TO PROTECT AND SERVE

Recently, a local police officer was arrested for sexual abuse. He also shot and killed a young, unarmed Irish man. Two separate incidents. His lawyer says that we the people shouldn't think about the killing when trying him for the rape. Yeah! Right!
This crooked cop got me to thinking (which can be a dangerous activity for me). Just how many of those people hired to protect us FROM criminals really ARE criminals?
If it is, as the police and media would have us believe, a very few, then these few crooked cops are making it much more difficult for the honest, hard working men and women who lay their lives on the line to keep our society civil and livable.
On the other hand, if there a lot of cops raping, killing dealing drugs and generally engaging in nefarious activities, then you and I are in a real spot. When a cop comes to the door or pulls us over in our car, do we comply, let them in our home, hand them all of our paperwork or whatever else they ask, or do we arm ourselves and do our best to barricade them from our homes, cars and businesses in an effort to protect ourselves and our families from getting kidnapped, raped and murdered by the very people that are supposed to protect us?
This dilemma may very well get some good cops killed. What do you do? If any other criminal shows up at your door and tries to force their way in, you have (in most states) the right to use deadly force to protect your life. But if you shoot a cop, even if he/she was trying to kill you, you'll probably spend the rest of your life in prison. Or worse. After all; who is the court going to believe? How many of the cops that are accused of a crime ever get ARRESTED or CONVICTED? Most bad cops that I've known (quite a few) got promotions instead of jail time. Fellow officers won't purge them from their numbers. Prosecutors are loath to pursue their misdeeds. The media whitewashes their crimes to "protect the good cops".
What is really needed, in my opinion, is a citizen review board that scrutinizes every allegation against any law enforcement personnel or organization, with mandatory federal prosecution for any crime committed by them. I also believe that, other than minor traffic offenses, a crime committed by any federal, state, county or local law enforcement officer should be a separate, federal felony. Set up an anonymous system for the good cops to report and investigate these crimes and get the oversight out of the hands of the good-ol-boys networks and into someplace where there's at least a chance of the people getting some justice.
THAT will really protect the "good cops" by preventing any retaliation towards the good cops from their coworkers. And maybe we the people can begin to regain some trust and confidence in our justice system.
That's my opinion. Tell me what you think.

TOMATOS AND OIL

Well! I'm back. Had to deal with a few health issues and couldn't keep up with my writing. And with all that has gone on in the world since December, I don't know where to start. How about tomatoes?
Salmonella is running rampant and every restaurant seems terrified to offer you a tomato. Now, the FDA (in all their efficient glory) has decided that tomatoes might not even be the source. Gee! Ya think? It has hit in about 35 of the lower 48 states; from coast to coast.
I don't suppose that the Office of Homeland Security has considered a biological attack. After all; Iran has so much good feeling for us, and couldn't possibly possess the technology to grow such an uncommon pathogen. So, of course, something like an outbreak of Ebola or hemorrhagic fever couldn't possibly happen; especially with the extreme security that the US of A exercises over its borders and how well it keeps undocumented workers out of the workforce and away from the domestic food chain.
OIL!!! Any one that thinks $10 a gallon gas can't happen here has never been to Europe. In this country, we have all the oil we need for about 25 years if we want to drill for it. That should be enough time to develop ethanol and hydrogen fuel cells and get them widely and economically distributed. Won't happen, though. America will hold on to its oil reserves until the rest of the world is out. Then, theoretically, we'll be in the drivers seat.
Unfortunately it isn't going to work that way.
The rest of the world WILL have hydrogen and ethanol wide spread within 10 to 15 years. Except, maybe for the Chinese. Demand will be at an all time low by about 2025, and China and the US will be the guys still screwing up the air that every one else has to breath. The middle east won't have the revenues of the last 150 years and will either slip back into the dark ages or (more probably) take all the money they've been saving for the occasion and start a really big war in an attempt to grab some other revenue sources. If you read the last chapter in the best seller of all time, you can read all about it.
Just some food for thought. Gotta go. I need some gas so I can drive to the store to buy some tomatoes for the salad tonight.

Santa's gassing up his sleigh

Christmas is almost here. Don't forget to check out the great wearable and display art at WesternStatesCreations.com. Find that perfect gift for the one on your list who has everything.
A sweetheart? Try jewelry by Chris Maqueirs.
A proffesional? See the stunning photography of Kris Montierth, Rani Hixon or Michael Peterson for the office.
The exquisite paintings and drawings of Nick Gustafson, Josie Dee or Frederick de Terazzas. will deck out any home .
Newlyweds? Look at "The Circle" and "You Are" by Rick Peterson.

So what's up with this election campaign? On the liberal side we've got a woman, a black and a spoiled rich kid. In the other corner there's a Morman, a minister and an adulterer. This is the most screwed up bunch of candidates I can remember, and when I was born, Harry S. Truman was president. I'm sure there's a conspiracy in there somewhere. Any thoughts; send me an email and I'll research it.

I'm taking a break from 'ritin 'n searchin' to entertain friends and family, but look for a new posting right after New Years. Is the FBI conspiring to do away with the constitution? You be the judge.
"Till 2008; have a very merry Christmas and a great new year.
Rick

NAVAJO CODE TALKERS

No study or discussion of codes and cryptography would be complete without an in-depth look at the major contributions made by the Navajo tribe to the fighting during world war 2, as well as the sacrifices made by these brave soldiers and their families.
To this day native Americans, especially the Navajo, are treated like second-class citizens throughout society. For decades, they were stripped of their culture, their language and their identity. They were locked away on reservations, forbidden to speak their language. Their children were forced to attend boarding schools where they were beaten and ridiculed if caught speaking their native tongue. They were made to wear school uniforms, instead of their traditional clothing. They were taught that they were savages, and that the only way they could become "civilized" was to forget all things Navajo, and embrace the so-called American way of life and the English language.

Yet, when the US was in trouble in the war with Japan, the Navajos couldn't wait to join the marines, and offer their very special language as an unbreakable code; the very same language that the (our) government had tried so hard to eradicate.

In the march towards Iwo Jima, and ultimately the bombing campaign for Japan, virtually all of the American codes had been broken by the Japanese cryptography department. Without secure communications, US forces stood almost no chance of defeating the enemy. A search was on for a secure, accurate and quick method of relaying messages on the battle front.

During WW1, other native American languages had been used as codes, and with some success. These other languages had, however been learned by foreign students from Germany, Japan and other countries. No one, however, that hadn't been raised in the Navajo tongue could speak it with any efficiency. Phillip Johnston,(1) who had been raised on the Navajo reservation by his missionary parents, spoke the language. What's more, he knew that probably no one outside of the United States could understand it. When Phillip got word of the communication dilemma facing the armed forces, he recalled hearing of the WW1 codes, and spoke with communications officers at the San Diego Marine base, suggesting using Navajo for a completely secure code.

Although not immediately convinced, the military agreed to view a demonstration from the Navajos to see if it was feasible. In 1942, a pilot unit of 29 young Navajos started the Navajo code talkers.

There were quite a few obstacles. The Navajo language had no words for bomb, or submarine, or dive bomber. Code words were designated for over 400 specific military terms.(2) These all had to be committed to memory. There also had to be a way to spell out words for which no code word had been assigned. And they had to avoid the enemy of all encryption; repetition. These young warriors, used to overcoming many difficult obstacles and, most importantly, to memorizing lenghty stories verbatim (Navajo has no written language) made quick work of devising a code that would work in the heat of battle, and ensure that the vital messages were only understood by their intended recipients.

These soldiers and the code that they developed saved many lives, and hundreds of battles large and small were won due in no small part to the deep patriotism and bravery of the Navajo people, and their willingness to serve the country that, quite frankly, treated them like garbage.(3) Not until over 50 years after the war, and after many of these young men had died, were their contributions recognized by the military. They still have no VA services available close to home. They have struggled with payment, health care, housing and many other things the rest of the country takes for granted.

I, for one, salute them. For your commitment and bravery, and from the bottom of my heart; THANK YOU!

(1) For a short, but thorough history of the Navajo language code, get the booklet "PHILLIP JOHNSTON and the NAVAJO CODE TALKERS" by Syble Lagerquist

(2) A good representation of the code, as well as another view of it's history and development can be found in Simon Singh's "The Code Book"

(3) For a wonderful visual introduction of the code talkers, as well as the chance to see some of the men involved and actually hear the code being spoken, PBS.org has the video "TRUE WHISPERS" available. The cost is about $30.00. I highly recommend this video to any student of the history of military codes, or of Native American culture.

And a reader writes:

AMEN to all of it brother! Minimum wage should go back down to 5.50 or less. It irritates me that people complain about it. If you don't like it, do something about it! Get a better job, study to better yourself, not force the government to pay you more because you don't have ambition.

WHO AM I

I've been asked a few times to explain my political and personal beliefs (I believe the exact words were along the lines of "What kind of nut case ARE you?). For my readers who want to know, here's my personal statement.
I'm a died-in-the-wool hillbilly. I have lived most of my life in the mountains. Flapjacks for breakfast, trout for lunch and venison for supper sound like a balanced diet to me.
My ideal life is cutting wood, hunting for food and living in a log cabin; the last house on a long dirt road.
I'm an NRA member, own 5 guns, 16 hunting knives and a crossbow. I'm a fervent defender of the constitution. I think the second amendment is there in case the police/military/congress/courts forget about the rest of them.
I hunt, fish, eat lots of red meat, and believe that God put animals on earth to feed and serve mankind.
I'm a conservative Christian; albeit a little back sliding. I keep a Bible by my easy chair and another by my bed. I believe that the Bible is the complete word of God, and the only one.
I'm anti abortion, anti cloning and anti embryonic stem cell research.
I'm a passionate Republican! I voted for Reagan and The Bushes twice; each. I believe Clinton should have been impeached for lying.
I don't believe in term limits. There is a mandatory term limit imposed by God; everyone dies eventually! If people like a politician, they should be able to keep him or her in office as long as possible. If you don't like them, don't vote for them.
I believe eminent domain is a license to steal.
I believe that the CIA should be listening to every call that goes in or out of the United States, but don't believe that anyone has the right to listen to domestic calls or read domestic mail; e or otherwise.
I don't believe in welfare unless some one absolutely can't (not won't) work. Then the public should support them with dignity, and not make them feel like beggars. Unless they're an illegal alien. Then they should be deported. The drunks and junkies can support themselves or starve.
I think the minimum wage should be $5.50. Everywhere.
I think the labor unions have destroyed the ability of the US to effectively compete in the world market.
I believe that English is our national language. If you want to live here, learn it.
That's what I believe. Agree? Disagree? Think I should be elected to office? Locked up in a padded cell? Let me know.

ENCRYPTION IS FOR YOUR PHONE CALLS, TOO!

What's that they say? Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that someone isn't out to get you! How about: No one ever got shot or busted for being too paranoid! With all that's going on in the world nowadays, you don't to need to be an alien abductee to understand that your world might not be as private as you would like.
Whether it's a trade secret that you're trying to protect, or you're just foolin' around on the wife/husband, you can't be too careful. So you've got your papers cross-cut shredded, your office has 3 surveillance cameras, all your emails are encrypted, and your documents are on an encrypted, phantom drive on a remote off-shore server.
What about your phone calls? Any one from the business rivals(1) to the feds(2 )to your boyfriends wife(3) can be listening in on your calls. Don't you think it's about time to protect your spoken words, too?
It used to be that encrypting phone calls was the territory of governments. The equipment was expensive, and the resulting calls were scratchy and broken. Those days are gone. For anywhere from $1600 to possibly under $100(4) you can get a phone scrambler that will guarantee your privacy. Of course, you will need at least two of them; one for each end of the conversation
The new scramblers on the market can be left on all the time, as they recognize a compatible unit on the other end and automatically encrypt calls. If the receiving end has no scrambler, the call goes through normally.
If you're electronically inclined and adventurous, you can even try building your own device(5). No guarantees on how, how well or even if this one works.
I have no economic interest in any of the companies whose links I have provided. I do have an interest in preserving our(my) absolute right to talk to anyone I choose and say anything I want without someone else listening in for whatever nefarious reason they may may have in their warped little brains.
Stay safe. Stay private.
N.R.P.

(1) http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1989_cr/s890418-bug.htm , http://www.tscmvideo.com/synopsis-tscm-video.html

(2) http://www.privacy.org/pi/issues/tapping/ , http://www.alternet.org/rights/32218/

(3) http://www.divorcesource.com/research/edj/cases/wiretapping.shtml

(4) http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,2081513,00.htm , http://cellular.co.za/accessories/encryption/cryptophone_gsm_phone_encryption.htm , http://www.spyworld.com/Scramblers_Encryptions.htm , http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/the-secure-phone-miser-telephone-conversation-encryption-device-175953.php

(5) http://www.schneier.com/essay-099.html