Archives for category: Questioning Failed Programs

Yesterday, somebody posted:

Where were you? along with a photo of a peaceful/standing twin towers.

My response:

With my GF in Kingston. Had already done some time in uniform. Took me several years to become skeptical and see that the federal government and the press had lost credibility.

Today:

My feeling is that a man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment. That was maybe the best of America in my lifetime.

Growing Up In The Cold War Era

Things were up and running in the 80s and 90s

 

Later in the day:

“What I remember most about 9/11 is the way America was unified the day after. During uncontrollable times we controlled our response. Race, Gender and Political Party were equally irrelevant.”

“We focused on loving each other, how did we get so segregated? We never would have made it this far if we embraced division on September the 12th. We are where we are because we got here TOGETHER let’s embrace love yet again.”

“God Bless The USA.”

My response:

Good Stuff

Let’s keep that and add a free and independent press that will ask questions/rock the boat, no matter who is in office.

The mainstream press provides news coverage that favors government agencies, departments and policies.

Information Suppression – The Press is Weak

For sure, the last couple decades have been a lesser version of life in the USA. Both major parties have taken turns in power.

My simple request for the world: Just Be Honest

A more positive look at life:

Coastal Favorites

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

Extinct ferry at Kingston

 

Never Forget-

The US Armed Forces were irrelevant in defending American rights and freedoms, our physical security, & The Constitution on 911.

Ditto for all other federal agencies and departments.

Anybody fired over this?

A special marketing tribute to a catastrophic military failure:

For the US federal government, the event is remembered as a day about victims, heroes and patriotism.

Honor and commemorate the sacrifices made that day by remembering the heroes, armed forces, first responders, and countless others’ acts of service to defend our nation’s freedom. On 9/11 Day of Service, Americans of all ages and backgrounds are again invited to join and lead community service projects to honor the lives and service of those we lost on September 11.”

We got our ass kicked on 911.The federal government has been squandering credibility ever since. If the US Armed Forces were keeping us safe– first responders would have had a routine day at work on 911. The giant government and “Dept of Defense” were nowhere to be found on 911. For federal government convenience, take the day, follow along, pledge your allegiance and behave as that government sees fit. Do as you are told. Fly your flag as you are told. Think and behave as that government tells you. Divert your attention away from federal government failure and stay busy with federal suggestions for the day.

Nothing wrong with volunteer work. The manipulative federal government can stay out of it.

Here at Oak Bay Starfish, we will observe the day by avoiding network TV. At the bottom of this page, we will offer up some readings featuring voices of dissent and alternative media.

Aftermath

Let’s say the federal government did everything right before and on the day of Sept. 11th, 2001. The uniparty press avoids questions on how things have come together since.

Big Homeland Security spending

The US Dept of Homeland Security was established on November 25, 2002. Plenty of time for lessons learned, and more cartel drugs entering Hometown, USA than ever before?

Lessons Learned?

Anytime there is a plane crash, a loss at sea, or an industrial accident, a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to prevent future accidents. A major aircraft manufacturer grounds certain airplanes after mishaps. Time is required to investigate and find out what went wrong.

Any similar effort after a big cartel drug bust inside the US?

The folks who show up and investigate the plane crash don’t spend time congratulating each other. Their work is designed to try and prevent similar future incidents, not promote themselves.

Preventing drugs from entering local communities would kill the chance for various agencies to get publicity for the occasional big drug bust happening in those communities.

Precinct 4 SET detectives conducted the operation with the assistance of other KCSO detectives from contract partners of Shoreline, SeaTac, Maple Valley, Metro, and TAC-30.”

Wonder what was happening at border crossing/port of entry inspections during the 12 months Operation P-22 (to take down just one branch of the cartel activity) took place. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?

Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?

Did the cartel 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 that 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 months. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.

This time next year- will there be any shortage of cartel product in the Puget Sound area? Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?

Snohomish 2015

Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US:

Seattle media: Heroin busts could finance police construction in Snohomish

Newspeople are good about posting a drug bust press release. Newspeople remain silent when it comes to asking questions about Homeland Security funding and performance.

Big DOD spending on undeclared/unwon wars for our freedoms.

The All Volunteer Force era has been a time to tell the American people that US troops are sent to distant lands to defend American freedoms. This urban legend has run its course. People have seen enough now to know this is no more than a marketing strategy. Uniparty newspeople play along by not asking questions:

Freedom?

School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.

Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?

May 28, 2020 WMAR

Salisbury Mayor deploying to Africa with Maryland National Guard

I am honored to do my part to ensure that the citizens of this community and all Americans remain safe and free.”

Several news sources published this quote. View them here.

The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.

Mayor Day,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.

In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.

In terms of American rights and freedoms- The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.

Legal marijuana, concealed carry of handguns, semi automatic rifle sales, federal minimum drinking age, federal toilet regulations, sports betting, federal gas can regulations/free enterprise system,
voting rights, bump stock baninterracial marriage, gay marriage, tobacco sales, open container laws, etc.

Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.

 

Maybe a few more decades of undeclared/unwon wars and the freedoms will get better.

The uniparty promotes the idea that The Troops are sent to distant lands to defend American rights and freedoms. The press plays along by not asking questions.

Why do we speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?

Both major parties are OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.

Both major parties are good with a land of the free holding pattern where alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18? Are The Joint Chiefs of Staff working to change any of this?

Doesn’t seem to fit with 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.

The country struggles with:

Cultural Honesty

Search Engines

Has it become harder to find blogs, videos and alternative media that ask questions or point to the failures of 911 and its aftermath? How about COVID? How about a giant US Dept. of Homeland Security?

Land of Information Suppression

Refusal To Release Sept. 11 Documents

Aug. 6, 2021 NBC News

9/11 families to President Biden: Don’t come to our memorial events

“Nearly 1,800 victims’ relatives, first responders and survivors are calling on Biden to refrain from attending any memorials over his refusal to release Sept. 11 documents.”

“The administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump also declined to declassify supporting documents, citing national security concerns.”

22 Years Later

Part of the reaction was to send The Troops into undeclared wars.

If DOD was an NFL team, sports talk radio would feature comments like:

The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.

Any college or pro football coach would have been fired a dozen times over for what DOD has done with the US Armed Forces during the fake GWOT era.

Fake GWOT?

The US Dept. of Homeland Security was invented after the catastrophic military failure of 911. The idea was to keep bad people from coming to the US to do bad things/attempt another 911, etc.

Wouldn’t the giant War on Terror be a cartel drug trafficker’s worst nightmare?

Welcome Home Troops

Jan 27, 2023 KONP FENTANYL NOW TOP DRUG IN CLALLAM COUNTY OVERDOSES

Have opioid lawsuits played any role in improving the situation?

How do cartels react to opioid lawsuits?

Has a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security created any shortage of opioids in the Puget Sound area?

If Americans lived in a free and honest society, newspeople would be asking public policy related questions all of the time. This is not the case.

Thanks For Your Service

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:

Related:

GWOT/Super Bowl Security Update 2023

Port Angeles – Cartel Drugs

Homeland Security Is A Scam

GWOT questions we’d love to see newspeople ask:

REAL ID

If REAL ID is critical to the safety of America, have travelers out at the airport been less safe since 911?

The new REAL ID requirement for domestic air travel has now been extended out more than 20 years past 911 – May 7, 2025

 

If sending US troops to Afghanistan and creating a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security was meant to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things, why are drug cartels able to move product into all 50 states?

 

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?

 

Show up early to wait in line and squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube at the airport?

What keeps the terrorists of the GWOT from creating a disruption at the back end of the screening line?

Has anyone ever seen any member of the press ask questions on this?

Fred Reed December 4, 2015

Security Theater: Customary Federal Pointlessness

“…the intelligence agencies have proved useless. NSA did not prevent the first attack on the Twin Towers in 1993, nor the successful one.”

“What goes on at airports is not security. It is Security Theater. When the government’s own agents try to smuggle “weapons” aboard airliners to test the system, they succeed ninety-five percent of the time.”

“Further, a terrorist doesn’t need to get aboard an airliner to blow up spectacularly. At many airports, hundreds of people line up at ticket counters during peak hours. A carry-on bag of explosive would easily create enough slaughter to shut down air travel and to make international headlines for weeks.”

Warnings at airports that unattended vehicles will be ticketed, towed, and perhaps destroyed are also Security Theater. By the time the vehicle was noticed, and somebody sent to check it out, an easy five minutes would have passed and the driver would be somewhere else. Boom.”

REAL ID And The Fake War on Terror

 

Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials and top Pentagon Generals earned it.

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces. The Cold War ended in the early 90s. The Pentagon was happy with the All Volunteer Force.

Look what they did with it.

Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.

Understandable why young people and their parents and grandparents would take a dim view on all this.

Will an older generation encourage a younger generation to do time in the US Armed Forces in the years ahead?

How does Uncle Sam plan to attract young people to sign up in the years ahead?

We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.

Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Some may have become skeptical along the way.

Secretary Wormuth,

Will sending the National Guard, active, reserve and IRR forces to support NATO/Ukraine stimulate new enlistments over at the recruiting office?

National Guard

The people of Minnesota need more applicants to maintain a place to live and a regular job in their hometown area when they are not doing time in foreign lands helping DOD with undeclared/unwon wars and missions completely unrelated to their home state.

A few decades back, people might think of the National Guard as one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer plus a way to support your home state by being ready to get called out for floods, fires, natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Maybe a way to help the next state over if they needed it.

Any members of the press available to show up and ask why the people of Home State, USA needed services in distant lands, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?

Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials, top Pentagon Generals and the press earned it.

Thousands of men and women who signed up for the National Guard in the past 25 years did tours in places like Syria, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.

These families have stories to tell and they’re not all positive. Will their stories support a draft?

Return to a Military Draft?

Related:

Uniparty No Good For Confidence in US Armed Forces?

Over at the US Armed Forces recruiting office

Random Thoughts – Recruiting Crisis

Candidate (Fill in last name)

Hostile Forces in Distant Lands

Operation Macho Swagger

 

Possibly of interest:

Below, are some random thoughts and questions newspeople will not ask. Our questions appear in bold type.

Was It A Fake War On Terror?

 

How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?

Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.

Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.

Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.

Veterans Day Nonsense

Voices of Dissent and Alternative Media

Sep 19, 2017 By Laurence M. Vance

Five Lessons from 9/11

I much prefer Thomas Jefferson’s foreign policy to Shaprio’s: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations—entangling alliances with none.”

“Even with all of its resources and military might, the U.S. government failed miserably to protect Americans on 9/11.”

“Lesson number 1: Never trust the government. Ever. And especially when it has anything to do with terrorism, foreign policy, war, or the military. The government is a giant lie-making machine. Never trust what the government says about the events leading up to 9/11, the causes of the 9/11 attacks, or what actually happened on 9/11.”

“Lesson number 4: Government can’t keep us safe. The government couldn’t even protect its Pentagon.”

 

Sep 1, 2007 by

Bushs AmeriCorps Fraud

“Two months after the 9/11 attacks, Bush announced that he was expanding AmeriCorps and that all of us can become a September the 11th volunteer by making a commitment to service in our own communities.”

 

Samuel Cohen Sep 8, 2021 Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: We hide an ugly truth when we call Sept. 11 ‘Patriot Day’

 

Recommended:

LewRockwell.com
anti-state•anti-war•pro-market

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

Quality time at Point Partridge

 

Cartel moves product into King County WA:

July 27, 2023 FOX 13 Seattle

6 suspects arrested in one of King County’s largest drug busts plead guilty

“On Dec. 21, 2022, detectives with the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and the Burien Police Department arrested six men for their involvement in what is being described as a massive cartel operation.”

“Undercover detectives on the Special Emphasis Team (SET) worked for months on Operation P-22 to take down just one branch of the cartel activity. The operation was named for SET Det. Brad Smith, who worked for KCSO to get drugs off the street for over 37 years.”

“In total, they seized 25lbs fentanyl powder, 31lbs heroin, 8lbs cocaine, 400lbs meth, 478,000 fentanyl pills, 5 handguns, & 3 rifles.”

“According to the King County overdose tracker, 617 people have already died this year from a fentanyl overdose compared to 802 reported deaths in all of last year.”

About $10 million worth of deadly drugs were taken off the street in this bust, which was one of the largest seizures in KCSO history.”

How did the drugs get on the street?

The big drug bust is always reported as a real success.

Newspeople show up to ask zero questions about why cartels are somehow able to move product past US Troops at the border, strict post 911 security protocols, REAL ID verifications and a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security after cartel product arrives again in the Puget Sound area.

Lessons Learned?

Anytime there is a plane crash, a loss at sea, or an industrial accident, a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to prevent future accidents.

Any similar effort after a big drug bust?

The folks who show up and investigate the plane crash don’t spend time congratulating each other. Their work is designed to try and prevent similar future incidents, not promote themselves.

Preventing drugs from entering local communities would kill the chance for various agencies to get publicity for the occasional big drug bust happening in those communities.

Precinct 4 SET detectives conducted the operation with the assistance of other KCSO detectives from contract partners of Shoreline, SeaTac, Maple Valley, Metro, and TAC-30.”

Wonder what was happening at border crossing/port of entry inspections during the 12 months Operation P-22 (to take down just one branch of the cartel activity) took place. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?

Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?

Did the cartel 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 that 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 months. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.

This time next year- will there be any shortage of cartel product in the Puget Sound area? Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?

 

December 23, 2022 B-Town (Burien) Blog

Burien Police make ‘massive’ $10M bust, seize drugs, cash, cars, guns & arrest 12

Over a year’s worth of hard work and investigation concluded on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2022, when detectives in Precinct 4/Burien Police Special Emphasis Team made one final seizure in ‘Operation P-22,’ one of the region’s biggest drug busts.”

“We’re incredibly proud of our detectives for the hundreds of hours they spent investigating, writing warrants, and working with prosecutors,” police said. “Our work on removing illegal narcotics and firearms from our communities won’t stop here though. While we see Operation P-22 as a success, tomorrow our team will be back preparing for the next operation.”

Snohomish 2015

Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US:

Seattle media: Heroin busts could finance police construction in Snohomish

Newspeople are good about posting a drug bust press release. Newspeople remain silent when it comes to asking questions about Homeland Security funding and performance.

Related:

2016

Meth – We had to destroy the village in order to save it

2020

Always Reported as a Highly Successful Team Effort – The Big Puget Sound Drug Bust

The Big Drug Bust – Always Reported as a Highly Successful Team Effort

2021

Hawaii Meth – Lessons Learned?

2023

Fentanyl Scam – Newspeople Avoid Questions

Climate Change?

August 11, 2023 Cliff Mass Weather Blog

The Origin of the Hawaii Fires/Preventing a Similar Tragedy in the Future

“We can take steps to prevent this from happening again, including understanding why this event occurred and building the observation, warning, and action infrastructure as California.”

“Western Maui is typically wet in the winter and quite dry (and warm) during summer (see plot for a station near and north of Lahaina). Grass grows during the winter and then dies/cures during the summer, leaving brown desiccated grass. This is not climate change…this is the normal situation.”

“There has been a lot of talk in the media about drought and even “flash drought” driven by climate change (see Seattle Times headline below). This is all silly and irrelevant. The opposite of drought last winter resulted in lots of grass and even a normal summer would have resulted in the grass ready to burn now.”

“We Can Make Sure This Never Happens Again”

“First, it is essential the actual causes of the fire be understood (extensive dry grass, strong local winds), not climate change and “flash droughts.” Only a science-based, rigorous understanding of the wildfire’s origins can lead to a better outcome in the future. Incorrect, politicized explanations work directly against solving the problem.”

“Second, many more wind observations are needed. The weather observing network on Maui and particularly western Maui is totally inadequate, as shown by the map below.”

Related:

August 07, 2023 Cliff Mass Weather Blog

Continued Major Errors and Misinformation In Seattle Times Climate Stories: Damaging and Unnecessary.

“During the past weeks, profoundly flawed and error-filled stories on climate change have been headlined in the Seattle Times. Stories that can easily be demonstrated to have serious factual and interpretative errors.”

Many comments have been posted.

More here:

Climate Change Search Results

Moving Towards A One Size Fits All Society – Climate And Environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

Wreck of the Peter Iredale – Oregon Coast

 


The crisis was earned by the politicians, generals, and high ranking civilians who have been running the Pentagon over the past 30 years or so. The crisis is also upon us due to newspeople not asking questions going back to the time the Cold War ended.

National Guard

Jun 30, 2022 WCCO – CBS Minnesota

1:41 Reporters interviewing reporters from within their TV studios.

Back in the 1960s, TV newspeople had a different style of reporting and working to keep the public informed.

At 3:49 an interview with Maj. Sgt. Kor. Rank insignia on uniform does not match rank description in WCCO TV news video. Weeks later, title remains uncorrected.

The people of Minnesota need more applicants to maintain a place to live and a regular job in their hometown area when they are not doing time in foreign lands helping DOD with undeclared/unwon wars and missions completely unrelated to their home state.

A few decades back, people might think of the National Guard as one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer plus a way to support your home state by being ready to get called out for floods, fires, natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Maybe a way to help the next state over if they needed it.

In recent years, the National Guard has been sent to Syria, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.

Any members of the press available to show up and ask why the people of Home State, USA needed services in distant lands, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?

Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials and top Pentagon Generals earned it.

Regular Active Duty

Jul 26, 2022 CBS Evening News

If DOD was an NFL team, sports talk radio would feature comments like:

The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.

It feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.

Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials and top Pentagon Generals earned it.

The press heads out to ask top generals and recruiters what is going on. No interviews with National Guard people who have done multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, etc. No interviews with Moms and Dads who have raised physically fit children but will not recommend the US Armed Forces to them.

Zero questions from newspeople on why the Moms and Dads of America wouldn’t recommend the US Armed Forces to their kids.

Love to see TV newspeople interview some of the veterans commenting here:

From comments Re: above video:

I joined the Navy at 17, 7/71. 2 tours to Vietnam. I joined to Win a War that wasn’t ours to fight. We lost it with 58,000 lost and thousands wounded. The money was shit but I didn’t join for the money. Now at 68 my Country has been at War with someone my entire lifetime. My Son served 5 years in the Marine Corps, Grunt Infantry Iraq and Afghanistan. No way would I serve today. My Son feels the same way. No more members of my Family will serve, Volunteer or the Draft. Take off your Suits and Ties and do it yourselves. Good luck……..

The parents and grandparents of today may have a tricky time recommending an enlistment to a younger generation. This would be true even in families who are proud of having a history of military service.

Some of these folks are commenting on the video below. Look for TV newspeople to seek out and do zero interviews with the veterans commenting here:

TV newspeople perform like paid actors reading a script.

Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs staff as authorities prepare for the Super Bowl.

Sorry, no time for newspeople to ask:

Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?

Related:

Marketing Partnership Update

 

For your freedoms

No time for the press to look into the fading idea that US troops are sent to distant lands to defend American rights and freedoms.

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.

In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.

In terms of American rights and freedoms- The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.

Legal marijuana, concealed carry of handguns, semi automatic rifle sales, federal minimum drinking age, federal toilet regulations, sports betting, federal gas can regulations/free enterprise system,
voting rights, bump stock baninterracial marriage, gay marriage, tobacco sales, open container laws, etc.

Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.

May 28, 2020 WMAR

Salisbury Mayor deploying to Africa with Maryland National Guard

I am honored to do my part to ensure that the citizens of this community and all Americans remain safe and free.”

Several news sources published this quote. View them here.

The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion. Don’t look for any of this discussion to be prompted by newspeople showing initiative or curiosity in asking questions. 

Mayor Day,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”


May 13, 2022 Military.com Network

Military Throwing Cash at Recruiting Crisis as Troops Head for the Exits

“Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee personnel panel, says the military is on the cusp of a recruiting crisis.”

Questions we’d love to see newspeople ask:

Senator Tillis,

The Dept. of Defense has a truly poor track record with undeclared wars. This record goes back to 1949, the year DOD was established. Has this record damaged the brand?

If DOD was an NFL team, sports talk radio would feature comments like:

The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since. Whatever they touch turns to crap.

Senator Tillis,

Is there any talk of going back to a draft in order to deal with your recruiting crisis?

Before making any plans to start up a draft, let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.

Senator Tillis,

Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?

This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.

Senator Tillis,

Has dressing women to look like men had any positive or negative impact on recruiting?

Senator Tillis,

Did the US Army revert to WWII uniforms to remind us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up?

Did this change have any positive or negative impact on recruiting?

Senator Tillis,

Not here to say that military benefits are inadequate. Just stick with whatever was offered when people signed up to stay on for multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and we’re good.

Every few years, no matter what political party or personality is in power, there are moves to modify what people thought they were earning in exchange for 20 years of unrestricted worldwide service.

The plan is to save cash by reducing the traditional DOD military benefits that were on the table when people began doing multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is the same country where both major parties invite veterans to be momentarily honored at State of the Union events when they control the White House.

Senator Tillis,

Will an older generation encourage a younger generation to do time in the US Armed Forces in the years ahead?

The guys who did time in the Vietnam War may have grown up in a family where Dad was a WWII veteran.

The guys who did time in the Vietnam War may have been WWII veterans.

 

NATO

May 21, 2022 By Ryan McMaken
Mises.org

NATO Plans to Rip Off Americans Even More as Sweden and Finland Set to Join

NATO membership has nothing to do with enhancing the defense of ordinary Americans. The American elites love NATO, of course, because it expands regime spending and influence in Europe. But when it comes down to actual military defense, expanding NATO only increases the odds that Americans will be pulled into a major conflict while offering Americans nothing in return.”

“…the US taxpayer overwhelmingly covers the costs of NATO.”

 

How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?

Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.

When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.-how is that defending the US Constitution-or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?

Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.

 

A significant article here:

July 28, 2022 The Heritage Foundation

The Administration and Congress Must Act Now to Counter the Worsening Military Recruiting Crisis

Not seeing any recommendation for phasing out undeclared/unwon wars.

Not seeing any recommendation to stop sending the National Guard to distant lands on missions completely unrelated to their home state.

 

Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity

Falling Military Recruitment Is Another Sign of Waning Faith in the Regime
written by Ryan mcmaken friday august 26, 2022

“The good news, however, is that the military’s recruiting woes are likely yet another signal of declining support for the federal government and its institutions.”

 

Conclusion:

The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since. Has anyone been fired over this?

Since the end of the Cold War:

Both major parties appear to have been OK with undeclared/unwon wars and sending the National Guard to foreign lands on missions completely unrelated to their home state.

Every few years, no matter what political party or personality is in power, there are moves to modify what people thought they were earning in exchange for 20 years of unrestricted worldwide service.

The plan is to save cash by reducing the traditional DOD military benefits that were on the table when people began doing multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Recruiting crisis? You earned it.

Try for less blaming of a new generation and the Moms and Dads of today for any hesitation related to doing time in uniform. Time to take a hard look at what elected officials and the US Dept. of Defense did with the brand after the first Cold War ended in the early 90s and after the lessons of Vietnam were on the table.

Possibly of interest:

June 2, 2022 Do Soldiers Protect Us?
By Laurence M. Vance

Veterans Day Nonsense

Unsustainable Military Spending

Growing Up In The Cold War Era

How does Uncle Sam plan to attract young people to sign up in the years ahead?

2022 – Armed Forces Recruiting Culture

 

After the Cold War:

The Cold War had ended. DOD was happy with their all volunteer military.

Look what they did with it.

The Cold War Had Ended

 

Enough time now to look back and ask a few public policy questions. The fact that the press has never been in the habit of questioning the GWOT, by itself, seems a little odd.

Was It A Fake War On Terror?

 

 

 

 

Photo-

Platoon 3049, MCRD San Diego

Jun-Sep 1979

 

The issue is not limited to any single platform, public personality or media outlet.

The general trend has been to suppress voices of dissent and provide news coverage that favors government agencies, departments and policies.

Love to see the press get out and interview people on various sides of any issue.

I want to know what various people are thinking on various issues.

 

Jan 3, 2022 KOMO News

Joe Rogan encourages move to new social media app after Twitter bans GOP lawmaker

Several comments here.

KOMO and some of the commenters make it more about personalities and less about what people think of ongoing information suppression.

Not too many years ago, American society was much less about information suppression.

Social media is big on it now.

Today, newspeople show a lack of initiative and curiosity in asking questions.

 

JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:

Today, TV newspeople tend to report only one side of the story.

Much of what we get today 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.

Local papers have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.

Various newspapers in the Puget Sound area have gone with this trend.

I’d be more interested in paying (again) for a local paper subscription if there was more in the way of newspeople asking questions.

Elimination of reader comments works against the idea of paying for an online subscription.

Manage it, don’t ban it. Online comment sections

No hate speech, insults, threats, foul language, attacking other commenters, etc. These are rules that make sense.

Eliminating the opportunity for all to follow some basic rules and comment is information suppression.

There’s always something to learn or think about from the points others make in the comment section.

Over the years, I’ve seen some really good points brought up in the comments section. Manage it, don’t ban it.

 

Puget Sound area newspeople play along by not asking questions.

Port Angeles

Local people find drugs and report to local (not federal) law enforcement authorities. Federal employees create news story and say that federal agents used a K-9 to “seize” the drugs.

Question for CBP:

Why does the news story created by CBP not line up with local reports?

Mainstream newspeople remain silent.

News links and Sheriff’s Dept. Facebook post here:

Port Angeles Border Patrol – Investigation Stalled For 3 Weeks?

Original blog post:

Port Angeles Border Patrol Agents Seize Meth?

 

When is the last time all of Penn Cove was safe for recreational shellfish harvest?

Living on an Island near Puget Sound, there seems to be great concern for salmon, orca, eagles, recreational shellfish and clean water.

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?

Coupeville

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

 

North side of Penn Cove at Monroe Landing

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

 

Oak Harbor

Oak Harbor City Park

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“Washington Department of Health (DOH) cautions that clams, oysters, and mussels from this beach are not fit for human consumption at any time.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

Daily status reports here:

Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map

 

A photo tour of Penn Cove here:

Wastewater Treatment Plant – Department of Ecology Award For Outstanding Performance

 

Distance learning idea:

Podcast 4 Another Month With An R – Whidbey Sewage Treatment Plant Outfalls

Whidbey Waters – Mixed Signals of Concern

 

Related:

Manage it, don’t ban it. Online comment sections

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

JFK – Voices of dissent and misinformation

Sports Writers and Alternative Media – Still Free To Ask Questions

Independent Press Needs Federal Cash?

 

A few public policy questions newspeople will not ask:

Was It A Fake War On Terror?

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

A symbol of information suppression and newspeople who show a lack of initiative and curiosity in asking questions.

 

Mar 19,2021 Fox News

El Paso DEA says there’s an influx of drugs coming from Mexico

$49.8 billion every 12 months for a US Dept. of Homeland Security buys you:

As long as there’s demand in the U.S., the drug cartels will find ways to bring drugs in.”

Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:

Mar 19, 2021 By CBSBoston.com Staff

DEA Issues Warning About Meth Pills Resembling Adderall

“Agents said some of the Mexican drug cartels have shifted focus to making counterfeit pills, and they’re pure methamphetamine.”

 

Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.

Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Homeland Security funding and performance?

$49.8 billion is spent every 12 months on the US Dept. of Homeland Security.

The Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep cartel sourced meth, heroin and fentanyl from showing up all over the US.

Newspeople ask zero questions in this area.

The press release style of news reporting means that a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest 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.

 

Whidbey Island 2014:

Island county to purchase new patrol boat to help with Puget Sound security:

Federal grant money goes to “…gain a better grasp on cross border activity and to prevent illegal crossings.”

“Funding for the boat was issued through the Homeland Security Grant Program under Operation Stonegarden.”

Took a quick look on the web to see if there is a post 911 history of maritime “cross-border activity” on Whidbey & could not find anything. If anyone has info, please post in comments.

Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been able to intercept any inbound meth, heroin or fentanyl?

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?

Newspeople remain silent.

 

Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger reduced access to cartel product anywhere in the US?

Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?

Newspeople remain silent.

April 1, 2020 C-SPAN

WWII costume reminds us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.

The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.

 

Love to see newspeople schedule an interview with the US Dept. of Homeland Security & ask:

Are passports/enhanced/Real IDs effective in keeping cartel-sourced heroin and meth out of the US?

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

Why have Joe Sixpack and the family line up for REAL ID, when cartels opt out on all that?

 

If there was a school district in Hometown USA, that had a poor record for educating students, or a fire dept. that struggled to get the job done, people and the press would ask questions.

The US Dept. of Homeland Security seems to get a pass from newspeople everywhere.

Related:

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

Another DEA Press Release – Zero Questions From Newspeople

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

A symbol of newspeople who avoid asking questions.

 

Cartels are able to move product to all 50 states. All levels of government are supposedly working against them and they get the job done.

Any shortage of heroin, meth or fentanyl anywhere in the US?

Maybe look into it.

High Terror Alert Fails To Keep Cartel Product Out

 

Feb 9, 2021 Q13 FOX News video

Communities report vaccine deliveries halted across Washington

“Officials said 1,200 doses had been ordered for delivery by the state, but nothing arrived.”

Question for newspeople:

If we have a party and order 3 large pizzas, the pizza place will tell us if they are unable to make a delivery or unable to have product ready for pickup. When orders for 1,200 doses of vaccine are placed with the state, is the state indicating the delivery will be made? What is changing between the time the order is made and the delivery date?

Placing an order with a local shop:

Called 1-800 Sears

 

Feb 5 Camano Island Fire & Rescue

Vaccine update:

We requested 1,200 doses of vaccine. Unfortunately, the state did not allocate any doses to us for the week of Feb. 8.”

 

What is the government really good at?

Spotting counterfeit N95 masks? Big problems.

Spotting counterfeit Super Bowl items? Job well done.

Staying out of, winning or shutting down decades of undeclared wars?

Running an unemployment office?

Opioid lawsuits?

Keeping drug cartels from showing up with product far from any border crossing or port of entry?

Feb 9, 2021 KABB FOX 29

“The cartels in Mexico are flooding the domestic illegal drug market with methamphetamine,” said Sorianello.

Keeping sewage treatment outfall from impacting local waters?

Protecting your personal information?

 

Possibly of interest:

Because We Said So

Marketing Partnership Update

Welcome Home Troops

Security Theater

Play by the rules and we’ll make more rules

Fewer Than Half Of All Americans Trust The Mainstream Media

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

 

The idea is to live in a free and honest society.

Suppressing Choices – One Size Fits All

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

Oct 30, 2020 KOMO News

Oregon could become 1st US state to decriminalize hard drugs

“In what would be a first in the U.S., possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine, LSD and other hard drugs could be decriminalized in Oregon under a ballot measure that voters are deciding on in Tuesday’s election.”

 

Oct 29, 2020 KOMO News

Seattle City Council hears proposal to expand drug injection sites

 

What We Have Now

A $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security that fails to keep cartel product from showing up all over the US.

Billions of dollars spent every 12 months to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Newspeople ask zero questions in this area.

 

The Drug Enforcement Administration

Another couple billion dollars spent every 12 months on an a federal agency that takes credit for big drug busts after cartels move product past federal agents staffing border crossings, ports of entry and the area between ports of entry.

Would the DEA be out of work if General Milley was going to act on his bold pledge to clobber the cartels?

Newspeople remain silent.

April 1, 2020 C-SPAN

Cartels respond to General Milley’s big DOD crackdown, DEA social media posts, and future postage stamp release by moving more product into the US.

Federal agents swing into action after 2,224 pounds of meth tied to the Sinaloa cartel moves past federal agents manning a $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security-then on into Riverside County.

Riverside County does not share a border with Mexico.

Oct 14, 2020 KTLA 5

2,224 pounds of meth tied to Sinaloa cartel seized in Riverside County, the largest haul in DEA history

 

Drug Enforcement Administration:

National Take Back Day Results

Results: October 2019 18th National Take Back

Total Weight Collected: 882,919 lbs. (441.5 Tons)

 

Drug Take Back Day

A huge success for the legal drug dealers-they sold 882,919 lbs.of prescription medications to people who did not need them.

 

DEA Keeps Halloween Scary with exclamation point at the end of each sentence:

Halloween Drug Laced Candy Alert! Make sure you check your children’s candy for drug laced items!

 

State-Run Media/CBP Social Media Posts

CBP tells us:

Nothing gets past @CBP’s K9 units!

Nothing gets past @CBP’s K9 units?

Surely, a free and independent press will step up and ask for clarification on this wild CBP claim.

Hey newspeople, how did 2,224 pounds of meth tied to the Sinaloa cartel enter Riverside County, if nothing gets past @CBP’s K9 units?

Why is there a deadly fentanyl problem in Eastern Washington if nothing gets past CBP social media posts?

Have opioid lawsuits played any role in keeping deadly fentanyl from arriving in Eastern Washington?

Newspeople post whatever press release is handed off.

A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.

 

Back to camping on the sidewalk

Shutting down the scam played by the above agencies, with the help of the press seems like a good idea.

What is the plan to keep this situation from getting worse?

Related:

Journalism Needs Our Support Now, More Than Ever

The Press Is Weak – Newspaper Revenue Down Compared To 20 Years Ago

Miss America & The DEA vs. Drug Cartels

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

Growing Up In The Cold War Era

Dystopian Leanings

 

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

Never Forget

The US Armed Forces were irrelevant in defending American rights and freedoms, our physical security, & The Constitution on 911.

Ditto for all other federal agencies and departments.

 

The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911.

We haven’t won a war since.

 

Considering the aftermath of 911

Since 911, have people been at risk out at the airport because there has not been any requirement for REAL ID in order to fly within the United States?

Mar 23, 2020 USA Today

Travelers get a break: REAL ID deadline extended to Oct. 1, 2021, due to coronavirus

 

Nov 14, 2019 Stars and Stripes

Post-9/11 Wars Have Cost American Taxpayers $6.4 trillion, Study Finds

 

We fight over there, so we don’t have to fight here.”

 

Did American culture begin to overemphasize and glorify military service after 911?

Local press:

Hometown pride running high. High enough to stop asking questions?

“For the past couple of years, the Whidbey News-Times paid the insurance for the Veterans Day Parade, about $200, because it was a small way of saying thank you to the men and women who sacrificed so that we may have our liberties, including our Freedom of Speech.”

Were US troops sent to Vietnam so that Americans could be free to send letters to the editor?

Is there any case in which the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech?

Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?

The US Armed Forces – A Giant Civil Rights Organization?

 

September 27, 2019 Whidbey News-Times

Sound Off: Freedom doesn’t come free, and it’s sometimes noisy

“…the men and women of the armed forces guarantee our freedom…”

 

1967

Did the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?

Was it the Viet Cong that set up laws in 16 US states to prohibit interracial marriage?

Jet Noise Made Them Free?

 

May 28, 2020 WMAR

Salisbury Mayor deploying to Africa with Maryland National Guard

I am honored to do my part to ensure that the citizens of this community and all Americans remain safe and free.”

Several news sources published this quote. View them here.

The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.

Mayor Day,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

 

Glorification of military service / total nonsense:

WA Secretary of State

Our right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces.”

If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?

Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?

If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?

Men Died For the Right to Vote?

Right To Vote Linked To Military Operations/US Troops in Distant Lands?

 

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.

In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our physical security. That’s as good as it gets.

In terms of American rights and freedoms-The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.

 

Legal marijuana, concealed carry of handguns, semi automatic rifle sales, federal minimum drinking age, sports betting, voting rights, bump stock baninterracial marriage, gay marriage, tobacco sales, open container laws, etc.

None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.

As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.

If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.

Just Be Honest.

Stop with the glorification of undeclared/unwon wars in distant lands.

Maybe Get Away From The Bragging About Freedom?

Growing Up In The Cold War Era

 

How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?

Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.

 

Puget Sound After 911

Does a routine ferry ride require a gunboat escort?

Is it seen as controversial for people to legally obtain weapons?

 

Washington State ferry passengers are advised via PA system not to leave backpacks or packages unattended during ferry crossings.

Meanwhile-on the car deck-cars, trucks, vans, commercial vehicles, etc. are left unattended during ferry crossings.

I have made dozens of round trip ferry crossings over the past 20 years. In many cases, there has been no security screening at either terminal.

 

On occasion, the press will do a story about a ferry security drill.

If the Oklahoma City bomber rolls onto the ferry-how does the SWAT team help out an hour later?

Don’t look for newspeople to ask any questions on this.

Related:

Mixed Messages On Transportation Security/Firing Gun From the Ferry Update

Washington State Ferry Ride

Washington State Ferries Security

 

Cartels Move Product Into the US

People need to carry a special ID to go have lunch in Canada, then return home. Have these ID requirements helped to keep cartel product from entering the US?

Don’t look for the press to go and interview the US Dept. of Homeland Security and ask any questions on this.

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

 

I was thinking that 911 should have been a drug trafficker’s worst nightmare. The US Dept. of Homeland Security- a whole new federal department-was created to stop terrorists and prevent another 911.

What happened?

 

Sept. 5, 2020 Fox News

Meth floods across US-Mexico border during coronavirus pandemic

Part of the article describes cartel product seized at the border. Part of the article talks about product that gets past federal agents at the border.

“The extremely potent meth smuggled from Mexico contributes to more deaths in San Diego County than opioids.”

 

Aug 31, 2020 KOB 4 News Video

US Attorney for New Mexico blames Mexican meth ‘superlabs’ for state’s growing violent crime

Federal agents swing into action after meth from Mexico moves past federal agents manning a $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security-then, on into New Mexico:

Federal authorities are seizing larger amounts of drugs in the state, and Anderson said there are a few reasons why.”

“I think it’s the cost and it’s also a function that the fact that tremendously greater amounts of it are being produced in what we call the super labs in Mexico,” he said. “I think for many years our meth was made locally, was made in much smaller quantities. That has largely been eclipsed by the mass production and cheap production that we’re seeing coming from Mexico.”

 

State-run media update:

Jun 3, 2020 DEA NewYork

Nothing gets past @CBP’s K9 units!

Nothing gets past @CBP’s K9 units?

Surely, a free and independent press will step up and ask for clarification on this wild CBP claim.

 

Border Wall update:

Sept 4, 2020 Maui Now

$4 Million In New Federal Funds To Help Hawai‘i Respond to Meth Crisis, Opioid Misuse

 

Nov 12, 2019 Honolulu Civil Beat

Meth Deaths Soar in Hawaii Even As Opioids Grab Public Attention

“Historically, crystal meth in its purest and most potent form came to the islands from markets in Asia and the Pacific as documented by the Hawaii’s Ice Age reporting series that Civil Beat and Hawaii Public Radio published five years ago.”

Now, much of it is manufactured in Mexico and makes its way to Hawaii through states like California and Nevada, says Callery.”

 

July 28, 2019 Big Island Now

Why Have There Been No Meth Lab Busts in Hawai‘i in 15 Years?

“Lt. Serrao explained, “We have no evidence to support the manufacturing of meth on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.” He believes this is due to the decreased availability of pseudophedrine, which makes clandestine manufacturing difficult.”

“Lt. Serrao said most of Hawai‘i’s meth is produced in Mexico and California. The meth is commonly shipped here by way of shipping containers, Fed Ex and the US Postal Service.”

 

Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:

Billions of dollars are spent every 12 months to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.

Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Homeland Security funding and performance?

How are post 911 terrorists kept out while meth comes in?

 

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA

An upgrade in staff requiring a new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility. Secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin and meth in the community, rare and mysterious cross-border arrests, fraudulent overtime claims, 1,200-horsepower interceptor boats and zero questions from the press.

Are fraudulent overtime claims still the norm at Port Angeles?

Border Patrol whistleblower pays price for refusing overtime pay

 

Is Port Angeles CBP staffing and infrastructure at all relevant in keeping heroin and meth from entering the Puget Sound area?

Has Port Angeles CBP been able to intercept any inbound meth or heroin?

Even one time?

Local meth news stories here.

Local heroin news stories here.

 

Newspeople avoid asking questions by going with a press release style of news reporting.

A statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest bust/federal grant money award, etc. Newspeople post this statement. No questions asked:

Sept. 4, 2020 KONP Award-winning news/talk station serving the north Olympic Peninsula

DEA, OPNET PARTICIPATE IN MAJOR BUST OF AREA DRUG TRAFFICKERS

“…one member of the drug trafficking organization (identified as 24 year-old Lionel Gonzalez-Torres of Burlington, WA), was providing large quantities of meth and heroin to the Olympic Peninsula.”

Question for newspeople:

Does Port Angeles CBP play any role in keeping meth and heroin from entering the Olympic Peninsula?

If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:

If a $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security was preventing cartel product from arriving in American communities, why would General Milley need to launch Operation Macho Swagger?

Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger prevented cartel product from entering WA?

Newspeople remain silent.

April 1, 2020 C-SPAN

Related:

Cartel Moves Product Past General Milley, CBP & Into The Puget Sound Area – Newspeople Remain Silent

Nothing Gets Past CBP

Kitsap and Island County Meth & Heroin

Always Reported as a Highly Successful Team Effort – The Big Puget Sound Drug Bust

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

Port Angeles/Blaine Drug War Scam – Zero Questions From The Press

What I Like About Local Government

Port Angeles – Post 911 CBP Spending Spree

Rare & Mysterious Port Angeles Border Patrol Arrests

Port Angeles Drug War Covered By Press Release

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: Operation Macho Swagger & Port Angeles Heroin

 

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-

A symbol of newspeople asking questions.

 

A man on the moon in 1969. Church, Boy Scouts, patriotism, pledge of allegiance, the WWII generation in charge. Signing up for the Marines.

Families with married parents and maybe a stay at home Mom. It was common for your friends to have 3 or 4 brothers and sisters.

It started out with a positive sense of American culture.

Much has changed.

Over the past 40 years or so, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation. A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.

We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.

Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Some may have become skeptical along the way.

 

What’s new?

People haunted by healthcare concerns.

It’s been this way for years now. It was this way prior to the current news Re: COVID-19.

People haunted by student loan debt.

Homelessness and drug addiction to the extent that people are living in tents on city sidewalks.

Children might go hungry when school is out?

March 13, 2020 CNN

The coronavirus pandemic is closing schools. How will kids eat?

“But as other schools deliberate shutting their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some parents may be left to wonder: If schools close, how will my child eat?

More discussion and news coverage please.

 

Claims about freedoms that cry out for questioning:

Two major political parties that continue to promote the idea that The Troops are sent to distant lands to fight for American rights and freedoms.

School teachers and newspeople who are OK with promoting this urban legend.

Local press:

Hometown pride running high. High enough to stop asking questions?

“For the past couple of years, the Whidbey News-Times paid the insurance for the Veterans Day Parade, about $200, because it was a small way of saying thank you to the men and women who sacrificed so that we may have our liberties, including our Freedom of Speech.”

Were US troops sent to Vietnam so that Americans could be free to send letters to the editor?

Is there any case in which the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech?

Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?

The US Armed Forces – A Giant Civil Rights Organization?

 

Since last July 4th:

May 28, 2020 WMAR

Salisbury Mayor deploying to Africa with Maryland National Guard

I am honored to do my part to ensure that the citizens of this community and all Americans remain safe and free.”

Several news sources published this quote. View them here.

The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.

Mayor Day,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

 

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.

 

Each November, school teachers across America host Veterans Day assemblies– and promote the idea to children that The Troops are in distant lands-fighting for American rights and freedoms-as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.

In Washington State, these assemblies are mandatory.

The VA tells teachers that The Troops are Defending Liberty and Freedom.

Love to see a student ask: If The Troops fight for your right to sit, stand, kneel, etc.-why were black people still riding at the back of the bus after the big WWII victory?

Love to see a student ask: If the wars aren’t won-how can they protect our freedom?

Love to see a student ask: Whatever happened to lessons about Armistice Day?

 

Congressman Derek Kilmer:

Wars are for freedom and democracy.

 

WA Secretary of State:

Our right to vote is protected by the extraordinary men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Page 7 of the Washington State Elections Voters Pamphlet for the November 5th, 2019 General Election:

Our right to vote is protected by the members of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

 

One of the nation’s largest, oldest and most respected veterans organizations:

Veterans, not politicians, ‘give us the right to vote,’ observers at Amherst Veterans Day ceremonies told

 

Any newspeople available to ask:

Congressman Kilmer,

If wars are fought for democracy-how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?

Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?

 

Veterans give rights?

It turns out The Troops were in no hurry to enable all adults to act on their right to vote.

US Military operations conducted in the 1940s, 50s & 60s didn’t get the job done.

It wasn’t until July of 1971 that 18 year old adults could take delivery on one of the freedoms we hear so much about.

 

After the Cold War:

The Cold War had ended. DOD was happy with their all volunteer military.

Look what they did with it.

The Cold War Had Ended

 

A Dept. of Defense that was nowhere to be found on 911.

We haven’t won a war since.

 

A Dept. of Defense with a truly poor track record for winning wars since DOD was established way back in 1949.

 

Undeclared/unwon wars that never end.

Nov 14, 2019 Stars and Stripes

Post-9/11 Wars Have Cost American Taxpayers $6.4 trillion, Study Finds

More here:

Unsustainable Military Spending

 

Billions of dollars spent every 12 months on a US Dept. of Homeland Security that fails to keep cartels from moving product into Hometown, USA.

March 2, 2020 Auburn Examiner

DEA Announces Launch of Methamphetamine Initiative

Virtually all methamphetamine in the United States comes through major ports of entry along the Southwest Border and is transported by tractor trailers and personal vehicles along the nation’s highways to major transfer centers around the country.”

Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:

Newspeople who have stopped asking questions.

Zero Questions from Puget Sound Area Newspeople – Drug War Press Release

 

Newspeople who show no curiosity.

Went out on 3/18/20 to check on the sewage drain pipe sign at Monroe Landing:

The sewage drain pipe sign is still posted.

Went out on 3/18/20 to check on the sewage drain pipe sign at Captain Thomas Coupe Park:

I found that the sign is still posted.

More here:

Podcast 4 Another Month With An R – Whidbey Sewage Treatment Plant Outfalls

Much in the way of voting over the decades since that man landed on the moon.

TV newspeople tell us that we are in a key election season again. Lots of coverage. Another panel of experts, another debate. More voting.

Stay tuned for more of the same.

 

Being positive is a good thing. Emotions can be based on experience.

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

Photo-

Platoon 3049, MCRD San Diego

Jun-Sep 1979

 

In the news:

March 13, 2020 The Seattle Times

Inslee expands coronavirus K-12 school closure, 250-person gathering ban, across Washington

“…school districts here have begun planning for ways to get core services, such as food, to families.”

“…looking for ways to get meals to students in need, such as bussing meals to neighborhoods where lots of students live.”

 

March 13, 2020 WHSV

Schools scramble to feed students after coronavirus closures

Kiyana Esco needs free school lunches and breakfasts to feed her six children. But with schools shutting down over coronavirus concerns, she’s scrambling to pick up the meals, care for her kids and keep her job.”

Thank you WHSV, for acknowledging that we are talking about a federal free and reduced school breakfast and lunch program. The press often calls it a free lunch program. The average person, who has no kids in school may not realize that breakfast is also part of the program.

 

March 13, 2020 CNN

The coronavirus pandemic is closing schools. How will kids eat?

“But as other schools deliberate shutting their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some parents may be left to wonder: If schools close, how will my child eat?

 

Former Lunch Lady here.

I do not object to public assistance programs. The press should make an effort to keep the public informed on how these programs are working.

Again, I am not against public assistance programs, but did the WWII generation rely heavily on public school districts to feed their kids?

100 years ago, did families rely on school districts to feed their children to such an extent that, if school was shut down, school districts would scramble to fill busses with food and send it out into the neighborhoods?

 

Voluntary action:

February 25 Fox News

Ohio church pays off lunch debt for students at 11 school districts

Love to see newspeople ask:

If a family’s household income level qualifies for free & reduced breakfast and lunch at school, wouldn’t they also qualify for various other publicly funded food assistance programs?

Do free and reduced breakfast and lunch meals consumed at school reduce what a family receives or qualifies for each month in publicly funded food assistance?

If school shuts down, does the family still qualify for publicly funded food assistance? If food assistance programs remain in place outside of school-why would children be at risk of going hungry?

If the programs aren’t working-let’s hear all about it.

Related:

Meaningful Work

 

Tax money-which some people intend to be used to help others via public assistance programs-also goes for bombing Iraq and Afghanistan.

Helping others by donating to churches or private charities, food banks, etc. can avoid these conflicts.

Donors are free to opt out if a charity misbehaves.

People could keep more of their own money to donate to causes of their choosing if the federal government was not taking it to pay for wasteful programs.

More here:

Helping others by donating

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

Photo-

Welcome Visitors

Rent yourself a State Parks buoy at Fort Worden

Voted best consumer value in weekend recreation.

 

Political parties and personalities are not as interesting as what stays the same no matter who is elected to office.

Suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings for your freedoms:

Dec. 17, 2019 High Country News

Spokane vs. the Border Patrol

“The bus station is owned by the city of Spokane, which rents the land out to Greyhound and some regional bus companies. None of the buses that stop there are arriving from Canada.”

“Agents have arrested 71 people at the Spokane bus depot this year, more than twice as many as they averaged in prior years. None were “alien” smugglers or drug traffickers, as the Spokane Sector’s press office admitted in an interview.”

They’re treating Spokane like it’s a border town, which it’s not.”

“…statistics are hard to come by. The Border Patrol’s Spokane sector doesn’t regularly publicize the arrests they make, citing “privacy” concerns.”

 

Is the immigration enforcement crackdown, hassling people at bus stations and requiring REAL ID at the airport at all relevant in keeping cartels from moving product into hometown, USA?

Love to see newspeople schedule an interview with the US Dept. of Homeland Security & ask:

Are passports/enhanced/Real IDs effective in keeping cartel-sourced heroin and meth out of the US?

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

 

In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.

At a local Border Patrol forum a lady asked:

“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”

US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.

Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.

Question about providing ID is at 0:35

Checkpoints ended here in 2008- possibly due to well-informed citizens and local protests. Looks like they weren’t vital to national security after all.

State and local law enforcement agencies do not conduct suspicionless checkpoints in Washington State.

Check your state here.

 

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA

An upgrade in staff requiring a new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility. Secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin and meth in the community, no cross-border USBP arrest in more than 9 years, fraudulent overtime claims, 1,200-horsepower interceptor boats and zero questions from the press.

Possibly of interest-

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: Operation Macho Swagger & Port Angeles Heroin

If you run a government operation-these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:

 

Why are Border Patrol arrest statistics secret at Port Angeles?

Port Angeles CBP arrest statistics are secret:

March 19, 2014 Sequim Gazette

Agent counters allegations of ‘boredom’

“In March, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Richard Sinks declined to release statistics on apprehensions or detainments made by the Port Angeles station.”

“Disclosure of the arrest statistics from the Port Angeles station would provide those interested in crossing our borders illegally with information that could aid their strategic targeting of potentially vulnerable areas along the border,” he said in an e-mail. “To maintain operational security these numbers will not be provided.”

Go and ask the FBI for Chicago bank robbery statistics. You’ll get the numbers. They won’t tell you that statistics/public records must be withheld because stats would assist bank robbers if they were shared with the public.

What other law enforcement agencies, anywhere in the US maintain secret arrest statistics?

Washington State Patrol shares DUI arrest statistics on social media here:

“Our #WSP District 8 troopers removed 1,429 impaired drivers from the roads in 2018.”

“Here is a breakdown of what it looks like in each of our 7 counties.”

Elsewhere, when CBP has something to brag about-the public is promptly notified:

Border Patrol K-9 Sniffs out Cocaine Hidden in Dashboard

Border Patrol Stops Drug Smuggler on I-8

Border Patrol Agent’s Public Safety Check Turns into Heroin Bust

 

More questions newspeople will not ask:

Are fraudulent overtime claims still the norm at Port Angeles?

Border Patrol whistleblower pays price for refusing overtime pay

 

Has Port Angeles CBP been able to intercept any inbound meth or heroin?

Even one time?

 

Is local CBP staffing and infrastructure at all relevant in keeping heroin and meth from entering Port Angeles, Clallam County, the Olympic Peninsula, or the Puget Sound area?

 

Newspeople,

Why did the Blaine Sector Weekly US Border Patrol blotter go extinct?

When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest of any kind?

Any arrests connected to cross-border maritime traffic?

When local USBP staffing went from four to 42 agents, what increase in arrests and apprehensions was achieved?

 

Suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry:

Did the use of these checkpoints in Jefferson and Clallam Counties result in the seizure of any inbound heroin or meth?

 

What role do 1,200-horsepower Border Patrol Interceptor boats play in keeping meth and heroin away from the Puget Sound area?

2011-

“… their main interaction with the boating public: Boarding boats and checking for ID, getting a “vibe,” as Jeff P. called it, for what’s up.”

2013-

Heroin epidemic gripping Port Angeles

2015-

Port Angeles residents fed up with heroin problem

2017-

“Residents who filled the Port Angeles City Council chambers and lobby Tuesday night said they were fed up with the heroin epidemic in Clallam County and asked what is being done to stop opioid abuse and what they can do to help.”

2019-

KING 5 News

Jail staff are now using medication to help addicts detox from heroin while in custody.”

Peninsula Daily News

Clallam health official: Narcan helping to cut overdose deaths

“About half of the overdoses have been from prescription drugs, not heroin, she said.” What about the other half?

 

Zero questions from newspeople:

Local meth news stories here.

Local heroin news stories here.

Plenty of questions here:

Port Angeles – Post 911 CBP Spending Spree

 

Whidbey Island

Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat

Back in 2014:

Island county to purchase new patrol boat to help with Puget Sound security:

Federal grant money goes to “…gain a better grasp on cross border activity and to prevent illegal crossings.”

“Funding for the boat was issued through the Homeland Security Grant Program under Operation Stonegarden.”

Has there been any post 911 history of maritime “cross-border activity” on Whidbey Island?

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?

Newspeople remain silent.

 

Patrol boats fail to keep bad guys from moving product into Bremerton and Port Angeles:

July 5, 2109 Kitsap Sun

Detectives seize over $900,000 worth of drugs in Bremerton bust

July 5, 2019 Peninsula Daily News

Two arrested, heroin and methamphetamine seized at Port Angeles motels

July 6, 2019 Peninsula Daily News

Sheriff’s Office: Port Angeles man arrested with more than $11,000 in narcotics

 

US Troops at the border, El Chapo takedown, opioid lawsuits, REAL ID, Homeland Security grant money, CBP social media posts, strict post 911 security protocols and a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security fail to keep meth from entering the Puget Sound area:

Drowning in Meth

Newspeople play along by not asking questions.

Every 12 months, the US Department of Homeland Security gets another $40 billion in taxpayer funds.

If the drug war excuse now, is that migrant surges are diverting attention away from cartel traffic-remember that heroin was a problem in US communities prior to the recent migrant surges. Heroin is still here and now meth has taken hold.

Related:

Call It What It Is – Opioid Crisis Scam Update

Lack of News Reporting Hurts Newspaper Subscriptions?

Lazy Newspeople and the Opioid Crisis

Port Angeles Drug War Covered By Press Release

Press Plays The Role of Armed Forces & Homeland Security Public Affairs Staff

Homeland Security Meth/Heroin Racket Rolls On

Federal Facial Recognition Out At The Airport

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

Photo- Watching the waves over at Fort Ebey

 

What stays the same no matter what political party or personality is in power?

Undeclared/unwon wars that never end

Feb 25th, 2019 Fox News

Father, son deployed to Afghanistan with Arizona Army National Guard

 

Newspeople who do not ask questions

Any members of the press available to show up and ask why the people of Arizona need services in Afghanistan absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?

Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?

This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.

 

The Homeland Security Meth/Heroin Racket

Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.

Are newspeople forbidden to ask questions related to Homeland Security funding and performance?

Puget Sound Homeland Security Industrial Complex

Montana – Homeland Security Meth Racket Rolls On

Port Angeles Heroin – Newspeople Remain Silent

Newspeople Ask Questions If It’s A Sports Story

Newspeople Remain Silent – Missing A Chance To Ask Questions

Cartels vs Wall

Talk Of Border Walls As Cartel Moves 180 Kilograms Of Meth From Mexico To Canada by Rail

Opioid or Heroin? Meth or Amphetamine?

 

A secretive, wasteful, & ineffective US Dept. of Homeland Security

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA

An upgrade in staff requiring a new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility. Secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community, no cross-border USBP arrest in more than 8 years, fraudulent overtime claims, 1,200-horsepower interceptor boats and zero questions from the press.

If you run a government operation- these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:

More here:

News tip/story idea

 

A dishonest US Dept. of Homeland Security

The Claim:

Jan 4th, 2019 McClatchy Washington Bureau/The Bellingham Herald

Trump officials exaggerate terrorist threat on southern border in tense briefing

“Homeland Security officials are now saying that 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were stopped trying to entering the U.S. by land in FY 17.”

Questioning The Claim:

Love to see newspeople ask:

Did sending US troops to Iraq & Afghanistan play any role in keeping bad people from coming here to do bad things?

Have the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan played any role in keeping thousands of terrorists from showing up at the border?

Newspeople could have started questioning these big claims from DHS almost a year ago.

Jan 24th, 2018

Secretary of Homeland Security:

The US Dept. of Homeland Security “stops an average of 7 known or suspected terrorists a day – 50 a week- trying to come to our country.”

With such an impressive handle on US Dept. of Homeland Security performance- why do heroin/meth trafficking cartels continue to move product into various parts of the US?

Jan, 2018 Fox News

Meth, cocaine overdoses rise as Mexican cartels sidestep anti-opioid crackdown

More here:

A Secretive, Wasteful, Dishonest & Ineffective US Dept. of Homeland Security

 

The ongoing glorification of military service.

As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.

If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.

Why do we pretend that the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?

More here: Freedom Comes And Goes – Joint Chiefs of Staff Play No Part

 

Federal prohibition of marijuana

 

Guantanamo prison

“…they swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution.”

How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?

Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.

 

Promotion of Corn Ethanol

What is ethanol fuel and why is it bad for your small engine outdoor power equipment?

2 STROKE VS 4 STROKE: AVOID ETHANOL IN SMALL ENGINES

Mechanics see ethanol damaging small engines

 

Don’t miss our companion blog- found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

Photo- Whidbey scene

 

 

Tricky timing for an extended federal shutdown.

It’s time for the Super Bowl, and processing of tax returns. People of all political walks of life care about air safety.

Jan 25th, 2019

Intelligencer: Flight Attendants Are ‘Mobilizing Immediately’ Over Shutdown, Union Says

Sometimes, checks and balances come from outside the government.

Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants:

In the next three weeks, the Super Bowl will come and go. It will still be tax season and people will still rely on safe and efficient air travel.

 

We still have questions about the wall:

What does the US Dept. of Homeland Security do with the $40.6 billion they get every 12 months?

 

Real ID

Prior to 911 we could go have lunch in Canada- then return home with just a standard driver’s licence.

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

Love to see newspeople schedule an interview with the US Dept. of Homeland Security & ask:

Are passports/enhanced/Real IDs effective in keeping cartel-sourced heroin and meth out of the US?

More here: WA – Real ID

 

US Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria

Jan 16, 2019 ABC News video:

Senator Lindsey Graham explains that wars are meant to keep us safe at 1:40 here.

Jan. 17, 2019 Washington Examiner

Congressman Dan Crenshaw:

“We go there so that they don’t come here. It’s that simple.”

Why does the US Dept. of Homeland Security tell us that thousands of terrorists were stopped last year at the border if the wars are keeping bad people from coming here to do bad things?

The Claim:

Jan 4th, 2019 McClatchy Washington Bureau/The Bellingham Herald

Trump officials exaggerate terrorist threat on southern border in tense briefing

“Homeland Security officials are now saying that 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were stopped trying to entering the U.S. by land in FY 17.”

Welcome Home Troops

Big claims from DHS from a year ago:

Jan 24th, 2018

Secretary of Homeland Security:

The US Dept. of Homeland Security “stops an average of 7 known or suspected terrorists a day – 50 a week- trying to come to our country.”

With such an impressive handle on US Dept. of Homeland Security performance- why do heroin-trafficking cartels continue to move product into various parts of the US?

 

Each year, at the Super Bowl, the US Dept. of Homeland Security promotes their own image Re: preventing criminal activity. Why do these impressive capabilities fail to keep meth and heroin trafficking cartels from moving product into the US?

More here:

Border Wall Credibility Update

Operation Macho Swagger & Port Angeles Heroin

Port Angeles Heroin – Newspeople Remain Silent

Newspeople Ask Questions If It’s A Sports Story

News tip/story idea

A Secretive, Wasteful, Dishonest & Ineffective US Dept. of Homeland Security

Thousands Of Terrorists Stopped Last Year At The Border?

Opioid or Heroin? Meth or Amphetamine?

 

Don’t miss our companion blog- found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

Photo- Slow speed mayhem

 

We’ve been told to go along with a number of steps in order to keep us safe in the post 911 era.

Real ID

Prior to 911 we could go have lunch in Canada- then return home with just a standard driver’s licence.

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

Love to see newspeople schedule an interview with the US Dept. of Homeland Security & ask:

Are passports/enhanced/Real IDs effective in keeping cartel-sourced heroin and meth out of the US?

More here: WA – Real ID

 

US Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria

Jan 16, 2019 ABC News video:

Senator Lindsey Graham explains that wars are meant to keep us safe at 1:40 here.

Jan. 17, 2019 Washington Examiner

Congressman Dan Crenshaw:

“We go there so that they don’t come here. It’s that simple.”

Why does the US Dept. of Homeland Security tell us that thousands of terrorists were stopped last year at the border if the wars are keeping bad people from coming here to do bad things?

The Claim:

Jan 4th, 2019 McClatchy Washington Bureau/The Bellingham Herald

Trump officials exaggerate terrorist threat on southern border in tense briefing

“Homeland Security officials are now saying that 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were stopped trying to entering the U.S. by land in FY 17.”

Big claims from DHS from almost a year ago.

Jan 24th, 2018

Secretary of Homeland Security:

The US Dept. of Homeland Security “stops an average of 7 known or suspected terrorists a day – 50 a week- trying to come to our country.”

With such an impressive handle on US Dept. of Homeland Security performance- why do heroin-trafficking cartels continue to move product into various parts of the US?

Looks like life wasn’t meant to change after the big Saddam Hussein & Osama bin Laden takedowns.

 

DEA and ports of entry

Jan 8, 2019 NBC News

“The DEA says the vast majority of hard drugs from Mexican cartels come into the U.S. through legal ports of entry, which wouldn’t be affected by a wall.”

According to a 2018 National Drug Threat Assessment by the DEA, Mexican drug cartels “transport the bulk of their drugs over the Southwest border through ports of entry (POEs) using passenger vehicles or tractor trailers.”

 

US Troops at the US/Mexico border

Jan. 14, 2019 New York Times

Pentagon Extends Troop Deployment at Mexican Border Through September

Will these efforts result in any shortage of cartel-sourced heroin, cocaine, meth or fentanyl anywhere in the US?

 

A $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security

Senator Graham,

What does the US Dept. of Homeland Security do with the $40.6 billion they get every 12 months?

 

Cartels moving product into various parts of the US

Any shortage of cartel-sourced heroin, cocaine, fentanyl or meth anywhere in the US since the big El Chapo takedown?

Jan. 3, 2019 Fox News

Meth, cocaine overdoses rise as Mexican cartels sidestep anti-opioid crackdown

Each year, at the Super Bowl, the US Dept. of Homeland Security promotes their own image Re: preventing criminal activity. Why do these impressive capabilities fail to keep meth and heroin trafficking cartels from moving product into the US?

Whidbey Homeland Security Grant Money

2014-

Island county to purchase new patrol boat to help with Puget Sound security:

Federal grant money goes to “…gain a better grasp on cross border activity and to prevent illegal crossings.”

“Funding for the boat was issued through the Homeland Security Grant Program under Operation Stonegarden.”

Took a quick look on the web to see if there is a post 911 history of maritime “cross-border activity” on Whidbey & could not find anything.

If public meetings were held on Whidbey Island & people were asked to state their top law enforcement priorities- would a Homeland Security-funded patrol boat show up anywhere on the list?

Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been able to intercept any inbound heroin?

Even one time?

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?

Even one time?

Newspeople remain silent.

More here: Whidbey Homeland Security Grant Money- Newspeople Remain Silent

 

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA

An upgrade in staff requiring a new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility. Secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community, no cross-border USBP arrest in more than 8 years, fraudulent overtime claims, 1,200-horsepower interceptor boats and zero questions from the press.

If you run a government operation- these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:

Question for newspeople:

What role do 1,200-horsepower Border Patrol Interceptor boats play in keeping heroin away from the Puget Sound area?

2011-

“… their main interaction with the boating public: Boarding boats and checking for ID, getting a “vibe,” as Jeff P. called it, for what’s up.”

2013-

Heroin epidemic gripping Port Angeles

2015-

Port Angeles residents fed up with heroin problem

2017-

“Residents who filled the Port Angeles City Council chambers and lobby Tuesday night said they were fed up with the heroin epidemic in Clallam County and asked what is being done to stop opioid abuse and what they can do to help.”

2019-

Jail staff are now using medication to help addicts detox from heroin while in custody.”

Has Port Angeles CBP been able to intercept any inbound heroin?

Even one time?

Newspeople remain silent.

Possibly of interest-

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: Operation Macho Swagger & Port Angeles Heroin

 

Suspicionless checkpoints

In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.

At a local Border Patrol forum a lady asked:

“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”

US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.

Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.

Question about providing ID is at 0:35

State and local law enforcement agencies do not conduct suspicionless checkpoints in Washington State.

Check your state here.

Were suspicionless checkpoints conducted in Jefferson County, WA able to intercept any inbound heroin?

Even one time?

Newspeople remain silent.

More here: Saying No to the federal government

 

Montana

Jan 17, 2019 KULR TV News Video:

Attorney General Tim Fox cites meth problem, calls for border security

“Inexpensive meth from Mexico is pouring into our state in record amounts and high purity, killing our citizens, destroying our families, and clogging our justice system.”

Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan- working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Federal cash for Montana after meth flows past federal agents staffing a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, then on into local communities:

Oct 25, 2018 Missoulian DOJ awards MHP $1 million for anti-meth operations in Montana

“The U.S. Department of Justice announced its award to MHP Thursday, from its Office of Community Oriented Policing. The grant will fund additional troopers, equipment and training specifically to combat incoming meth trafficking. Highway Patrol Chief Tom Butler said in the statement that Montana’s meth is largely sourced from Mexico.”

 

Summary:

Special IDs, US troops in distant lands, US troops at the southern border, a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, suspicionless checkpoints, big drug busts, Homeland Security grant money, massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and 1,200-horsepower Border Patrol Interceptor boats fail to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Credibility in need of repair.

Newspeople need to chuck the hometown pride and get out and ask more questions.

More here:

Operation Macho Swagger & Port Angeles Heroin

Port Angeles Heroin – Newspeople Remain Silent

WA – Real ID

Newspeople Ask Questions If It’s A Sports Story

News tip/story idea

A Secretive, Wasteful, Dishonest & Ineffective US Dept. of Homeland Security

Thousands Of Terrorists Stopped Last Year At The Border?

Opioid or Heroin? Meth or Amphetamine?

Dept. of Defense Lies About Freedom

Post 911 Homeland Security Protocols vs. Tennessee Meth

Away From The Border

Homeland Security Meth/Heroin Racket Rolls On

17 Years Past 911 – Welcome Home Troops

Fentanyl – What part of the story is missing?

 

Don’t miss our companion blog- found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

In the news: Pence warns Coast Guard graduates of the perils facing US

“At this very moment, the world’s most dangerous terrorist and criminal organizations are working to gain a foothold across the Western Hemisphere, to threaten our people and our very way of life.”

Defending against the world’s most dangerous terrorist and criminal organizations results in no shortage of heroin, cocaine or meth anywhere in the US.

Michigan meth supply not yet cut off by National Guard troops, strict post 911 security protocols and a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security:

Crystal meth, marijuana seizures rising in Ottawa County

“This crystal meth is coming across from Mexico and it’s a huge influx,” he said.

 

Homeland Security Vote of Confidence:

Meth is making a comeback in the Dayton region: 5 things to know

“But most meth available in the United States is produced in Mexico and smuggled across the southern border, the DEA said.”

 

Strict post 911 security protocols and a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security fail to keep 120 gallons of liquid methamphetamine out of NC:

Judge upholds $3 million bonds following $90 million meth seizure

 

Wichita man planned to get a house ‘exclusively’ for storing meth

Much of the meth sold in South Dakota is 100 percent pure, suggesting it is brought to the U.S. from Mexico and is produced and controlled by Mexican drug cartels, the news release said.”

Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for your many years of service in Iraq & Afghanistan- working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Tried to have your back with strict post-911 security protocols, a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, federal agents at border crossings & ports of entry & passports/enhanced & Real IDs to keep us all safe.

We’ll try harder next time.

 

Women hassled 30 miles from US/Canada border as heroin-trafficking cartels continue to move product over the real border- no questions asked.

Vast enforcement powers- applied nowhere near any border crossing or port of entry- are still no match for the heroin-trafficking cartels that continue to move product into US communities.

Border agent questions 2 women for speaking Spanish

Welcome Home Troops

 

Mexican cartel moves into Northeast Ohio, three-year investigation sends 19 to federal prison

Wonder what was happening at border crossing inspections during the 3 years these folks were under investigation. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?

Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?

 

Don’t miss our companion blog- found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

DSC_0002_005 In the news: Durham VA hospital: Elderly Veteran Lays on Floor in Pain While Waiting at VA Hospital

Welcome Home Troops

Sorry- we haven’t had enough wars over the past 70 years to get good at managing the facilities we operate.

A giant flag ritual at the next football game will make it all good.

 

Find us on facebook:

The Pompous Veteran

High levels of reverence for the flag?

Meanwhile, Heroin-Trafficking Cartels Move Product into Washington State

Groupthink Alternative

US Department of Credibility

Newspeople will not question the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles?

Our free and independent press has stopped asking questions.

and Sound of Freedom

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

Photo- A symbol of the free press & federal government credibility

 

DSC_0061 Welcome Home Troops

Thanks for your many years of service in Iraq & Afghanistan- working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

Tried to have your back with strict post-911 security protocols, a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, federal agents at border crossings & ports of entry & passports/enhanced & Real IDs to keep us all safe.

We’ll try harder next time.

 

Heroin-trafficking cartel moves product into North Carolina:

Deputies: Largest heroin bust in Rowan Co. has ties to Mexican cartel

Wonder what was happening at border crossing inspections during the 3 years these folks were under investigation. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?

Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?

Statewide investigation leads to bust of Mexican heroin ring

“A 3-year-long federal, state and local heroin trafficking investigation ended this week with the arrests of three Mecklenburg County residents.”

 

DHS federal agents unable to keep $3.3 million in heroin from rolling up into Philadelphia:

Joint Investigation Leads To Major Drug Bust In Philadelphia

 

8 pounds of heroin moves past a $41.2 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security and into Maine:

8 pounds of heroin seized in Sanford in state’s largest heroin bust in history

 

Ohio-

“Overdoses are coming in all the time and we’re constantly full on a day-to-day basis,” Harshbarger told CNN.

The accidental overdoses are from heroin and fentanyl, he said:

Coroner’s office running out of room because of overdose deaths

 

9 kilo’s of cocaine move past a $41.2 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security and into Will County:

Major Cocaine Arrest In Will County

 

A $41.2 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep cargo trucks from moving large amounts of heroin and fentanyl from Central America into the Bronx:

Cops: NYC drug ring brought heroin, fentanyl from Honduras

 

Don’t worry-

The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:

‘No known credible threats ’ ahead of Super Bowl, officials say

If the good guys can tell what the bad guys will do before they do it- surely, these powerful crime fighting tools will be used to shut down gang and cartel activity, heroin trafficking, bank robberies, airport & mall shootings, child abduction, etc.

State-run media update:

US Department of Homeland Security-

“…a department with more than 20 different agencies, a budget of more than $45 billion and a staff of hundreds of thousands of civilian, law enforcement and military personnel.”

 

More here:

Welcome Home Troops – A Land of Make Believe Success Awaits

 

Find us on facebook:

The Pompous Veteran

High levels of reverence for the flag?

Meanwhile, Heroin-Trafficking Cartels Move Product into Washington State

Groupthink Alternative

US Department of Credibility

Newspeople will not question the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles?

Our free and independent press has stopped asking questions.

and Sound of Freedom

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

Photo- Welcome Visitors

Rent yourself a State Parks buoy at Fort Worden

Voted best consumer value in weekend recreation.

 

dsc_0047 1961-

JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society-

 

2012-

If you run a government operation- these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:

 

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA-

A new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility, secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community & a Border Patrol whistleblower investigation Re: fraudulent overtime that resulted in further suppression of information- keep the focus on asking questions in these areas.

No cross-border USBP arrest has happened here in more than 6 years.

News links: News tip/story idea

 

If the State Patrol was awarded many additional millions of dollars each year to go after drunk drivers- & the problem got worse- would newspeople ask questions?

If planes started crashing or boats stated sinking at an abnormal rate- would newspeople ask questions?

If a serial murderer was on the loose-would newspeople ask questions?

Would any investigation take place?

More here: Questioning Failed Programs – Heroin, Homeland Security & The Press

 

Find us on facebook:

Meanwhile, Heroin-Trafficking Cartels Move Product into Washington State

Newspeople will not question the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles?

 

 

 

Photo- Ebey’s Landing

 

dsc_0020_002 In the news: 44 pounds of meth seized in South Sound bust

Wonder what was happening at border crossing inspections during the almost 3 years these folks were under investigation. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?

“Starting in February 2014, a DEA agent began investigating a drug ring that was sending large shipments of methamphetamine from Mexico via Arizona and California to Western Washington.”

Love to see newspeople ask:

If 44 pounds of meth was seized in South Sound this week- how much meth did these folks move into the Puget Sound area since February 2014?

Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?

Did the meth traffickers get fast track screening at the border so as not to disrupt this ongoing investigation?

If the meth 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 that 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 almost 3 years. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.

I know, I know- It takes time to build a case against the really big drug traffickers.

This time next year- will there be any shortage of meth from Mexico? Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?

 

Heroin traffickers moved product past the US Dept. of Homeland Security and into Delaware during this “years-long” investigation:

Police: Years-Long Investigation Leads To Large Scale Heroin Bust In Delaware

 

Good news- June 25th, 2015

Year-long investigation shuts down growing heroin empire on Treasure Coast

Mission Accomplished!

Bad news- July 14th, 2015

11 heroin overdoses reported in Brevard, 1 fatal

December 13, 2016

Investigation: Heroin deaths increase on Treasure Coast

But wait- the press told us the growing heroin empire on the Treasure Coast was shut down back in June of 2015?

 

Seattle media:

Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US:

Heroin busts could finance police construction in Snohomish

 

More here:

Questioning Failed Programs – Heroin, Homeland Security & The Press

 

Find us on facebook:

Meanwhile, Heroin-Trafficking Cartels Move Product into Washington State

Newspeople will not question the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles?

 

 

 

Photo- Port Hadlock Transit Center

 

 

 

dsc_0022-copy The US spends about $41.2 billion each year on the US Dept. of Homeland Security.

If the State Patrol was awarded many additional millions of dollars each year to go after drunk drivers- & the problem got worse- would newspeople ask questions?

Would any investigation take place?

Recovery, rehab, treatment, & addiction are important parts of this story.

What part of the story is missing?

Has anyone ever seen the press question the US Dept. of Homeland Security/CBP on their role in keeping heroin away from the Puget Sound area?

 

Puget Sound Heroin-

The heroin problem has grown since 911.

911 was the big turning point- in the aftermath, troops were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, the US Dept. of Homeland Security was created and the requirement for passports/enhanced & Real IDs was put in place. Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

All this to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things, or to attempt another 911.

Why require special IDs to go have lunch in Canada- then return home- while heroin-trafficking cartels are able to move product into the Seattle area?

 

US Department of Homeland Security-

“…a department with more than 20 different agencies, a budget of more than $45 billion and a staff of hundreds of thousands of civilian, law enforcement and military personnel.”

Americans are constantly praising & thanking The Troops for keeping us safe.

Still trying to figure out how sending US troops to Iraq & Afghanistan was meant to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.

No word on how heroin trafficking cartels continue to move product past strict post-911 security protocols & the US Dept. of Homeland Security at border crossings and ports of entry.

Heroin deaths surpass gun homicides for the first time, CDC data shows

Meth from Mexico blamed for 4 recent Missoula-area high-speed chases

Welcome Home Troops

 

Clallam County, WA

News tip/story idea

US Border Patrol, Port Angeles, WA-

A new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility, secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community & a Border Patrol whistleblower investigation Re: fraudulent overtime that resulted in further suppression of information- keep the focus on asking questions in these areas.

No cross-border USBP arrest has happened here in more than 6 years.

News links here: News tip/story idea

 

Massing US Border Patrol agents at the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca fails to keep heroin out of Port Angeles.

 

Question for newspeople:

What role do 1,200-horsepower Border Patrol Interceptor boats play in keeping heroin away from the Puget Sound area?

2011-

“… their main interaction with the boating public: Boarding boats and checking for ID, getting a “vibe,” as Jeff P. called it, for what’s up.”

2013-

Heroin epidemic gripping Port Angeles

2015-

Port Angeles residents fed up with heroin problem

 

Newspeople,

Why did the Blaine Sector Weekly US Border Patrol blotter go extinct?

Has the Port Angeles Border Patrol been able to intercept any inbound heroin?

When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest of any kind?

Any arrests connected to the US/Canada border?

Any arrests connected to a Homeland Security mission?

Are fraudulent overtime claims still the norm at Port Angeles?

Border Patrol whistleblower pays price for refusing overtime pay

 

More here:

Welcome Home Troops – We’ll try harder next time

Welcome Home Troops – A Land of Make Believe Success Awaits

Border Patrol/DHS Irrelevant in Seattle Heroin Reporting?

 

Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US:

Heroin busts could finance police construction in Snohomish

 

Whidbey Heroin-

Whidbey Heroin Boondoggle – Zero questions from the press

More Puget Sound Meth & Heroin – Zero questions from the press

Puget Sound Meth-

Meth – We had to destroy the village in order to save it

 

Find us on facebook:

Meanwhile, Heroin-Trafficking Cartels Move Product into Washington State

Newspeople will not question the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles?

Our free and independent press has stopped asking questions.

 

 

 

Photo- Bowman Bay