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War Is A Racket

Major General Smedley Butler, a name most have undoubtedly have never heard of. Which is a very interesting fact considering the following information about him.

Awarded two congressional medals of honor:
1.capture of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1914
2.capture of Ft. Riviere, Haiti,
1917 Distinguished service medal,
1919 Major General – United States Marine Corps Retired Oct. 1, 1931 On leave of absence to act as director of Dept. of Safety, Philadelphia,
1932 Lecturer — 1930’s Republican Candidate for
Senate, 1932 Died at Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, June 21, 1940

It strikes me as odd that this is not a more celebrated man considering the many accomplishments under this patriots belt.

It is seriously about time someone laid it out plain and simple like that. Even better it comes from a man that no one could refute.

Just wait for the update……It may surprise the hell out of you. I am talking a Coup people. A plot to over throw our Government!

 

More to come……

 

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▶ The Tragic Death of a Man Named Kelly Thomas

Kelly Thomas

Kelly Thomas

I really did not want to rush this story but, if I don’t put some info up now it may never get done. So here it goes. Kelly Thomas was a man that did not have much in life when measured against the yard stick that is Fullerton. He was homeless, schizophrenic, and jobless.

He had been a staple in the community of Fullerton. The community did not feel threatened by him despite his many run ins with the FPD. On July 5, 2011, at about 8:30 PM, officers of the Fullerton Police Department responded to a call from the management of the Slidebar. The call was in regards to a person allegedly checking car doors in the parking lot. The responding officers were Officer Ramos and Officer Wolfe. The approach taken by these 2 so called police officers is nothing short of appalling and completely unacceptable. It used to be that the police operated with respect toward the community, regardless of social condition. In fact it was the destitute and weak that needed and would receive the attention and services of the local police.

Please watch the video below. I must let you know that this is an extremely graphic and horrific situation that I personally have been unable to watch. I heard the audio played and I could not hold back the tears. This event has struck a chord within me and I can no longer remain a spectator in this life. Spreading the word about this event is the bare minimum I can possibly do.

This event took place over 2 years ago and still half the police in the video are still roaming the streets charged with the protection of the people. I really cannot see how the people of Fullerton can actually condone this. If the police happened to be citizens and not officers I do not think anyone would be back on the street or going to work. They would all be locked up in addition because they did not stop the crime.

Remember the police are servants of the people and they should never be allowed to think any different. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fs4iZtvYZg

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Good Samaritan

Good Samaritan —noun 1. a person who gratuitously gives help or sympathy to those in distress. Luke 10:30–37. Good Samaritan law —noun 1. a law that exempts from legal liability persons, sometimes only physicians , who give reasonable aid to strangers in grave physical distress. A few days ago I was watching the news with my sister. There was a story that had aired regard in a couple of men beating a man who either could not or would not protect himself. This beating did take a while and the whole time there was a young able-bodied man who was filming the event. At no time did this man attempt to stop the attack which included being hit with chairs or whatever was in reach. The man taking the beating did not throw a single punch back and at this time it is unknown if the attackers have been incarcerated. So, my question here is what happened to the good Samaritan? The type of person that would intervene on behalf of humanity is becoming extinct! Well, at least here in the urban parts of America. The man filming this attack did not make a single attempt at helping the victim. Not a word escaped his lips about him filming the evidence to turn over to the police. Instead he continued to film, keeping silent the entire time. I do understand that there is an argument about intervention. After all one could end up hurt if you were to get in the middle of such a conflict. Additionally a case could be made for the filming of the crime, so long as the tape was turned over as evidence. Although both those situations allow for the possibility that the beating will continue. This scenario is still unacceptable as the beating continues and a person’s life is still in the balance. There is a social responsibility which is incumbent upon all of us. Too often we either ignore them or claim ignorance of our own conscience. People, you are powerful! Not just collectively but as individuals as well! Here is a little personal reflection on my own actions preventing a beating. It was a few years back and some friends and I went to Santa Barbara to let off some steam and party with the college crowd. We went on down to Isla Vista where all the parties were taking place. I was sitting down on a couple of cases of beer crowd watching in a parking lot. I was burning some time with a friend waiting on some other friends. Looking out into the crowd I spotted some guys giving someone some trouble. They were at the other end of the parking lot and I could tell this guy was in trouble. He was by himself and had about 3-4 guys giving him some shit. Then I noticed one guy pick up a beer bottle and start walking towards the guy in peril. I knew at that moment I had to take action. I jumped to my feet and told my friend to stay with the beer as I had to go stop the situation. He too saw this taking place as I pointed it out as it took place. My friend grabbed me and told me I shouldn’t get involved. He said I could get hurt, I asked if he had ever seen a person get a bottle to the head? He said no, I pulled away and went to help out. OK, here is where a person needs strategy. I didn’t go to the guy with the bottle….that wouldn’t be too smart. Instead I took advantage of the fact no one knew me and I went straight towards the guy about to get hit. Grabbing him by the collar I yelled at him…”I thought I told you to get the f–k outta here!”. The look on his face was pure confusion. When I grabbed him I paid special attention to keeping my eyes on the assailant. I then grabbed the guy again and pulled him close,…I told him that he was about to get hit with a bottle and be needed to walk away when I pushed. I then pushed him and he did exactly what I asked. I then turned and looked right at the guy with the bottle and said to him…”what the fu– is wrong with that guy?”. At that moment the entire situation was resolved and no one received a beat down. My point? It is possible to make that difference! It’s also worth the risk as it is entirely possible that one day you will be a victim. Wouldn’t you like a few good Samaritans around?

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Trial Begins For 2 Fullerton Police Officers

Defense Attorney Claims Kelly Thomas Had Violent Past!

Ramos< Cincinelli, and Kelly Thomas

The trial in the beating death of Kelly Thomas has finally started. After more than 2 years opening statements have been made. Former police officer Manuel Ramos is charged with 2nd degree murder and Jay Cicinelli has been charged with involuntary man slaughter and use of excessive force..

Ramos, Cincinelli

Opening statements were made by Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas  who led with pictures of the scene. He did say that Kelly Thomas  posed no threat to the officers as they questioned him. Rackauckas did assert that Ramos was the instigator in the tragedy as he snapped on his gloves clenched his fist and said “Now you see my fists? They are  getting ready to Fuck you up.” Rackauckas continued with pictures of the bloodied crime scene as well as pictures of the stun gun that was used by Cicinelli as a blunt weapon. The stun gun had dried blood at the butt end. In his own words Cicinelli said that he “smashed his face to hell.” As the D.A. spoke one of the female jurors was seen wiping tears from her eyes as she viewed the pictures.

Kelly Thomas in the hospital.

The defense for Ramos contends that Thomas did not have any mental illness but had made poor life decisions which involved drug use. It was the heavy use of drugs that gave Thomas “mental problems”. Quotes are mine… Also, the defense would like us to believe that Kelly Thomas had a violent past that the police had some knowledge of. This somehow justifies  the death of Thomas or so they would have us believe.

OK, so here is my two cents on the situation. We have Kelly Thomas sitting on the curb and he isn’t exactly mister follow directions to a tee. Couldn’t be the first time these officers dealt with a people son like this. In fact let me be clear on this, there is nothing that says we have to do every single thing an officer asks of us. In fact most people haven’t the slightest idea that a police officer can outright lie to us. They are under no obligation to be truthful to us. There is no penalty if a police officer does lie to you. So why shouldn’t we challenge them a wee bit. They work for us and they need to know this without fail!

This type of behaviour is abhorrent and should no longer be tolerated by any agency of our government. Any agent of the government should be promptly punished without any special treatment .

So that was day number 1.

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Allegedly-Kelly Thomas Died!

allegedly adverb by allegation

Synonyms: as stated, assertedly, avowedly, professedly, purportedly, supposedly

apparently

adverb seemingly

Synonyms: allegedly, as if, as though, at a glance, at first sight, in all likelihood, intuitively, it appears that, it seems that, most likely, on the face of it, ostensibly, outwardly, plausibly, possibly, probably, professedly, reasonably, reputably, speciously, superficially, supposedly, tangibly, to all appearances

Antonyms: dubiously, equivocally, improbably, questionably, uncertain, unlikely

so-called adjective supposed

Synonyms: alleged, allegedly, commonly named, formal, itular, nominal, ostensible, pretended, professed, purported, self-named, self-styled, soi-disant, wrongly named

supposedly

adverb seemingly

Synonyms: allegedly, apparently, believably, probably, purportedly, supposably

ostensively

adverb apparently

Synonyms: allegedly, as if, as though, at a glance, at first sight, evidently, externally, in all likelihood, intuitively, it appears that, it seems that, most likely, on the face of it, ostensibly, outwardly, plausibly, possibly, probably, professedly, reasonably, reputably, seemingly, speciously, superficially, supposedly, tangibly, to all appearances.

Then there is video evidence.

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Kelly Thomas The Jury Has Been Selected

Well,  a jury has finally been picked for the trial of Ramon Ramos and Jay Cicinelli, 2 of the 3 out of 6 of the police charged with the beating death of Kelly Thomas.

Eight women and four men has been chosen to figure out the fates of these alleged peace officers. I really hope that the punishment is swift and harsh for these 2 lost causes.  I can hardly imagine these 2 were upstanding officers as even the police laugh at those that get caught and claim its the first time.

Ramos is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Thomas. His partner Jay Cicenelli is charged with involuntary man slaughter. Cicenelli used his stun gun to not only jolt Thomas but also  as a blunt weapon as he repeatedly drives the butt end into Thomas’ face.

A third officer, Joseph Wolfe, faces involuntary manslaughter charges and will be tried separately. The other 3 officers that were there have no charges against them and presumably still walk the streets protecting all the helpless people.

The defense for Ramos and Cincenelli contends that Thomas brought the beating on himself by not complying with a lawful order! I wonder what this lawful order is?  Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, who will be the trial prosecutor, contends Ramos provoked the assault by snapping on latex gloves and telling Thomas, “Now see my fists? They are getting ready to fuck you up.” Just a crazy guess but, I couldn’t imagine this to be the lawful order? Remember this beating was a 30 minute assault between a homeless man and 2 then 3 and then 6 police officers.

A grainy black-and-white video, which shows a shirtless Thomas being repeatedly struck by police and eventually calling out for help, will likely be the centerpiece of the prosecution’s evidence.

“The partial video of the event doesn’t capture everything, there’s lots of gaps that need to be filled,” Superior Court Judge William R. Froeberg cautioned jurors

One question I have is in relation to a statement that was made by  District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. Which is that even if it is a police officer that is beating you there is a point when a person has the right to defend themself. That’s a really great thing to hear. The problem the citizen faces is when is that supposed to happen?

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Veterans Day With Integrity!

I want to be very clear before I even begin with this post. When it comes down to our troops I am in full support of their safety and I admire the bravery they posses. I would always want them to have all the equipment they require to fulfill and complete the missions they have been charged with. It is in this line that I undertake this post.

Happy-Veterans-Day

When we celebrate our troops we like to use noble terms. We make proclamations asserting they are fighting over there for our freedoms over here,  I cannot parrot such a phrase as I cannot make the connections between a war in Iraq  and our freedom here.  We have already realized the entire war with Iraq was based on lies. We pre-emptively started a war where we or any other country was under threat. There is a litany of supporting evidence on this so I see no need to go into the details.

 For context…..

Here is a little history on why we celebrate…

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Veterans Day Facts

In 1954, President Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, due to the important historical significance of the date.

Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World Wars I and II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November). In Europe, Britain and the Commonwealth countries it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every November 11.

If we indeed intend to honor the veterans we should maintain the integrity of their sacrifices.We should realize that their are many incentives to have/continue/ and maintain wars. Major General Smedley Butler can attest to the true motives of our Government when it comes to the declarations of war. What was Vietnam!? Was it ever declared a war by Congress? So, to mantain that integrity to not send our soldiers to bully other nations….Look into the PNAC.

PNAC

Established in the spring of 1997, the Project for the New American Century is a nonprofit, educational organization whose goal is to promote American global leadership. The Project is an initiative of the New Citizenship Project.  William Kristol is chairman of the Project, and Robert Kagan, Devon Gaffney Cross, Bruce P. Jackson and John R. Bolton serve as directors.  Gary Schmitt is executive director of the Project. “As the 20th century draws to a close, the United States stands as the world’s most preeminent power.  Having led the West to victory in the Cold War, America faces an opportunity and a challenge:  Does the United States have the vision to build upon the achievement of past decades?  Does the United States have the resolve to shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests? “[What we require is] a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States’ global responsibilities. “Of course, the United States must be prudent in how it exercises its power.  But we cannot safely avoid the responsibilities of global leadership of the costs that are associated with its exercise.  America has a vital role in maintaining peace and security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.  If we shirk our responsibilities, we invite challenges to our fundamental interests.  The history of the 20th century should have taught us that it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire.  The history of the past century should have taught us to embrace the cause of American leadership.”– From the Project’s founding Statement of Principles.

 Its up to us to make this happen people! Thank you to all the Veterans that join and serve in service of our country!

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Oldboy, An Instant Cult Classic Gets Remade.

A man has been held captive for 15yrs. He is released with a cell phone, suit, and cash. His only impetus is vengeance.

When I first watched this movie I had never heard anything about it. A girl I was seeing at the time had rented it and we watched it. Once the movie started it wasn’t long before it had my complete attention. The premise of the movie was a welcome change from the Hollywood norm. The story is told very well ad seen through the eyes of the main character Dae

You can feel the sorrow this man has and fully understand the violent response. One of the biggest twists of the movie is saved for nearly the end. It goes to show how evil mankind is. I can’t see how the ending of the original would be viewable by most of the American audience, it cuts a bit to close the values held so dear. – sarcastica- I can hear the gasps of the MPAA board as they question the publics ability to comprehend.

Violence!!!

Yes, and its everywhere.

Oldboy a Spike Lee joint…

When I first heard about this I went through the 5 stages of grief. At first I was angry that such a thing could happen. This film just can’t be redone, it seriously stands alone and does not need anything else. Not a bigger budget or Hollywood rewrite will come close.

Then I heard it and I could not believe it.

That’s right I was in complete denial. Isn’t this more of Quentin type of movie? Its fucking surprising its a Spike Lee joint. Don’t get me wrong here, Spike Lee has been a pioneer in his craft, but this is way off anything I have seen of his. I really don’t know what to expect from his perspective. The original movie is extreme in its intensity and was a story told with a passion that hardly comes from Hollywood anymore. This however is something Spike Lee is more than capable of achieving. So much has to come together before that can happen.

Then I find out Josh Brolin more @ IMDB is playing lead. My first thought was of The Goonies or more hilariously Les Goonies! (Yes its the title in French.) I wasn’t sure if he could find that congruent darkness and the soulless stares from the original movie.

Again, this movie carries a ton of weight in just the delivery of the story line. The dark grittiness of the cine photography was an incredible addition to the mood. Playing this character is not going to be easy by any stretch. I kept saying to myself that this is a terrible idea! Why can’t they make an original movie anymore? The potential to taint the original with a poor rendition of it is a disappointment waiting to happen.

Yet, there were some very positive indicators that got me interested.
One of which is the reverence in which Brolin discusses the passion of the original. The following little statement turned everything around for me and gave me some respect for the project.

“I love Oldboy and I’m close with Chan-wook Park and I emailed him a couple months ago, just asking for his blessing to do this movie becuase if he had said ‘No,’ I wouldnt have done it. But I really respect his movie and we’ll make a little different movie and this whole idea of a more Hollywood version of it? Whatever. We’re just going to make a different version but have respect to the initial story and premise. I’m looking forward to it, man. I’m talking about it nervously right now because it makes me nervous.”
Full article

Although I am still a little bit skeptical of the final out come I can say without a doubt that the movie is being made out of respect for the original. Given the quality of Brolins past few movies, No Country for Old Men is a great example. This will be a heartfelt rendition of the original.

Best of luck to the cast and crew…,your work is going to be not only tough but heavily scrutinized as well.

http://hulu.com/w/fi3g

🙂

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Meeting People in Los Angeles isn’t Easy


In LA ninety-two percent of the populace should wear this name tag.

I remember a few years back…..well, I was a kid, guess its decades. Anyway, there I was playing in my front yard when a kid walks up and introduces himself.
“Hi, my name is Armando, what’s your name?”
I reply with my name…(still keeping my identity secrete).
“I just moved in across the street. Do you want to be friends?”
My reply was yes. Easy shit right there, when your under the age of ten. Armando and I were good friends for a few years. Much like most friendships I’ve had we grew apart with time. We lost all contact and I wonder every now and then if  he is doing well or not.

Funny thing when you are a kid you don’t have all the hang ups from being fucked over. It seems like no one has any trust left. Now that I am kissing the ass of 40, I don’t see how the hi my name is,wanna be friends thing will work.

This situation seems a bit unique to the Los Angeles area. I’m sure there are places that have similar circumstances but, L.A. does seem to have a monopoly on douches. People in L.A. are so infatuated with all them shiny things that they can show off. If you are ooohing and awwwing then you might get to sit at the table. Also, you better have something to offer….otherwise you will get left behind.

In the long run its all about the image, not substance. Integrity has no meaning in this city. At least not among the thirty-something’s and younger. Something happened to the way we parent our offspring. We became to judgemental of those around us and are to quick to praise that reflection in the mirror.

Its called humility Los Angeles and it means “the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of ones own importance.”

So swallow your pride bitches……

In the long run it would be nice if people didn’t care so much what the other has it would be easier to get along.