter.  That is really not practical because of limitations on cameras in difficult lighting conditions.  My little drones are incapable of gathering audio because of issues like wind and the sound of the rotors. 

The affordable drones can’t handle the much heavier and sophisticated cameras and night vision equipment or spotlights like helicopters.  My cameras are the tiny and featherweight GoPro Hero 3+ that provides stunning images.

The only mischief I could really get involved with are nude sunbathers in their back yards that could be observed and photographed.  That’s been the case with helicopters since their invention.  That’s been an issue for Hollywood’s starlets for decades.  I have to ask have some of those pictures and resulting publicity furthered their careers? 

In the future I’m sure that the technology and capability of the drones will evolve in the future but we’re talking years and decades. 

The fact is that Americans have privacy rights provided they stay in places like inside their homes and businesses where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.  My drones can’t see you while you’re in your bathtub or bed. 

I also plan to use these drones for newsgathering purposes.  Active accident, fire and crime scenes where helicopters are unavailable are going to be my drone targets.  We all know how helpful aerial views are for TV news video.   The problem is having this kind of event at a convenient distance. 

I challenge any of my visitors to figure out a way to invade privacy that would actually justify concerns.

  

Obama’s Ownership of America’s Liberal Mainstream Media is Suddenly a Major Embarrassment

 Washington, DC—Our mainstream media were all in lockstep behind Barack Obama as a new Messiah.  Scandal after scandal was laughed off beginning with the candidate and now President’s suspicious and questionable birth qualifications.  His alignment with a high-profile racist preacher along with long personal ties to known Communist terrorists, William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn were simply guffawed. 

The Obama Administration, BATFE gun running scandal was intentionally designed to create bloodshed that would be blamed on American Gun Rights.  This propaganda effort took the lives of at least two Border Patrol Agents and hundreds of Mexican Nationals.  The media blew it off as a bureaucratic bungling and a mistake.  

The Whitehouse kept a Nixon style enemies list and the IRS was sent to punish any political opposition.  Again, the mainstream media did not find this newsworthy.  No tough questions or criticisms like the firestorm Nixon suffered.

The NSA Spy Scandal that was revealed by Edward Snowden is of unprecedented, criminal and epic proportions.  The mainstream media simply made a traitor out of the whistle-blower as they ignored a clear and obvious case of Treason by Obama.  

Obama gave himself absolute power with the destruction of the Posse Comitatus Act while authorizing secret detention or even killings of Americans without Due Process of law.  In effect, Obama simply suspended the United States Constitution. This is exactly what Adolph Hitler did in Germany.  What did the mainstream media say?  Absolutely nothing!

Our military veterans were sold out.   VA physicians at great personal risk exposed the horrible cover up of deaths of patients seeking critical medical care.  The mainstream media burped and Obama had to respond with a symbolic forced resignation and finally a subdued reaction.

The Bizarre and Shocking Case of Treason, Obama and Bowe Bergdhal is Far Worse than imaginable.   The mainstream media seems to be a bit red-faced and blind-sided.  Will this be the beginning of the saddest chapter of American history?  When will we finally rid our Whitehouse of that traitor? 

The Bizarre and Shocking Case of Treason, Obama and Bergdhal is Far Worse than Imaginable!

Landsthul, Germany—None of us can ever imagine a young released, prisoner of war not being greeted by family members at this venerable medical institution after a five-year enemy confinement.  This seems beyond unusual and to me is more than a clue that Bowe Bergdhal is actually in a high security setting and obviously under arrest.

Our military would routinely bring a soldier's stateside family here and lodge them so they could greet a former captive.  Military medical professionals would insist on this for the health and well being of any soldier.   Moreover, it’s obvious that Bergdhal is being held incommunicado. This departure by the military from normal procedure screams out, that Barack Obama has seriously misled us.

There’s ample evidence that Bowe Bergdhal deserted the Army, seeking to join the Taliban.  Americans then gave their lives trying to help this wayward lad back to reality and the unit he deserted.  We don’t seem to know much about what went on over the last five years other than some propaganda videos posted by the Taliban.

I don’t give a rat’s ass what Obama thinks he’s been in control of but the people calling the shots here is our own military.  They have ample probable cause to hold Bergdhal for a multitude of the most serious charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

I suspect that the Army may have taken punitive action much to the chagrin of Obama.  Ultimately Obama can intervene and even pardon Bergdhal but how outrageous and embarrassing that would be! 

Bargdhal’s father is most obviously a Koran toting Muslim who seems to be more concerned and loyal to the “people” Afghanistan than the USA.  His own comments have been strange to say the least.  

Will Obama still try and claim that Bergdhal was really worth the illegal and extraordinary prisoner trade of five senior enemy combatants? 

What I see is that Obama is now in a huge stalemate with the Military and American people over the disposition of Bergdhal. 

Obama’s actions here were and are totally against the interests of the American people and violated the law.  Impeachment and prosecution of Obama seems well within reach.

I can’t imagine Susan Rice’s outlandish claim that Bergdhal, “Served with honor and distinction.”   This will definitely be one of those stories that will keep on giving. 

This whole picture has an odor that even ardent Democrats don’t like.   Stay tuned folks; this is a story that is of historic importance.  This is destined to be Obama’s Swan Song. 

The Volatile Counterproductively of The Open Carry of Firearms

Phoenix, AZ—Most of my blog visitors know my strong and unyielding opinion on our rights to keep and bear arms.  I have personally fought bad gun laws through civil actions in the courts.  I have lobbied for gun rights at the State Legislature for many years.    

Open carry of firearms has its place.  On the range, while hunting, at various firearm related events.  That would also be a reality during serious civil unrest or worse. 

Open carry is indeed a Constitutional right but that alone does not make it in anyway clever or socially acceptable. 

The whole point of firearm concealment is to place robbers, rapists and killers at a serious tactical disadvantage.  Since self-defense is the goal why would anyone want to give a criminal the advantage and ability to overpower and disarm them by openly carrying? 

Open carry does not belong at the local Starbucks, Chipotle, or in mixed company.  By mixed company I mean around other than likeminded gun owners.  

Open carry has become a “in your face” form of protest and considered by gun rights haters as pure intimidation designed to incite.  Open carry may be your right but using it for political provocation is counterproductive and dumb. 

If you want to influence those people with irrational fear of firearms please teach them safety and take them shooting.  Unnecessary open carry makes as much sense as trying to calm an angry bull by waving a red cape.

Arizona for decades banned all concealed carry but allowed open carry without a permit.  The problems created by open carry were substantial.  Ignorant gun haters were always calling the cops when they saw guns and become angry when the cops would not arrest an open carrier.  

Often the complainants would exaggerate and claim that the gun was pulled or pointed at them!  The gun carrier often had to stand trial for Aggravated Assault on the unsubstantiated claims of some lying jerk. If the judge or jury believed the complainant a mandatory five-year prison term would be handed out!  

As a criminal defense investigator I’ve had many first hand experience with some of those horrible cases.

Finely, Arizona accepted concealed carry and later went the extra mile of not requiring permits of any kind. Those phony Aggravated Assault complaints dropped dramatically.

Unnecessarily carrying of an exposed firearm is downright dangerous.  There is of course the criminal that would like to simply strong-arm the gun away from you.  Then there are those dim bulbs that believe that you are carrying exposed because you want to intimidate, frighten or even assault them.  Open carry is too often the subject of unnecessary and unwarranted verbal arguments and disturbances. 

Simply stated a person carrying and exposed firearm is much more likely to be involved in a breach of the peace than having it concealed.   

We cannot change the thought process or behavior of the intolerant, ignorant and malicious people in our world.  Why would you want to give them a tool they’d use to insult, attack or cause your arrest, prosecution and possible conviction?  If they can’t see your gun it won’t be the subject of controversy or worse.

Nobody wants to be a legal test case for gun rights considering the high price of lawyers and the reality of judicial tyranny.   Most people don’t understand that you can challenge the constitutionality of gun laws without violating them or being arrested.  You simply file a civil complaint in court to challenge the law asking for a Declaratory Judgment striking down the bad law.  

It helps to have the NRA or SAF paying your lawyers too!  That’s the gentleman’s way of winning.  That’s what the various plaintiffs did in the Landmark Heller and McDonald cases that were favorably decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.

As for the debacles at Starbucks and more recently at the Chipotle restaurants nobody takes in account what the business owners need.   To take sides on the volatile gun rights issue is insurance that one side or the other will boycott that business.  

No business wants to become embroiled in a political issue of any kind.  Why would you want to force an innocent business owner to take a position when you know it may destroy his or her source of income?

Please leave innocent bystander businesses out of your political arguments.

As for open carry, it has its place well outside of political statements, demonstrations or inciting hateful conduct.  Rather than provoking those gun-rights haters, kindness and tolerance goes so much further.  

All of my gun owner friends are gentle law-abiding folks that understand the necessity of the ability to defend themselves and families from the unthinkable.  

Being hostile, rude or insulting has never accomplished anything positive for anyone.  Simple kindness and a warm smile wins every time! 

Let me also say business that through posted signs seeks to preclude law abiding gun owners, deserve to be boycotted.  Some of them are learning the hard way that such signs invite armed robbers. 

Will Phoenix TV News Organizations be Ready for the UAS Drone Reporters?

Phoenix, AZ—It appears that KTVK-TV has at least for now ended their decades long romance with expensive helicopters.  Pilot/Reporter Bruce “Chopperguy” Hafner’s current leasing contract ran out and has not been renewed.   It appears this will significantly change the way news will be covered in this medium TV market.

For the last nearly two decades TV news has hemorrhaged viewers everywhere and keeping a helicopter on standby with a pilot/reporter is more difficult than ever considering that is any news department’s single largest expense. 

TV news has had to adjust to lost revenue by replacing some news crews with multi-media journalists that write, shoot and edit reports that once involved as many as four or five people.  They’ve made drastic cuts and quality of the news product delivered has sadly declined.  The once glamorous and high paying careers of reporters and anchors are on the ropes.

Replacing anchors with a director queuing up news packages where reporters introduce themselves and stories is an alternative.  However things go wrong with live shots and this can become a visual disaster without a glib anchor moving the audience on to the next story.

Reporting news this way can be done but most often is at the expense of getting the whole story.  You can also argue that the video quality is less pleasing without a top-notch video camera operator. 

It’s very challenging for a multi-media journalist to investigate or even minimally vet the material and people getting coverage or face-time in a news event.  I’m sure that government agencies especially those not performing well with taxpayer money are breathing easier these days. 

The question I have is, what’s in the future?  I’m not sure anyone really knows but for now TV news must roll forward with the resources they have.  Without the cost of a helicopter resources can be reallocated and perhaps a few jobs saved. 

The needed skills of a TV reporter have now changed.   With the advent of inexpensive cameras, video equipment and laptop video editing reporters must know a lot more than simple reporting. 

The newest job is still somewhat in Limbo waiting for possible Federal Aviation Administration regulations.  That should be happening within a few months and that gives news organizations time to find and properly integrate this new breed of reporter. This technology also creates yet another new discipline to learn for TV reporters, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or Drone piloting. 

Are the UAS or drone pilot/reporters going to be able to fill the void left by guys like Phoenix pilot/reporter pioneers Jerry Foster and Bruce Hafner?  Perhaps not in every situation like for example high-speed car chases that most often involves many miles of travel.  Hafner and Foster always had the advantage of solid real time communications with police and aircraft control towers.   

Most situations involving aerial reporting contain static shots of accidents, crime scenes and fires.  The UAS drones can easily handle that kind of duty. 

The UAS has other advantages like safer operation in risky weather and functioning at much lower altitudes.  Any TV station can own several of these devices and have them strategically located throughout their coverage area for quick deployment.   That could actually beat the time a helicopter has to travel from hanger to news story even at 120 MPH. 

A UAS can actually broadcast live provided you have additional hardware and a live-truck with operator nearby for that purpose.   However it’s really simple to gather video for news packages in the normal course of events.  If done properly a TV news department can actually offer much more aerial B-Roll style video that ever before. 

As for acquiring the UAS piloting skills they are not nearly as simple as I was led to believe.  Because you’re flying at a much lower altitude you have many more obstacles like power lines, cell-phone towers, buildings and trees to avoid.  As you are trying to avoid these things sudden gusts of wind can add significant challenges.  I’ve even had agitated seagulls attack my drone and thankfully I was able to out maneuver them! 

These UAS all rely on GPS satellite navigation and that keeps them within control range of nearly one mile.  In an emergency simply turning off the transmitter will cause a UAS to return and land in the same place where it took off. 

You must practice emergency landings. Yes. I’ve had mishaps related to pilot error complete with broken propellers but no injuries or other property damage was involved.   Those mishaps are just a part of the on the job training.   I can say that each day my own piloting skills are getting better.  I’m hooked on the two drones I own. 

It does take both skill and hours of practice to become proficient with these amazing drones.   Any journalism student or practitioner should learn this new discipline.  The inherent safety of the UAS and reduced cost to deploy them insures we will be seeing them used by virtually every news organization that uses video.

I think it would be a lot of fun to be the first UAS/drone TV reporter in Phoenix.   You can count on seeing much more aerial video simply because they can do it so inexpensively. 

I can almost see the TV promotions department’s Sweeps ad campaign claiming to have the best drone video reporting ever!

The UAS drones can help TV news during the period while the industry reinvents itself for the next generation.  Undoubtedly the over the airwave broadcasts will soon end as all news is distributed via the Internet. 

Here is some unedited video I shot over a friend's home near Chicago a few weeks ago.  Instead of music you'd have the reporter's voice over.

Hollywood has exiled Archie Bunker, Dirty Harry and Paul Kersey

Hollywood, CA—Let me begin with a disclaimer.  I don’t suggest for a second that bigotry; hate or genocide should be glorified or be made acceptable in our society.  The fact is these ugly things are a part of our world and writing them out of film scripts is not going to cleanse us of these human imperfections.

Books and films are about the life-changing events on this earth.  By necessity we must show evil, hate, violence, war, heroism, peace and love because these are the human realty. Police investigations go wrong and innocent people are convicted.  Sometime justice happens.  All of these things give us the ability to tell the stories that need to be told. 

We must always try and preserve the truth of the human experience.

The only brave filmmaking soul left that seems to escape the political correctness police is Quentin Tarantino.  However, should Tarantino ever make a film that shows Gays in a less than stellar light he will find himself permanently exiled to the Cornfield.

How bold it was for Clint Eastwood to bring us Dirty Harry in 1971.  That legendary scene where he guns down a gang of African-American bank robbers would never see the light of day in today's Hollywood.  The bank robbers would have to be white to satisfy Hollywood’s PC cops.

Archie Bunker graced the small screen with lots of racial and homophobic insults.  The idea was to give the audience a slice of life for a poorly educated bigot in a modern society.  In the end Archie was very human and just somewhat misunderstood.  The Archie character was just more ignorant than mean spirited.  

Today the Paul Kersey character from the film Death Wish would have to be African-American and his antagonist’s white supremacists! 

Hollywood has created a false Fantasy Land that eradicates anything that would offend minorities or Gays.  I say that telling the truth is always better and perhaps we need more scripts where we extol the contributions made by the minorities we are trying to protect. 

We do see to neglect the real heroes that are Women, Minorities or Gays.  An example of a good film in that regard was Dallas Buyer’s Club.   They allowed Homophobia to be seen and Jared Leto’s transgender character came off as a genuine hero.  Perhaps that film could be made because in the end that film the homophobic bigots looked foolish.  

We must face the facts that Gays, women and minorities can be evil and not be afraid to show that in films.

When we make a film about police work today we reverse the racial demographics of the cities depicted.  That kind of pandering is so overtly outrageous it makes the film a sick caricature of reality.  Sanitizing scripts in the name of political correctness is an affront to art and truth. 

Today’s Hollywood would never allow a scene like this: