What part of the drug war is working? What part is failing?
Standard newspeople remain silent.
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Does the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevent cartel product from entering Seattle? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
If OD numbers are lower, is this because DHS is able to keep cartel product from arriving in US communities, or because drug addicts are now fogged down with Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, etc. to combat overdoses?
Any questions from newspeople?
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Some version of REAL ID has been required at border crossings and ports of entry since 2009.
Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at border crossings and ports of entry since 2009.
What got better?
Any questions from newspeople?
The Post 911 Era
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
At The Big Game
Tune in to any Super Bowl in the post 911 era to see the press promote a big US Dept. of Homeland Security show of force to keep the big game safe.
TV newspeople skip asking questions and play the role of federal public affairs staff instead:
Real newspeople may ask:
If special games require special security-what keeps regular games safe? Crowd size/capacity is similar at several stadiums.
Are fans less safe at regular games?
What prevents terror strikes at hundreds of events & locations unsupervised by federal authorities?
What stops terrorists from going 2 states over and driving a truck across the playground at a daycare center?
Seattle – USA 250
choeshow
Sept 7, 2026
CRIMINALS, MENTALLY ILL, AND HOMELESS DRUG ADDICTS HAVE CONQUERED SEATTLE
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq, Afghanistan and other distant locations while working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Does the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevent cartel product from entering Seattle? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
If OD numbers are lower, is this because DHS is able to keep cartel product from arriving in US communities, or because drug addicts are now fogged down with Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, etc. to combat overdoses?
With all this working as an advantage to the US federal government, is there any shortage of meth, fentanyl or any cartel drug between say, Everett and Tacoma?
Has any newsperson ever asked about this?
What part of the drug war is working? What part is failing?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
How do cartels react to opioid lawsuits?
Any questions from newspeople?
Does the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevent cartel product from entering Seattle? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
If OD numbers are lower, is this because DHS is able to keep cartel product from arriving in US communities, or because drug addicts are now fogged down with Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, etc. to combat overdoses?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Seattle Gunfire – The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
Has any WA gun control measure or public policy effort of the past 20 years slowed down the gunfire between say, Everett and Tacoma?
What works? What fails?
The weak-minded culture expects very little from its newspeople.
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Instead of waiting for school teachers to teach about individual rights and limited government authority, waiting on the press to ask questions, or courts to handle cases, these guys go out and update us with a quick reality check.
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
One lesson: Newspeople need to ask questions no matter who is elected to office. The press should provide some measure of checks and balances. The press should work to keep people properly informed.
JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
We need to take a break when real questions are asked:
Ward Carroll
Lawyers’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry
911Truth.org
Think for Yourself.
Explore the Facts.
“25 Years Later: Preserving the Record, Clarifying the Questions
For more than two decades, 911Truth.org has preserved reporting, public records, research, family advocacy, investigative work, and the history of a citizen movement seeking truth and accountability.”
“As the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11 approaches, we are undertaking the most extensive restoration and reorganization of this archive in its history—preserving original material, reconnecting it to its sources, and building clearer pathways through the record for a new generation of visitors.”
25TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE
Newspeople Play Along By Not Asking Questions
Was Sept. 11th, 2001 the beginning of the era of newspeople not asking questions?
Even if the federal government did everything right before and on the day of Sept. 11th, 2001, newspeople have avoided questions since: Iraq/Afghanistan/Homeland Security, inbound cartel drugs, etc.
1976 US Bicentennial – The “Thanks for Your Service” phrase was not yet in style. The decades of undeclared/unwon wars that came after the lessons of Vietnam would bring the phrase into commonplace use.
Have Flock cameras prevented cartel product from entering the Puget Sound area?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Does the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevent cartel product from entering Seattle? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
If OD numbers are lower, is this because DHS is able to keep cartel product from arriving in US communities, or because drug addicts are now fogged down with Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, etc. to combat overdoses?
Unlike many cities of its size, Port Angeles maintains a significant Homeland Security/CBP/Border Patrol presence.
Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Port Angeles Homeland Security funding and performance?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
New Port Angeles USBP Station opened more than a decade ago. Has the new station been able to prevent cartel drugs from entering the Olympic Peninsula?
After a Port Angeles CBP buildup that took place more than a decade ago, is there any follow up made by the press to inform the public on whatever results have been achieved?
If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest linked in any way to the US/Canada border?
Has massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca played any role in reducing Clallam County drug overdose numbers?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
How do cartels react to opioid lawsuits?
Are passports/enhanced/REAL IDs effective in keeping cartel drugs out of the US?
Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made any seizure that kept any amount of fentanyl, heroin or any opioid from entering Clallam County?
Were Clallam County drug overdose death numbers higher before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established (2002) or are the numbers higher with a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security in place? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Over in Island County
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
“A former Seattle Times sports columnist announced his resignation from the paper after more than a decade with the paper because of what he said was a refusal to publish a column centered on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.”
Various other topics may fall into this category. Newspeople avoid asking questions or they don’t have permission to do so.
Have Port Angeles based Homeland Security/CBP units been able to create any shortage of cartel product/fentanyl in the Puget Sound area?
Is the Puget Sound drug situation any different today than it was under Biden?
Has REAL ID prevented cartel product from arriving in Seattle?
Have Flock cameras prevented cartel product from entering the Puget Sound area?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Does the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevent cartel product from entering Seattle? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
If OD numbers are lower, is this because DHS is able to keep cartel product from arriving in US communities, or because drug addicts are now fogged down with Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, etc. to combat overdoses?
Unlike many cities of its size, Port Angeles maintains a significant Homeland Security/CBP/Border Patrol presence.
Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Port Angeles Homeland Security funding and performance?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
New Port Angeles USBP Station opened more than a decade ago. Has the new station been able to prevent cartel drugs from entering the Olympic Peninsula?
After a Port Angeles CBP buildup that took place more than a decade ago, is there any follow up made by the press to inform the public on whatever results have been achieved?
If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest linked in any way to the US/Canada border?
Has massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca played any role in reducing Clallam County drug overdose numbers?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
How do cartels react to opioid lawsuits?
Are passports/enhanced/REAL IDs effective in keeping cartel drugs out of the US?
Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made any seizure that kept any amount of fentanyl, heroin or any opioid from entering Clallam County?
Were Clallam County drug overdose death numbers higher before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established (2002) or are the numbers higher with a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security in place? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Over in Island County
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
How would American freedoms be any different if US troops were never sent to Iraq?
US Troops were sent into life and death situations in the aftermath of 911.
For this reason it is important to ask questions and develop a feel for what is real and what is honest.
It feels like a society where honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion, but the questioning and discussion rarely takes place.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
These questions do not need to be asked on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Blue Angels day or Armed Forces Day. Sometime during the year, please ask these questions.
Macho Swagger
Watch Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes thrilling fighter jet ride with ‘Top-Gun’ pilots:
The weak-minded culture expects very little from its newspeople.
DEA Seattle chases after cartel product not stopped at the border by Kristi Noem or the new boss. Cheerful newspeople ask zero questions and play the role of federal public affairs staff instead.
Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq, Afghanistan and other distant locations while working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Why It Matters
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
“Crowds gather on sidewalks, some openly using drugs while others sell stolen goods. The area has become one of Seattle’s most visible hotspots for crime, disorder, and overdose response.”
“…our seniors trying to navigate through crowds of people engaged in fentanyl use and sales, it’s just distressing.”
“Open drug use remains a common sight in some of Seattle’s hardest-hit neighborhoods…”
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
Is the cartel drug situation in the greater Puget Sound area any different now than it was under Biden?
If Kristi Noem has sealed US borders why would suspected drug trafficking boats be a problem?
Since the Vietnam-Style Drug Boat Body Count has kept cartel drugs out, are Seattle area drug addicts having any problem finding their cartel product of choice?
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of all US Dept. of Homeland Security/Dept. of War efforts in recent months?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Sealed borders, the Vietnam-Style Drug Boat Body Count, massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, best advances in REAL ID and AI technologies, etc.) fail to keep fentanyl, meth and cocaine from arriving in Sequim.
Newspeople play along by not asking questions. A press release is what you get:
Unlike many cities of its size, Port Angeles maintains a significant Homeland Security/CBP/Border Patrol presence.
Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Port Angeles Homeland Security funding and performance?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
New Port Angeles USBP Station opened more than a decade ago. Has the new station been able to prevent cartel drugs from entering the Olympic Peninsula?
Newspeople remain silent.
After a Port Angeles CBP buildup that took place more than a decade ago, is there any follow up made by the press to inform the public on whatever results have been achieved?
If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:
Over in Island County
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
What we get now is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Newspeople post this statement as is. A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society:
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
We were told the border is sealed. How are drugs still coming in?
Kristi Noem tells us on Feb 4, 2026 that the border is secure:
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of all US Dept. of Homeland Security/Dept. of War efforts in recent months?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Some version of REAL ID has been required at border crossings and ports of entry since 2009.
More cartel drug overdose deaths now, or before REAL ID?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of all US Dept. of Homeland Security/Dept. of War efforts in recent months?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Some version of REAL ID has been required at border crossings and ports of entry since 2009.
More cartel drug overdose deaths now, or before REAL ID?
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Above: July 6th, 2024. Looking over the jetty that connects to Damon Point on the far end. We are near the end of the jetty adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Click image once or twice to show detail.
“Meanwhile, Damon Point has been closed for more than a year due to dangerous conditions, and the nearby Quinault RV Park and Marina have been closed indefinitely since last May due to storm damage. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed construction of the North Jetty, a three mile-long berm of boulders jutting into the Pacific, in 1916.”
Ocean Shores City Administrator Scott Andersen:
“What we’d really love to see is the remnant jetty also rebuilt as part of that process. That would help us save a lot of land down there. That right now is not on their radar, they view this as a navigation channel issue and that’s why the Port is playing such a big role in their decision-making on this.”
“We were hoping this would happen two years ago, it’s been delayed like a lot of federal projects, but we’re glad it’s finally getting done.”
Our Take
“…delayed like a lot of federal projects…”
Plenty of US federal cash for foreign governments and their military related projects in recent years. Less priority here at home.
Drive down to the former public parking area at Damon Point and see what Westport would look like today if efforts to maintain the coast were suspended decades ago.
Zero Questions From Newspeople:
When and why was a decision made to turn away from maintaining the 1916 jetty adjacent to former public parking areas at Damon Point?
Is the jetty adjacent to Damon Point the only section of jetty in Grays Harbor that has gone without maintenance since 1916?
What would Westport look like if efforts to maintain the coast were suspended?
Funding Priorities
In recent years, the US federal government has prioritized big cash for Ukraine, bombing the Middle East and conducting airstrikes on Somalia and elsewhere. The big mystery is the $6.3 million for the used Ocean Shores hotel. Seems like leaders from all layers of government would have been interested in this story and that local people and the general public would have wanted to be informed on how all this came together. Newspeople would not have needed to travel to foreign lands to interview all the players involved.
Today’s American culture is truly weak in terms of newspeople asking questions.
Welcome Home Troops
Local Oddities
In the news:
$6.3 million in federal cash for a used Ocean Shores hotel.
“Damon Point Area Access Closed to the Public – Beginning January 27, 2025
Beginning Monday at 7:00am, public access to Damon Point will be strictly prohibited. We will begin stockpiling cobble in the parking lot to the left of the easement. To ensure everyone’s safety access to the area will be closed. This is a critical operation, and we appreciate your full cooperation.”
This public parking area is adjacent to where the El Matador ferry landed on the Ocean Shores side back in 2008.
Representative Nance,
What port facility on the Ocean Shores side would be suitable for the new ferry landing? When is the last time you toured this area? When is the last time you met with Ocean Shores political leaders?
Representative Nance,
Have you been over to Westport to look at a community that faces the same concerns Re: tsunami zone, global warming, sea level rise, climate crisis, king tides, coastal erosion, El Niño/La Niña, winter storms and did not let any of that get in the way of keeping things maintained on their working waterfront?
Representative Nance,
When and why was a decision made to turn away from maintaining the 1916 jetty adjacent to public parking areas at Damon Point?
Representative Nance,
Were you aware that $6.3 million in federal cash went for a used Ocean Shores hotel in late 2022?
Were Washington State lawmakers consulted prior to this deal going through?
Are Seattle area drug addicts having any problem finding their cartel product of choice due to any federal drug war effort?
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of all US Dept. of Homeland Security/Dept. of War efforts in recent months?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Why It Matters
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
The US Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911.
We haven’t won a war since.
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars. Is it understandable that young people and their parents and grandparents would take a dim view on all this?
Department of War & Armistice Day
In the 60s & 70s I never attended a Veterans Day assembly at school.
There were none.
Probably enough veterans around to remove most of the mystique, or maybe those veterans thought it was all just an average thing and did not want to be seen as a separate part of American society, or get head of the line parking spots over at the grocery store. Maybe the concept of Armistice Day had not gone completely extinct.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
These guys weren’t lining up for free dinner promotions marketed by major restaurant chains.
One of the very most meaningful federal holidays for some. Stolen from Armistice Day in the 1950s. At that time, the US Dept. of Defense had started a decades long tradition of not being able to stay out of or win undeclared wars in distant lands.
Newspeople have avoided asking questions related to Homeland Security funding and performance for decades now.
Why It Matters
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
The Fantasy Newsperson
The fantasy newsperson asks:
Are Seattle area drug addicts having any problem finding their cartel product of choice due to any federal drug war effort?
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of all US Dept. of Homeland Security/Dept. of War efforts in recent months?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Just Ask The DEA About Sealed Borders
Made for TV DEA spokesperson lets us know what to think.
Welcome Home Troops. Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Welcome Home Troops
Common flashlight batteries are now locked up like diamond jewelry:
Kristi Noem is sealing off the border. Any day now, cartel drugs will no longer be available anywhere in WA.
People will no longer need cash to support a drug habit. There will be no more need to steal, and we can all go back to how things were in the last century.
Back to a time before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
We’re not impressed.
Credibility squandered, enthusiasm dried up.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
“Under a new screening process, military recruits do not need to show a REAL ID or pay a $45 fee to get past security checkpoints for flights to basic training.”
Real Newspeople May Ask:
What keeps the terrorists with no ID of any kind from creating a disruption at the back end of the airport security screening line?
Is there any possibility that any DEA office or DEA budget will be downsized due to the success of US Dept. of Homeland Security efforts in recent months?
Above: A meetup with newspeople who ask questions.
Sponsored by a local Invisible Veteran chapter.
Glenn Greenwald explains:
People who take no public funds, private donations or advertising dollars are free to ask questions at any time. Why not the press? Call for unpaid volunteers and you’d get better news coverage than what we have now.
Zero questions from small or large newspapers. Zero questions from TV newspeople.
Grays Harbor – Damon Point
Zero Questions From Newspeople:
When and why was a decision made to turn away from maintaining the 1916 jetty adjacent to former public parking areas at Damon Point?
Is the jetty adjacent to Damon Point the only section of jetty in Grays Harbor that has gone without maintenance since it was first installed?
Drive down to the former public parking area at Damon Point and see what Westport would look like today if efforts to maintain the coast were suspended decades ago.
A significant Homeland Security/CBP/Border Patrol presence at Port Angeles and the expanded Port Angeles USBP HQ have been in place now for more than a decade.
New Port Angeles USBP Station opened more than a decade ago. Has the new station been able to prevent cartel drugs from entering the Olympic Peninsula?
Newspeople remain silent.
Were Clallam County drug overdose death numbers higher before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established (2002) or are the numbers higher with a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security in place? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
Above: A meetup with newspeople who ask questions.
Sponsored by a local Invisible Veteran chapter.
KING 5
The Trump Era
Wonder what was happening at border crossing/port of entry inspections during this nearly 3 year-long investigation.
Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?
Zero Questions From KING 5 Seattle
How much fentanyl moved through local communities during this nearly 3 year investigation?
How many victims were harmed by the drugs and guns tied up in this nearly 3 year long holding pattern?
Love to see newspeople ask:
Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?
Did the drug traffickers get fast track screening at the border so as not to disrupt this ongoing investigation?
If the drug traffickers were given a pass at the border- would that have tipped them off as to the investigation- or would that have been seen as standard protocol?
Imagine LE authorities observe a shoplifter or bank robber in action. Instead of going in to make an arrest they back off and conduct an investigation that goes on for nearly 3 years. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.
Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?
Just Ask The DEA About Sealed Borders
Made for TV DEA spokesperson lets us know what to think.
Welcome Home Troops. Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Welcome Home Troops
Common flashlight batteries are now locked up like diamond jewelry:
Kristi Noem is sealing off the border. Any day now, cartel drugs will no longer be available anywhere in WA.
People will no longer need cash to support a drug habit. There will be no more need to steal, and we can all go back to how things were in the last century.
Back to a time before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US.
More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
We’re not impressed.
Credibility squandered, enthusiasm dried up.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
Another of many examples where American freedoms may come & go-completely unrelated to military operations/US Troops in distant lands, or the Sound of Freedom over Coupeville.
It’s a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal prohibition of marijuana?
Today-
You may fill a shopping cart with hard liquor, make the purchase and head home. You do not give up your guns.
Yon may be involved in a serious car wreck and take prescription meds that may include mind and body altering opioids. You are not required to turn in your guns.
Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?
Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?
Zero questions from small or large newspapers. Zero questions from TV newspeople.
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
Over and again, we are told by Trump and his team that the borders are sealed.
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Here, at Oak Bay Starfish, we’re still fascinated with the fake War on Terror. We recognize that both major parties and the press are not about asking questions in this area.
Why It Matters
US Troops were sent into life and death situations in the aftermath of 911.
For this reason it is important to ask questions and develop a feel for what is real and what is honest.
It feels like a society where honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion, but the questioning and discussion rarely takes place.
You can be sure that newspeople and the school teachers who stage Veterans Day assemblies will never ask questions to make sense of how sending US troops to distant lands is related to American rights and freedoms. They will avoid questions related to airport security theater.
Reaching for an honest understanding of how all this works seems to be completely off limits.
The Troops are sent into life and death situations in distant lands for our freedoms and safety? Decades later, how about a discussion on how all this is meant to work.
What keeps the terrorists with no ID of any kind from creating a disruption at the back end of the airport security screening line?
Guaranteed: No TV newsperson anywhere will ever ask this question. Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Decades Past 911 – A Fake War On Terror
In recent years, the press tends to support government agencies, departments and policies rather than question them.
Below:
A total of 3 Seattle TV newspeople work this story on camera. Zero questions from any of them.
KOMO News
Imagine the TV newsperson, on camera, escorting the TSA official all the way to the back of the “be sure to arrive early line” and asking what keeps the bad guys from creating a disruption at that point.
Year after year, more of the same. Similar cheerful videos, TV newspeople interviewing each other.
No voices of dissent. No passengers with questions about security theater will ever make it on air.
Sealed Borders?
Over and again, we are told by Trump and his team that the borders are sealed.
“Bovino had cultivated his image for propaganda purposes just as carefully as former beauty queen Kristi Noem adjusts her outfits. He has been highly conscious of how he presented himself as a paramilitary fashion plate for what he calls his “turn and burn” raids. Bovino is the only one on an ICE raid who does not mask his face, so that he is the only personification of Trump’s brutal tactics. He poses in his photo on his Twitter/X in tactical gear holding an M4 rifle with a telescopic sight.”
“He wears a full-length dark military coat with bulky square shoulders, a high collar and decorated with military-like patches to attempt to project an intimidating presence.”
The post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, best advances in REAL ID and AI technologies, etc.) appears to have played no role in preventing the crimes described above.
By Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin – Associated Press
Jan 27, 2026
“The death toll from the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug boats is up to 126 people, with the inclusion of those presumed dead after being lost at sea, the U.S. military confirmed Monday.”
Back Home – Seattle, Bremerton, Everett, Tacoma, Port Angeles
Which community will be first to announce that local drug addicts are having any problem finding their cartel product of choice due to any federal drug war effort?
Any shortage of cartel product in any of these communities?
Any questions from newspeople?
Would Any Newsperson Ever Ask
Has any WA gun control measure or public policy effort of the past 20 years slowed down the gunfire between say, Everett and Tacoma?
What we get now is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Newspeople post this statement as is. A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society:
Fog Them Down With The Antidote
Love to see newspeople ask:
Has any US community announced that first responders are finding less need for Narcan, buprenorphine, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, or any similar product used in overdose response situations?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Chicago DEA – More Of The Same – Cartel Threat Rolls On
“I understand Chicago. I understand the drug trafficking threat here, and it’s our goal, working through our partners, to reduce that,” he said.”
Chicago DEA still chases after cartel product not stopped at the border by Kristi Noem.
Will Chicago DEA be shut down when cartel drugs stop entering the US? Have recent US Dept. of Homeland Security efforts reduced the need for Chicago DEA services?
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Any questions from newspeople?
Border Is Not Sealed
ABC 7 Chicago
December 2025 – The Border Is Not Sealed
Compliant TV newspeople host the DEA for friendly interviews avoiding any mention of progress made by Kristi Noem or Dept. of War strikes on drug boats.
Border Not Sealed – Seattle DEA
In recent years, the press tends to support government agencies, departments and policies rather than question them.
Arizona DEA – Border Not Sealed
Texas – All Federal Efforts Fall Short
Again- Kristi Noem’s giant and expensive US Dept. of Homeland Security appears to be completely irrelevant here.
The post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, best advances in REAL ID and AI technologies, etc.) fails to keep fentanyl out:
“The Drug Enforcement Agency has launched a new nationwide initiative called Fentanyl Free America, aiming for zero deaths from the deadly synthetic drug as fentanyl seizures continue to rise across the country.”
Newspeople play the role of DEA public affairs staff instead of asking questions in the promotional video below.
Zero questions Re: Kristi Noem’s giant and expensive US Dept. of Homeland Security.
Zero questions Re: Dept. of War Vietnam-style drug boat body counts.
Made for TV DEA spokesperson lets us know what to think:
Port Angeles
Unlike many cities of its size, Port Angeles maintains a significant Homeland Security/CBP/Border Patrol presence.
Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Port Angeles Homeland Security funding and performance?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
New Port Angeles USBP Station opened more than a decade ago. Has the new station been able to prevent cartel drugs from entering the Olympic Peninsula?
Newspeople remain silent.
After a Port Angeles CBP buildup that took place more than a decade ago, is there any follow up made by the press to inform the public on whatever results have been achieved?
If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:
Operation Macho Swagger
Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs personnel during Operation Macho Swagger– a ride-along to let us know what is being done to keep the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca safe from B.C. incursions.
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest linked in any way to the US/Canada border?
Has massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca played any role in reducing Clallam County drug overdose numbers?
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?
How do cartels react to opioid lawsuits?
Are passports/enhanced/REAL IDs effective in keeping cartel drugs out of the US?
Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made any seizure that kept any amount of fentanyl, heroin or any opioid from entering Clallam County?
Were Clallam County drug overdose death numbers higher before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established (2002) or are the numbers higher with a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security in place? This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
Over in Island County
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
Above: A meetup with newspeople who ask questions.
