Unless the City Council does something other than rubber-stamp the Mayor's nominee, former FBI agent Jody Weis will soon be the next police superintendent. As an observer and commentator and self-important blogger, I'd like to offer him the following advice: Your initial top priority should be to eliminate corrupt cops. Indict them, fire them, or convince them … [Read more...] about Some Advice for the New Top Cop
Meet the Lima SWAT Team
The town of Lima, Ohio (population 40,000) has a 14-member SWAT team. According to their web site, the SWAT team deploys about once a week. Check out these badasses: That picture is from their web site. Here's another one from their web site: Now that you've seen how these macho bastards portray themselves, would you be surprised to learn that on Saturday they … [Read more...] about Meet the Lima SWAT Team
The Wire
One of my favorite television shows comes back today to start its final season. It's The Wire, created by David Simon and Ed Burns. Set in Baltimore, the series is one of the most realistic police dramas ever created, with a plot that weaves complications through many layers of characters and institutions. Consider the fate of Sergeant Thomas "Herc" … [Read more...] about The Wire
Spit on the RIAA?
I don't read John Dvorak's PC magazine column very often, and when I do, I usually disagree with him. In his latest column, Dvorak bashes the RIAA for its lawsuits against people who rip MP3 files from CDs even though they own the CDs. He finds this practice reprehensible, and he implies that when we see RIAA executives in public we should spit on them. … [Read more...] about Spit on the RIAA?
The Great Abortion Zoning Fight
I don't usually cover the abortion issue here, but I've been loosely following the Illinois Review's coverage of the Planned Parenthood fight in Aurora, and it's taken a really weird direction. As I understand it, a front company called Gemini Office Development built a medical building in Aurora, putting it through the whole city approval process without ever … [Read more...] about The Great Abortion Zoning Fight