WB Fire Fighters Thoughts

An answer

2012-01-30T13:01:00.011-05:00

A friend Emailed me about a comment they overheard. Thought I would answer the comment even if it wasn't directed at me.

Dear Mayor:
What do I get paid to do?

I get paid to be here late at night when your Son or Daughter gets hit by a drunk driver and needs to be cut out of their car and taken to the hospital for emergency surgery.

I get paid to be here on Christmas (and every other holiday) when your neighbor’s house catches on fire and they need us to be there within minutes.

I get paid to be here during a blizzard, when nobody else can get to work, and respond to emergency calls.

I get paid to treat a gunshot wound in the middle of the night, even if that person has hepatitis, AIDS, HIV, or bedbugs.

I get paid to be here when it’s 100 degrees outside to help a elderly person having a heart attack who needs immediate emergency medical care.

I get paid to be here in the event that we have a terrorist attack (bombings of doctors offices, clinics, and places of worship are terrorist attacks) to protect the citizens of this city and the men and women working here or just visiting.

I get paid to put up and take down the barriers that hold back flood waters, In the cold driving rain.

I get paid to open a car door when a mother accidentally locks her infant inside.

I get paid to rescue people from the Susquehanna River, no matter what its state is.

I get paid to go on rope rescues where the slightest mistake can end my life.

I get paid to enter a burning building even if it is a Meth lab, abandoned, or a high rise.

But bureaucrats have no clue about what it means to respond to fires and shootings and fumes that might kill you.

Like Marines, firefighters put themselves in harm's way. After the 9/11 attacks, the Public SAW that. Do you remember?

I do more with less, eat cold meals (or don't get to eat), miss important events with my family, and put the lives of people I have never met above mine.

I love my job and only ask that you become familiar with exactly what I do before you make decisions that will affect my chances of survival.

We call ourselves Firefighters. We have earned that right.

What do you get paid to do???
Lie?
Cheat?
Steal?
Lie again?
Blame others?
Risk lives to fund YOUR pet projects?
Ignore Public safety? and again, and again, and again. The Lloyds study is there IN YOUR OFFICE. READ IT.
Ignore needed repairs for YEARS.
Lie AGAIN to get federal money for the demolition of the Sterling
Lie AGAIN to get tax forgiveness for a campaign contributor
And that is just a few thing YOU DO.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

OK this is WRONG

2012-01-25T08:00:00.007-05:00

What is wrong with us?
####
Marine's career threatened by controversial rules of engagement
By: Sara A. Carter | 01/23/12 8:05 PM

Joshua Waddell, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marines, appeared on his way to a stellar career as an American military officer. The son of a retired Navy SEAL commander, Waddell was awarded a Bronze Star during his first tour of duty in Afghanistan and had returned for a second.
Then he made a decision in combat that military experts say has severely jeopardized his future in the corps.

But some military experts say the black mark on Waddell's record was undeserved, that he and other young American officers are being put in a difficult, if not impossible, situation by unreasonable rules of engagement foisted upon the military by politically sensitive commanders in the Pentagon.

The facts in Waddell's case are spelled out in Marine Corps documents. But how those facts should be interpreted is a matter of heated dispute.

On Nov. 1, Waddell, a 25-year-old executive officer with 3rd Battallion, 7th Marine Corps Regiment, was monitoring a surveillance camera in Sangin, Afghanistan, when he spotted a man who had been identified as a bomb maker working with area insurgents. Two days earlier, a sergeant from India Company had lost both legs and a hand when a bomb detonated in their area of operation. The man spotted on the camera was believed to be responsible.

After receiving permission from his battalion commanders, Waddell ordered Marine snipers to open fire on the man, and he was hit. A group of Afghans rushed to the man, put him on a tractor and attempted to flee. Waddell ordered the snipers to hit the engine block of the tractor, disabling it so the man believed to be a bomb maker would not escape. The tractor was hit but no civilians were injured.

Then, about three weeks later, the civilians who helped remove the wounded man from the area were found to be teenagers.

As a result, Waddell was demoted from executive officer, and the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Seth Folsom, determined he had violated rules of engagement that governed when Marines could fire, and at whom. Folsom said Wadell "is not recommended for promotion" and "in violation of [combat rules] during an engagement." The report stated that "noncombatant local nationals" were in the area of direct fire and that "the engagement resulted in a damaged local national vehicle."

A Marine brigadier general who reviewed the case was sympathetic to Waddell, whom he described as a "superb and heroic combat leader. But the general said the decision on whether Waddell should be promoted was "the commander's prerogative," noting that the battalion commander on the scene had lost "confidence in [Waddell's] abilities."

Marine Maj. Shawn Haney, spokesman for Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs, said Waddell's fitness report will go before a review board at the time of any promotion "and everything is under scrutiny, so Waddell will have a chance to defend himself against the accusations." Still, Haney conceded, Waddell's fitness reports play a "significant role in future promotions."

The upshot is that Waddell's career has been effectively blunted, his chance for promotion blocked.

Waddell is just one of hundreds of cases of troops who have suffered under stringent rules of engagement, said Jeff Addicott, a former senior legal adviser to U.S. Army Special Forces.

"We have hamstrung our military with unrealistic ROEs that do more harm to our soldiers than the enemy, and now a Marine's career is on the line because he disabled a tractor," Addicott said. "In many ways our military is frozen in fear of violating absurd self-imposed rules on the battlefield, How can you tell if it's a teenager or a man, a farmer or an enemy when you're fighting an insurgency?"

A Marine stationed in Afghanistan who does not know Waddell, but who has operated under the same rules, said, "The rules of engagement are meant to placate [President Hamid] Karzai's government at our expense. They say it's about winning the hearts and minds, but it's not working. We're not putting fear into the enemy, only our troops."

Waddell's father, Mark Waddell, who served more than 25 years in the military and retired as a commander of a Navy SEAL team, said his son and other Americans fighting in Afghanistan are being victimized by these rules.

"I feel what's happened to my son is a complete betrayal, and he isn't the only one," said Waddell, of Fort Worth, Texas. "Josh is a hero. We expect them to go out and make instantaneous combat decisions, then we Monday-morning quarterback their decisions. It's an outrage."
####

^ Edited for language

And WHAT THE HELL did he do wrong? Are we supposed to let a IED maker go because he may be rescued by teens?
Here is a review of the details:
Waddell was awarded a Bronze Star during his first tour of duty in Afghanistan and had returned for a second.

Military experts are calling the Rules of Engagement (ROE), "difficult, if not impossible"

He spotted a man who had been identified as a bomb maker working with area insurgents.

Two days earlier, a sergeant had lost both legs and a hand when a bomb detonated in their area of operation. The man spotted on the camera was believed to be responsible.

After receiving permission from his battalion commanders, Waddell ordered Marine snipers to open fire on the man, and he was hit.

A group of Afghans rushed to the man, put him on a tractor and attempted to flee. Waddell ordered the snipers to hit the engine block of the tractor, disabling it so the man believed to be a bomb maker would not escape. The tractor was hit but no civilians were injured.

"We have hamstrung our military with unrealistic ROEs that do more harm to our soldiers than the enemy, and now a Marine's career is on the line because he disabled a tractor," Jeff Addicott (a former senior legal adviser to U.S. Army Special Forces) said. "In many ways our military is frozen in fear of violating absurd self-imposed rules on the battlefield, How can you tell if it's a teenager or a man, a farmer or an enemy when you're fighting an insurgency?" (And IMHO, Why should we give a crap?)

A Marine stationed in Afghanistan who does not know Waddell, but who has operated under the same rules, said, "The rules of engagement are meant to placate [President Hamid] Karzai's government at our expense.

"I feel what's happened to my son is a complete betrayal, and he isn't the only one," said Waddell's father, Mark Waddell, who served more than 25 years in the military and retired as a commander of a Navy SEAL team. "Josh is a hero. We expect them to go out and make instantaneous combat decisions, then we Monday-morning quarterback their decisions. It's an outrage."

So because of some PC libtard political crap a heroic Marines career has been destroyed.

Here is two quotes from JFK to think about,
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
And
"A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers."

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Different Presidents, A Different Corps

2012-01-24T12:30:00.002-05:00

####
This video has received a lot of attention. As of right now, it is showing well over a half a million hits since it was posted on March 1. It is also controversial. Many Obama supporters have claimed to debunk the video by pointing out that the events were not comparable. They argue that the event in Anbar province that President Bush attended in September 2007 was informal. The Camp Lejune event that President Obama attended, on the other hand, was more formal. They point out that it is not fair to compare two events in which the Marines are subject to different rules of behavior.

In fairness, they are correct. The events were different in many ways and the Marines present were subject to different behavioral expectations. There is, however, more to this video than that. If the content of this video were that easily debunked it would not still be drawing tens of thousands of hits per day. The different degrees of formality aside, this video is quite revealing.

In the video, the Marines exhibit obvious love and respect for President Bush. His visit was not an event that followed closely on the heels of 9/11. This video was taken after the worst days of the war and after the surge created major progress in the region. The president is visiting the troops in Anbar Province, the home of the infamous Falluja and Ar Ramadi killing grounds. This visit took place after the province had been pacified. In other words, the Marines showed their love of Mr. Bush even after the darkest days of the war.

The Lejune video, on the other hand, shows Obama entering with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal visit to the peasants. Hail to the Chief plays in the background; something that President Bush didnt allow during his military visits. Obama knows that keeping the Marines locked at the position of attention means that no comparison can ever be made to the loving reception President Bush regularly received from the troops. Obama knows how the Marines feel and will always treat them exactly like the rabble he sees.

This is the real truth of the video and why it is so popular. It warms the heart of Bush supporters to see President Bush receive the love, gratitude and respect of these warriors. It angers Obama supporters because they also see the love President Bush receives and they know their man will never see anything similar from the troops. They know that these warriors loved the last president and will never give similar respect to this one.

A good YouTube video stirs the emotions and this one does that. It elicits different emotions in different people but the underlying truth that is the catalyst for the emotional response is the same for everyone. The Marines loved President Bush in a way they will never love President Obama.
####

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Peeing pt 2

2012-01-21T18:56:00.004-05:00

###
Rep.Allen West chimes in.....

Allen West on the Marines Incident: 'Shut Your Mouth, War Is Hell'

“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.

“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”
####

Honestly, These marines should be punished.... for being STUPID enough to record the event. What did they think would happen the second the libtards saw the video?
On the other hand, We put a crew of HIGHLY Trained, very alpha, 20 something year olds in combat with little supervision (If they were supervised then the officer should take the brunt of the punishment, they take the lions share of the credit when things go right).
I think the libtards will get their way.

Of course the peanut gallery took umbrage
###
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Peeing":

9-11 was an inside job by the gov't to take our rights away. Another false flag attack will be coming so we can attack Iran. Shame on those marines. That is against the military law. They don't speak for me. The only reason we are there is for the drugs(Heroin). We created the taliban when Clinton was president to fight against Russia. You need to do some research.
###
Take your meds and put your tin foil hat back on.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Peeing

2012-01-21T16:35:00.003-05:00

Forwarded from Robert O. Roberts Jr.'s facebook post
###

YOU PEE FOR ME, MARINE

You pee for us all, Marine.

This has to do with the video that popped up yesterday. It’s 40 seconds, and it shows four Marines standing above the bodies of some dead Taliban.
Peeing on them.
“Have a great day, buddy,” one of the Marines says to the corpse at his feet.
Let’s review.
America is at war with militant Islam. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is militant Islam. In Afghanistan, the Taliban gave refuge and support to Al Qaeda as it prepared the attacks of September 11. In Afghanistan, the Taliban works around the clock to put American servicemen in their graves.
The Taliban are the bad guys.
And the United States Marines are the good guys.
And this is much ado about nothing.
Because the brass are crapping their in pants.
“This is egregious, disgusting behavior,” said Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby. “It turned my stomach.”
Kirby’s branch of the Service is not listed, but I’m guessing it’s Girl Scouts.
It turned his stomach?
We are a Nation at war. We’ve had thousands of Americans die. We’ve brought hundreds of thousands home with losses of limb and mind, and THIS turns his stomach?
That is not exactly a warrior spirit.
And it makes you wish that men like those urinating Marines were running this operation.
But they are not.
And they will be crucified.
Because our military establishment specializes in throwing young GIs under the bus. Any number of desk jockeys and political Generals are glad to backstab as many warriors as they can. In the White House and at the Pentagon, the god of political correctness is fed with the frequent sacrifice of young soldiers’ careers.
You send people to war, but heaven help them if they act like it. Hamstrung by Marquis of Queensbury rules in a bar fight with savages, our GIs are attacked by enemy fighters on one side and government lawyers on the other.
It’s a funny game where no one has their back.
Except the American people.
Which gets me back to my point.
You pee for us all, Marine.
That group of Camp Lejeune snipers is condemned by the political Generals, but embraced by the American people.
Because that’s what you get when you screw with the United States of America. You get a bullet through the brainpan, and we’re going to line up to spit on the pieces.
Unless we have a full bladder.
And show the YouTube far and wide, as a warning to your pals. This is what it means to mess with America. The pantywaists in the Pentagon might want to win your hearts and minds, but the men pulling the triggers want to snap your freaking necks.
And some 310 million real Americans feel the same way. Mess with the best, die like the rest. The sooner the better, the more the merrier, and don’t be surprised if it’s not Holy Water you get sprinkled with.
Real people aren’t bothered by this.
Real people believe this is how war should be fought.
Real people think that we’ve pussyfooted around long enough, it’s time to make the rubble bounce. Pull the B-52's out of the barn and let’s light those mo-fos up.
And real people are sick and tired of the feigned indignation coming out of the Pentagon and White House. Life is not group therapy and war is not run by “Robert Rules of Order.” War is where you kill people and break the will of a Society.
War is where you make the other guy cry “Uncle.”
Ask the people of Hiroshima and Dresden.
Or Atlanta, for that matter.
You attack the United States and you die. You die ugly. There are only two sure winners – us and the maggots. And any people, Nation or Religion that can’t stand that heat should stay the hell out of the kitchen.
So if you don’t want to be blown to bits and pieces, and pissed on by fine examples of American manhood, then you better stay home with Mama. You better lay off the jihad. You better learn some manners and mind your P's and Q's.
Because Lady Liberty is shaking her fist.
And that’s not just some words in a song.
That’s our pledge.
We’re going to kill you, and we’re going to cheer the men who do it.
And the rest of you goat-bearded savages better shake in your sandals, because those Marines pee for us.
And they’re coming for you next.

- by Bob Lonsberry © 2012
####

Nothin' more needs to be said.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

LIARS!!!!

2012-01-15T13:26:00.007-05:00

City: Patent eliminated need for truck bids

###
When choosing which fire engines to buy in 2005, Wilkes-Barre officials apparently wanted pumpers that could precisely proportion the mixture of foam and water used to fight fires.
###

To quote Tony DiNozzo from NCIS,"Lies make my ears itch, and BOY was that a BIG ONE!"
####
Records from the United States Patent and Trademark Office show just one patent assigned to KME-Kovatch Organization, which built the engines for $860,000. Filed in 2000, the patent relates to a system that monitors water flow and pressure to accurately add foam.
####

Our new engines DO NOT HAVE an onboard foam system. Wilkes-Barre seldom uses foam (in 18 and a half years, the ONLY time I've used foam was in training). We use a special nozzle called an 'Eductor' which uses a Venturi effect in a constricted stream of fluid.
This is it.

They've been around for DECADES.
This is nothing new to the department.

####
Despite the affidavit and despite citing the bidding exemption during Thursday's council meeting, Vinsko argued the city competitively bid the fire engines because it set up a committee of firefighters that issued requests for proposals for the fire engines.

The committee, under former fire Chief Jacob Lisman, recommended KME-Kovatch Organization, Mayor Tom Leighton said earlier last week. Leighton did not specify exactly why the committee chose the Nesquehoning company.
####

We did NOT recommend KME, we DID recommend the American LaFrance.

So the list O' lies are:
1. We got a Grant
2. The city went through financial hardship to get the engines (IE it came from the general fund)
3. The money came from revenues from the city's emergency services tax.
4. It was part of COSTAS
5. KME got the bid because of a patent (of something OUR engines DO NOT HAVE)
6. There were bids
7. City used a state cooperative

Seven lies so far and NO end in sight. Eight if you count the, "$1 Million donation should be celebrated". (How were we supposed to celebrate something we were not made aware of?)

Here's something to think about. It is a definition.
Money laundering
Specifically;
Shell companies and trusts: Trusts and shell companies disguise the true owner of money. Trusts and corporate vehicles, depending on the jurisdiction, need not disclose their true, beneficial, owner.

There is something most definitely WRONG going on with this.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Miss the Bus?

2012-01-13T23:13:00.014-05:00

Did you know Wilkes-Barre owns a school bus? No really. A school bus. The rumor is that it was bought, in 2006, to ferry the summer hires around.

Is that supposed to be a hood ornament or camouflage?

It was bought from DeNaples.

We paid $9,000 for it.

There is NO TITLE. Therefore it can NOT be legally registered and has never left the city's DPW lot.

After YEARS of the windows being left open, you know the interior is shot.

Since it can not be used, why didn't we get our city's money back? Why are we getting stuck with the pieces of crap anyway? Does WHO we are buying them from hold the answer?

Not trying to hide anything here, Are you?

And this is NOT the only piece of crap that we have bought from DeNaples. Lets not forget the animal control van (bought from, guess who?), No title, and returned after Tyler Hammond questioned the purchase. There are several of these questionable purchases that are being investigated, by citizens, using Right-To-Know requests. It is going slow because we aren't professionals, but we are getting there.

Add on: I had left this info with a reporter and was going to leave it with them for now. Until a friend from city hall told me that (after taking the pictures) the fourth floor had been informed of my interest.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Why lie?

2012-01-11T18:03:00.004-05:00

In the latest round of lies from city hall, the dictator claims the,"donation should be celebrated". WHAT? We should 'celebrate' it 6 years AFTER the fact!!??
Leighton: $1M donation should be celebrated

Mayor details fire engine purchases

We should have been told. Not the name (if it was an anonymous donation and above board), but that there was a donation. Instead, Leighton DIDN'T EVEN TELL COUNCIL!!! The people WE elected to have control of the budget! How can they approve something without knowing what is in it? Wait, how could THEY? Obviously by rubberstamping whatever the dictator puts under their brown-stained noses.

Here's part of what is bothering me. Everytime I confronted Leighton about fire cutbacks and how they were risking lives, His answer, well, every time he has claimed that the city's finacial hardship from purchasing 3 new engines is one of the reasons.

I have figured out how to tell when Leighton tells a lie. His lips move.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

What are these 'Revolvers' of which you speak?

2012-01-11T17:00:00.010-05:00

Revolvers, wheel guns, six shooters. For those too young to remember those names, They are the guns cops in old TV shows carried. After SHTF Ammo, I've gotten a few E mails asking me what I have against a good revolver. The answer is, "Nothing". I just think they are technically obsolete as a SHTF weapon. Why? Well lets look at what Technical obsolescence means.

Technical obsolescence happens when a newer BETTER technology is introduced. Think VHS versus DVRs. Does VHS still work? Yes. Are DVRs Better? MUCH. In this instance, having 6 rounds with a, comparatively, long reload time versus, say, 17 rounds and a very short reload time. And remember even trained officers have only about a 25% hit ratio.

So with a wheel gun you are looking at 1 hit, 2 if you are lucky.
IMHO 18 rounds is better than 6.

Also a revolvers barrel sits very high above your hand. This means recoil will take your sights farther off target, making reacquiring the target slower and, under stress, less accurate. In their defence, many semi automatic handguns also have this fault, like the Colt 45 (M1911) also has a high sitting barrel and the same problem.

I cant help it. I still love 'the .45'

Do I have any? Yes. Would I use one? Yes. Are there better choices? Yes.

Look how close his hand is to the line of the barrel

There are reasons why our military, U.S. law enforcement, and professional instructors don't use them.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Light seeking a subject: Personal Experience: Carwash Ambush

2012-01-11T13:21:00.000-05:00

Had this sent to me because it goes against the Moronic Asshat Troll's assertion that 'bad things only happen to Bad people or in Bad places'

Light seeking a subject: Personal Experience: Carwash Ambush: This isn't the first time I've had to use a firearm in self-defense. It's merely the first since I started blogging. But, several things ...

Dan Emplit WBFD

The Million Dollar mystery

2012-01-09T23:06:00.011-05:00

Million-dollar mystery in Wilkes-Barre
Well, I wasn't going to put my two cents in on this, just yet, but obviously I changed my mind. I'm still trying to get some facts, but here is some of what I have so far.

1. Leighton lied. Why? I have no idea why he would, except for nefarious reasons. If it was a gift to the city for the purpose of purchasing Fire Engines, even I could write that speech, "A generous anonymous donor has seen the bright future the city now has and funded the purchase of ......". He had permission to do just that. But instead he lied.

2. And council DIDN'T KNOW??!! "Some city officials, including Councilman Bill Barrett, said they learned of the donation only recently."
Wait, isn't their job to go over the budget? And to do that shouldn't they know where the money went last year? Didn't the question where the money for the new engines was in the '06 budget? Did they just rubber stamp what was put in front of them?

3. "The city's deputy controller, Raymond McHugh, sent Ceppa an email Tuesday indicating there had been little activity in the fund in recent years, but he noted the city used a $1 million "public safety grant" to buy fire equipment in 2006."
What? Was it a grant or was it a donation? Did we receive a grant? If so did it buy the Engines? And if it did, where did the donation money go? If we didn't get the grant, then shouldn't the city's deputy controller know? This REALLY sounds like things McGroarty did financially.

4. "Council normally must approve expenditures of $10,000 or more and, at its public meetings, routinely authorizes the purchase of emergency vehicles through the state piggyback program. Because the donor specifically earmarked the $1 million for three fire engines, that protocol was likely unnecessary when buying the vehicles, Barrett said.

"If they say, 'Here's $1 million, put it in the general fund and spend it the way you want,' it's a little different, I guess," Barrett said."
"Likely" and "I guess"??!! Does our council know their jobs?! Or are they 'guessing'?

5. "The city purchased the fire trucks through COSTARS, a state "piggyback" purchasing program that eliminated the need for a public bidding process, McLaughlin said Friday."
Sorry Drew, That isn't how COSTARS works. With COSTARS Engines are made to a exact specifications and can NOT be altered. Our Engines are not to those standards. So they weren't COSTARS purchased.

On a different note. Is everyone as sick of the way people run elections today? They spend MOST of their time telling us how they aren't as bad as the 'other guy' and not enough time telling us what they hope to achieve.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

What pistol should I buy by Jack Leuba

2012-01-04T22:30:00.005-05:00

I mentioned that I took a firearms class last month. And at the end of the SHTF post, I made two recommendations for handguns. The Glock and the S&W M&P.
Well if you don't want to take my advice, then here is a REAL pro's advice.

What pistol should I buy for practical use?. Damn he is a LOT more eloquent than me.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Is a Shotgun obsolete if the SHTF?

2012-01-04T16:04:00.012-05:00

This is a sequel to SHTF ammo.
IMHO, it depends. What has happened for the SHTF? Is this a personal SHTF, like the druggies from down the street are breaking in your door to take everything they can? Or has there been an economic meltdown, like the Great Depression? Are we talking about massive riots? Or are we (oohhhh) Talking about the ' Zombie apocalypse'?

All joking aside, what I'm asking is,"How long" and "HOW VIOLENT"? A 'break in' is relatively short term , less than an hour from beginning to end but by definition violent (they aren't there to borrow a cup of sugar). Massive riots, Days and also violent by definition. The Great Depression, ALMOST A DECADE, but not as violent (I'll get back to this).

Please remember these are MY OPINIONS.
In a riot or a break in, I can think of few weapons that will serve as well as a 12 gauge pump shotgun. Why? Buckshot will not penetrate as much as rifle or pistol rounds will, so the risk of injuring an Innocent is smaller (BTW, why do so many people think BIRDSHOT is a defensive round? Hunters don't use it on feathered turkeys, why would someone think it would work on mammalian turkeys?).
Another point is that the spread of buck shot at 15 feet is only 2-4 inches. At 60 feet about 10-15 inches. So the whole, "you really don't have to aim a shotgun" is idiotic monkey poo.
Another myth is that racking the slide will TERRORIZE someone. BULLCRAP. I've been around lots of people when a slide has been racked and no one lost control of their bladder. If druggies are the problem, they won't care and if it is a riot they won't hear.
In an economic meltdown..... Yes and no. One of a shotguns main strengths lays in its being 'a jack of all trades, master of none' except for hunting small game (where the shotgun reigns supreme). Nothing will keep game on the table like a shotgun. Many people survived the Great Depression because a hunter used a shotgun.
The other main strength is that few things will stop a violent person as quickly or as well as 00 buckshot.
It's weakness, however, HAVE to be considered. Shotgun ammo is HEAVY. a 3 inch slug round weighs about 1.7 oz. a 2 & 3/4 inch 00 buck round about 1.5 oz. So for the same weight I could carry 4 TIMES the amount of .223 or DOUBLE the number of .308.

Most shotguns only hold 5 to 9 rounds in their magazine.

Shotguns have a LONG reload time. In a pump shotgun rounds must be individually loaded.
You need to decide for yourself if they are obsolete.

One last thing about the Great Depression verses a modern economic meltdown. We've all heard our parents and/or grand parents talk about how the neighborhoods were MUCH tighter and friendlier 'back in the day'. Does anyone think that our neighborhoods will improve with the constant stress that would be prevalent in our lives?

My grandfather got through the Great Depression with only a double barrel 16 gauge shotgun. I think he would be out gunned massively now.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Hollenback fire station

2012-01-04T14:43:00.003-05:00

This engine house is 5 and 1/2 years old. It needs help. Serious help. (Here comes another list)

1. The Phone system. Which requires someone to go to the answered phone, you can not just pick up an extension.
2. The Kitchen door jams and must be SLAMMED shut.
3. The women's restroom floor is uneven. It has a large lump in the center.
4. The women's restroom floor tiles are coming up. Possibly because of the lump.
5. The Dispatch Radio gets interference and the kitchen light needs to be turned off or on to clear it.
6. The Internet router doesn't work if more than 2 computers are hooked in.
7. The air conditioning system can only be run a certain amount of hours per day.
8. the apparatus (Garage) floor is angled AWAY from the floor drains causing water to flow to the wall.
9. The apparatus floor is cracked.
10. apparatus floor drains are to small.
11. Concrete in front of the garage doors in deteriorating and BADLY cracked.
12. The dispatch Radio is old it's from old station #9 (This was a NEW Station, why didn't it get a NEW radio?)
13. The hose dryer is old also from #9. A new station should have new equipment, if just for savings from efficiency.
14. The Hose washer is old (from #9).
15. The Water main for the engine house is too small. Taking much more time to get the Engine back in service.

As far as I'm concerned, if you want to take credit for something, you have to take the blame. But we know Leighton won't. He'll blame someone else.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

"I'm not anti-gun" yeah we 'believe' you

2012-01-03T13:52:00.012-05:00

From the comment box:
####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I am flypaper for freaks and morons":

It is largely "bad guys killing other bad guys" that make up the bulk of crime stats. And the risk involved delivering pizza to Sherman Hills is a pretty good example of why you shouldn't deliver pizza to Sherman Hills. Plenty of businesses across the country do exactly that. Try and get a Domino's pizza delivered in East L.A. or certain neighborhoods in New Orleans. I'm not anti-gun either. If it makes you feel better, carry a bazooka, but you're kidding yourself if you think you're going to be Batman. And stop watching local news. It's designed to frighten senior citizens, not to provide an accurate assessment of risks facing average citizens. And those risks are easily minimized by personal actions that don't involve upping your arsenal. Plenty of rational people reject both the NRA and anti-gun groups just like plenty of people think FOX News and MSNBC are equally full of shit.
####

First off, ACTUALLY READ the first post. It is about SHTF choices, not concealed carry. I even pointed this out in 'I am flypaper for freaks and morons'. That you keep trying to say that it is about something else, makes me believe you are just a troll. One I've banned before.

You say, 'It is largely "bad guys killing other bad guys" that make up the bulk of crime stats'. Where is you proof. Do you have ANYTHING to back up your outlandish claims. No, you don't, because there is none.

Your claims that we should avoid areas are ludicrous. Last time I looked at a map I was living in the United States, not Lybia. Allowing dirtbags to control areas is like allowing a bully to beat you. It is STUPID.

'It's designed to frighten senior citizens, not to provide an accurate assessment of risks facing average citizens.' Really? Did you forget what I do for a living? My thoughts are colored. They are colored by what I see, almost every day.

'stop watching local news' and 'FOX News and MSNBC are equally full of shit' Tells me that you are against anyone that does not agree with the view through your 'rose colored glasses'.

Believe it or not, YOU ARE ANTI-GUN, your statements prove it.

By the way, Batman doesn't carry or use guns.

Moronic asshat troll.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Dana & Hazle

2012-01-01T22:07:00.009-05:00

We lost 2 Apartment buildings yesterday,12-31-2011, because of Leightons cuts. It is a sign of what's to come.
The acting chief and his crew HAD the fire under control, but without the NEEDED, onscene, manpower they couldn't put it out.

Like pushing a car UP a hill they got it there, but didn't have the needed amount of people (in the critical amount of time) to push it over the top.

Fire is like water, it WILL find the path of least resistance. And it will double in size EVERY MINUTE. Thankfully no one was in the buildings.

"Horrible. You couldn`t see, you couldn`t breathe. It was just a big puff of smoke and flames everywhere. I tell you, these firefighters, I give them credit," said neighbor Tammi Lord. (WNEP) That link also has the TV report.

Some good pictures of the later stages of this fire, here.

12 men per shift is NOT enough.
If you want this to change, don't 'call Leighton' or city hall. Call the newspapers and the TV stations. At least then people will know Leighton cares about his own safety, not ours or yours.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

You can't make this stuff up!

2011-12-30T22:59:00.000-05:00

I'm all for freedom of religion. Until it becomes bullying.
First off, the Muslim society KNEW there was a pig farm next door. They still bought the land. Then a week later they were 'suggesting' that the farmer sell his land and move!!??! They deserve the pig races.
Freedom of religion is a gift AND a reponsibility.

Best part was the newsroom guys 'cracking up'.

Dan Emplit WBFD

I am flypaper for freaks and morons

2011-12-28T23:28:00.005-05:00

From the comment box:

####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "SHTF Ammo":

Scenarios where having a gun would be advantageous are rare to the point of being virtually non-existent. Most people who are threatened with deadly force are in a situation of their own choosing, in a place where reasonable persons rarely find themselves. No one is going to break into your house and try and rob you. Yeah, it happens but you're more likely to get hit by lightning. Keep your guns if they make you feel safer but better advice would be: don't hang out in places where people carry guns and don't deal or buy drugs. Follow that advice and you'll be fine.
####

OK first off, that post was for if the SHTF ($hit hits the fan).

Next, Just to make sure I understand, You said ,"Most people who are threatened with deadly force are in a situation of their own choosing". So by your reasoning, the THREE delivery persons held up THIS WEEK at Sherman Hills were at fault. Not the dirtbags that robbed them.

And the workers at the nail salon on Main Street, who were WORKING, are not "reasonable persons".

Oh and, "No one is going to break into your house and try and rob you.". Really?
Scammers posing as PPL workers
Woman claims she was robbed at gunpoint
Alleged burglar caught in act in W-B
And that is just one street here in Wilkes-Barre. In a THREE WEEK PERIOD.
Oh and read these,
I don't understand Sheeple
Man Thwarts Attack from Black Teen Mob

Let me explain reality to you. If a predator can't find prey where they are at, they go somewhere else. And that somewhere else may be where you are at.

It's time to take off your rose colored glasses. Some people, like me, believe it is better to have and not need than to need and not have when it comes to life and safety.

And when you get over your 'butthurt', realize that "don't hang out in places where people carry guns" means 'don't go anywhere where there may be people'. Reponsible conceiled carry people get permits to do so. Criminals DO NOT.

Don't go on an obviously pro-carry website with your anti beliefs and not expect a spanking. If you don't want to carry, then DON'T.

Moron.
Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

SHTF Ammo

2011-12-26T15:24:00.014-05:00

The other day I was involved in a firearms discussion. A kid barely over 21 was basically asking, "What caliber of handgun would be the best in a SHTF ($hit hits the fan) scenario?". He was getting BAD advise from his friend. REALLY BAD.
I'd like to point out some of the bad choices.

The Taurus Judge.
A five shot revolver chambered for the .410 shotgun shell as well as the .45 Long Colt (this is NOT the .45 that our modern military used).
My opinion;
Pro's: None

Con's: If you want a .45 Long Colt there are better choices. If you want a .410 shotgun, buy a .410 shot gun. 'The Terminator' couldn't carry this monster without Stevie Wonder knowing. This gun is NOT an effective weapon, it is an over-hyped range toy IMHO.

The Desert Eagle in .50 AE
A semi-automatic pistol made by Israel Military Industries designed (mainly) to fire Magnum revolver cartridges like the .357 magnum (9 rounds) and .44 magnum (8 rounds). Add to this the .50 AE (7 rounds) which is one of the most powerful pistol cartridges in production.
My opinion;
Pro's: The .357 and .44 magnum are somewhat common. Tends to be accurate, but no better than a good revolver.

Con's: I owned a Desert Eagle (Nicknamed a 'DEagle'). It jammed as often as it worked. Not something I would depend on. BTW, unlike a revolver it cannot fire the .38 special or .44 special. The .50 AE is VERY rare. This is another range toy. Add to this, it is HUGE and HEAVY. There are reasons the Israeli military does not carry it.

The Smith & Wesson Model 500
Pro's: None (I guess it would be handy if attacked by dinosaurs)

Con's: TOO powerful. It will make a .50 caliber hole through some one.... and the wall behind them.... and your neighbors wall.... and your neighbor..... and the wall behind them...... and so on...... and you only get 5 wrist SNAPPING shots. Another range toy.

In a SHTF scenario, you need to think about resupply. WHERE the hell do you think you are going to find .45 Long Colt, .50 AE, or .500 S&W magnum? The local stores are closed. Your supply is finite. And what about the disposable accessories? Like magazines or speed loaders? Not to mention repairs or spare parts.

If you want a SHTF weapon, look at what the military and police in your area are carrying for calibers and then look even closer at their choices.
Like, The PSP carries the .45 GAP, this would be a poor choice of caliber. The .45 GAP is a cartridge that equals the power of the .45 ACP but is shorter to fit in a more compact handgun.
If YOU NEED a .45, stick with the MUCH more common (and MUCH less expensive) .45 ACP. And use the savings to shoot more or get training.

The US Military uses the 9MM. I've read that the 9MM is the second most produced round in the world (beaten only by the .22LR). This make it RELATIVELY cheap. That alone would make it a good choice, because you can use the savings to shoot more or get training.

And for people that think reloading will take away the resupply problem, Think again. The components are also a finite supply. IE, the .500 S&W magnum takes several TIMES the powder to reload than a .45 ACP or a 9MM.

The calibers that he should be looking at, IMO, are:
9MM, .45 ACP, .40 S&W and in revolvers (If he demands something that only holds 5 or 6 rounds) .357 magnum (.357's can also fire the .38 special).
Why? They are common. Common means less expensive. Less expensive means you can shoot more. An example, the cheapest .50 AE I found at Midway is like $1.25 a round.
9MM about 24 cents a round. 45 ACP is less than 30 cents a round. When you shoot several HUNDRED to several THOUSAND rounds a year. That adds up.

As for handguns themselves, look for what people teaching the classes carry. You will find Glocks and Smith & Wesson M&Ps are the most common.

And these are just the handgun suggestions.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Prometheus (2012) Trailer #1

2011-12-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

The preveiw for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus a prequel for the Alien franchise.

I'M BACK

2011-12-20T09:02:00.012-05:00

Last weekend I was in Beaver Valley, Pa. taking a class.
F2SConsulting Practical Carbine/Pistol Course held at the Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club and run by Jack Leuba.

That's Jack^

Here's his 'bio': Involved in combat marksmanship and combat marksmanship training programs since 1999. Heavily involved in the creation and implementation of the USMC's Combat Marksmanship Program, as well as the Foreign Weapon Instructor Course. Worked for the UK MoD training specialized units in effective marksmanship techniques and close quarters battle. Deployed to several combat zones including HOA, Haiti, Iraq, and Afghanistan. One of the USMC's representatives for the SCAR program.

He is also a Bronze Star Recipient. By the way, If you have any interest in practical gun issues you should look at that Blog. It's run by a friend of mine (He has exceptional taste in firearms, dogs and twinks..... don't ask.)

Back on topic. The class ran from Saturday to Sunday, Quitting well after dark on Saturday. It was about 22 degrees Saturday morning and warmed up to about 30, meaning it was COLD, and did I mention SNOWING. Sunday was a 'balmy' 28 to about 36. Conditions that can be best described as miserable. Not the best for an outdoor class. I had only met one other person in the class (Call him DBM) and had traded Emails with another (Jay, a Navy Vet, who also acted as an 'assistant' instructor).

Lots learned. Some things didn't get covered, Mainly because Jack was spending ALOT of time individually helping people.
I will DEFINITELY be taking another class..... when it's NOT 22 degrees or snowing.
That's something I should point out. Despite MISERABLE conditions I still really enjoyed myself. That in itself should show how Jack and Jay made learning in the class fun and challenging.

That's Me^

We had 1 M-1A and an AK fail on the first day.

I found out that about 700 rounds of Wolf (Cheap, low power Russian ammo) is all my Colt will take before it refuses to feed Wolf (It was OK with normal ammo) and needs cleaning.

The biggest problem I had was..... Me. I had gotten dinged up at work and was sore as hell for the weekend. Moving was painfull and the cold didn't help.

I will be looking for more classes and if you are serious about learning firearms, so should you. Jack's courses would be an excellent place to start or even to polish your existing skills.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

The Dark Knight Rises Official Movie Trailer Christian Bale, Batman Movi...

2011-12-19T23:12:00.000-05:00

New Dark knight trailer

Wait aren't you contradicting youselves?

2011-12-14T08:20:00.007-05:00

Our government wants to have wide-spread anti terrorist powers. Hey, that sounds good to me! Doesn't it sound good to you? But then look at the Gov's definition of terrorist and suddenly, IT'S SCARY! (Here comes another list)

1. If you have less than 10 fingers. You might be a terrorist.
My friend Bill had an industrial accident, and now has 9 fingers. Will he disappear one night, without warning or real reason?

2. If you have 'waterproof' ammunition. You might be a terrorist.
Newsflash, ALL factory made ammunition fits their definition of 'waterproof'. So will hunters suddenly wake up in Guantanamo Bay? With NO ONE knowing that you are there, arrested and detained WITHOUT trial, WITHOUT a lawyer!

3. If you have more than 7 days worth of food. You might be a terrorist.
Even though the CDC Recommends "2 week supply for home". Do these people even read what they recommend?

4. Any reason the President thinks is a danger to the country. You might be a terrorist.
This is REAL. Watch the video. Nowhere does he mention that US citizens are not included.
Even if you are an American Citizen. Get ready for 'Prolonged Detention'. Even MSNBC has problems with Obama trying this.

Who's stepping on the Constitution in this picture?

Dan Emplit WBFD

Why We NEED 3 Engines and AT LEAST 14 Men

2011-12-14T08:07:00.002-05:00

Last night there was a Commercial Structure Fire Alarm at Whiskey Business on Wood Street with smoke inside the building (There was NO fire). It is a popular bar.

The Alarm sounded at 21:06 (9:06 PM).
Less than 90 seconds later all units were enroute.
Less than 2 minutes after that Engine 1 was onscene, and a few seconds later truck 6 was there.
It took Engine 2 until 21:14 to GET to the hydrant.

Here's a few things to think about,
An Engines water suppy lasts less than 4 minutes with ONLY one line being used.

Fire doubles in size every minute.

There was VERY LITTLE traffic last night.

How many casualties can we handle at our diminished manning?

Could we fight the fire AND handle the casualties?

Could we even stop the fire from jumping to the next building?

With 2 Engines, we WILL NOT have enough time to make THE differance.
With 12 men, we CAN NOT handle the type of emergencies that WILL happen.

Leighton knows this. He has a copy of TWO studies that tell him, "Wilkes-Barre NEEDS 17 men, MINIMUM". One of those studies, the city paid for WITH OUR MONEY.

We pay for cheap, crappy garbage bags. We pay 'The Right to Work' tax. EMS tax. Sewer Tax (like anyone does anything to the sewers). Recycling Tax.
We are paying for the best. And what do we get?
Cuts to public safety.
A raceway next to a playground (Coal street).
A $12 million parking garage that cost $30 Million.
Nepotism
Public SERVANTS that get 'free' ($12000) security systems (and we have even payed some of the monthly fees on)
And more.....

They need to remember, They are public servants.
We are experiancing POOR customer service.
And remember (thanks to our dictator) When Seconds count, The Engines are only Minutes away.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

An era is ending

2011-12-08T13:43:00.006-05:00

Vets group disbanding

It is sad that we are losing an organization for our few remaining Pearl Vets.
####
During the ceremony, a group of survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack announced that they would disband at the end of the month. William Muehleib, president of the Pearl Harbors Association, cited age and poor health of the remaining members.
####

As age takes these examples of 'The Greatest Generation', I would like to point out one of the classiest things that this country does for the survivors of the USS Utah and the USS Arizona. As they pass away they have the option of having their cremated remains placed with their fallen brothers. Not just at Arlington National Cemetery, but IN their vessels in Pearl Harbor.

####
Also this week, five ash scattering and interment ceremonies are being held for five survivors whose cremated remains are returning to Pearl Harbor after their deaths.

On Tuesday, an urn containing the ashes of Lee Soucy was placed on his battleship, the USS Utah, which is lying on its side near the place where it sank. The ashes of Vernon Olsen, who was on the Arizona during the attack, will be placed on his ship late Wednesday.
####

An example of why these men are heroes is Lee Soucy, who lived to be 90, was a pharmacist mate on The USS Utah. He had just finished breakfast that morning when the Japanese planes started dropping bombs. He rushed to his battle station after the Utah was hit, but he soon heard the call to abandon ship as the vessel began sinking. He swam to shore, where he made a makeshift first aid center to help the wounded and dying. He worked straight through for TWO DAYS.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

How safe are we?

2011-12-01T12:46:00.005-05:00

On May 5, in Tucson, Arizona, a travesty happened.

####
Jose Guerena Ortiz was sleeping after an exhausting 12-hour night shift at a copper mine. His wife, Vanessa, had begun breakfast. Their 4-year-old son, Joel, asked to watch cartoons.
An ordinary morning was unfolding in the middle-class Tucson neighborhood -- until an armored vehicle pulled into the family's driveway and men wearing heavy body armor and helmets climbed out, weapons ready.
They were a sheriff's department SWAT team who had come to execute a search warrant. But Vanessa Guerena insisted she had no idea, when she heard a "boom" and saw a dark-suited man pass by a window, that it was police outside her home. She shook her husband awake and told him someone was firing a gun outside.
A U.S. Marine veteran of the Iraq war, he was only trying to defend his family, she said, when he grabbed his own gun -- an AR-15 assault rifle.
What happened next was captured on video after a member of the SWAT team activated a helmet-mounted camera.
The officers -- four of whom carried .40-caliber handguns while another had an AR-15 -- moved to the door, briefly sounding a siren, then shouting "Police!" in English and Spanish. With a thrust of a battering ram, they broke the door open. Eight seconds passed before they opened fire into the house.
And 10 seconds later, Guerena lay dying in a hallway 20 feet from the front door. The SWAT team fired 71 rounds, riddling his body 22 times, while his wife and child cowered in a closet.
"Hurry up, he's bleeding," Vanessa Guerena pleaded with a 911 operator. "I don't know why they shoot him. They open the door and shoot him. Please get me an ambulance."
When she emerged from the home minutes later, officers hustled her to a police van, even as she cried that her husband was unresponsive and bleeding, and that her young son was still inside. She begged them to get Joel out of the house before he saw his father in a puddle of blood on the floor.
But soon afterward, the boy appeared in the front doorway in Spider-Man pajamas, crying.

########
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said its SWAT team was at the home because Guerena was suspected of being involved in a drug-trafficking organization and that the shooting happened because he arrived at the door brandishing a gun. The county prosecutor's office says the shooting was justified.
####

Despite the Tucson police claims that they announced themselves, I can't hear it on the video. Which was taken outside, with NO walls or doors to muffle the announcement.

####
The 27-year-old Guerena had completed two tours in Iraq, and a former superior there was among those who couldn't make sense of his death. Leo Verdugo said Guerena stood out among other Marines for his maturity and sense of responsibility. Verdugo, who retired as a master sergeant last year after 25 years in the Marines, placed Guerena in charge of an important helicopter refueling mission in the remote west desert of Iraq. "He had a lot of integrity and he was a man of his word," Verdugo said.
####

Here is some of the things that people who knew Jose Ortiz had to say about him:

"I don't care what the cops say. I don't believe for one moment Jose was involved in anything illegal, They were judge, jury and executioner, and there was no excuse."

"Personally, I think he was murdered, and that is the feeling that is out here."

"No one in their right mind" would choose this work, which paid about $41,000 a year, if they were bringing in drug smuggling money.

####
"high-powered rifles and bulletproof vests that were found in Guerena's home after the shooting back up investigators' belief that Guerena was involved in drug trafficking. A shotgun found in the home was reported stolen in Tucson in 2008."
####

Well the last time I checked "high-powered rifles (How 'bout a better description) and bulletproof vests" are NOT illegal. An a shotgun that was reported stolen... Hmm I don't know if Arizona requires a firearms transfer for a smooth bore long gun. If it doesn't then this is a smear and misdirect to cover the police.

####
In the affidavit, sheriff's Detective Alex Tisch laid out the case against Guerena's family. It details two instances of drug seizures, one in April 2009 in which Jose Guerena was found in a home with other people who had just dropped off 1,000 pounds of marijuana at a separate residence, and another in October 2009 in which a man who had met with Guerena's brother was found with drugs and weapons. Neither Guerena nor his brother was charged.
####
OK so let me get this straight. If you go to SOMEONE elses house and someone "drops off marijuana at a SEPARATE RESIDENCE", Then YOU are guilty.

And if someone with drugs meets with YOUR BROTHER then you are guilty.
But no arrests were made... Even though they are using these instances in a character assassination.

####
"What reasonable person comes to the front door and points a rifle at people?"
####
He DIDN'T 'come to the front door', THEY BROKE IT DOWN!!!! AND IT WAS THE WRONG DOOR!!!!

And finally,
####
An independent expert, Chuck Drago, a former longtime SWAT officer for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., police who now does consulting on use of force and other law enforcement issues, said that the shooting itself appeared justified.

"It's a horrible, horrible tragedy, but if they walked in the door and somebody came at them with an assault rifle, that would be a justifiable response," said Drago. "It doesn't matter whether he's innocent or not."

But after examining elements of the search affidavit, Drago questioned whether the sheriff's office truly had probable cause.

"When you back up and look at why they're there in the first place and whether the search warrant was proper, my mind starts struggling," Drago said. "There are a lot of things that don't make a lot of sense."
#####

Here's what I think happened.
Point man makes entry.

Sees Ortiz with AR15

Point man panics and opens fire (This man should be prosecuted for MURDER, his job is to protect citizens, not assassinate them). You can actually see him trying to back out in a panic.

The rest of the SWAT team (trusting the point mans judgement, as they are trained to) also open fire

Now the lies and covering of asses begin.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992
And wondering what is going on in this country

The Iran hostage crisis (British remake)

2011-11-29T14:11:00.002-05:00

It's happening again.

Iranian protesters stormed two diplomatic compounds in Tehran, This time it was the British that were the victims.

"The attacks come at a time of rising diplomatic tension between Iran and Western nations who last week imposed fresh sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program which they believe is aimed at achieving the capability of making an atomic bomb."

OK, lets look at some of the facts. (Oh look! I'm making another list!)
1. Two diplomatic compounds were 'stormed'
2. Diplomatic compounds are sovereign soil.
3. 'Stormed' seems to be politician double talk for INVADED.
4. The Embassy's defenders were in life threatening danger. The invaders were throwing Molotov cocktails.
5. The Brits would have had EVERY RIGHT, morally and legally, to open fire.

If This were to happen to the US embassy, And I were in charge.
1. Guards open fire.
2. Spin up the fleet. Aim EVERY gun at the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads (AKA Mahmoud Ah-ma-nut-job) house.
3. Send Message, "Make them stop, You have 20 seconds to comply... 19"
4. If it doesn't. Bye bye palace.
5. Bye bye nuclear plant.
6. Bye bye Mahmoud Ah-ma-nut-job.

Jimmy Carter tried the 'diplo-dunk' approach, and is considered one of our weakest presidents EVER. Next to the anti-American CLOWN we have now.

When is the world going to wake up?
This is no different than handling bullies.
Bullies don't pick on a person able to defend themselves, They pick on the weak.
Muggers don't attack the 30 year old martial arts instructor carrying a Glock, They attack the 75 year old senior citizen with a walker.

But with Obama cutting our military past the bone, we are becoming the easy target. Did you know that with the retirement of the USS Enterprise (the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier) in 2012 We will be down to only 10 aircraft carriers? Than is the lowest number since 1943? In a world were studies and experts say 15 US carriers are needed.

We need to start "Speaking softly and carrying a Big Stick". Where are the Teddy Roosevelts when we need them.

"We need intellect, and there is no reason why we should not have it together with character; but if we must choose between the two we choose character without a moment's hesitation." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992
Rabidly Pro-American and PROUD of it.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

2011-11-25T12:52:00.002-05:00

From the Email inbox

####
DIVORCE AGREEMENT
--WRITTEN BY YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT--
5 STAR RATING:

The person that wrote this is a college student. Perhaps there is hope for us after all.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT
THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG PERSON, A STUDENT!!! WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al: We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.
Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what
is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:
--Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.
--We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.
--You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.
--Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.
--We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel.
--You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them.
--We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.
--You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies and illegal aliens.
--We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.
--We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood
--You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.
--You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.
--We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.
--You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.
--We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Volt and Leaf you can find.
--You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.
--We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.
--We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem." I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "Kum Ba Ya" or "We Are the World".
--We'll practice trickle down economics and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.
--Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.
Sincerely,
John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin & Charlie Sheen, Barbara Streisand, & (Hanoi) Jane Fonda with you.

P.S.S. And you won't have to press 1 for English when you call our country.
####
Add "Mayors against Illegal Guns" which is not really against "illegal guns" but is in fact "anti-gun" and is actually part of the "Brady Campaign", and it sounds good to me.
I wish politicians would remember this country was founded on 'Individual Rights' and not what THEY believe is the greater good.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:23:00.003-05:00

Please take the time to remember those who can not be home for the holidays. Having been someone who couldn't be home, I know that even the smallest message from home can mean more than most will ever know.

God bless those who serve, in all our armed forces (even the jarheads), Thank you.
You are the reason this country is great.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

It shouldn't have happened

2011-11-22T11:04:00.004-05:00

48 years ago today, the unthinkable happened. John F. Kennedy was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza. Kennedy was shot while traveling with his wife Jacqueline, governor John Connally, and Connally's wife.

30 minutes later, after all heart activity had ceased and after a priest administered the last rites, the President was pronounced dead.

The Warren Commission, in a 10 month investigation, concluded that the President was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. However the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded (in 1979) that President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy.

Was Oswald the assassin? Did he work alone? I believe so. Would I bet on it? NO.
What matters most is that one of the three darkest days in recent U.S. history happened. The other two are Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy
May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963 Age 46
RIP

Dan Emplit WBFD

Is it beginning?

2011-11-19T21:18:00.005-05:00

In my 18 years, I've seen 3 fire house closings and three Engines (plus our now 'part time' Engine)& a Truck go out of service. It follows something of a predictable pattern.

The Engine becomes a reserve Engine (Last night the 'new' front line engine from South Station was filling in for Engine 2 at Hollenback, even though a reserve engine was available and even though South Station was manned all day. South Station had to use the 20 year old reserve).

Equipment starts 'disappearing' from the Engine or it doesn't get new equipment. (This has been going on for a while)

Equipment needed for building maintenance starts disappearing from the Engine house. (The 24 foot ladder we need to change the lights in the very high ceilings is gone, we had to borrow a floor buffer, etc.)

Repairs to the building get put on the back burner.

Upgrades to the building don't happen.

Is this Engine 3 or a reserve piece now?

Why? I guess some parts of our city are 'more' equal than others.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

A little slow, aren't they?

2011-11-19T16:49:00.003-05:00

PennDOT and Luzerne County to Close the Division Street Bridge, Wilkes Barre

I posted about this on Saturday, September 11, 2010. And the bridge has been off limits to Fire Engines since, so city hall knew.

Oh and BTW, it's NOT 230 feet from Carey Ave. It's about 30 feet.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

.22 vs Skulls.... I mean Coconuts

2011-11-12T12:02:00.012-05:00

With all the country obsessed with zombies, I thought I'd try an experiment.
Several people have touted the .22LR as the perfect round for slow 'Romero' style zombies. I know, you don't know if you should laugh because of 'zombies' or that some people think a .22 can penetrate a skull at any real distance. But hey with "The Walking Dead" being a hit show, I've heard several people asking if the .22 could work.
And I rolled my eyes at the thought.
First off, the .22 is NOT a combat round. It is a training round, and a fun to shoot round. By NO measure a combat round.
Now back to my experiment.
Since I couldn't get anyone to volunteer to be shot in the head (Damn you all, It's for science!!), I had to look to alternatives. So standing in for a skull, I used coconuts. A doctor friend remembered reading that a coconut is slightly stronger than the strongest part of a human skull and was used to test helmets in the '30s (before moving on to animal testing).
The weapons, A Ruger Mark II.

And A Smith & Wesson M&P 15/22

For a visual comparison, here's a .45ACP next to a .22LR with a nickel thrown in for gauge

My plan was simple. I'd set 2 coconuts (one for the pistol and one for the rifle) at 100 yards, 50 yards, and at around 20 yards. I would start at the 50 yard range and work from there.
I expected these results. The pistol would be ineffective at 50 and 100 yards. And marginal at 20. The rifle would be ineffective at 100 yards, marginal at 50, and effective at 20. I expected this because the .22 is known for ricocheting off curved surfaces, and it is a low power cartridge.

Well here is the 50 yard pistol hit.

Above is the entrance. Below is the exit.

WOW. Not at all what I expected.
So I tried again at 100 yds (And tried and tried and tried, you try to hit a coconut at 100 yards with a .22 pistol without a bench rest)

It entered but did not exit. I did this multiple times (I have 1 coconut left out of 6).
Results? I have to up my opinion of the .22LR, It would work in a 'Walking Dead' scenerio. But, I still wouldn't bet my life on it if I had a better option.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Rioting is NOT going to fix the problem

2011-11-10T09:54:00.007-05:00

What the HELL is wrong with the students of Penn State? Acting like a pack of bloodthirsty piranha REALLY shows how mature the future generation is. Rolling over a news van will get the press on your side. NOT.
I understand that the a$$hats at Penn State used Coach Joe Paterno as a sacrificial lamb. As I understand it, he did what he was supposed to do. Reported what he knew to his, then, respected superior, and then Paterno went back to his job. He is not an investigator. And he was burned for not doing a job, that is not his and he is not trained for, by the board of trustees.
BUT THAT DOES NOT GIVE THESE CHILDREN THE RIGHT TO RIOT. I'll admit I never understood the worship of the alter of football (or any other sport), but even that worship, when betrayed, does NOT give these INFANTILE students the right to riot.
Each and every student that can be identified should be forced to make restitution, do the legal punishment (jail time, community service, whatever fits the crime they are identified doing), and be EXPELLED.

Really rolling a news van will get Paterno back in the (coaching) drivers seat.
Rioting and the destruction of private (not Penn State) property will change things for the better.

Do these STUPID crowd mentality CRIMINALS know that if 'the book is not thrown at them', then it will be like telling all the other immature idiots that this kind of destruction is accepted?

To the students who were involved:
Do you realize that you are playing the game the board of trustees wants you to? Now everyone will be looking at the riots and NOT the board of trustees.

MORONS.

Dan Emplit WBFD

It's been more than 30 days

2011-11-09T10:19:00.004-05:00

Leighton was more concerned with the re-election than our safety. Need proof? Walk down River St.
Battle over razing Hotel Sterling brews
Well it's been over 45 days and not one thing has changed with the Hotel Sterling. Not one word in weeks. Not one move to MAKE Cityvest demolish the building or pay.
Someone with clout should put some heat on the powers-that-be, or the traffic tie ups and safety concerns will continue.
Leighton and his administration hasn't done anything. Where is 'his' outrage that Cityvest:
1 Let such a magnificent building be destroyed by neglect.
2 Tried to get the Taxpayers to pay for the demolition.
3 Lied, saying the flood put the building in such a bad state (well, OK Leighton couldn't say that. He was also involved)
4 Stole $6 million + from the taxpayers.

On a different note. Everyone who was wondering, the answer is,"I ain't going away."

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

From the Email inbox

2011-11-08T15:00:00.001-05:00

Subject: UNBELIEVABLE waste of money

UNBELIEVABLE
How do they vote in the United Nations?
Below are the actual voting records of various Arabic/Islamic States which are recorded in both the US State Department and United Nations records:

Kuwait votes against the United States 67% of the time
Qatar votes against the United States 67% of the time
Morocco votes against the United States 70% of the time
United Arab Emirates votes against the U. S. 70% of the time.
Jordan votes against the United States 71% of the time.
Tunisia votes against the United States 71% of the time.
Saudi Arabia votes against the United States 73% of the time.
Yemen votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Algeria votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Oman votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Sudan votes against the United States 75% of the time.
Pakistan votes against the United States 75% of the time.
Libya votes against the United States 76% of the time.
Egypt votes against the United States 79% of the time.
Lebanon votes against the United States 80% of the time.
India votes against the United States 81% of the time.
Syria votes against the United States 84% of the time.
Mauritania votes against the United States 87% of the time.

U S Foreign Aid to those that hate us:
Egypt, for example, after voting 79% of the time against the United States, still receives $2 billion annually in US Foreign Aid.
Jordan votes 71% against the United States
And receives $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
Pakistan votes 75% against the United States
Receives $6,721,000,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
India votes 81% against the United States
Receives $143,699,000 annually.
WHY? ARE WE HEADED BACKWARDS?
WHO IN THE HECK STARTED THIS AND WHY?
THEY ACTUALLY BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM.

Perhaps it is time to get out of the UN and give the tax savings back to the American workers who are having to skimp and sacrifice to pay the taxes.

Pass this along to every taxpaying citizen you know.
GO GREEN - RECYCLE CONGRESS IN 2012!!!(If you don't know any taxpayers just delete it!)

Somethings to think about on Tuesday

2011-11-06T17:52:00.008-05:00

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday. It's not just a right (that not everyone in the world has) it is our responsibility.
And I would like you to think about some things.

The security system debacle also don't forget the lies that they paid all the monthly fees.

Campaigning inside the polling location at Kistler Elementary School, remember, It's ILLEGAL.

The Ice rink that saved W-B, HOW????

How's the Pine Ridge development coming along?

The Old river Road bakery sweetheart deal (Really, 8 cents on the dollar?)

Lies to the County to get Tax forgiveness for his campaign contributor

Selling property to a campaign contributor for LESS THAN THE CITY PAYED FOR THE PROPERTY

LAG towing NOT living up to its contract

Leighton and cityvest tried to scam the Feds into paying for the Sterlings demolition. Even though they have access to EVEN MORE data than I have.

Nepotism is AGAINST THE LAW.

The upgrades, for the PD and FD, that have been promised, and still haven't happened.

Hollenback Fire Station.... Built in a flood plain. Only South Fire Station is above the flood plain.

Paying $27 million for the $12 million Intermodel center. (Wonder how that contractor links to Leighton)

Parking on Coal street, which wouldn't (and still might not) have been fixed if this wasn't an election year.

The arrogance, like "I'm not saying he's getting it," Leighton said Wednesday. "And I'm not saying he's not getting it."

Insulting taxpayers because he does not 'like' them

The $17 million Riverfront that has no parking and no bathrooms

His campaigning on city time?

The $225,000 the city had to pay Bob Kadluboski (of City-Wide Towing) after violating his contract with the city.

The money that was spent on the city attorneys to fight the wrong fights

The cuts to public safety to fund HIS pet projects

The largely worthless camera system (How many MILLIONS was that?)

Raised taxes and fees to an all time high.

The outright lies to us (The citizens of Wilkes-Barre)

Ignoring the Lloyds Study (which states the minimum FD manning per shift is 17) and cutting manning to 12 per shift

Blaming anyone else for his faults

The $220,000+ in legal fees Denise Careys lawyer is seeking from the city

Oh and don't forget, Violating Constitutional Rights. TWICE.

And WAY TO MUCH MORE.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

It must be contagious

2011-11-03T23:41:00.002-04:00

The Citizens Voice reported today that Tony Thomas has stiffed Harry's Market for better than $16,000. The bills go back about two and a half YEARS.

I've got to say, with our councils belief that they are some sort of nobility, this doesn't surprise me in any way. And Tony Thomas has always given me that 'sleazy used car salesman' feel.

He was part of the 'last minute' attempt to change the way we elect council, Thomas himself told me months before that they were going to try.

The vacations on the city dime to study 'splash parks'.

And rubber stamping ANYTHING that Leighton puts in front of him.

I have no doubt that Bruce Fendler will have to fight for his money.
Why? The dictator has gotten away with it for about 3 years. As far as I know Denise Carey still hasn't gotten her money, and the only reason she may? The court order for Leightons personal fiances.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Will these Idiots just STOP

2011-10-28T17:26:00.002-04:00

Here is a graph showing the statistics for the NYPD. Our Police do much better.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Did the Mayor just call opposing candidates campaign manager "J*ck-off" ?

2011-10-28T17:05:00.000-04:00

The Mayor shows just how smug and aggogant he is, by calling one of his opponents campaign managers a "Jack-Off".

Two things I would like to say

2011-10-28T10:29:00.002-04:00

First, Last night Engine 3 was out of service, so I was on Engine 1. After the council meeting we had a call to city hall for a stuck elevator.
As we were walking up the ramp to city hall, Kathy Kane drove up, wound down her window, and yelled to us (in front of the large crowd leaving at the time)," It couldn't have happened to a nicer person!" and then laughed and drove away.
Want to guess who was inside the elevator (they were out when we got there)?
Who could have inspired such an unprofessional outburst?
It doesn't really matter, but it was Linda Urban.
This shows just what kind of person Kathy Kane is. Why would ANYONE vote for such an unprofessional person?

Second, and related to the recent shooting. Where are the new handguns the police were supposed to get? That was back in May. Five months. They are probably sitting in a storage room next to the promised laptops for the Police cruisers and Fire Engines. Unbelievable.
BTW... The Beretta 96 was introduced in 1990, the Glock 21... 1990. The Parent platforms The Beretta 92 was introduced in 1975, and the Glock 17..... 1982.
IMO (and most others) the Glock IS a MUCH better platform. But if they wanted to update to a more modern design, it should be the Smith & Wesson M&P introduced in 2005 and it has a STELLAR record, rivaling the Glock.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

A repost of what my friend Shelly put on Facebook

2011-10-28T00:14:00.002-04:00

You're a firefighter?? That's cool. I wanted to do that when I was a kid. What do you make?
WHAT DO I MAKE??
"I make holding your hand seem like the biggest thing in the world when im cutting you out of a car.
I can make 5 minutes seem like a lifetime when I go in a burning house to save your family.
I make those annoying sirens seem like angels when you need them.
I can make your children breathe when they stop.
I can help you survive a heart attack.
I make myself get out of bed at 3am to risk my life to save people I've never met.
I make it possible to keep back the chaos everyday.
I make going to work for your family's safety a duty that I will die for.
I make myself work holidays, nights, during hurricanes, tornados and other disasters.
Today I might make the ultimate sacrifice to save your life.
I make a difference, what do you make?"

Dan Emplit WBFD

More on the shooting

2011-10-27T21:15:00.012-04:00

I've been reading what has been put in the newspapers comments sections about the shooting in the area of George Avenue and North Washington Street Tuesday morning.

To all those who don't know that the WBPD did a stellar job, Do some research.
1. All those shots?
The accuracy of the average State trooper (no particular State) in this type of situation is about 25% hits. If what I've been told is accurate, The WBPD's accuracy was better than 23%. So lets stop complaining about their skills.

2. The stopping power of ANY handgun SUCKS. This is why soldiers use rifles.
"The only purpose for a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should have never laid down".(Sorry I forget who said this)

3. They should have Tasered him.
Yes. Lets advance into the very short range envelope of a Taser while a Bad Guy shoots at you. That is the definition of MORONIC.

4. It was a BB Gun.

or

Now tell me which is real.

And while you're recovering from your Butt-hurt over this, remember there were 60 children FEET away.

As Miss_Brooke said in the Times Leader Comments:
"I work at the Child Care Facility that was affected. I am THANKFUL to the WBPD!!!!!
That man was warned MULTIPLE TIMES to drop his weapon!!!! (Regardless if it was a knife, gun,pellet gun or bat)
He did not follow orders.
I saw his weapon First hand, I'm no expert, but it looked like a real gun to me, I was soooo scared until I saw the police come around the corner with rifles. As for a Taser, The man was shot 3 times in front of me!!!! He did not budge, He walked across the lawn of inter-metro, sat on the stoop, the police again told him to stay down drop the weapon, so what does he do, He gets up and points the gun again, so the cops shot again. He still managed to walk to the other parking lot and then finally collapsed.
And as for being mentally ill, I know a few things about this topic, and people have the RIGHT to be CRAZY!!!
He should have been taking his meds!!! That is NOOOOOOOOO EXCUSE!!!!!
Thank God it was a Pellet Gun, I'm sure more than the Gunman would of been injured if it wasn't."

"If he points a weapon toward the officers, they really have no other choice because there is a viable threat to their safety," King's College criminal justice professor Paul Lindenmuth said.

Using deadly force (it is deadly force regardless of the outcome) cannot be easy for a police officer who is dedicated to preserving life.

Dan Emplit WBFD

The O.K. Corral

2011-10-26T16:30:00.004-04:00

With recent events, It's interesting that today is the anniversary of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Mainly because of the 'armchair warriors', who have never been shot at, and are criticizing the WBPD.
These morons, who probably consider themselves experts because of the many hours they have spent on their butts playing 'Modern Warfare' and haven't fired a firearm since the Bush Presidency, really need to be smacked. So until they have taken a class or been in the situation, we should just ignore them.
For those who do not know, It is legal in PA to open carry. Meaning that if you want, anyone (who can legally own a firearm) can legally carry it (holstered) in a non-concealed manner. This DOES NOT give ANYONE the right to brandish a weapon or to carry it in your hand.

On to the O.K. Corral.
First off, the gunfight actually happened in a narrow lot a few doors away from the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. The gunfighters were only around 6 feet apart. Most credible reports say about thirty shots were fired in thirty seconds. There are MANY conflicting reports about bout the actual events and those leading up to the gunfight.
No one knows who started shooting first. The reports say that the first two shots were so close, in time, that they could have been confused as one. Virgil Earp reported, "Two shots went off right together. Billy Clanton's was one of them."

Thirty shots in thirty seconds from LEGENDARY cowboys at a starting distance of 6 feet. There were three fatalities, Billy Clanton (three wounds), Tom McLaury (One shotgun wound), and Frank McLaury (Two wounds).

Here's my point. If Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp with Doc Holliday needed multiple shots at that distance, What do these idiots expect from the WBPD? Jeez even Doc Holliday (who was noted for his extreme skill) couldn't have done better!

Dan Emplit WBFD

PA Live!

2011-10-19T18:47:00.001-04:00

A link to the PA Live! Segment they did on my blog.

A big thanks to WBRE for that.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Sterling series Floor..... Two (the Crystal Room)

2011-10-18T16:42:00.005-04:00

The next two pictures make the Crystal Room look salvageable. I couldn't find any of the mold that is prevalent in the building.

Plastic sheeting will not last for years, another example of Cityvests POOR planning and negligent execution.

Look at the intricate moldings. Lost because of Cityvests greed.

Obviously, Cityvest thinks 'securing the building' does not mean keeping people out. Or checking it periodically.

What a waste. Of a beautiful building, the inheritance our children should get, and of MILLIONS of OUR DOLLARS!!!!

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

I'm BIG TIME NOW

2011-10-18T12:26:00.001-04:00

OK, not really. But I did make NEPA Blogs! Check it out.

Bill O'Boyle sounds in on councils attitude

2011-10-14T13:17:00.003-04:00

A good amount of articles by the Times Leader have been VERY pro Leighton, but at least Bill O'Boyle has his eyes open. He openly critisized Council for its lack of Professionalism.

####
Florida has plenty of golf carts
Friday October 14, 2011
Posted by Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com

At Thursday night's council meeting, politics was the flavor of the month, but coming in second was inappropriateness.

After Linda Urban finished addressing council - with several valid points, I might add - Kathy Kane, the chairwoman of council AND the chairwoman of the Luzerne County Democratic Party - decided to inject a personal attack on Urban, wife of Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban.

Kane asked Urban how much time she spends at her Florida residence, causing Urban to remind Kane that she and her husband, District Magistrate Martin Kane, recently purchased a home in the Sunshine State themselves.

Kane said Urban has a car with a Florida license plate. So what? After all, it is cheaper to register a car in Florida.

Seems good advice for council and the mayor to stop trying to belittle critics and start answering the criticisms. To her credit, Urban revealed the purchase in 2004 of two security systems - one for Mayor Tom Leighton's home and the other for then-administrator J.J. Murphy's house. Each cost $4,000 and the city picked up the tab. Leighton and Murphy have paid the monthly fees, but taxpayers paid for the system and installation.

As valid as the reasoning was for the systems - there were real threats to both Leighton and Murphy - city taxpayers shouldn't bear the burden of paying for those systems.

Urban had a valid point and she deserved answers that addressed her concerns. She didn't deserve a personal attack. This logic that people who criticize council and the mayor are out of order simply because they are political adversaries and should be silenced flies in the face of what the democratic process is all about.

Not to mention the disinterested looks on the faces of council and mayor as critics voice their opinions within the council-mandated five minute limit.

Enough has come out over the last several months that shows that there is great concern for the way city government operates and how decisions are made. How that will affect the voters remains to be seen on Nov. 8th.

But the attitudes of some of the city's elected officials has raised suspicions of their abilities to govern and increased the chances of their opponents.

And how can we forget Bob Kadluboski's theatrical-like performance at the same meeting. Using a southern belle accent, Kadluboski drew chuckles and smiles from those in attendance as he again tried to convince council to look at the towing contract with LAG Towing.

Kadluboski, like Urban, has some legitimate points that should be looked into. Instead, he is often gaveled silent and called names - the most famous being "Cupcake" - which Kane and Leighton each has used in the past, only to infuriate Kadluboski more.

Kadluboski has threatned a lawsuit. He has asked for all of the council and the mayor to resign. He said he has contacted the FBI in Philadelphia and Washington to investigate the city.

The city would like Kadluboski and Urban to go away. This coming election may change some faces, but not the way the city operates.

Urban asked about the city's rental of golf carts at Hollenback Golf Course. Kane had the figures, but Urban never saw them. Urban said the golf carts are often see at the Turkey Hill across North Washington Street from the course.

"We need golf carts," Councilman Bill Barrett, Urban's opponent, said after the meeting. "It would be a concern if we had helicopters there."

Flippant? Perhaps, but getting the requested info to Urban would have been a much better approach.

Finally, if anybody truly believes this election will make all of the suspicions, accusations and investigations go away, well, they are mistaken.
####
I posted this online with the papers,
"I would love it if the city would live broadcast all the council meetings. I was there and it was disgusting. The papers don’t tell you the way council acts like they are royalty and we are the surfs."

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Council meeting

2011-10-13T19:49:00.008-04:00

WOW

First off Kathy Kane showed her true colors.
Linda Urban stated she wants the charter amended to remove benefits and the retirements for part time employees (Council),as Linda was done speaking....
Well I must have missed something that was said, because the next thing I know accusations were flying.
Kathy snapped "What about your new house in Florida?"
Linda, "What about yours!"
Kathy, "How would YOU know about that"
This is when I started with, "Personal attacks, Really?"
Luckily it calmed down a bit.

By the way Linda, I wouldn't believe Vinsko if he said the sky was blue. His grasp of the law MUST suck if he advised the dictator to violate Denise Careys' Constitutional Rights.

Later I was whispering to another fireman, and Kathy (as her standard Queen B mode) saw so she had to snap, "Be quiet, I can't hear her!". Now ANYONE who has been to a council meeting knows there is NO WAY council can hear a whisper from the back row. That was just her being the Queen B. Evidently, It's OK for her to talk to the others on council, but my whisper was WAY to much.

And near the end of the meeting, I almost got thrown out.
Bob Kadluboski had asked a question before council, and the dictator answered it badly. Bob wanted to get something clarified. Kathy would NOT allow it. So I kinda yelled.
"Why not, we pay your salaries?"
Kathy (to me): "You're out of order!"
Me: "So? What's your point?"

I'm SO TIRED of them thinking they are royalty.

Let's see how the papers handle this.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Election year

2011-10-13T12:40:00.006-04:00

Threats to W-B officials prompted purchase of home security systems

Talk about trying to cover your a$$es. Let me get this straight.
####
An attempted break-in, a menacing note stuffed in a mailbox and the destruction of potted plants led Wilkes-Barre police to believe recently elected Mayor Tom Leighton and his city administrator were in danger in 2004. At least that's the justification for two security systems installed at the men's homes on the city's dime.
####
So if you are the dictator or his #1, and you get a threatening note, then you deserve a $4000 security system on the city. BUT if you are a cop, and you get attacked on the job, you don't. And if you complained about this I'm sure a, "if you don't like it, get a different job."

So, I'm looking at this article and things just SCREAM back pedaling to me.

JJ Murphy Paraphrased the note as saying, "J.J. and the mayor, you will pay for this".
Well if there was an investigation, then where is the paperwork? And wouldn't the note be in evidence? So why paraphrase it?

And some potted plants being broken is SOOO threatening. (Maybe if we had more cops instead of a $12 million parking garage that we payed $27 million for, you would be safer)

####
A man who identified himself as a city employee told Murphy's wife that Leighton had sent him to examine the pipes in their home, police said. When Murphy's wife said she wanted to check with her husband and locked the door, the man tried to force his way inside, police said.
####
Wow honestly, this is frightening. Especially to a family man. But this is a common possibility to all of us who DO NOT LIVE IN BARNEY FARMS.
Scammers posing as PPL workers
Woman claims she was robbed at gunpoint
Alleged burglar caught in act in W-B
And this is just a 3 week period, of ONE STREET in the city.

####
"That played a part in my decision to leave the city," said Murphy, who left to start a consulting firm for municipalities. "Ultimately, at the end of the day, I had to do what was best for my family."
####
Wait a second..... This happened in 2005. Murphy 'officially' left the payroll in 2010. WOW, that is a big pile there.

####
Murphy pays the monthly service charge, which has ranged from $27 to $35, but he said it "would have been justified" for the city to pick up the fee.

"But I picked those up," he said. "I think I went over and above what was necessary."
####
Once again, a cop has to pay for their own security. The city doesn't 'pick up the fee'.

####
Murphy questioned the timing of the release of the invoice confirming the city paid for his security system's purchase. Murphy tabbed the development as a political diversion set up by Leighton's critics just weeks before an election.
####
Of course it comes up in an election year, that is when politicians ARE under the most scrutiny!

This is another example of misappropriation of taxpaying dollars. Pure and simple.

Oh and
####
Leighton declined to comment.
####
Of course he did.

A new blog, Wake Up Wilkes Barre! has an interesting comment about the flower pot incident.
####
Let me explain it to you JJ your employer is not required to buy you a security system because a party next door overflowed into your yard, and the drunken folks attempted to gain access to the wrong house. Lie to someone without a scanner.
####
You should check it out.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Marvel's The Avengers Trailer HD (2012)

2011-10-11T18:21:00.000-04:00

Looks Good, if a little Iron Man centric.

Some comments from the Leader caught my eye

2011-10-10T21:58:00.003-04:00

####
KevinDougherty

Leighton appears slow and dull-witted, he's barely able to form a coherent thought and yet he will easily win re-election. A ringing endorsement of two party politics.

Jolly Roger

Being a hands on mayor of a city the size of Wilkes Barre is no easy task and Leighton has done a comendable job since taking office. Are we better off now than we he took office? Absolutely!

Joe

Mayor Leighton = Hero to the STUPID !

Nicolas321

You have done a good job. But we need to rid ourselves of cronyism, so I will not cast my vote for you.

Jolly Roger in reply to Nicolas321

We finally get a mayor who does the job and you want to be rid of him ..... good thinking = NOT!

mjj 1 day ago

The mayor has a love affair with the square but all that is there are bars and bums.The square is never going to be what it once was. Public square should have a steel fence around it and operated during daylight and locked after dark. The street lights are no brighter than a hand held torch.
Where is the business in WB?No wonder the mayor can't lower the wage tax as most business's have left town. Ask anyone if they would walk the streets after dark in WB.
I believe the mayor earns twice what the mayor in Scranton earns. Anyone want to compare the two.

Nicolas321 1 day ago

Time to go, Leighton. We need new ideas, fresh blood, and fewer cronies.

the_woodrow 1 day ago

'He said the first two proposals fell through.' As are all the roofs about to do on all of the buildings he wants to get rid of in a hurry... fall through. But they don't. Who were the first two deals with? It should be public information.

Jolly Roger in reply to the_woodrow

It was ....... from the looks of some of these comments, the fire depart. is hard at work. Maybe they should just concentrate on doing their jobs.

larrydallas in reply to the_woodrow

narcissist don't admit guilt.

the_woodrow

Was that an admission of guilt? 'Leighton said, adding he wouldn’t hire a relative again for a city job – big or small.'

disabledtaxpayry

He MR. tom Leighton must not drive the streets in wilkes-barre . . THE streets are full of pot holes

larrydallas in reply to disabledtaxpayry

A drive up South Main streeet from Hanover St. to the Square and count the empty Stores and vacant lots will tell you more about the City than all his bragging. they have developed one block of center city and they left the rest of the city to deteriate.

TeaPartyDem

Seems like the Mayor talked about some affordable improvements. Unlike Summers and Cope who talk about lowering taxes without cutting costs. Oh wait, we are going to reduce the Mayor's job to part-time and save $10,000.

TwelvePack in reply to TeaPartyDem

It is so nice to see two people so in love- TeaPartyDem and Leighton.

Jolly Roger in reply to TwelvePack

Tweleve Pack, the name says it all. Bottoms up!

mjj in reply to TeaPartyDem

I believe the mayors salary is around $80,000 dollars per year plus benefits.Compare that with Scranton and Allentown. Affordable improvements? Where is the money coming from? The college kids? More and more properties are going on the no tax rolls. Is there any manufacturing left in Wilkes Barre? It seems to me that the only business's in Wilkes Barre besides retail and restaurants are scrap yards.
You brought up a good point though on the part time issue. Maybe if there was a part time mayor he/she wouldn't have enough time to think about how to mess up downtown traffic patterns. Since when does a city make it impossible to manuever traffic during rush hour to host a party of college kids on the square or some other nonsensical entertainment? Use Kirby Park , that is what it is there for.

CaseyRoman1 in reply to mjj

Leighton makes more than the Mayor of our state Capital.
Does that make sense? Harrisburg is larger in size and population, besides being the State Capital?

TeaPartyDem in reply to CaseyRoman1

Casey, please do not let facts hit you in the head. Please google the City of Harrisburg. It is the laughing stock of the Commonwealth. They are bankrupt and fighting over whether or not to let the State take over control. Running city government mean controlling a $40,000,000 budget. Any CEO of a compant that size would make a salary well over $250,000. Remember, you get what you pay for, and the residents of Harrisburg know that first-hand. Wilkes-Barre will be in the same boat in 6 months if they do not re-elect Mayor Leighton.

Scott Koppenhofer in reply to TeaPartyDem

First of all I know store managers of stores doing 60 million a year making only $60,000.00 per year. CEO's make much much more than $250,000.00 but also control companies doing 10 times more than 40 million. Maybe get back in the workforce and learn more about salaries. Next the city is not a business that has a product to sell to bring in the money a business does. The resident's taxes and fees fund the city so it should not be compared to a business. We do not have a choice but to pay taxes but we have a choice of what product to purchase and where to purchase them. If we are going to compare the city to a business then we should have the choice to shop around for what we will pay in taxes and fees based on other cities just like I shop around to different stores to purchase the same product at the lowest price. Also a Mayor should not make as much as a CEO or other up management employees. I have worked in stores doing $60 million in sales and have had a constant inventory of over 4 million dollars at all times and I was a senior manager making $48,000.00 a year. This Mayor should make much less period.
####

Things I noticed (or suspect).
TeaPartyDem is related to a council person. They are one of the Anonymous' that are insulting. That is what he does when you disagree with him.

CaseyRoman1 started as a Leighton supporter and became a vocal dissenter.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sterling series Floor..... Two

2011-10-10T11:59:00.012-04:00

Some of the general ruin

And here

And here

Cityvest didn't, obviously, weather-proof or secure where the apartments were torn down.

And here

I believe this was called the mezzanine. The balcony around the second floor lobby.

Black Mold is visible here, where part of the ceiling was removed by the inspectors.

Yeah this building was 'secured'.

and

The 'Crystal room' is up next and should be up in a day or so.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Just some questions

2011-10-08T16:29:00.001-04:00

Question 1
The River St project..... Why?
Just because the college wants it, is not a reason to make this a major bottleneck. River St is a major route for ambulances going to General Hospital. By restricting the street, and with the major delays this will cause, lives will be put at risk. All so students can cross the street without walking to an intersection. $12 million wasted.

Question 2
Coal St widening project...... Why?
Leighton shows he understands property values almost as badly as he does ethics.
Beside making Coal St into a speedway with Interfaith Apts within spitting distance (Wait, the little children at Interfaith are safe with a 5 lane speedway, but the young adults at the colleges are unsafe with a 4 lane road!!?), There is the loss of parking spaces for the taxpaying people that live on Coal Street. Leightons answer to all their questions, "Wait, you'll be happy with the results". I hate to tell the dictator this (No, I'm not), But the people living there are not happy. They are angry, and rightly so. 8 more parking places really doesn't matter when the residents have to walk 2 or 3 blocks to use them.

Question 3
Campaigning inside the polling location at Kistler Elementary School, What's the big deal?
It's ILLEGAL. And even if it is a "a low-grade misdemeanor" as District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll says, They should be prosecuted. It is the LAW. And IMHO politicians should be held to a high standard.

I'll get back to the Sterling in a day or two, trying to identify the remains is harder than trying to learn Chinese algebra.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Not all the Anonymous comments are from idiots

2011-10-07T19:23:00.002-04:00

This Anonymous' comments was so eloquent I decided to post it:

####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A break from the Sterling":

There was a quote from a movie awhile back that is sort of befitting of those who are in denial, and supportive of the present incumbent. The quote was, "You can't handle the truth". So many questions going unanswered?

Would you agree to an "open ended contract" on a golf cart lease? Pull 3 Mil away from the Sterling project to fund your intermodal which was ill conceived, and had numerous cost overruns? Have the taxpayers fund an ice rink to which they are graciously granted 2 hrs. use a day when the hockey team is not using it? Supposedly sign a contract with a party who is a heavy donor, then not maintain records as required by the "contract"? Sell that same party a bakery for less than the city bought it for, and have the School Board forgive the taxes on it? Allow work to be done on said property even before it's owned? Allow said person to modify a structure without proper permits/zoning until a citizen complained?
And what about accountability for the fines that were imposed? Demolition of the Peanut Bldg with a promise of a Wood St. extension to Penn Ave, w/ proper street signals on S.Main and Wood St.? Was there interest collected on the money that was owed to the Firemen and held back for a year? People who want to keep him for another 4 years are either living in a fantasy world, or have a vested interest? How about when Kanjo and Musto have their day in court will they sing a song that implicates our present Mayor? Were I he, I would resign while I'm at the top of my game. Possible impeachment is a nasty way to go..................
####

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

A break from the Sterling

2011-10-07T16:09:00.002-04:00

I've gotten an new comment from the idiot crowd.
####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "South Station":

so you stopped harping on mayor leighton, because you finally realized he is right. just like your union officers did but you ar to stupid to stop. let me tell you this if one of your officers posts here you will never hear from me again. i know they wont because they support leighton.
####

WOW, your grammar and punctuation just gets worse. I can only believe you are doing that on purpose.

I haven't "stopped harping on mayor leighton". Four days ago I pointed out he and cityvest tried to scam the Feds into paying for the Sterlings demolition.

If you want to know why my Union Officers will not help and post here, ASK THEM. I did. I got the biggest wad of bullsh!t that I've seen in years.

You will comment again, you can't help yourself. You are a troll.

One other thing I have seen are a few people commenting that Leighton shouldn't be investigated because McGroarty was also involved with nepotism. Or that it is a parents prerogative.
One thing that these people want us to forget is that it is AGAINST THE LAW. You know, ILLEGAL. It doesn't become OK because someone else got away with it.

I'll get back to the Sterling series shortly.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sterling series Floor.....One (Requests)

2011-10-04T16:47:00.010-04:00

We interrupt our previously scheduled presentation to answer some requests from Facebook
####
Maryann Huk
And the upper floors would need to be gutted anyway to meet code and be enlarged for today's demands. Ironically, any kind of molded plaster or stenciling that would still be intact would create additional challenges. So all that loveliness we remember would need to be reproduced.
Think of ALLLLL the people that would have to be hired to do that...
####
It would be lovely, but I don't see it happening.

####
Maryann Huk
Your last sentence says it all. Fire Inspectors have a responsibility to protect the public at all costs. A civil engineer friend of mine said municipal inspectors or those hired by a municipality will ALWAYS err on the side of caution. I'll wait for an independent inspection.
####
I'm sorry, The Fire Inspector gave an honest opinion. He has well over a decade of experience, and does not believe the building is salvageable. This was given at an informal safety meeting about the Sterling.

####
Louis Betti
Also, Dan, were you able to get any photos of the General Sullivan room(restaurant)? I dined there many times and would be curious see see what is left of it.

Louis Betti
Hi Dan, the General Sullivan room is on the ground floor off the lobby, north of the River Street entrance.
####
With the help of Tyler Hammond (He and his wife ran Cafe Metropolis when it was in the Sterling), we believe we have isolated the 'General Sullivan' room. The pictures are below.

The entrance

And here

We believe this is the Ballroom (Please remember these are structural pics and not taken to show the Grandeur that was)

Those slatted doors on the left are for a small storage room off the dining area

the dining room

What is left of the first floor kitchen

and more of the kitchen here

####
Save the Hotel Sterling, Wilkes-Barre, PA
‎Dan-I am rather anxious to see too about the ballroom floor two and. Have floors collapsed to a great extent from floors 2 up?
####
The Second floor ballroom was called the 'Crystal room', I believe. I'm going from the lowest level up so that will probably be the next post. By the way, don't expect much, the higher the floor, the more it was stripped.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sterling series Floor.....One

2011-10-04T08:30:00.002-04:00

The wall damage

and

With a LOT of imagination you can see the former grandeur.

and here

and here

Showing that the columns are NOT truly marble.

My question is what is the dollar value of the Sterling? Because , so far, I've found a $6 million loan from the county, a $1 million federal grant, a $3 million state grant and now at least $1 million to tear it down. At some point we have to look at what the dollar return will be.
Cityvest (really the people who signed for that money) need to be MADE to pay up.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sterling series Floor.....Basement

2011-10-03T08:06:00.005-04:00

With the volume of photos I now have, I've decided to post them in an organized manner. So from the bottom up, I give you the basement of the Sterling on August 10, 2011.

The ceiling has caved in.

All these beams are suspect and unsafe

And

And

Obviously there was EXTENSIVE water damage BEFORE the flood

And

And

And

Someone stripped all the recyclable materials

How is it that Cityvest and our mayor thought they could get away with FRAUDULENTLY trying to get the federal government to pay for the demolition?

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sterling news

2011-09-30T15:43:00.014-04:00

OK, first off a big thank you to Jim Ryan and Cathy Macko Payne for quickly and efficiently getting me some info that I "right to know"ed.

Now to the meat of the post. Pictures of the inside of the Sterling Hotel.
First floor

The 'Marble columns' aren't real Marble. They are deteriorated steel beams with a fake Marble coating.

Second Floor

And the roof that was repaired.

The 'repairs' seem to be several dozen 4 X 4's to buttress the badly rotted roof with some tar paper and cheap rolled roofing.

And I'm told, this huge hole wasn't even touched.

Anyone notice the date on the bottom right of the pictures? That's right. A full month before the flood. And Cityvest thought we wouldn't notice?
Yeah, the 'flood' destroyed the Sterling...... More like GREED did.
What does $6 million buy you in the county?
Corruption.

I literally have HUNDREDS of pictures to go through. So more to come.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Let's see what games get played

2011-09-27T23:07:00.003-04:00

I had a class today on the Sterling Hotel. It had a long series of photographs taken by the engineering company that did the structural analysis. Because it interested me (And I would like to be able to show the 'save the Sterling' enthusiasts the scope of what would have to be done), I put in a 'Right-to-Know' request.

Let's see how long it will take for the city to get back to me. This isn't me being snippy. I'm still waiting for Attorney Vinsko to E-mail me a copy of the city charter. He promised it to me back in August 2010. He said, "you'll have it by Monday, Tuesday at the latest." Maybe I should have made him tell me WHICH Tuesday.

Honestly, they don't have to do much. Give me written permission, and I can just copy the presentation from today. Since I was at work, I had to do it by E-mail. Wanna bet it gets 'lost'?

Dan Emplit WBFD

Add on Edit: I'm man enough to point out when I am wrong. Jim Ryan and Cathy Macko Payne got back to me (by Email) almost immediately. And the pictures were in my possession in 2 days. I was very wrong about their professionalism, and they have my apologies for it.

The Dissent Increases

2011-09-26T23:08:00.006-04:00

I was just watching WBRE and, unlike our Federal government, actually listening to the people being interviewed.
Basically it was people opening their eyes, Our government is more than willing to give aid to Haiti, Chile, Pakistan, Lybia, Egypt, Turkey, Japan and Greece (Just 4 months ago Obama pledged $116.8 to 146 BILLION over 3 years to Greece) and $2.6 Million to Train Chinese Prostitutes to Drink Responsibly on the Job! But where is the money for Americans that need help? It is after all OUR MONEY! How about throwing half a billion into the relief efforts here? It's only American citizens that are suffering. Basically the people who elected you morons.

This should be no surprise, our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks (Not even a cost of living increase) while our government pour Hundreds of Billions of dollar's to Foreign Countries! With ZERO chance of it EVER being repaid!!

After Hurricane Katrina, you would think FEMA would have been well funded, but like Cityvest it is claiming to be broke. Bet the people in charge are still getting paid. Oh, to the Obama supporters out there, What would you be saying about 'W' right now if help was this slow under his watch?

Note the condition of the countries in the background.

Imagine if our *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. Or just didn't look at our taxes as something to impress other governments with.

We (Americans) can not keep going this way. We need to take care of our seniors, Stop giving money away (to countries that will not pay us back), Stop giving free benefits to NON-Americans (While denying them to tax paying Citizens), Investigate and prosecute all corruption, and STOP listening to the retards in Hollywood and academics who have never had a real job.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Mall Ninjas

2011-09-26T15:35:00.002-04:00

I mentioned 'Mall Ninjas' the other day and the person I was talking to gave me the 'dog listening to a weird noise' look.
This post on Huey's gunsight has the best description I've ever seen, and it is put in a humorous 'Deadliest Warrior' format.
Give it a look.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

The Hotel Sterling

2011-09-25T23:24:00.002-04:00

Okay, I have one important question to ask. WHO THE @#$%&^ DO THE CITYVEST ASSHATS THINK THEY ARE?

In the Times Leader article, "Battle over razing Hotel Sterling brews", They DEMAND that the city tear down the Sterling?!!!

####
“The Hotel Sterling needs to be razed and it needs to be razed immediately. Waiting thirty days for CityVest to do something which all parties know CityVest cannot do is imprudent and, quite frankly, constitutes a needless threat to public safety,”
####
Translation, We stole all we could from the $6 million LOAN, and you can kiss our asses if you think we're gonna pay to do it.

Am I wrong in thinking that Cityvest SHOULD have made the building stable before wasting our taxes on anything else?

I was at the Sterling when they condemned it way back when. Honestly, I've been VERY sceptical that it could have been saved, even without the flood.

The questions that really need to be asked are not being asked.
When are we going to get our $6 million back?
Why was the Sterling left to rot for a decade?
Why would the city be responsible for a privately owned building?

If the City has to tear it down, they should be able to put a lien on all the private holdings of the owners (or whatever the big wigs are called) of Cityvest, to recoup the loan and costs of demolition.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Obama Flake

2011-09-23T19:01:00.000-04:00

And People make fun of Bush?!

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Replacing the M9

2011-09-22T23:30:00.006-04:00

Pistols with a shot at replacing the M9

So the Army (and if they do, the other branches will probably follow) is looking into replacing the Beretta 92FS (a 9MM handgun).

The M9 replaced the venerable Colt .45 (The M1911A1) back in 1985. It is the standard pistol of the United States Navy, United States Army and the United States Air Force. The M9A1 is also seeing limited issue to the United States Marine Corps.

The Colt .45 is on the left with the M9 on the right.

The Army may be looking at a different caliber as well as a different design.
Calibers rumored to be in the running, Staying with the 9MM, going back to the.45 ACP, the .40 S&W, and the .357 Sig (NOT to revolver cartridge).
My opinion? I've never had a problem with the 9MM. If a round has the minimum (or better) amount of power, I believe shot placement is MUCH more important than caliber. And with or Armed Forces being restricted (largely) to Full Metal Jacket rounds (the alternative would be expanding rounds like Hollow Points), I don't see a point to switching calibers.

Designs rumored to be in the running:
The Smith and Wesson M&P, an excellent choice (Plus it is AMERICAN made)
The Glock, also an excellent choice but it doesn't have a manual safety or a decocking lever (I believe one or the other is a requirement)
The Sig Sauer, a third excellent choice (although I have heard some very bad things about the quality control in the last few years)
The Heckler & Koch P2000, I have zero experience with this weapon.
Both Colt and Springfield have put their hats in with unspecified designs (also AMERICAN made).

I've got to admit, I'm no fan of the M9. I think ANY number of designs would have been MUCH better and I would like to see the contract go to an American company.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Looters

2011-09-15T08:46:00.003-04:00

Residents vow to protect their homes from looters

I was going to post about something else, but I saw the front page of the Voice and felt the need to comment.

First off Mr. Parsons, KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER until you are ready to fire. Second off KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER and lower the hammer for the picture. With firearms discipline like that, your son was right to take your .308 off of you.

The 4 rules to firearms safety are easy to remember and follow.

1. Treat every firearm as a LOADED firearm. Why? Because too many people have been shot by 'unloaded weapons'
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Why? Because your finger is THE most important safety feature.
3. Know your target and what is beyond. Why? Because the bullet may miss the intended target and hit a non-target around or beyond the target.
4. NEVER point a weapon at anything you are NOT willing to destroy (IE KILL). This one needs NO explanation.

Mr. Parsons while I applaud your determination to protect yourself and your friends, YOU NEED A CLASS ON SAFETY. You are 4 for 4 in violating these simple safety rule.... IN ONE PICTURE!!!!
Hammer back (in old rifles the hammer IS often the safety), Rule #1 broken.
KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER, Rule #2 broken.
You are sweeping the air with the barrel, Rule #3 broken.
You have NO idea where your rifle is pointing, Rule #4 broken.

Before someone says, "Maybe it was unloaded", re-read rule #1.

While I agree with Mr. Parsons intent I disagree with his plans. 'Shoot them in the leg' & 'Shoot them in the kneecap'?! In defensive shooting scenarios you are taught to fire for the 'center of mass' (COM) in order to maximize stopping power (Notice I DID NOT say killing power). Death may result from this action. It is unfortunate, But you are using a DEADLY WEAPON. And with a .22 (a round extremely short on 'stopping power'), if you have to fire, you try to maximize your chances to STOP an opponent.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

South Station

2011-09-11T01:03:00.004-04:00

Over the last 18 months I've been hearing rumors. One of them (given to me by someone who has been very accurate) is that after the election, South fire station was to go up for sale. The reasoning behind it was simple, why keep an engine house that only housed an Ambulance and a part time Fire Engine?

Well after this wonderful weekend, the value of South Station CAN NOT be exaggerated. Built in 1977 for a crew of six per shift, it was used this weekend as an emergency Fire Headquarters (it is the ONLY Firehouse out of the flood plain) and for a while as a temporary Police HQ. For the duration it was manned by over a dozen Firefighters and (for a while) several Police. Also most of fire headquarters movable equipment and 'sensitive' documents were moved there.

I've found that most people are amazed to learn that, of our firehouses, ONLY South Station is out of the flood zone. And no, I don't know why Hollenback Station was built in a flood plain. But, after the last few days, I do know that KEEPING South Station, and keeping it manned 24/7 is of VITAL importance to the safety of our city.

Please remember that the Lloyds study, the one that the city commissioned, payed for (with our tax money) and now ignores, says 17 firefighters per shift. Our mayor says 12.
It's about two issues.
The number of firefighters immediately available (because bad things don't wait or they wouldn't BE bad things) to help you, and with our recent experience, Location of those assets.
The other issue is the TOTAL number of firefighters that can be called upon. Somewhere around two dozen have retired since Leighton has taken over the reigns. He has hired six. This is UNACCEPTABLE. We pay HIGH taxes for our safety. WE are NOT getting what we are paying for.

Enough for now, I'm beat.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Don't yell at him for doing his job

2011-09-10T19:25:00.005-04:00

I don't usually post city stuff while I'm at work, But I think it's necessary.
I've received several Emails and texts complaining about the way Mayor Leighton has been handling the flood and evacuation situation.

Please stop. His actions during this crisis have been, without question, correct. He has put the safety of the citizens before all else. He has authorized everything in his power to help the citizens, police, fire and DPW personnel.

I rarely capitalize the 'm' in mayor when talking about Leighton. It is generally an little insult.

Mayor Leighton, Thank you and Good Job.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Photo

2011-09-09T17:30:00.001-04:00

Why the US needs to appear Psychotic

2011-09-04T08:09:00.010-04:00

The other night, I had one of my "Dan is off his meds" conversations. It was about what is wrong with the world today. IMO, it's simple. The United States is no longer Feared.

For a long time now, America has been looked down upon. We have bent over backwards to placate everyone who isn't an American. This needs to stop. In World War 2, we sent 1,000 bombers (Yes that is one thousand) to bomb ENTIRE CITIES to rubble just to hit a POSSIBLE target. And if we weren't sure it was destroyed, we would bomb the rubble into a different zip code just to get a clearer view of the target!

What's that? We can't do that anymore? We have to worry about the innocents? WHY? Are they Americans? Then why should we give a @#*$ about Habib, Hadji, Manuelle, or any other NON American? The pecking order should be simple. Americans, our allies, and targets.

Here is the REAL question. Would Blowjob the dictator (insert any douche bags name here) EVER have become a problem if he knew that he could be awoken one night and see this:
An anonymous, balaclava wearing Special Warfare Dude, his bloody knife (for some reason most people fear a knife more than a gun), and he tells BJ, "All your guards are dead. All your staff... Dead. Your dogs... Dead. No one even knows we are here. You are an annoyance, become an irritant and you won't wake up...... EVER."

Remember it takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, but only 3 for a correct trigger squeeze.

Part of the problem is we pay WAY to much attention to what Hollywood thinks. Why people think that being an actor makes someone an expert is beyond me. They have problems making good movies, but are right there whining for us to give money to whatever country when something bad happens. BTW where is Hollywood now, when AMERICANS could use some help recovering from Hurricane Irene?

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

A sample of the stupidity I get to deal with

2011-09-03T21:29:00.005-04:00

I was checking my comments inbox and of course, the moron fairy has attacked again.

####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Nepotism Part2 or How many scandals will there be ...":

Looks like another "it's all about us" attitude of the firemen. They don't show such concern for the city when they negotiate their union contracts. Personally, when I call a cop, I need one but if my house burns down, I have insurance.
####

This came in on 9-2-2011 at 2:58 am. For a post from 7-2-2011.
Really? 2 months!? Oh well, lets look at what was said.

'Looks like another "it's all about us" attitude of the firemen.'
How? I didn't even mention the FD until the last half of the post.

'They don't show such concern for the city when they negotiate their union contracts.'
We don't? I forget WHICH union made $3.5 million (over 7 years)concessions? Oh right. The Fire Department. But we don't show any concern. And what did the other unions give up?

'Personally, when I call a cop, I need one but if my house burns down, I have insurance.'
Now this just shows how shortsighted and self centered you are. If your 'house burns down' it puts your neighbors houses at risk. And what about the health risks your family will be exposed to? Insurance doesn't save lives. We do.

Dan Emplit WBFD

WTF Over?!!

2011-08-31T21:24:00.004-04:00

My friend OhioBorderer told me about this:

####
Cops Confiscate Lakewood Lady’s Arsenal; Motive Pending
by Kyle Swenson

Francesca Rice no longer serves in her country’s armed forces, but she brought a piece of the action back home with her.

It seems the Lakewood vet had stockpiled her Edgewater Towers condo with a home arsenal including handguns, shotguns, a sniper rifle — plus a Thompson sub-machine gun, just in case the pizza guy got fresh.

Her cache somehow caught the attention of Lakewood Police, who paid a visit last September. When they found Rice wasn’t home, they asked an obliging employee of the complex to open up the apartment without her consent. Once inside, they raided the gun rack, making off with 13 firearms worth around $15,000. The only problem: They had no apparent reason to.

When Rice kindly asked to have her toys returned, the cops acknowledged that the weapons were legally owned. But they refused to return them without a court order. And so Rice has filed suit in Lakewood Municipal Court.

So far, nobody’s doing much talking. Lakewood Police Chief Timothy Malley declined to speak specifically about the seizure, citing the ongoing lawsuit. He also declined to speak generally about situations in which Lakewood cops would be likely to seize property on a whim. Rice’s attorney did not return Scene’s calls for comment, and Rice didn’t respond to repeated buzzes on her apartment intercom.

Amid all the zipped lips, there’s a moral here for everybody: Gun owners, beware of law enforcement looking to trod upon your rights. And non-gun owners, beware of neighbors who are particularly well prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
####

BTW she isn't just a Veteran, she's a DISABLED VETERAN!

Here's the Lakewood Municipal Court Papers.

Here's what the Lakewood Police stole, that is what it is called when someone takes something without a LEGAL right to it.

- SKS M-21 Sniper Rifle (An SKS 'Sniper' rifle??? Not by any definition I know)

- Ruger Blackhawk .357 (A 'modern' revolver patterned after the revolvers from the old west)

- Sentinel Arms 12 Gauge (Obviously a shotgun)

- Gemtech .22 LR (I believe this is a suppressed .22, Legal if you get a $200 tax stamp, Since the police had NO paperwork, Then they committed a federal crime taking this)

- Ruger Mark II .22 LR (One of the best .22's made)

- Antique double barrel percussion shotgun (another antique)

- Springfield Arms .45 ACP (a 1911 style pistol)

- Thompson M1928 .45 ACP Semi-automatic (If this is a real 1928 and not a semi-auto 1927 then the cops committed multiple federal crimes.)

- Mossberg 500A 12 Gauge Shotgun (One of the most popular shotguns ever)

- Valkyrie Arms M3 .45 ACP Semi-automatic (a legal version of a WW2 weapon)

- Smith & Wesson M-686 .357 (one of the most popular revolvers made)

- Makarov 9mm (The Russian version of our 9mm)

- Colt Model M1851 .44 (a black powder revolver)

None of these are the weapons of a subversive.

Isn't this what's called burglary and grand theft? Not to mention breaking and entering, trespass, illegal search etc....

This happened in Ohio, not some third world country. Last time I checked, Ohio WAS part of the United States. Did they secede and no one tell me?

This could've ended VERY badly for both the police and a Veteran, if she had been home.

Oh, that $15,000 estimate seems WAY LOW to me.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Three surgeons

2011-08-31T15:30:00.001-04:00

My friend, Michele, posted this on facebook. I liked it so I stole it for here:
####
Three surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients to operate on. The first surgeon says "Electricians are the best. Their insides are color coded," The second surgeon says, "No. I think librarians are, everything inside them is in alphabetical order." The third surgeon shut them both up when he said, "You're both wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There is no guts, no heart, no balls, no brains, and no spine. Plus the head and the ass are interchangeable.
####

Dan Emplit WBFD

A new nasty-gram

2011-08-26T23:21:00.004-04:00

I got a new comment today. My initial thought was to delete it.

####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "He is STILL blowing off a federal jury":

you are an idiot, a disgruntled firefighter because you were relocated from one firehouse. let me tell you this, we all don't agree with what you have to say. you don't have the right to call yourself a union member. why don't you go to union meetings. why arent the union officers writing on this piece of toilet paper. because they are satisfied with the way things are. thats proof that the city is safe. all your accusations are comical. your lists are pathetic and so are you.
####

Well there are a few things I would like to say.
1. Learn to capitalize. To inform you, it is the button marked 'shift'. When you use it, it makes the letters capitols, like this "BITE ME"
2. If you think my blog is "toilet paper". DON'T READ IT. (See, I know how to use the 'shift' key)
3. I like lists.
4. Why the union officers aren't helping me on this and why I rarely go to union meetings are a subject for a post at a later time.
5. If you want to put an opposing view out here, START YOUR OWN BLOG!!! (See the skilled way I use that 'shift' key again?)
6. Punctuation would help as well.

Yeah, I noticed the phrasing and that they knew I rarely go to union meetings.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

He is STILL blowing off a federal jury

2011-08-24T21:10:00.002-04:00

In November 2008, a FEDERAL jury found dictator Leighton guilty of violating constitutional rights. He retaliated against Denise Carey for an attempt to put the status of the Heights fire station (Number 4) on a ballot.

In May, A federal judge ordered the city to pay up. For some reason, even when violating constitutional rights, the person giving the orders isn't responsible for the damages, the city itself is.

So almost four months have past. She hasn't received a penny. So Cynthia Pollick, Denise's attorney, intends to file a writ of execution (a legal document that would allow her to seek to seize Leighton’s personal assets to satisfy the judgment).

This should be done automatically, in my opinion, Because I don't think the city should be responsible for this. It was a PERSONNEL VENDETTA.

Activist hasn’t received cash

Wilkes-Barre activist still waiting for $67,000 payment

One of two things happened.
1. Leighton was given BAD advise (He should have read the Constitution, Most people had to in grade school).
or
2. Leighton thought he would get away with it and doesn't give a damn about anyones rights.

I'm going with number 2, because if number 1 was the right answer, the lawyer would've been disbarred.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Obama's firsts

2011-08-24T20:43:00.004-04:00

I don't understand Sheeple

2011-08-16T17:28:00.006-04:00

This was sent to me. It's in reference to my previous post.

####
Anonymous said...
Breaking out the rifle may have been the "scare" that the mob may have needed to disperse, but.. what if anyone in the "mob" had a weapon and fired at the man? Was his rifle even loaded???
Going back into the safety of his home, and getting his weapon in today's courts could be construed as "premeditation" if he had shot and mortally wounded someone??....Your thoughts??
####
There's a lot of question here, so by the numbers

1. Breaking out the rifle WAS the "scare" that the mob DID NEED to disperse.

2. If someone in the 'mob' was armed, they would have been brandishing it. Such is the cowardly way of mob mentality.

3. If someone had fired at Mr. McBride, well he had drawn a line and was ready to defend himself. Please read this What does it mean to have Situational awareness?

4. You have all the information I do, I have no way of knowing if it was loaded. I will add that most unloaded weapons are paperweights (except for that bayonet, that would hurt).

5. "Safety of his home"????!! The mob had broken into the house next door, What makes you think he was safe in his home??? The only "premeditation" was to defend his life, home and perhaps his neighbors. The mob had broken into one house, threatened Mr. McBride's life (when he yelled at them to stop), Thrown things at him and his house, Trespassed on his property, and advanced (with the stated intent to cause him fatal or life changing injury) onto his porch.

6. As for if he had "mortally wounded someone", in a defensive scenario, you DO NOT shoot to kill. You shoot to stop someone. Fatalities may be the result. People need to know that the gun owner is NOT the only person who needs to be responsible for the actions they take.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Man Thwarts Attack from Black Teen Mob

2011-08-16T00:37:00.000-04:00

What was I saying about London's problems not happening here?

A World War 2 era, bolt action rifle may have saved that mans life. Without firing a shot. Maybe the English subjects should see this. As well as Gun control advocates, Like our mayor.

Dan Emplit WBFD

London, It's not about race

2011-08-13T18:15:00.005-04:00

O’Reilly Warns: England’s Class Warfare Violence Could Come to America
A direct link to the same Video

The two women saying, They’re showing the "'rich' we can do want we want," really means we are thieves and we can get away with it.

London riots: 'Bleeding, I called 999. A tired man told me to go home'

####
Bleeding a little, I thought I might as well call 999. It was a recorded message. After four and a half minutes, a tired man answered. “There’s nothing we can do,” he said. “You know what’s going on. We have to give priority to saving people’s lives. I suggest you just go home.”
####
First off, 999 is Englands version of 911. Imagine YOU calling 911, and being told this. Can't happen here? think again. Remember the LA riots?

####
Even on Monday, the victims of Tottenham, black and white, were already tired of outsiders blaming racism, police brutality, or cuts. (What were they rioting about in prosperous, suburban Enfield – rising season-ticket prices?) The real reason for the rioters’ behaviour is much simpler: because they can.
####
This is not about Race, it's about being a bully and being able to get away with it.

####
Forget BlackBerry Messenger. After seeing — on television — how much leeway the looters of Tottenham were allowed, every criminal and every excitement-seeking child in London took note.
####
In my previous post about this I put a video link. Watch it. Now think, what would've happened if just ONE of those cops had been armed? Even if it was just a shotgun loaded with bean bag rounds.

Yeah, you're gonna effect societal change by looting a Foot Locker.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Re-election move oops I mean movie

2011-08-10T23:31:00.007-04:00

In what I see as a move to counter Obama's crashing popularity, Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal (the producers of 'The Hurt Locker') are planning an Oct 2012 pro-Obama propaganda movie about the killing of douchebag extraordinaire Osama bin Laden. The White house is giving UNPRECEDENTED access to the operations intel. Hmmm, I wonder if it's coincidence that the Presidential election is only a month later.

Remember, THEY can have UNPRECEDENTED access to the intel, but the pictures of OBL's body are to disturbing for us.

Downgrade Blues by Maureen Dowd

####
The Sony film by the Oscar-winning pair who made “The Hurt Locker” will no doubt reflect the president’s cool, gutsy decision against shaky odds. Just as Obamaland was hoping, the movie is scheduled to open on Oct. 12, 2012 — perfectly timed to give a home-stretch boost to a campaign that has grown tougher.
####
Cool and Gutsy? Right. I used Gutsy in my description as well.

####
It was clear that the White House had outsourced the job of manning up the president’s image to Hollywood when Boal got welcomed to the upper echelons of the White House and the Pentagon and showed up recently — to the surprise of some military officers — at a C.I.A. ceremony celebrating the hero Seals.
####
The Main Stream Media (MSM) would love it if we forgot this.

I don't know if the backlash is ONLY political. But Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.), chairman of Homeland Security Committee is going apesh!t about it. He does have some valid concerns about the security of the SEALS.

Film on Bin Laden Raid Sparks GOP Call for Pentagon Probe by Julian E. Barnes

####
“I write to express concern regarding ongoing leaks of classified information regarding sensitive military operations,” Mr. King wrote.
####
And
####
“It is the violation of the law to provide classified information” to people not cleared to receive it, Col. David Lapan, the Pentagon spokesman, said.
####

These statements pretty much sum up my feelings.
I've never hidden the fact that I'm no Obama supporter. But I will admit, I'll see the movie when it comes out. It won't change my opinion of Obama. But I will go see it.

Dan Emplit
USN 1986 - 1992

Support your Fire Fighters and Paramedics.

2011-08-09T17:44:00.002-04:00

We risk our lives to save yours.

And this is just a few seconds of a fire.
Not much more needs to be said.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Happy Birthday to Smokey the Bear

2011-08-09T08:38:00.003-04:00

Smokey's debut was on August 9, 1944. His name was inspired by "Smokey" Joe Martin, a New York City Fire Department hero who suffered burns and blindness during a bold 1922 rescue. His name was originally just Smokey Bear until a popular song by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins added the word 'the' for the song's rhythm.

I was going to make this post about the cartoon character, but my research found this article about the 'first living' Smokey.

The living symbol of Smokey
The living symbol of Smokey Bear was an American black bear cub who in the spring of 1950 was caught in the Capitan Gap fire, a wildfire that burned 17,000 acres in the Lincoln National Forest, in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. Smokey had climbed a tree to escape the blaze, but his paws and hind legs had been burned. According to some stories, he was rescued by a game warden after the fire, but according to the New Mexico State Forestry Division, it was actually a group of soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, who had come to help fight the fire, that discovered the bear cub and brought him back to the camp.

At first he was called "Hotfoot Teddy," but he was later renamed Smokey, after the mascot. There are conflicting stories regarding the individual or individuals who first helped nurse the cub after the fire. According to the New York Times obituary for Homer C. Pickens, then Assistant Director of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, he kept the cub at his home for awhile, trying to nurse him back to health. According to other records, including a story in Life Magazine, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Ranger Ray Bell took him to Santa Fe, where he, his wife Ruth, and their children, Don and Judy, cared for the cub. The story was picked up by the national news services and Smokey became a celebrity. Soon after, Smokey was flown in a Piper Cub airplane to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.. A special room was prepared for him at the St. Louis zoo for an overnight fuel stop during the trip, and when he arrived at the National Zoo, several hundred spectators, including members of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, photographers, and media were there to welcome him to his new home.

Smokey Bear lived at the National Zoo for 26 years. During that time he received millions of visitors as well as so many letters addressed to him (up to 13,000 a week)that the United States Postal Service finally gave him his own unique zip code. He developed a love for peanut butter sandwiches, in addition to his daily diet of bluefish and trout.

Upon his death on November 9, 1976, Smokey's remains were returned by the government to Capitan, New Mexico, and buried at what is now the Smokey Bear Historical Park. The plaque at his grave reads, "This is the resting place of the first living Smokey Bear...the living symbol of wildfire prevention and wildlife conservation."

Remember... Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires

Dan Emplit WBFD

London is burning.....

2011-08-08T23:26:00.011-04:00

First some pictures:

The last picture gave me hope that our fellow 'man' aren't all worthless pricks....
Till I found this:

And a Video link Warning Language is NSFW

And what started this?
The shooting of Mark Duggan which occurred during a police interception. Duggan was a taxi driver and alleged drug dealer. Reports are contraditory. Friends and relatives claim he was unarmed, His girlfriend of 13 years claimed she "was shocked to learn her boyfriend of 13 years was carrying a gun." The police claim he was armed. To back this up a 'non issue' handgun was found on the scene and a bullet was found imbedded in a police radio.
There are also rumors that the latest riots are mainly looters.

My heart goes out to the innocents in London. A London blog is giving updates.

Don't worry. It couldn't happen here..... Oh wait L.A.

Dan Emplit WBFD

He just won't stop.

2011-08-07T16:27:00.006-04:00

Little busy today, so I'll just point out the Bull being slung in the papers over the last few days.

####
Deal on old bakery OK’d

"The mayor of Wilkes-Barre does not sell real estate," Leighton said.
(Except the failed Old River Road Bakery, Carlisle St, and half the first block of South Main St. Off the top of my head.)

Board member Lynn Evans cited a nearby property that had been sold to LAG and became a parking lot and towing yard.
(Which is what Leo will do with the bakery)

Leighton said there are no guarantees about property development, but that he would try to assure the use was appropriate.
(The next quote says it all)

Leighton had promised Luzerne County Commissioners that a prior, unrelated deal involving tax breaks would lead to construction of townhouses, but ended up being a “towing yard.”
(Leighton had to claim it was going to be town homes, The commissioners would NEVER have given tax forgiveness for L.A.G.)

With board member Dr. Mark Schiowitz absent, the vote was 7 to 1. Lynn Evans voted no, saying afterward that she still felt the developer, not the city, should come to the board to justify a tax break.
(Finally, Someone seems to have been visited by the common sense fairy. Stand your ground Ms Evans.)
####

####
Urban criticizes bakery property deal

Urban said he still remembers when the city secured a similar deal from county commissioners in 2006 under the pretenses the property would one day feature townhouses. (I forget, How much did Leighton CHEAT out of our financially strapped county?)

That never happened. Instead, the city entered into - then rescinded - an agreement to sell the former bakery to the city's towing contractor, a political supporter of Mayor Tom Leighton who wanted the property for storage purposes.
####

####
Mayor sees W-B fiscally sound

“Let me first say that the days of out-of-budget spending are over,” Leighton said. “We stick to our budget within reason. However, if there are any unexpected events – flooding, snowstorms, and the failing economy – they could affect our costs significantly.”
(Except for 15 million over budget on the intermodel center, The camera surveillance system that DOES NOT work, selling property for 10 cents or less on the dollars to special people, purchasing vehicles from DeNaples that now have suddenly vanished, Buying a Zamboni for the Ice Rink, and MULTIPLE lawsuits the city could not win)

When the city faced a $10 million deficit in 2004 – Leighton’s first year as mayor – Leighton said the city asked the state for help and the Public Financial Management Company was appointed to help address the financial woes.
(Don't forget that part of that help came from the Fire Fighters who's contract concessions were greater than $3.5 MILLION over 7 years. What did the other unions do?)

Leighton said reductions in staffing such as police and fire would be considered when all other alternatives are exhausted.
(Of course he would consider it. He don't give a crap about public safety, as long as his friends and family get richer)
####

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

The Confessional

2011-08-06T00:33:00.003-04:00

An Irishman goes into the confessional box after years of being away from the Church.

There's a fully equipped bar with Guinness on tap. On the other wall is a dazzling array of the finest cigars and chocolates.

Then the priest comes in. "Father, forgive me, for it's been a very long time since I've been to confession, but I must first admit that the confessional box is much more inviting than it used to be."

The priest replies: "Get out. You're on my side."

Bird Feeder

2011-08-04T14:48:00.004-04:00

From the Email in box:

####
I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it was, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.

But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, The chairs, the table .. Everywhere!

Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket.

And others birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like it used to be .... Quiet, serene.... And no one demanding their 'Rights to a free meal'.

Now let's see.
Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care and free education, and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen.

Then the illegal's came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; Your child's second grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English.

Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one ' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than 'Old Glory' are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government 'To take down the bird feeder.'
####

Last night was one for the story books. I'll tell the story, but it will have to wait for a day or so.

Dan Emplit WBFD

What does it mean to have Situational awareness?

2011-08-03T13:07:00.003-04:00

My friend rfizzle sent this.

####
Let me start off by saying that I am not an expert; this is simply something taught to me (in my academy) that I see value in. Recently a few things have brought it to mind and I’ve thought about this write up for a while.

What does it mean to have Situational awareness? How about this Jason Bourne quote from the first movie “I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs two hundred fifteen pounds and knows how to handle himself…”
While we all can’t be super spy assassins, we can be aware of our surroundings. My best example of bad situational awareness was a recent transaction I had with a guy from a local gun forum. We were meeting to buy/sell a gun; as usual I gave a vehicle description and a relative idea of where I’d be in a parking lot. He also gave a description of his car, I arrived early and went to the area of the parking lot I said I would. It was a fairly empty lot; I parked in the furthest corner which was completely empty with the nearest car being 75 yards away. I watched as the gentleman arrived and drove around the parking lot, passing me three times in the process. Now remember I’m the only car in that corner (as described to him) and the only car of that description in the lot. I finally got out on his forth pass and waved him down; during the transaction it came out that he teaches concealed carry and many other personal protection classes.
While having a CCW enables you to protect yourself at all times, are you walking into a situation that will force you to do so? Situational awareness boils down to a mental state, one of the best ways I’ve seen this mental state described is by the Mental Color Codes. They are a five step mental condition gauge and taught through out the military and law enforcement, I think the average gun owner could benefit from them as well.

Mental Color Codes:
White: Complete mental unawareness
Best described to me as the Al Bundy; hand down your pants, beer in hand, not a care in the world.

Yellow: Relaxed Alertness
This is the state you should always be in, especially when armed. Being in Yellow means you are aware of your surroundings, it’s not paranoia but alertness.

Orange: Potential Threat Situation
A potential threat has presented it self, you observe the situation and the potential threat. This may be an opportunity to leave or gain a tactical advantage.

Red: Specific Real Threat
The perceived threat is real, you have taken action to avoid the threat and it has failed. You draw a line in the sand and have a plan to take defensive action.

Black: The fight is on
It’s go time, the threat has now crossed the line in the sand, and you must act.

Looking back to my story of the guy in the parking lot it’s easy to see he operates in condition white. When you operate in condition white it is impossible to jump to black, simply because you are unprepared to deal with a threat.

I love this board for many reasons, one of them being that every time I see someone posts a question about buying something gun related, usually the first response is something like: “Training”. I love that as much as some of us love to buy new toys, we all have a respect for training. I’ve been to a couple of classes that have talked about mental preparation, but it’s not as common as it should be.

A good book I would recommend reading is: Warrior Mindset by Dr. Michael Asken & Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

On a fun note we had training a couple weeks ago with our digital system, essentially it’s a projected video that you can shoot a laser gun at and it somewhat interacts back. The scenario they gave us all was a traffic stop; a young girl in a bikini top gets out of the car and while holder her license in her hand says “I don’t know what I did, but here is my license. Right after she says that the screen went blank and we were asked what we saw, there was a pistol in her car door pocket. About half of us missed it and could only give a description of her…
####

Please note that NONE of the color codes even mention firearms. They simply point out that 'Fortune favors the prepared mind'.

Most people spend their lives in condition White. With the trend of things in Wilkes-Barre, I think it might be better to up that to condition Yellow.

Dan Emplit WBFD

A new Anonymous? Or a threat?

2011-08-02T16:19:00.003-04:00

With blogger you can read the comments before posting them.
Today I got this one.

####
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Where to begin?":

with the fire dept losing its no lay off clause, aren't you afraid of lossing your job?

a resonable person would. Just one slip up and you would be unemployed.
isn't that scarey.
####

I don't know who sent it. I do get comments that are just idiots trolling, But something about this hints at a bit more.
A threat? Maybe.
Not the first. Keep 'em coming, I could use the laughs.

Dan Emplit WBFD

USS Indianapolis

2011-07-30T08:04:00.002-04:00

USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class cruiser. She holds a place in history due to the circumstances surrounding her sinking, which led to the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy. After delivering critical parts for the first atomic bomb to be used in combat to Tinian, the ship was hit by two torpedoes from the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58. Twelve minutes later, she capsized (turned over) and went down.

Of 1,196 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining crew of 880 men faced exposure, dehydration and shark attacks as they waited to be saved, while floating with few lifeboats and almost no food or water.

The Navy had no knowledge of the sinking (the failure of the ship to arrive at her destination not having been noticed) and learned of the sinking when survivors were spotted (four days later) by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura aircraft on routine patrol. Only 316 sailors survived.

The Ventura aircraft immediately dropped a life raft and a radio transmitter. All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once. A PBY Catalina seaplane (commanded by Lieutenant R. Adrian Marks) was dispatched to lend assistance and report. En route to the scene, Marks overflew the USS Cecil J. Doyle and alerted her captain (future U.S. Secretary of the Navy W. Graham Claytor, Jr.) of the emergency. On his own authority, Claytor decided to divert to the scene.

Arriving hours ahead of Doyle, Marks' crew began dropping rubber rafts and supplies. Having seen men being attacked by sharks, Marks disobeyed standard orders and landed on the open sea. He began taxiing to pick up the stragglers and lone swimmers who were at the greatest risk of shark attack.

The Indianapolis was the last capitol ship sunk by enemy action in World War II.

As of 2010, there were 52 living survivors.

The Indianapolis is, perhaps, best known from the movie 'Jaws'. Quint (portrayed by Robert Shaw) was an Indianapolis survivor.
####
"Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into our side, Chief. We was comin' back from the island of Tinian to Leyte. We'd just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in 12 minutes. Didn't see the first shark for about a half-hour. Tiger. 13-footer. You know how you know that in the water, Chief? You can tell by lookin' from the dorsal to the tail. What we didn't know, was that our bomb mission was so secret, no distress signal had been sent. They didn't even list us overdue for a week. Very first light, Chief, sharks come cruisin', so we formed ourselves into tight groups. You know it was kinda like old squares in a battle, like you see on a calendar, like you see in the Battle of Waterloo. And the idea was the shark come to the nearest man, that man he starts poundin' and hollerin' and sometimes that shark he go away... but sometimes he wouldn't go away. Sometimes that shark looks right into ya. Right into your eyes. And the thing about a shark is he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn't even seem to be livin'... until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'. The ocean turns red, and despite all the poundin' and the hollerin' those sharks come in and... they rip you to pieces. You know by the end of that first dawn, lost a hundred men. I don't know how many sharks, maybe a thousand. I do know how many men, they averaged six an hour. Thursday mornin', Chief, I bumped into a friend of mine, Herbie Robinson from Cleveland. Baseball player. Boatswain's mate. I thought he was asleep. I reached over to wake him up. He bobbed up, down in the water, he was like a kinda top. Upended. Well, he'd been bitten in half below the waist. At noon on the fifth day, a Lockheed Ventura swung in low and he saw us, a young pilot, a lot younger than Mr. Hooper here. Anyway he saw us and a few hours later a big fat PBY come down and started to pick us up. You know that was the time I was most frightened. Waitin' for my turn. I'll never put on a lifejacket again. So, 1,100 men went into the water, 316 men come out, the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb." ~ Quint
####

She was lost 66 years ago today.
Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Where to begin?

2011-07-28T19:31:00.004-04:00

Ten years ago:
The Twin Towers were still standing

The submarine USS Greeneville accidentally strikes and sinks the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime-Maru near Hawaii.

British and U.S. forces carry out bombing raids, attempting to disable Iraq's air defense network

The Russian space station Mir re-enters the atmosphere near Nadi, Fiji, and falls into the Pacific Ocean.

A Hamas suicide bomber kills 21, mostly teenagers, in the Dolphinarium disco in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

The residents of Coal street were 'notified' of the parking situation by Certified letter, sent by then Mayor McGroarty.

The Coal Street Realignment project
Yet more proof that dictator Leighton cares more about getting his name on something than the welfare of our citizens. He certainly doesn't give a damn about the home values that will plummet.
12 parking spaces for ALL of Coal St? Wow, that will help. I mean how many houses are on Coal St. that don't have off street parking? 40 or 50? Those 12 spaces will certainly be popular.

And the Old River Road Bakery is back in the news..... AGAIN.
Let's look at the qoutes in the Citizens Voice today.

####
"Only a few people know what's going on," Leighton said about the pending deal between the city and Leo A. Glodzik III, the owner of LAG Towing.
####
AND
####
The mayor is one of them, and he's refused to reveal much about the future of property at 250 Old River Road. When Leighton has talked about the pending sale, his answers have ranged from odd to inconclusive to seemingly contradictory.
####
Why the secrecy? Unless you got caught doing something wrong. AGAIN.

####
"I'm not saying he's getting it," Leighton said Wednesday. "And I'm not saying he's not getting it."
####
Can you make a more ARROGANT response? Answer the damn question. I bet answering it would risk selling it to a campaign contributor.

####
The city, citing assessment discrepancies, argues the taxes are not owed.
####
Then why has the dictator asked for tax forgiveness? More than once. More lies.

####
Leighton's statements this week only have added to the intrigue surrounding the bakery, which the city sold to Glodzik for $38,000 - far below the county-assessed value of $478,300. Glodzik pays the city $50,050 annually for an exclusive towing project and has donated more than $10,000 to Leighton's political campaigns.
####
Leighton has a habit of selling property to LAG towings owner at a loss for the city coffers.

####
While Leighton pointed out Glodzik has a signed sales agreement and is "definitely in the running" to buy the bakery, he said "there's always a chance" the city could reopen the bidding on the property to other parties.
####
There's a chance I'll win the lottery (probably a better chance that I will).

####
"Then you know something you shouldn't know," he said.
####
Bet he was mad when he said that.

Pure Bunkum has a similar post, That's For Me To Know And For You To Find Out

By the way, what is with Leightons 'evil Spock' look?

Lame.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Retired Chief Norm Davis passed away today

2011-07-27T14:19:00.005-04:00

Today we lost a hero. Chief Norm Davis.
Chief Norm Davis retired saturday
Norm Davis for City Council

####
Retired Wilkes-Barre Assistant Fire Chief Norm Davis dead

WILKES-BARRE - Retired city assistant fire chief Norm Davis died overnight inside his house on Kirkendall Avenue in South Wilkes-Barre.

Davis retired from the fire department in February after 36 years of service. He was a candidate for city council District A in the primary election, receiving 27 percent of the vote.

"Today is a sad day for the City of Wilkes-Barre as the community has lost retired Wilkes-Barre Assistant Fire Chief Norm Davis. He dedicated his life and 36-year career to serve the people of Wilkes-Barre and even in retirement, his commitment to improve this city and the lives of the people could not be questioned," Mayor Thomas Leighton said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends but he will not be forgotten. His memory will live-on in the fire department that he served and the people that he touched."
####

His retirement left a hole in our dept.
His passing left a hole in our souls.
The Marine Corp motto is 'Semper Fidelis' ("always faithful" in Latin) for the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for "Corps and Country", even after leaving service. Marines frequently shorten the motto to "Semper Fi".

Semper Fi, Norm.

Dan Emplit WBFD

The Walking Dead (TV series)

2011-07-23T00:25:00.006-04:00

I was just texting a friend who is a big fan of this show. And the release of a trailer for season two got us 'talking' about the show. Now I enjoy it as well, but there are just some things that, with a little thought or research or experience, are annoyingly wrong.
So here is a list (I make a lot of lists...)

1. If I awake from a coma to find the hospital wrecked and shot up, before venturing outside, remember to acquire pants.

2. Oh yeah, get shoes too. Before anyone asks, Raid the locker rooms.

3. The gun bag seems to weigh less than my laptop. That amount of weapons would weigh more than 80 pounds, add to that the 700 rounds of ammo (assorted) and you're talking more than half his body weight! In a sea bag!

4. Check those HMMWV's (Humvee's) or choppers for weapons and ammo.

5. Who holds an empty gas can in their gun hand when expecting trouble?

6. M1 Abrams (The Tank) do not have belly hatches (or a CB radio), that is a British Chieftain dolled up to look like an M1. Oh and the inside of a tank is CRAMPED. In the show it looked bigger than my living room.

7. You wouldn't be able to hear the pounding from inside either. Tanks are designed to take hits from OTHER TANKS. No way you could here pounding of fists, The armor is too thick.

8. The "Glock safety" mistake. The Glock safety is a small inner lever contained in the trigger. Put your finger on the trigger and the safety is OFF. What he flicked 'off' was the slide release. And what cop, on patrol, doesn't have a round in the chamber?

9. Spike strips are designed to NOT cause you to crash like that. They are hollow little spikes which cause the air to come out over a bit a time, making the car stop safely.

10. The whole department store thing, I mean, "Lets just stand here in plain sight and rile them up even more."

11. If you have to be where the zombies can see you. Why not do something productive, like IDK, put things in front of the doors to reinforce them or slow the zombies down?

12. Plus the camp in the woods, what is with that? Let's set up tents in the woods, that will keep them out. It's the woods, cut down some trees and make some barricades, some kind of defenses. And a strings of tin cans filled with rocks doesn't count as a defense.

13. Build a freaking fire pit that goes deep into the ground and has some sort of chimney type cover. That way it can generate heat and keep you warm without the light leaking out.

14. And why the hell go into Atlanta, anyway? it's only 1 month into zombie apocalypse, there are lots of smaller towns around to get supplies from first and they wouldn't have the massive number of undead.

15. As for the camp, have these people ever heard of having a 24/7 watch or the words 'defensive perimeter'?

16. The one handed shooting grips that these actors are using - have the guns canted to an angle that would assure a total miss. Despite what you see in movies, handguns for head shots? Not easy.

17. There are gun shops in Georgia, ones that are not in big cities and don't have endless numbers of zombies nearby.

18. Get a better hide out, one way in, means one way out.

19. Get better vehicles, Its only been a month or so, Steal a new RV.

20. 3 crossbow bolts in one deer? Really? I never heard of a deer that wasn't hit with a kill shot that just stood still for the hunter to hit it 2 more times, on the same flank and same side of the animal with a weapon as slow to reload as a crossbow.

21. You are surrounded and within proximity of a large mass of zombies. Everyone needs to be armed with something 24/7. Even if it is just a bat.

22. Instead of defense training - they did laundry.

23. And when the encounter happened - they had NO PLAN. Except - lets scream like an 8 year old girl and then go to the RV.

24. You are in DESPERATE need of fuel, ammo and food? Why don't they make any attempt to scavenge along the way? I don't understand. They have guns now. Can't the two deputies figure a way to work as a team and sweep/clear a simple structure so they can scavenge for supplies? Plus, there are plenty of abandoned cars on the way. Not all can be out of fuel.

25. They can't figure out how to get a 'decent' vehicle jump started?

26. The BIGGEST GLARING IMPOSSIBILITY.......... The FRENCH LASTED LONGEST!!!!!! Those cheese-eating surrender monkeys lasted longer than the U.S.!!!! Right. What did they do drop their rifles on the zombies heads?

27. At the CDC, once again they didn't forage for better weapons.

28. BTW, Grenades don't work that way.

29. What's with the muzzle of his revolver sticking out of his holster? That's a prescription for a failed draw when the front sight snags on the holster... not to mention the damage to the sight and crown.

30. Revolvers hold 6 shots (Most of them) and take a comparatively long time to reload. A Glock 17 holds 17 rounds in a magazine plus 1 in the chamber and take a second to reload. Which would you want to be carrying in a zombie apocalypse?

31. Shotguns hold 6 to 9 rounds and take FOREVER to reload. An AR-15 (civilian version of the M-16) holds 30 rounds in a magazine (most) and take a second to reload. Which would you want to be carrying in a zombie apocalypse?

I'm going with this kid. He has a better chance of survival.

There are a large number of things that should be ignored simply because of timing for a TV show (IE why wasn't the deputy covered with bed sores?). But come on, some of these things just don't make sense.

A lot of these points were made by friends of mine (like ZIPBAGS, MikeE, Bluto, Beamish & Dux to name a few) who have been helping me get back in the shooting groove. Thanks Dudes.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Duane L. Jones

2011-07-22T20:52:00.004-04:00

Most people will not recognize the name, or even the name of the character he is best know for, Ben in the 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead (NotLD).
His role in 1968 movie Night of the Living Dead marked the first time an African American actor was cast as the star of a horror film. He was executive director of the Black Theater Alliance, a federation of theater companies, from 1976 to 1981.

He taught acting styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As executive director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art, he promoted African-American theater. After leaving the American Academy of Dramatic Arts he taught a select group of students privately in Manhattan, by invitation only. His hand-selected students were of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

He died of cardiopulmonary arrest at Winthrop-University Hospital on July 22, 1988.

His most famous character, Ben, was originally to be a gruff, blue collar, rough speaking, determined to survive but not-to-bright Caucasian. Until well spoken, reserved, dignified Mr. Jones auditioned for the part. At that time, it was not typical for an African American man to be the hero of a film when the rest of the cast was composed entirely of white actors and actresses. Social commentators saw that casting as significant; on the other hand, George A. Romero (the director) said that Jones "simply gave the best audition".
Karl Hardman (one of the producers), “The script had been written with the character Ben as a rather simple truck driver. His dialogue was that of a lower class / uneducated person. Duane Jones was a very well educated man and simply refused to do the role as it was written. As I recall, I believe that Duane himself upgraded his own dialogue to reflect how he felt the character should present himself"

The first time I saw NotLD, I was about 10 or 11, it never occurred to me to think about an African American star in a black and white film. Mr. Jones simply embodied the resourceful hero role. I didn't know for years that he tore down preconceived barriers. I only knew that he was a great actor, and his character Ben was... well a bad ass everyman.

Duane Jones died 23 years ago today, He was 52.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Glodzik not living up to his contract?

2011-07-22T11:33:00.006-04:00

Mark Robbins of Forty Fort has started a blog about Leo and his L.A.G. towing monopoly in Wilkes-Barre. You should check it out.
If you haven't been reading the papers, well here are the links.

Dessoye: LAG Towing’s profits not my business

Critical remarks target Wilkes-Barre's towing operator

Wilkes-Barre towing contract not enforced

W-B tower denies driver’s claims

City tower’s conduct blasted

Here is a short list of what Mr Robbins has claimed on his site:

1. L.A.G. towing has NOT fulfilled its contract by:
a. NOT keeping an accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage
b. Not giving Wilkes-Barre PD An accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage
2. NOT giving WBPD a list of the tows made by the Contractor under this contract for the preceding month
3. NOT giving WBPD a copy of all inventories held
And has failed to do this FOR 75 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS!!!

No matter how you feel about the circumstances that got Mr Robbins started in this investigation. The details he is digging up are showing even more corruption in city hall.

One final claim I would like to point out, (From his 'CARs for Cash' kickback Scam)
"SCRANTON FBI IS COMPROMISED No wonder why Mayor Leighton is so cocky that he taunts people at City Council meetings. The FBI is “in his hip pocket.” Scranton FBI Agent Joe Noone attended a “Leighton for Senate party” and Noone has been seen out to dinner with the W-B Police Chief Gerard Dessoye. Noone has effectively corrupted himself by taking part in these social events. These are the people he is supposed to investigate! The Scranton FBI is the entity to which I should report. It’s now compromised."
Scary. Now even the watchmen may be compromised.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? "Who watches the watchmen?"

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

What is wrong with the people that run this country?

2011-07-21T23:06:00.004-04:00

From my Email in-box
####
Someone please tell me what the HELL's wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!
Both Republicians & Democrats

We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc.,???????????

In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, Pakistan, Lybia, Egypt and Turkey .. And now Japan

Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!

Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries!
We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans.
AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds, and mentally ill without treatment -etc,etc.

YET......................
They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies.

Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.

Sad isn't it?

99% of people won't have the guts to forward this.
I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did
####

This is a sad truth. We need to start looking after our own, before anyone else.

Dan Emplit WBFD

THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2012 (reboot) - Official Teaser Trailer (HD)

2011-07-20T23:45:00.000-04:00

The Dark Knight Rises - Official Teaser Trailer [HD]

2011-07-20T20:01:00.000-04:00

Oops this is the real trailer

The City takes ANOTHER shot at our rights

2011-07-15T18:11:00.005-04:00

I haven't posted in a while, I was going to take a week or so off to help with some family matters and take some time for myself. But when councils Queen Bee does something SO FAR from what is right.... Well Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

The Wilkes-Barre 'ruling class' has decided to look into enforcing an ordinance that will take away our right to free speech. Since you have probably read the articles this morning, I'll just do the 'quote thing'.

From the Citizens Voice
Proposed W-B ordinance bars 'impertinent' remarks at meetings
###
A person barred from addressing council by the chairperson can only speak again if a majority of the council members present agree to rescind the order
###
Yea, THAT'S gonna happen. I see it this way. If you beg and grovel, then maybe they will ALLOW you to speak in their presence. Bull, they will DENY you that right.

###
"This is just making sure people have the opportunity to speak to council and to exercise their free speech without being intimidated or concerned or scared," William Vinsko (assistant city attorney) said.
###
Isn't this the guy neck deep in Leightons attempt to silence Denise Carey? Yea I trust his take on the First Amendment. BTW, Mr. Vinsko, I STILL haven't received the copy of the home rule charter that YOU promised me back in August 2010.

###
Mary Catherine Roper, an ACLU attorney, said without complete knowledge of the city's ordinance, she can't say what conduct might warrant a speaking ban. Measures could be taken, though, if somebody purposefully holds up or disrupts every meeting, Roper said.
###
Get ready for the city to waste another HUNDRED THOUSAND + DOLLARS to fight ANOTHER lawsuit it can not win.

And the Times Leader
W-B Council seeks change in decorum at meetings
###
Kane said she couldn’t offer specific information on the planned changes, but she said she has become increasingly concerned about the way some people conduct themselves at meetings.
###
I hope she means Leighton and herself! They are the worse offenders! I've wrote about that HERE and HERE.

###
“But if somebody gets completely out of control to the point where it affects the ability of others to present their concerns to council, then there should be consequences,” Kane said.
###
Does this include our childish mayor? He is the one who instigated the 'disruption' that the article mentions.

I saw this in the online comments:
From Barry_W
"Maybe it's time to elect people to council who will listen, offer dialogue and solutions that will solve the city's challenges.
If Kathy wants to avoid future incidents why doesn't she set a standard of behavior for council and the mayor? It is the mayor, twice, and her, once, that started "incidents" when they called Bob "Cupcake."
Instead, they want to remove all of our rights to show our outrage with how this city is run and how they conduct themselves.
Her attitude proves that we do not want her as our City Controller. She will not provide the checks and balances that we need."

Two changes I would like to see is council PAYING ATTENTION to the speakers!! So stop talking to each other instead of listening!!
And doing something for the full benefits they get! Oh right, some don't take the benefits... they take the cash buy out.

I'd also like to know WHO decides who is being 'impertinent'? I fear I already know.

I've always viewed the First Amendment as the right to publicly question our government. Without censure or reprisal. Council is trying to restrict our right to voice our grievances

This seems to stem from council looking at itself as Nobility. They should know Nobility comes from an honorable soul and selfless action, not some delusional sense of misplaced superiority.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE MRS. KANE

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Captain Cupcake should be worried

2011-07-10T11:01:00.010-04:00

It seems that the newspapers (even his Times Cheerleader) are taking a close look at the dictator.

Leighton: No golf for me
Isn't officially campaigning while on the clock illegal?
Oh and I would love to see a roster of who showed up (BEFORE he gets a chance to doctor it) to check his numbers. Since he can't tell the difference between $12 million and $27 million for the parking garage, sorry intermodel center.

City workers golf for boss
If this was put in motion MONTHS ago, why a Friday instead of a weekend? Then most of these people wouldn't have had to take time off?

Meet the mayor of Barney Farms
Some VERY good reporting here. Instead of just printing the obvious or regurgitating city hall press releases, They really did their homework.

"In 2009, 14 of those hired for 138 summer jobs through an executive order by the mayor, or about 10 percent, lived alongside Leighton in the riverside enclave of Barney Farms."
And
"Barney Farms has three streets and 69 homes, or less than one-half of 1 percent of the city's households."
And
"The vast majority of summer hires that year came from South Wilkes-Barre and the Leighton administration's approach toward filling summer jobs seems specifically designed to achieve that very outcome."

Also Pure Bunkum has somethings to say on the issue.
Mayor Leighton Works At City Hall And At The Golf Club

If you are thinking of supporting Leighton, Ask yourself these questions:

Your going to support him even with the $15 million cost over run on a $12 million dollar project?

Or the $17 million Riverfront that has no parking and no bathrooms?

Or the selling of city property (to his a campaign contributor) for 10% of it's value?

Or the Hiring of his relatives for summer jobs that were not advertised?

Or his campaigning on city time?

Add those to the list:
The Fountain, $75,000 dollars for repairing the fountain. Well after GIVING the ice rink a free (we the citizens paid for it) Zamboni, that cost around $80,000, there is no more money.

I guess after selling the Old River Road Bakery, for 8 cents on the dollar (the equivalent of selling a gallon of gas for under 24 cents a gallon), to a campaign contributor there isn't enough money for public safety.

Maybe it was because the city had to pay Denise Carey $67,000 when Mayor 'I Believe (in higher taxes)' Leighton violated her CONSTITUTIONAL Rights.

Maybe it was the $220,000 in legal fees Denise Careys lawyer is seeking from the city.

Maybe it's the $225,000 the city had to pay Bob Kadluboski (of City-Wide Towing) after violating his contract with the city.

Maybe it was the money that was spent on the city attorneys to fight the wrong fights

Maybe it was the MILLIONS spent on an ice rink that the public 'can use SOMETIMES'

Maybe it was the MILLIONS spent on the Big Brother Camera system that work occasionally (a cop told me only around 24 were working and they were blocked by trees)

Maybe it was the sidewalks downtown that didn't need to be replaced near as much as some of the ones away from downtown

Maybe it was the cost over runs on the Coal street 'get outta the city faster' project

Maybe it's time for a mayor that places the citizens safety before his pet projects

As for public safety,
Remember the Cities own study claimed 17 firefighters/shift was the MINIMUM, not the mayors 12! He's putting our loved ones at risk so he can fund HIS projects!!
Think about it when you vote, or when a meth lab explodes in Wilkes-Barre.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote