Sony Pictures, Political Correctness and Total Cowardice

Los Angeles, CA—Free speech is dead in America.  Political correctness has an evil twin.  It’s call deception.  It’s one thing to hide your feelings about religion, cultures, politics or sexual preferences.  It’s another to pretend you don’t have some negative thoughts.

Fear of being hated and attacked drives Americans to deceive as they lie to each other about their true feelings.  We will never come together as a nation if we can’t truthfully express ourselves.  It’s far better that people control offensive culturally based conduct than their feelings.

There are stereotypes everywhere in reality.  Most are not offensive and others are downright evil.  It’s not about skin color but culture.  Some cultures are bankrupt, destructive and even violent.

If refined, educated and law abiding people pretend to accept bad behavior, rudeness and excuse others for culturally based evil deeds nobody is being served.

Children learn culture from their parents and if culturally based bad behavior is accepted there will be no evolution.  It’s important that people freely express dissatisfaction with stereotypical corrupt behavior.

The so-called insensitive private e-mails of Sony Pictures management folks are based at least part in truth.   The Sony e-mails deserve no attention unless they exposed fraud, threats or efforts to derail careers of others. 

Privately making a bad joke about Barack Obama’s choice of film themes does not deserve a second glance.  We all should be free to make bad jokes about our politicians and their proclivities. 

I’m not suggesting for a second that we be unkind, malicious or intolerant to people of different cultures.  It’s far better that clashing cultures find common ground and adapt to each other.  We can be kind without being patronizing.  We never should have to accept ignorance, insults or violence.

In America we’ve forgotten how to laugh at ourselves.  We can have significant differences and still enjoy wonderful diverse friendships as we help each other.   We will all disagree about something.  Honest discussion beats deceptive political correctness anytime. 

We all hate two-faced people but yet we are promoting just that by fostering a politically correct society.  Hate hidden behind a smiling face is even more sinister.

I have a prominent and cultured African-America lawyer friend.  He is a real achiever that has earned respect, political power and high profile career.   He reads my blog and considers me at least a closet racist.  He’s got it wrong unless he considers skin color and a bankrupt culture one in the same.

Adding fire to our clash is red-hot politics.  He’s a Liberal Democrat and I’m a Conservative Libertarian.  In the end we both want the same things; peace, prosperity and a great life for all.  It’s how we go about making this happen that makes us different.

We argue in e-mails and such but we are friends.  We know only too well that we’d both come running to help each other in bad times.

Sony Pictures is a Japanese corporation that acquired the old MGM properties and their management has their own cultural issues.  The greatest difficulty they have is trying to guess how Americans feel about their current crisis and more importantly how to respond.  It’s messy for sure.

Heads are expected to roll as Sony Pictures quickly folded on their $50 Million project, “THE INTERWIEW”.  The total fallout will be much more expensive before it’s all over.

The faceless Internet threat to murder Americans in the style of 9/11 caused gutless motion picture and film venue executives to take the coward’s way out.  I would have made a point to see the film but that won’t happen now.

The damage to the filmmakers that apparently created a comedy based on the somewhat amusing and young North Korean dictator is huge.  This is more about the future than this current mess.

Why make any film when someone can threaten and destroy years of labor with a simple crank Internet posting?

We suspended our Fourth Amendment and created the TSA after the 9/11 attack.  Now we are forgoing our sacred Free Speech rights out of sheer cowardice.  The once strong America has become a nation of cowards.

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:

 

  

The First L.A. Drone Expo, a Review

Los Angeles, CA—I really looked forward to the first ever L.A. Drone Expo.  It happened today at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. 

The exhibitors came with products and displays.  Hundreds of drone enthusiasts stormed the venue and there was real excitement.

It was terrific to talk with many of the engineers and inventors that have made contributions to this specialized technology. 

Products were for sale everywhere and for the attendees it seemed like their first trip to Disneyland. 

Additionally there were speakers on all of the creative and regulatory issues. 

Speaking of regulatory issues there are those that want cumbersome regulations and those like me that don’t.  It’s seems so un-American to use regulation as a way to reduce competition by making things difficult for the unwashed newbies.

This country was number one in technology, design and innovation.  Somehow we made a Left turn and fell behind.   FAA regulation has already sent to much off our technology and revenue off shore. We may never succeed in catching up.

This technology is moving fast and furiously with new advances every day! 

Now for the ugly:

Perhaps that’s unfair to criticize here because this was the first such an event.   The show management should have put some rules in place for exhibitors. 

I came to cover the event as a journalist and get some important video interviews that were suitable for broadcast.  That proved absolutely impossible. 

One of the larger exhibitors hired a D.J. who flooded the exhibit hall with incredibly loud music.  I like most music but this garbage sucked in a huge way.

I was also very difficult for the attendees to communicate because everyone was shouting at each other to be heard over the DJ’s blaring speakers. 

This drawback is a serious one since no TV news organization would be able to gather broadcast quality interview audio depriving exhibitors needed publicity. 

The music disturbance did not prevent me from meeting terrific people with similar interests and enjoying the event. 

I learned, more information that I really about mapping and the affordability of using FLIR cameras. 

I fully expect that next years Drone Expo will be a lot bigger and a much larger venue will be needed.  I also think the exhibitors learned they need more booth space and workers to deal with the surprising number of attendees.  

I could not resist flying my drone over the venue and sharing the video with you!

Let’s go to the Drone Expo in L.A. Saturday Dec 13, 2014!

Los Angeles-CA—It did not take long for a Drone Trade Show to happen once the multi-rotor camera drones have it the landscape!

Saturday, December 12, 2014 from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM there will be exhibitors, speakers and a whole lot of networking going on. 

You will be able to meet many of the drone industry mover and shakers.  We will all learn about the future of this exciting technology.

Crimefile News plans on covering this event.  Those folks that are too far away to attend can expect lots of video and information right here!

Those wanting to attend can visit their site right here: 

http://www.uavsa.org

A Window into Civilian Drones, the FAA and Congressional Oversight

Washington, DC—The FAA was very tight lipped about the drone regulations they are drafting for public comment later this month. 

An FAA official claims they are releasing a Risk Based Proposed Regulatory Program that will integrate commercial drones into the airspace. 

Judging from today’s Congressional hearing they are attempting concentrate on educating the operators of small consumer drones and more serious regulation of anything else.  

Oddly enough they never once mentioned using drones for news video news gathering and only touched lightly on filmmakers.

Once they release their draft drone rule package it must be published and then there is a routine schedule for inviting public comment. Once that period passes the FAA will then set their rule in concrete.  That of course can be challenged later both by Congressional action and litigation.

The FAA seems to be coming to grips that the small camera drone operator will be nearly impossible to regulate.  They are currently haggling with the manufactures about geo-fencing software manufacturing requirements and packaging FAA rules and guidelines with the drones at the point of sale.

The larger drones that will be traveling greater distances and have by nature a higher risk have cumbersome licensing, vehicle air worthiness inspection and registration in their future. 

The rules are going to cover all types of drones fixed wing or multi-rotor and the FAA seems to understand that one size does not fit all.

We will have to see what they do in the coming weeks.  The Obama Administration’s FAA has already put us well behind Canada, Europe and Australia.  Billions of dollars are at stake and the USA is now weaker as a result.

I wish the hearing today could have disclosed real direction but there were lots of questions with very few concrete answers.

Of course the pilots fables of near misses were no small subject of conversation.   They all failed to mention that no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.  Chicken Little is alive and sending out his alarms about falling skies. 

If you’ve got a couple of hours to watch bureaucrats and politicians reading prepared statements and tossing a few questions around you can see this below: