James Pyle – Author

Last month a contingent of police officials from across the United States traveled to Tulliallan, Scotland to discuss tactical differences between U.S. and Scottish police enforcement policies.  The trip was organized by the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington Think Tank.

On 13 March 1996, the Dunblane school massacre was one of the deadliest firearms incidents in UK history, when an armed gunman killed sixteen children and one teacher at Dunblane Primary School near Stirling, Scotland before committing suicide. He was surrounded by armed police.

Public debate in the UK following the killings centered on gun control laws, including public petitions calling for a ban on private ownership of handguns. In response to this debate, new firearms Acts were passed, The Cullen Report, which effectively made private ownership of handguns illegal in all of Great Britain.

Those laws appear to work in Scotland, a country of 5.3 million people where less than 0.7% are ethnic minorities. No mass shootings have occurred since Dunblane.

Attempting to replicate those results in a country the size of the U.S. (Population 330 million – 13% minority) by taking guns out of the hands of police is wishful thinking. Over 300 million guns are in circulation here with no possibility of convincing people to turn them in to police. Only the good guys will turn in their guns. The bad guys would not.

Disarming police officers here would be tantamount to placing lunatics in charge of the asylum.

Comments by U.S. police officials returning from Scotland indicate no minds were changed.  If one wants advice on disarming police he need go no farther than New York City or Washington, D.C., where Mayor de Blasio and Attorney General Loretta Lynch are trying desperately to neuter the country’s police infrastructure .

Public funds would be better spent sending U.S. police representatives to Moscow or Tel Aviv, where officials know something about protecting their citizens. If you want to play golf or sample great whiskeys go to Scotland – but do so on your own money, not the public’s.

You are welcome.

For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Silicon Valley’s propeller heads and sycophant venture capitalists are currently agog over Artificial Intelligence; i.e. attempting to monetize human intelligence. This week OpenAI was established as a non-profit enterprise based in San Francisco. The principal driver behind this effort is Elon Musk (of Tesla and Space X fame) assisted by Jessica Livingston of Y Combinator, Greg Brockman of Stripe as well as Amazon and Infosys (an Indian software company). Musk says that: “Everyone who is listed as an OpenAI contributor has made a substantial commitment and this should be viewed as, at least, a billion dollar project.”

Who could bet against a combo like that?

Well: Google for one, Microsoft for another and, last but not least, Toyota. All have joined the race to see which of their so-called ‘non-profit’ spin-offs will have the greatest impact. (Impact = Dollars)

By the way:  All are based in the San Francisco – Silicon Valley corridor!

My question is this:  Has anyone thought to ask this massive Artificial computer complex if it makes sense to domicile these companies on top of an earthquake field?

I don’t think so.

The largest quake on record was the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 7.9, rupturing the San Andreas Fault over a distance of 225 miles. The most destructive to date was the 1906 San Francisco earthquake(7.8) when more than 3,000 people perished. That quake ruptured the northern segment of the San Andreas Fault for 296 miles. More recently, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, (6.9) affected the San Francisco Bay Area, and the 1994 Northridge quake (6.7) hit the Greater Los Angeles Area causing widespread damage and deaths in its wake.

Maybe a bit of good old human common sense (not artificial) should be applied here.

You are welcome.

For more, go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Have you heard?  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently rescued a 10 year old mixed breed dog named Kaiya.  That’s the good news.

But Kaiya has a hobby.  She’s taken to biting visitors at his home and at holiday parties.  That’s the bad news.

Yesterday, Kaiya was quarantined for ten days while her behavior is assessed. That’s also good news if you are a Palestinian leader planning yet another visit to Tel Aviv. My friend Bibi confided in me… “if the bitch was a pit bull, I’d have named her Golda.” Actually, your intrepid reporter has learned from a highly placed source that Kaiya is a Palestinian plant purposely trained to infect Israel’s enemies with rabies.

More good news.  John Kerry recently spent a day with Bibi but Golda (oops! I mean Kaiya) did not bite him.

After Kerry’s departure Bibi praised the dog. He swore to me that he heard Kaiya respond: “I don’t like pussy.”

You are welcome.

For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Regular readers know I’m an intrepid seeker of Simple Solutions for Complex Problems.

You may recall my solution for our southern border problem when I challenged Mr.  Trump: Simply buy Mexico!  Problem solved! (And cheaper than building a leaky wall.)

Among the side benefits would be cheap crude oil in abundance, cheap labor, cheaper tacos and tequila as well as a plethora of sandy beaches.  What’s not to love?

But that was yesterday’s solution.  Today another brilliant idea surfaced in, of all places, Ukraine. Yes, even they can teach the world a meaningful lesson:  i.e., a boxing lesson.  A fist fight/wrestling match ignited on the floor of their Parliament when an opposition leader, Oleg Barna, attacked Prime Minister Yatsenyuk who was addressing the house from the speaker’s rostrum. This was not the first time a brawl had disrupted Ukraine’s august assemblage.

Ah, the potential for similar courage in Washington! My imaginative eye can see numerous bouts. The undercard might read:  Sarah Palin vs. Nancy Pelosi, Susan Collins vs. Harry Reid.  For the main event , Senator Barbara Mikulski vs. Representative Peter King. It would be a winner-take-all event and the public would pay to watch, thus helping reduce the deficit and ending gridlock.  How perfect is that?

I’ll even volunteer to referee at no cost to taxpayers.

You are welcome.

More at: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Political temper in America has historically swung, pendulum- like, between Republican and Democrat administrations with the ostensible result being moderation between social and free market views. While some may quibble over results at any point in history, the system has, by and large, worked; and the country has prospered.

At least within national borders.

However, as the world grows ever smaller due to new technologies in communication and travel, America’s leadership role is being diminished.

Today’s political pendulum is poised to swing through an undefined arc whose end points are vaguely defined. The present government seems powerless to manage either the vector or velocity of said arc, leading to the meteoric rise of Donald Trump.

At one end is a Sisyphean bureaucracy bloated by incompetence and indifferent to cost.  At the other is a ‘benign dictator’ arguing for less analysis by ‘experts’ and more decisive action by private sector leaders who are not dependent on lobbyists and mega-wealthy patrons.

The dynamic force acting on that pendulum has been worldwide terror at the hands of stateless fanatics fueled by a near-collapse of world banking systems. And the fear that it will happen again.  Russia’s resurgence as a military power and China’s entry into the world banking community has caught the United States by surprise. Our government’s paralysis at the sudden appearance of this perfect storm has alarmed many Americans and catapulted Trump’s candidacy.  Neither political party knows what to do – about him or the problems.

Meanwhile, Trump stands off stage screaming: “I DO”.

Whether he knows or does not is still unclear . Whether his actions can succeed beyond bluster – only history will judge. ( I’m willing to  bet no international leader will dare test him.)

What is known is that the majority of thinking voters are fed up with both political parties and with paid, pompous phonies wearing the politician label.

The sigh of relief coming from most Americans hearing Trump’s message is palpable. Why not? Anything is better than what we’ve got.

The pendulum is poised to swing rapidly through uncharted space.  Hang on. It’s gonna be a wild ride.

You are welcome.

For more go to: www.jameshpyle.com

Dean DuBarry Moore – (DINO) – A tribute through a step-father’s prism

(January 28, 1972 – November 20, 2015):  Not nearly enough time on earth to enjoy all life has to offer but long enough to have profoundly influenced those whose lives he touched; including mine.

There are names given to people left behind following a death.  A wife who loses her husband is a widow.  A husband who loses his wife is a widower.  A child who loses his parents is an orphan.  But there’s no word for a parent who loses a child – perhaps rightly so, because no single word can convey that pain and anguish.

Someone wiser than me said: ‘When burying a child a piece of your heart is buried also.’ The same is true if you are only a step-parent because a piece of your spouse’s heart is also gone.

Dean had many admirable qualities: a sweet, fun loving kid with a ready laugh who evolved into a gifted athlete then a superior student; a valued employee of two major companies, and a finally a husband and doting father. No one ever spoke ill of him.

He tried hard to be the best at whatever he did. If lately he had a fault, it was dedicating too much time to work and not enough to smelling the roses that sprang around him wherever he roamed.

Dean and his twin brother came into my life in 1976 when they were only four years old, thus I knew him, loved him and cared deeply about him for forty-three years. . . not long enough. They were always either the ‘twins’ or ‘Dean & Taylor’. For some inexplicable reason it was always D&T, never T&D (perhaps it was alphabetical).  Dean always got the better grades but Taylor always seemed to win their wrestling matches.

Suzanne and their dad were neighbors in Weston and, as families, we socialized frequently. His mother and I married in 1980. Our nuclear family skied in Vermont together for years, forging a special bond between our combined six children. The kids would all travel in the back of my pickup truck on a shag rug, sitting on bean bag chairs eating snacks and listening to their music while heat from the engine was channeled through a specially designed vent. Probably a good thing we never knew all that went on back there as the older ones hassled the younger. My youngest child was four years older but he and the twins became friends despite the age difference.  They all learned to ski well and carried it into adulthood where they now teach their own children.

We vacationed together, attended every football game when the twins played in high school. Dean, as quarterback led their team to the state championships – a feat never before achieved, nor since. We met all of his girl friends from high school through college and attended every commencement even though his and Taylor’s college graduation occurred on the same weekend 500 miles apart.  Many of their high school friends’ parents remain our good friends today. Most attended Dean’s funeral after travelling long distances. Their concern and love for him is appreciated.

Dino: I admired your courage. I respected your integrity, and I loved you for your adoration of your mother.  I only wish I had spoken those words to you when I had the chance. I try being stoic and strong for your mother by holding back the tears,  but alone they do flow.

You were a marvelous young man and I’ll never forget the joy you brought to our life. I trust you are at peace.

Your intrepid reporter is frequently intrigued by little-mentioned stories that get buried or ignored in major news publications. Last week was a cornucopia of such ‘news’ but this one really got to me. The November 25 headline read: “West Point Bans Cadet Pillow Fight after 30 Injured“.

The pillow fight is a tradition designed to build camaraderie among the Corps after a grueling summer of training, but . . .

The report said upper-class cadets did not take proper control of the fight to ensure the safety of plebes. It said that upper-class behaviors ranged from throwing items such as small milk cartons, water balloons, fruit and glow sticks from barracks windows to yelling at plebes and encouraging them ‘get back in the fight’.

A pillow fight?  Among future Army leaders?  Harmed by milk cartons, water balloons?

Who the hell are we training up there on the Hudson?  Fighting men or a bunch of politically correct pussies?  Aren’t we spending taxpayer money to train fighters and warriors?

What’s wrong with ‘getting back in the fight’?

Maybe they should teach a course on ‘cut and run’?

And we wonder why we’re losing half of the world to Islamic terrorists?

The pillow incident would be laughable were it not such a glaring example of how politically correct civilian leaders have polluted a once-great military force.

President Trump’s first act should be to fire the candy-assed Superintendent, Lt. General Robert Caslen, and replace him with someone who has won at least one hundred pillow fights.

I leave you with the above thoughts while I slink off to fluff up my pillow.

You are welcome.

In June, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the acting administrator for the Transportation Security Administration would be reassigned, following a report that airport screeners failed to detect explosives and weapons in nearly every test that an undercover team conducted at dozens of airports.

According to a report based on an internal investigation, “red teams” with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General were able to get banned items through the screening process in 67 out of 70 tests it conducted across the nation.

Following this scary announcement, TSA announced that Mark Hatfield, acting deputy director, will take over for Melvin Carraway until a new acting administrator is appointed.  (Is everyone in government ‘acting ‘?)

It is still not immediately clear where Carraway would be reassigned, but I have a suggestion: Place him in acting charge of vetting the acting Syrian refugees.

That would be in keeping with a tradition of government excellence:  Obamacare, the Veteran’s Administration, the IRS, U.S. Postal Service, FEMA, etc.

Where do those of us who don’t believe in a God or government go for help?   Trump!

You are welcome.

(This post was originally written one week before the 13 Nov.  Paris attack by Islamic terrorists.  It now seems even more prescient.)

Today I’ll share my views on religion. Previously, I covered Climate Change as regards belief vs. fact. Both topics share a common phenomenon: conflict between strongly held beliefs (dogma) and facts.

First, a few thoughtful faith based questions:

                Does God exist?  In what manifestation?  Is there only one?

                Are most wars caused by religious beliefs? If so, should all religions be abolished?       

Not the first time these questions have been asked, but the unknowable is worthy of serious thought and discussion. Will answers change over time in light of newly discovered science or will dogma continue to prevail?

Some facts:

It is estimated that eighty four per cent of all people on earth practice a religious faith, some more sedulously than others.

According to Wikipedia there are roughly 4,200 religions or belief systems in the world. It takes 28 pages to simply list them: Far too many to consider here, but the five majors, ranked by number of followers, are:

• Christianity – Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable – a relationship that carries into the next life. (Est. 2.2 billion adherents)
• Islam – Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God and the promise of paradise after death. (Est. 1.6 billion adherents)
• Hinduism – Hindus acknowledge multitudes of gods and goddesses and seek release from Karma. (Est. 1.0 billion adherents)
• Buddhism – Buddhists say there is no deity. Their quest is to be free of desire. (Est. 488 million adherents)
• New Age – New Age followers believe they are God and work at their own divinity. (Est. 400 million)

Unfortunately, with the increasing radicalization of Islam, religious divides are once again becoming lightning rods. Struggles between modernity and parochialism are exaggerated and highlighted by technology advances. Globalization and instant communication, including social media, is challenging everything.

Religious identity not only survives but achieves heightened significance when national and political alliances break apart, (as happened in the former Yugoslavia in the early ’90s, when Serbs, Croats and Bosnians were divided along Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim fault lines); and it’s happening now in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Syria between the various Islamic sects.

Since the fourteenth century Crusades, religion has played a role and provided cover and motivation for evil. But the fact that religion can be so malevolently twisted in the hands of the power-hungry, as opposed to the altruistic and virtuous, says more about human resolve than it does about religion.

Where pain, suffering and hopelessness reign, religion thrives. It helps restore hope in desperate circumstances. But when populations become more civilized and live in safer communities, they no longer need religion as a crutch. They find answers to previously unsolvable problems through scientific discovery and education.

On a macro basis, most of Western Europe, Japan and the U.S. are more secular; but also less violent and more educated than religious societies. (i.e.: Africa, Latin America and Indonesia).

Unfortunately, many current human conflicts still involve religion. Passionate belief in a God is not a superior stance to that of your secular neighbor. And no deity is going to jump up and ‘save’ the world from misery.

Your religious belief is no better than the next guy’s. Get over it and accept the facts of life.

You are welcome.

Black lives matter.  One might ask:  To whom?

Cosseted kids in Missouri, Yale, and other campuses around the country have been quick to assign blame to the white community and ‘uncaring’ administrators for the ‘indignities’ bestowed on black graduate students (read activist).

During the same week that the University of Missouri fired two administrators and Yale’s Dean of Students (who is black) was ambushed by protesters, The New York Times today buried a story on page 14 about Baltimore’s murder rate in 2015.

Thus far, there have been 300 murders of blacks by other blacks in that city.

And it’s only mid-November!

If black lives really matter, these ‘disrespected’ students might start by lecturing to the citizens of Baltimore who appear to be the biggest perpetrators of black rage against their brothers.

You are welcome.