Phoenix, AZ —The second attempt to get a verdict in the penalty phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial is about be get underway before Judge Sherry Stephens . Will it be death, life without parole or a 25 calendar year sentence?    Arias would get full credit for her years in pretrial custody.   Arias is understandably and desperately seeking some control over her defense and public relations matters.   The problem is that she’s woefully unqualified to make any of those decisions. The lawyers assigned to defend Arias are not exactly heavy hitters.   They are lightweights with limited skills and resources.   Arias has been widely criticized for her missteps at every turn.   This young woman is fighting for her life while dealing with complicated issues few of us will ever have to face.  For her there are no right answers.  Whatever she does turns out wrong.  The only thing I know about Arias for sure is she has given...

Rex E. Chapman (credit Maricopa County Sheriff) Scottsdale, AZ—Rex Chapman , 46 had a great 12-year NBA basketball career Playing for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets .     In 2006, he served as the vice president of player personnel for the Denver Nuggets.   Today he’s employed TV sports broadcaster for Turner Broadcasting .    I say that he had a great career, because it has suddenly all ended in an epic crash after his September 19 th arrest for stealing some $14,000.00 in merchandise from a local Apple Store .   The foolishness of Chapman’s caper defies logic.   Apple store records show he was present on several occasions and video shows him purloining the property with a knapsack or white Apple bags. In an even more stunning lapse Chapman apparently wasted no time selling the booty to local pawnshops.   They too keep surveillance video recordings and are required to obtain identification of anyone pawning or sel...

Dragonfly Drone  Los Angeles, CA —Let me be the first to say that I find the increasing militarization and spying by police repugnant.  Government at every level is out-of-control. Today there is a demonstration in progress at City Hall protesting the use of two small multi-rotor drones in possession of the LAPD .  This group is uninformed and unfamiliar with the limitations of these devices also called unmanned aerial vehicles.  I suspect these demonstrators are confusing these drones with the much larger, multi-million dollar weaponized drones used by or military in combat zones. However there are substantial benefits of our first responders using multi-rotor drones to deal with instances such as common disasters, searches for lost people and potentially dangerous animals on the loose in neighborhoods.  The diminutive drones can more safely enter tighter spaces than any helicopter. As a camera drone pilot, former cop and licensed private inve...

Chicago, IL —Those fast food workers seeking unionization and a $15.00 per hour minimum wage are incredibly delusional.   Frankly if they were smart enough to figure out the folly of the efforts they’d not be working in fast food!   Fast food appeals to Americans because it’s cheap and fast.   Unionization will kill this necessary industry along with the jobs and some needed training workers are currently enjoying. Flipping burgers was never meant to be a career but a stepping-stone.   Getting a job at one of the many fast food chains is suited for young people just starting out in the workforce.    These jobs may also suitable for some retirees supplementing social security and to stay useful in declining years.   An entry-level job in fast food is anything but a suitable career goal. If burger flippers were paid as skilled workers they would never have incentive to learn and move on to become more valuable to our workforce. Let’s talk ab...

Chase Culpepper  Anderson, SC-- Chase Culpepper is an ordinary 16 year-old and like millions his age it’s time to apply for a driver’s license. Well it  turns out  that Chase is not exactly ordinary but a male that apparently identifies as a female.  That may bring discomfort to a lot of people but not Chase or his mother.  He dresses as a girl and looks the part. The lad completed and submitted the license application and passed both the written and actual driving test.   Now it was time to stand before the camera for that driver’s license photo.   The motor vehicle clerk could not help but notice Culpepper’s face adorned with cosmetics and his application indicates he is male.    There is apparently a departmental directive that prohibits applicants from wearing a disguise.   Ignorance and the clerk's rather nasty attitude took over and the boy was told to wash his makeup off or not get a driver’s license. The...