Information about Obamacare:

Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 by BZ

Obama’s approval ratings are at 37%.

When 5 million Americans have lost their doctors and their plans, Americans are not amused. That small white letter arrived in numerous households.

Further, another promise from Mr Obama:

Lowering the premiums per family, $2,500 per year. A promise broken again.

Recently, some polling numbers:

– 55% disapprove of the way Mr Obama is handling his job;
– 52% have an unfavorable impression of Mr Obama;
– 57% oppose Obamacare;
– 65% oppose the individual mandate;
– 71% want to delay the Affordable Care Act;

These numbers are from the Washington Post-ABC News poll, November 14th – 17th.

Gallup then weighs in, November 7th to 10th:

“Is the government responsible for healthcare?”

NO = 56%
YES = 42%

Additionally, the New York Post is reporting that the Census Bureau may have fabricated unemployment figures during the last presidential election. As in: purposely pulling those numbers down. If the unemployment numbers were deliberately manipulated for an election, there should be major political consequences, possibly even criminal consequences.

Up to a HUNDRED MILLION insurance policies could be canceled between now and next year. Those covered by employers will be SACRIFICED in 2014. Like ME. The population of the United States is, by the way, 310 million.

That means: a THIRD of Americans will have their healthcare slaughtered.

No repercussions?

The very best of Leftism from Politico: “Politico Reporter: ‘F*ck the Troops”

Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 by BZ

From Breitbart’s BigJournalism.com:

by Stephen K. Bannon

“So, 4000 rubes are dead. Cry me the Tigris. Another 30,000 have been seriously wounded. Boo fucking hoo. They got what they asked for–and cool robotic limbs too.”

Thus begins a virulent anti-American soldier screed titled “Fuck the Troops,” written by Politico Magazine reporter Ian Murphy during the Iraq War. His current offering for Politico, “How I Punked Scott Walker,” appeared yesterday as the number two profiled story in the website’s new magazine. It describes Murphy’s failed attempt to upend the Wisconsin Governor’s historic battle against public service union collective bargaining rights.

Murphy’s May 2008 column appeared as the intense combat of “the surge” was winding down. As Murphy said “…our soldiers are lauded by all as saints. Why? They volunteered to partake in this savage idiocy, and for this they deserve our utmost repsect. I think not… stop sucking off the troops. They get enough action raping female soldiers and sodomizing Iraqi detainees.”

Murphy goes on to question young Americans’ service in defense of their country:

As a society we need to discard our blind deference to military service. There’s nothing admirable about voluteering to murder people… but what kind of world would we rather live in: one where fools are admired for being fooled and murderers are extolled for murdering, or one where we have the capacity to step back and say, “I don’t care who told you to do what and why; you’re still an asshole!”

Perfect! I think that perhaps The Bystander and Politico writer Ian Murphy should get together. They apparently don’t much care for soldiers, and certainly don’t believe that soldiers deserve any more praise than toilet cleaners; perhaps much less.

But — I simply cannot understand that tack.

Goodbye to the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

Posted on Monday, November 18, 2013 by BZ

I write this post in retrospect, realizing that perhaps I should have written it at least two years ago. But, of course, those niggling points like Life tend to get in the way of things you wanted to do and things you actually did.

I make, however, this post in the mirrored reflection of having been a cop for over 40 years and having driven every vehicle known to Copdom, from the 70s to now. And all points in between. Including the CVPI for a number of years in its many iterations.

The Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is dead. Long live the CVPI.

There. I said it.

Because as a cop, and an EVOC instructor, I had a love/hate relationship with the Ford CVPI.

First, please see the video. To me, now, this is a sad time.

A clearly delineated time ends now, the end of an era, the end of a training paradigm, the end of a series of instructors, and an end to a “tool,” if you will, that kept cops safe for years and years and years.

Though it was anemic (via a massive 4.6L V8 engine = to 280 cubic inches), and shallow, and underpowered, it also managed to have absolutely and clearly the worst front seats in the known universe, as well as the worst sound insulation and the loudest and most abrupt transmission. It was the Panther Platform taken to the Nth degree via body-on-frame.

Plus: it only took the CVPI roughly 2,175 years to increase its output from 200 to 250 hp in its final 4.6L form.

What it did have was: interior room, back seat room, and trunk room.

It also had exclusivity. And one other factor that I shall mention later.

For many years, at least in Fornicalia, Dodge and Chrysler ruled the cop car realms. I drove this first:

What CHP purchased, many other agencies purchased as well. So a monitoring of CHP purchases also reflected those of the rest of the state.

I also drove this next: http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/archives/363

I also drove:

Two of my favorite cars were the Pontiac LeMans Enforcer for 1976 and 1977, and the Pontiac Catalina in 1978.

The County of Sacramento Sheriff’s Department 600 and the 700 series Pontiacs were essentially the same, but with different cloth seats and colors. The front seats were very deep and you felt as though you were witnessing Life through a lower portion of the windshield.

The 800s included the Pontiac Catalina, which featured the MDT mounted high and right up in your face. The shotguns were mounted horizontally, directly above your head and attached to the cage. The shotguns in the 1978 Catalinas were mounted to the floor, under your legs.

After that, my department purchased a number of Chevrolet products until the first Crown Victorias emerged. They were large and square and alternated between the 80s and 90s.

The absolute worst vehicle purchased by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department was the Dodge St Regis or, as I enjoyed calling it, the Dodge St Slow-gis. This reprehensible excuse for a cop car was produced on a large body with an anemic 318 engine producing a whopping 155 HP — less horsepower my 2002 Subaru Outback Sport created. Zero-to-60 speeds were roughly an hour.

Here’s an actual story. I was rolling end of watch from District 4 to the North Station and, impatient as I was, floored my 1980 Dodge St Regis as I entered eastbound I-80 traffic. Just prior to my exit at Madison Avenue in the space of three miles, I had achieved the staggering speed of 79 mph. No. I am not kidding. Floored.

Then there were the early Ford Crown Victorias.

People in Patrol hated to have them on the street, because they drank gas like water, but they also, to the giddiment of cops, had great air conditioners.

They also had the world’s worst and twitchiest steering input; no matter. Their air conditioners were great.

A 2003 LASD EVOC vehicle here. Because, whist in charge of my own EVOC course, I took the east and west coast trials seriously.