Our Digital World

I love this series of videos.  Frank is a traffic cop out of Pinal County, AZ.  In the first couple of interactions, he talks about our digital world, and the fact that we can store critical ID paperwork on our digital devices.  And, the confusion it creates in law enforcement.

This technology was becoming more commonplace when I retired in 2019 and it drove me crazy.  At the time, Louisiana Law required printed copies of your vehicle registration and insurance certificate.  And, of course, a physical drivers license. In your hand, to present to the cop at a traffic stop.

I understand that it is very convenient to have your ID on your phone, but what if your girlfriend is driving the car?  Does she have proof of insurance?

There are broader, 4th Amendment concerns.  Is it wise to hand your device to a cop?  When you hand your devise to a cop, I could argue that you have given him permission to look in the device.  Is that a good idea?

There a re lots of questions about our digital world, and some of them are best answered by having paper copies of license, registration, and insurance.  I'm just saying.

Celebration

A minor celebration to be sure, but one that i important to the people of the Deep South.  Today marks the day when the first vine-ripened tomatoes come off the vines that we plant each year.  Ours are a little late this year, normally coming earlier in June, but we are just as excited to see them.  There is nothing like the taste of a vine-ripened tomato, one that has traveled less than fifty feet from the vine to the table.

As is our habit, closer to lunch, I will fry some nice thick-sliced bacon.  These tomatoes are destined for bacon sandwiches.

I've Been THinking

 I've been thinking, and drinking whiskey, and those two things lead to some interesting conclusions.

This whole migrant thing is distressing, and before we can deport all the illegals (and there is huge support for that), we have to stanch the flow coming north..  Once the administration changes in January, the President should tell whoever is running Mexico to stop the flow, or we will.  Give then a reasonable period, like 14 days, then start making leaflet drops along the Rio Grande. Tell the residents there to head south and do not cooperate with the cartels.  We're only targeting the cartels.

The idea is to use the Israeli model, and I note that the 1st Cav and the 3rd ACR are twiddling their thumbs at Fort Cavasos.  It's just a road march down to Eagle Pass.  We can't use then against Americans, but we can use them against foreign nationals.  Ask the Afghans about that.  Or, the Iraqis.

Of course, if the Mexican government wants to clean up their act, so much the better.  If they don't, well, the 1sr Armored Division is at Fort Bliss, and maybe they would like to play.

The plan is a little rough, and could use some fleshing-out.  The Army has some assets that I probably didn't use when I was playing 30 years ago, so they might have better ideas, but planning operations was one of my fortes, back in the day.

Juneteenth

 I went to the bank this morning to discover it closed, only to remember that it is June 19th, a holiday of national independence, wherein slavery was abolished in the united States.

The Emancipation Proclamation was published on January 1, 1863.  The 13th Amendment was passed in Congress on January 3, 1865 and ratified in the states on December 6, 1865.

So, where does June 19th come in?  As history records, Union Major General George Granger, on June 19, 1865, ordered that the Emancipation Proclamation be enforced in Texas.

And now you know. Juneteenth was originally a Texas holiday.  I'm just saying.

Let Freedom Ring.

Day 18

 It is June 18, barely starting the hurricane season, and we already have one participant.  Potential Tropical Cyclone One, churning in the Gulf of Mexico.

That cone does not tell the tale. This storm is huge.  The rain we got yesterday in central Louisiana is directly attributable to this system.  The weather weenies are talking about rainfall concerns over a wide area,  including flooding concerns in Houston and Galveston.  This storm is a big mamma-jamma.

Three Felonies A Day

 Back in 2011, Howard  Silverglate published a book that details how, in our current regulatory climate, the average man commits three felonies per day.  It's an interesting work, and details how easy it is for the Feds to find a crime once they have found a person to target.

Now, Fox News is reporting that "experts" say that the Trump trial in Manhattan set a dangerous precedent for future prosecutors who may want to jail ex-Presidents.

No kidding.  When prosecutors pick a target and go looking for a crime, our justice system is in real trouble.

Tipping

Let's talk about tipping for a moment.  For those unaware, in the US tipping is the social norm where a customer gives a server a small gratuity in appreciation of service. Generally, about 20% of the bill. 

It is customary to tip, and some people depend on tips to make ends meet.  I get that, and I generally play along.  However, what pisses me off is when an establishment decides that tipping is an entitlement.  And don't get me started on the little theater where they hand you a tablet and then turn around so that you can add the tip without then seeing.  

Some establishment are real sketchy about how they handle tips.  Especially if you put them on the tablet where the management gets to decide who gets what.  That is sketchy as hell.

President Trump has floated a campaign promise to make tips non-taxable, and I applaud the initiative. Tips should not be taxable.  So, what I have started doing is paying tips in cash.  Let the server decide what to do with it.  If he or she wishes to share it, that's fine.  If he or she decides to pocket it and keep her mouth shut, that's okay too.

This requires a little pre-planning.  You need to keep a little cash on hand.  But, I generally applaud the idea that tips are not taxable.  It's even harder for the restaurant or government to track if the tips are in cash.  Let Freedom Ring.

Smash Taters

No, not mashed potatoes, smash taters  These came about in Cajun country after a big crawfish boil. When you have leftover red potatoes and need to use them.  At a crawfish boil, those little red potatoes get boiled in the crab boil and seasonings, and pick up a unique flavor. 

SMASH TATERS

In a pot, boil your red potatoes in heavily flavored water, using some sort of crab boil or seasoning.  Take them out of the water and cool them on a cookie sheet.  Then, take a drinking glass or coffee cup and smash them.  Get creative.  Top with smoked paprika, garlic powder, parmesan cheese,  whatever your heart desires and your taste buds crave.  Then run them into a 375 oven for about a half hour.

Serve as a side dish with fried fish, or fried chicken, or whatever your main protein is for the meal.

Belle said that today, I kind of "stubbed my toe" on the seasoning, which means they were a little hot, but I didn't notice her culling them.

Cats

 We're talking here about the back yard, garden variety meow cat.  We had a little calico show up on the back portch last spring, and because all calico cats are female, Belle kept saying that she wanted to take her to the vets and get her neutered.  Well, one thing led to another and we didn't get that done and eight weeks ago she surprised us with a litter of kittens.  Four of them.  Cute little buggers, but we got them weaned, and they're doing fine, 

Last night, Belle got out the little animal carrier and had me catch her for a trip to the vet today.  I caught her last night at about dusk, and put her in the cage.  She is outraged.  But, we told her that the vet had told us that she could not have any food nor water for 8 hours before surgery, and that she was getting her tonsils removed.

We took her howling to the vet this morning, and if everything goes right, we'll pick her up this afternoon.

I like having a cat in the yard.  It keeps the mice nervous.

What's Next?

 After the intriguing verdict yesterday, we're left with some questions.  What next?  Well, sentencing will be in about 120 days, and I don't look for Hunter to go to jail.  He's a first offender and this was a non-violent crime. No one got hurt.

What we did learn is that the "laptop from hell" is a real thing.  The FBI has it and it was entered into evidence We also know that Hunter has another trial on the calendar, this one dealing with tax charges. That is supposed to start in September, square in the middle of the election season, and these tax charges may fall closer to Joe than any campaign would like. I look for Hunter to try and cop a plea, which only makes sense.  The FBI has the laptop and tax cases tend to grow tentacles.

This may get very interesting indeed.

Hunter Biden Guilty

 News reports from all over are saying that Hunter Biden has been found guilty by  Delaware jury on all counts.  He was charged with three counts relating to purchasing a frearm while addicted to and using cocaine.  The maximum sentence is 25 years.

The next big question is: will his dad pardon him?

We have to divide this question into two scenarios.  Pre-and-post election.   There is no way in hell Joe Biden pardons him prior to the election.  However, once Joe is beaten and the Secret Service is packing his stuff for a move back to Delaware, it would not surprise me if Joe pardons his boy on the way out the door.

But, everyone is reporting that Hunter was found guilty by a jury.  Well done.

Ditches

I got down in the ditches this morning for the first time this  mowing season.  Finally, the rains have slacked off enough that I was blowing more dust than mud and the yard is mowed from the blacktop road to the front door. 

My front yard is a mix of weeds and bahia grass.  I spent the formative years of my adult life with cows and pastures, so having an immaculate front lawn has never been on my list of goals.  Grass is something to mow, not fret over.  It stops erosion and if livestock isn't eating it, it's more off a liability than an asset.

I have neighbors on either side of me who think that having a manicured lawn is a goal, and I suppose that I make them look good by comparison.

When we move into the place in November 2004, the realtor gave me a sheet of paper that said we had a Homeowners Association.  I put the word out that I would tolerate no foolishness.  I don't know if the HOA is still active, but I've never ben bothered.

But, the ditches are mowed and that is a good thing.  Belle tells me that she is trying out a new recope for lunch, so I'll sit patiently in the expectation that something wonderful is about to happen.

Deliberations

 From what I'm hearing (and I have absolutely no inside scoop) it appears that the jury will soon get the case on the Hunter Biden trial.

Probably the most interesting thing to come out of the trial was the infamous laptop, which was entered into evidence with the FBI testimony that the laptop indeed belonged to Hunter.  This puts the lie to the whole "Russian disinformation" tale and makes those 31 intelligence experts to look like the political hacks that we all know they are.  Every one of those fools needs their security clearances revoked, and a grand jury empaneled to see if they have violated one or more federal laws.

Of secondary interest is what the jury might find.  I feel that Hunter's guilt has been established, but I have long been a fan of nullification.  The jury should try both the facts and the law.  Either way, it is going to be interesting.

Rodeo

The church hosted a youth rodeo last night, and I was in the cook shack, managing a griddle and a two-basket propane deep fryer.  Mainly on that fryer.

You never know what a rodeo crowd is going to want to eat.  Sometimes it's hot dogs, sometimes it's burgers, sometimes they aren't interested in french fries.  Last night it was all about the fries.  Oh, I cooked 100 burgers, but the fryer was running hot from 6:00 till 10:00. Only because we quit cooking at 10:00.

Running a concession stand is work.  I've never been in the restaurant business, but I love to cook, so I don't mind helping out.  It was interesting to push the limits of that fryer last night.  It deserves further study.

Felon

 Now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, it appears that the NYPD is going to revoke his concealed carry license. I screen-capped this from the Gutfeld! show.

Wow!  I get it, but it begs the question:  Would you rather have a President who is competent to stand trial, or a President who most folks believe is incompetent to stand trial?  It's an interesting question.

While I am a staunch 2A advocate, I do note that Trump has Secret Service protection, and is a resident of Florida. He may simply be ineligible for a NY permit.  It's an interesting question.

Horse Soldier

My son sent this to me, and I think it's a catchy little tune.

This Day in History

 I am reminded that 80 years ago today, the western Allies launched Operation Overlord and hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen launched the largest amphibious assault in history to wrest Europe from the grip of the Nazis.

It is stunning to realize that the 18-year-old private who waded from the surf and was lucky enough to make it to seawall would be 98-years-old today.

I am in awe of such men.

Oh, My!

 Did y'all see this?  A truck had a meat spill on a California highway and the traffic never let up.

Oh, that is enough to knock a buzzard off a gut wagon.  Enough to gag a maggot.  Enough to give a coyote the dry heaves.

A Few Thoughts

 Interestingly, in this year of political trials, we see the tragic clown, Hunter Bidden on trial in a Delaware court for the offense of lying on a Form 4473 to purchase a firearm while an addict. This is patently against the law. It should be a slam-dunk for the prosecution.

One of the first pieces entered into evidence was a laptop computer, the infamous "laptop from hell" that Huter left in a computer shop.  We've all heard the story. This is the same laptop that Biden apologists said was a fake, the same laptop that 51 intelligence experts claimed had all the earmarks of Russian disinformation, and the same laptop that the FBI claimed they could not find.  Yet, an FBI agent sat on the witness stand and declared that this particular laptop did in fact belong to Hunter Biden and is strong evidence that Hunter was an addict during the time in question.

This is a very interesting turn.  Were I the defense attorney, I would spend some time plumbing the "chain of custody" on this computer.  This would be a very interesting line of questioning, and might prove useful at other trials.

Next, we turn to the jury.  A collection of Delaware residents who live in a town where Biden is the favorite son.  Some wags are already pointing out the fact that jury nullification is a real thing.  That a jury can look at all the evidence and simply decide that the law is unreasonable on its face and refuse to convict.  As a strong advocate of the 2nd Amendment, some might say an absolutist, I believe that filling out a Form 4473 is an infringement. A minor infringement, but an infringement, nonetheless. So, I admit that I am conflicted on this point.

Regardless, this is an interesting case. A laptop that the FBI could not find for several years is now being used as evidence for a crime that may infringe on a basic constitutional right. The defendant is a huge sleazebag, an entitled son of a corrupt politician.  I hold no sympathy for Huter Biden.  I believe that he is a huge dirtbag who deserves the scorn of polite society.  He is guilty in my eyes, yet it would not bother me if the jury nullified.  Either way, it is a win.

The Border

 We are given to understand that President Joe is going to sign an executive order today that will fix the border problem.  He's pissed off at Republicans for not giving him a legislative solution that the really doesn't need.

All he really need do is to inform DHS to start enforcing current law.  Start locking up illegals and generally put out the message that the joyride is over.  No amnesty, no asylum, and no staying here illegally.  Just go home, wherever that might be.  Put enough pressure on illegals that they flow south across the border just like they came north.

But, he won't do that.  It will be left to the next president to clean up the mess.

Today in History

 I am reminded that 82 years ago today, Chester Nimitz fulfilled Isoroku Yamamoto's prediction that Japan could run wild for six months, but after that had no expectation of success.

There are several reasons why Nimitz won this match, not the least of which is the fact that we had broken the Japanese naval codes.

Rye Whiskey

 Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, rye whiskey I cry.  If I don't get rye whiskey I surely will die.  That's the refrain of an old hilbilly song, and I believe that everyone needs a little rye whiskey in their liquor cabinet.

Today, at the liquor store, I picked up a bottle.  Bulleit 95 Rye, which I think is the quintessential rye whiskey on the market today.

This is quintessential rye whiskey, not because I think that Bulleit makes good whiskey.  I'm not convinced that Bulleit makes any whiskey, but they sure do bottle good whiskey. The juice in the bottle is distilled by Midwest Grain Products (MGP), which is a huge distiller and makes whiskey for a number of brands, both large and small. This whiskey is 95%rye and 5% msled barley.  It has no age statement and is bottled at 90 proof.

Locally, this bottle runs ~$26.00.  A great value.