Question:

So the reason the US didn’t pay the ransom to free the reporter, James Foley, is because it is illegal to deal with terrorists or to provide them with any material aid.

Ok. I got that.

So then how was the prisoner swap for the deserter Bowie Berghdal for AlQueda military commanders not a violation of this law?

FCC

Anyone have any contacts with them?

I have an issue woth (I think) a Ham screwing with my broadcast TV. But I can’t find anything about that part of the FCC’s job on their website.

Trying to find somewhere to report via their website is apparently beyond me. 

Calling the contact number  isn’t terribly productive….Their phone tree is….irritating.

Anyone know anyone in the FCC who might be able to tell me how to find the people who deal with this sort of thing?

Closest major city office would likely be Chicago or Indy. I’m in NW Indiana.

Any help appreciated.

No blog for you

The free ice cream machine is temporarily unplugged while I and MC go help a friend move a storm downed tree from his yard and home.

maybe more soon…maybe not for a while.

The folks on the sidebar
 <<<<<
usually are more interesting anyway.

And strangely, no one is rioting over this one

Black cops shoots white man and kills him.

Now, this dude who got his insides aired out wasn’t, by any means, a nice man.

But then again, by his actions, neither was the yoot in St Louis.

Either way, I don’t remember hearing about the riots by white people in Salt Lake City….no crowds of white people terrorizing the neighborhood, no riots, no vandalism, no looting, no burnt businesses.

Odd that, innit?

You really should read this article:

posted by Murphy in comments, it is a self serving commentary by a police officer:

Highlights:

Even though it might sound harsh and impolitic, here is the bottom line: if you don’t want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you. Don’t argue with me, don’t call me names, don’t tell me that I can’t stop you, don’t say I’m a racist pig, don’t threaten that you’ll sue me and take away my badge. Don’t scream at me that you pay my salary, and don’t even think of aggressively walking towards me.

In other words, you have no rights, can’t ask questions, and have to be subservient to me for my safety and convenience, no matter what.

Followed by:

” And you don’t have to submit to an illegal stop or search. You can
refuse consent to search your car or home if there’s no warrant (though a
pat-down is still allowed if there is cause for suspicion). Always ask
the officer whether you are under detention or are free to leave. Unless
the officer has a legal basis to stop and search you, he or she must
let you go.”

But if you follow the second bit of advice, the first paragraph says you might get “shot, tazed, pepper sprayed”, etc., even though the officer has no reason to stop you.

The attitude of this cop is that everyone is subservient to his choices, and his decisions. The fact is that I am a citizen, and have no reason to submit to a police officer unless I am a criminal and am being charged with a crime. Now, I generally am polite to officers, if they are polite to me. I have found that it (generally) makes for a better experience. But f they begin pushing me around, they get pushed back….both figuratively and literally. Just because a police officer stops you does not give him the right to handcuff you “for his safety” or his convenience, nor do you have any reason to follow his orders. This is not to excuse being rude or an asshole either….on either side.

Any officer who feels that I should submit just because he feels it necessary to detain me for his convenience or safety without reasonable cause should not have police powers.The police need to remember that the majority of the people they encounter are citizens, not criminals,and that the police are not rulers over serfs. Most of us in the US aren’t lowlifes, drug users, drunks, petty criminals or
murderers. And, while I realize that when cops first meet us, they don’t know, they can be decent while being cautious….and most cops, while having an attitude, aren’t jerks or assholes. Any cop who professes an attitude like Officer Dutta should not be a cop.

And until the police departments purge themselves of bad, corrupt, racist, ignorant and psychologically unfit officers rather than making excuses and/or hiding their actions, (as happens so often when cops hide issues behind the “Blue Line”) and we as citizens can expect fair and decent and professional treatment from every officer nearly every time (not true today) then no police officer can reasonably expect unquestioning cooperation.

I have had outstanding encounters with police, where I was treated well and professionally. Sadly, however, these are a rarity. I have had others that were not so good or professional.  I take the time for both the good and the bad to inform their superiors about them.