More Monsanto Roundup Problems: Its in Your Urine.

As if my last post wasn't enough we now find Roundup (glyphosate) in the urine of city dwellers.

(See this link for full details - posted October 23, 2012.)

From the link: "Now, results from a German study shows that people who have no direct contact with agriculture have significant concentrations of glyphosate in their urine. It's becoming quite apparent that genetically engineered crops are a source of multiple toxins, in addition to having been found to contain far lower levels of nutrients. So much for saving the world from starvation. "

The study is here (as a Google QuickView).

Glyphosate is sloshed over crops, its in the dirt, on the equipment, etc. etc.

Its not real good for you (from the link at the top):

Glyphosate works by inhibiting an enzyme called EPSP synthase that is necessary for plants to grow, causes birth defects in frogs and chicken embryos at far lower levels than used in agricultural and garden applications.5 The malformations primarily affected the:

•     Skull
•     Face
•     Midline and developing brain
•     Spinal cord

...

The journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, the highest MRL for glyphosate in food and feed products in the EU is 20 mg/kg. Genetically engineered soybeans have been found to contain residue levels as high as 17 mg/kg, and malformations in frog and chicken embryos occurred at 2.03 mg/kg6 – that's 10 times lower than the MRL!

Glyphosate also has been linked to a variety of other problems such as destroying necessary pathogens in the soil, causing treated crops to use too much water, and other problems.

Just more reasons I don't consume soybean oil in any form.

Monsanto: Weaponizing GMO DNA Against You

A few years ago I wrote "Weaponized Intellectual Property" and "Genetic Engineering: It's What's for Dinner."

These were articles about how patent trolls (like Monsanto) could create situations where you could be sued for something they owned that ended up in your possession through a means outside your control.

But today Monsanto has one-upped the trolls.

Their game is to ensure that self replicating items like seed that contain their patented DNA remain their property no matter what.

This includes if someone sells them to others.

This also includes the case where your non-Monsanto seeds are "inoculated" by winds carrying DNA from Monsanto seeds in a nearby field.

The case is in the Supreme court (see this at the NY Times).

Some shlub thought he could escape Monsanto's grip by going to a grain elevator and buying some random soybeans.

He reasoned that neighbors had signed Monsanto contracts (as had he) to use the seeds as had he.

(The contract prohibits you from "saving" the seeds to replant next year as they are Monsanto's property.)

So the neighbors sold the seeds to a grain elevator.

Who sold them to this schlub.

Who planted them and found that low and behold some Round Up Ready soybeans survived.

Now Monsanto is suing the schlub for what amounts to theft of their "patented property."

So how are those who sold the seeds to the grain elevator in the first place not guilty.

They signed a contract not to save seeds - but they did.

Then they sold them to a third party who could not identify what seeds were Monsanto seeds and what seeds were not - the Monsanto GMO seeds look the same as the those which are not.

So this guy bought them.

Oops!

The schlub is holding the bag even though he did not violate his contract by saving seeds.

Should Monsanto win this case it will open the floodgates of "intellectual property" troll lawsuits.

Today IP trolls have been largely squashed by the judicial system - in part because they are wrong for what they are trying to do but also because there is no case law supporting their idea.

But a wrong decision here by the Supreme Court will seal your fate.

The current troll notion is that no matter how it got there if your computer contains someone else's IP then you can be sued regardless of intent.

Now this is truly nonsense.

Criminal law, for the most part, requires that you have intent when you do something wrong.

For example:  If there is an item in your car that was stolen it matters if you bought it in good faith at a yard sale or bought it off a known thief.  (There are exemptions for deals that are "too good to be true" but if you are paying a reasonable fee for something that in no way appears to be stolen then intent is on your side.)

But today's Monsanto lawyers want this swept away.

If you possess "it" - whatever "it" is - and "it" contains their IP (copyrighted or patented) then you're guilty.

Now imagine the fun.

Opt-in emails or bit coins or diddly bunks from some computer game are infused with weaponized IP - perhaps a snippet of a copywritten song or some patented code.

The emails or bit coins or diddly bunks happily store themselves in the "cloud" and subsequently install themselves on your iPads, andriod phones, Apple TV, etc.

Shazzam!

An IP lawyer sues you because you have "stolen" their client's IP.  Even though the emails, bit coins or diddly bunks installed themselves without your direction on your devices.

This idiot Roberts is worried about how much money you can make - not about what's right or wrong:

“Why in the world would anybody spend any money to try to improve the seed if as soon as they sold the first one anybody could grow more and have as many of those seeds as they want?” 

In the past hybrid seeds were created by university ag departments for the benefit of the community and the world.

If the seed DNA escaped and made the world a better place so much the better.  (Generally since these were hybrids bred from standard seed stock there was no real downside.)

But Monsanto's DNA can now be anywhere: in soybean oil, in your food, in your body, anywhere.

Yes, people do eat soybeans directly: Edamame.

And if it integrates itself into your body (in your DNA, in your gut, in the bacteria that live inside you) this potential new law will say you have stolen their intellectual property (something like this is just one mutation away...).

Perhaps I can integrate some of my patented computer code into a seed and release it into the wind.

Then I can sue anybody that has that seed growing in their yard.

What insanity!

Do you think Monsanto will claim "ownership" of this GMO DNA if it does something bad somewhere along the line?

I can hear the lawyers now: "Oh no, your honor, its a natural seed in a natural world - we have no control over it."

Patenting things which control themselves is insane.

So is messing with their DNA - look up how "Round Up Ready" was done in the lab via "cut and paste" - the potential for a bad downside is I think significant.   No study, no analysis of risk, just get that patented shit out their so we can make our investment back ASAP!

Soybean seeds are alive.  No one knows how or why they are soybeans - they just exist as part of nature.

They reproduce themselves as part of nature.

From what I can tell the Surpreme court is full of idiots.  Idiots who cannot see the implications of what is before them.

Certainly I agree that Monsanto created the seeds and their magic DNA in the first place.

That's not the problem.

The problem is what the seeds do on their own outside the control of Monsanto.

But you can bet Monsanto won't be taking responsibility for that if it turns out badly...

Its also been argued that this case is like acquiring a song and then giving a copy to all your friends for free.

Wrong.

Its like downloading a song that then replicates itself like a virus onto all your computer and through the network to other peoples houses.

Big difference.

But one that escapes the idiots at the US Supreme Court.

Too bad.

The Supreme Court got the decisions about Promethius Laboratories right - no patenting natural processes.

So the question here is this.

Is the seeds reproduction a natural process?  After all soybeans were reproducing long before the 1980's when Monsanto's GMO work came along.

Or does the funky new DNA Monsanto injected into them somehow trump natural reproduction?

The seeds existed before Monsanto so my guess is that this fact should/would have to trump everything else.

GMO Monsanto "Round Up Ready" soybean DNA is in virtually everything you eat that's manufactured in some way.

Is this really a good idea?

PS: If you read the accounts of how it was created Monsanto exposed some living organism (bacteria I think) to ever-increasing doses of glyphosate over time.  After the organisms could "tolerate" high levels they cut and pasted until they had soybeans doing the same.

Did they really invent this?

No - the organism evolved a tolerance on its own.

I think there are some links to the original patents on some of my related posts.

The Bread Comes in the Mail...

In the mid 1930's the US population was about 125 million people.

Unemployment was, at its peak, about 12 million people or slightly less than 10%.

Today unemployment in the US is much less than 10% - more like 7.8%.

But with 48 million on food stamps we have 15% of the population on government assistance.

Worse than the Great Depression.

Bu we see no food lines today.

Why?

Because food stamps come in the mail (or on your ACCESS card)...

No waiting in line.

Problem solved.

Everything is just wonderful because we don't see the problem!

Urine: Transmitting Pharmaceuticals Via Our Water Systems

A few years ago I wrote "Sharks on Birth Control?"  It describes how modern birth control medications are found in wild sharks from the open ocean.

It turns out that many medications we consume do not get fully processed in our bodies and they are often excreted via urine unchanged (our bodies simply do not use them all).

Modern sewage treatment plants do not use any processes to remove or neutralize these medications - most of these medical compounds where invented after the modern sewage treatment mechanisms we use today were put into large scale use - so they simply pass on through and into the environment.

Virtually all sewage plants emit effluent into waterways - either a river, lake or ocean - so that's were these compounds end it.

An individual can excrete only a tiny amount which would normally be inconsequential - but with what I'd estimate to be at least a half a billion women peeing out birth control compounds each day the micrograms of medication start to add up (from this I estimated a half billion women - 20% of the women on all continents save Africa and Antartica use these products).

It would seem today that indeed fish exposed to things like anxiety medications in fact have measurably altered behavior (see this from the Washington post).

Birth control medications enter the water systems via urine.  Other compounds, such as anxiety medications, enter these systems via disposal via from unglamorous means such as being "flushed down the toilet."

Like cell phones used by teens to "sext" it would seem the consequences of these modern medications are only now coming to light.

Since these compounds have been in our water systems for decades even experiments described in the article by the Washington Post are suspect because no one knows how long the fish being used in the experiments described have been exposed to these drugs.

Little wonder the big pharma companies want nothing to do with the environmental consequences of these medications.

Science, the Divine, Dogma and Mystery

Becher - Phlogiston Theory - Wikipedia

We start off with Missouri House Bill #291 introduced by representatives Brattin (Sponsor), Koenig and Bahr (Cosponors) - link via this Ars Technica article by John Timmer.

The bill outlines some interesting definitions:

Scientific Theory - an inferred explanation of incompletely understood phenomena about the physical universe based on limited knowledge, whose components are data, logic, and faith-based philosophy. The inferred explanation may be proven, mostly proven, partially proven, unproven or false and may be based on data which is supportive, inconsistent, conflicting, incomplete, or inaccurate. The inferred explanation may be described as a scientific theoretical model;

Scientific Law - a statement describing specific phenomena about the physical universe which has been verified by observation or experimentation and has no exceptions of verified empirical data. The statement may be described by formula;

Standard Science - knowledge disclosed in a truthful and objective manner and the physical universe without any preconceived philosophical demands concerning origin or destiny. Knowledge is based upon verified empirical data obtained through observation and experimentation and serves as the factual basis for formulae, events, processes, principles, and laws and may be a component of theory, hypothesis, conjecture and extrapolation. Knowledge growth as a result of human endeavor serves as the foundation for the continuous reevaluation of theory, hypothesis, conjecture, and extrapolation to determine their correctness based on supporting or conflicting verified empirical data.

Timmer objects to these definitions, the "Scientific Theory" in particular, and serves up the Wikipedia definition of "scientific theory" as a more proper definition (from Wikipedia):

The United States National Academy of Sciences (USNAS) defines scientific theories as follows:

    The formal scientific definition of theory is quite different from the everyday meaning of the word. It refers to a comprehensive explanation of some aspect of nature that is supported by a vast body of evidence. Many scientific theories are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them substantially. For example, no new evidence will demonstrate that the Earth does not orbit around the sun (heliocentric theory), or that living things are not made of cells (cell theory), that matter is not composed of atoms, or that the surface of the Earth is not divided into solid plates that have moved over geological timescales (the theory of plate tectonics)...One of the most useful properties of scientific theories is that they can be used to make predictions about natural events or phenomena that have not yet been observed.
 The Ars author Timmer, who according to his bio, spent "15 years doing research at places like Berkeley and Cornell" dislikes the Brattin definition of "scientific theory" presumably because later on Brattin uses it as a means of injecting "Intelligent Design" into Missouri text books.

So let's look at the USNAS version.

Its explicitly says that definition of a (presumably) scientific theory is "a comprehensive explanation of some aspect of nature that is supported by a vast body of evidence."

The Brattin definition is to me much clearer and does not conflict with the Academy of Sciences version.

What I think Timmer does not like is that Brattin's version explicitly lays bare the truth about science: its incomplete and the best explanation we have based on limited knowledge made up of "data, logic, and faith-based philosophy."

The USNAS version implies the notion of a "vast body of evidence" makes science right.  It then goes on to provide examples.

One I find particularly interesting is "matter is composed of atoms."

While this is "true" at a certain level it is no more true than matter is "earth, air, fire and water."

The "earth, air, fire and water" explanation acceptable to ancients who had no notion of atoms.

The atom explanation acceptable to those without apparent knowledge of quarks and quantum mechanics.

Timmer's world would have us believe that "atoms" are an acceptable notion for what things are made of because its supported by a "vast body of evidence" I suppose.

But Brattin's explanation of scientific theory is much more flexible and correct: it admits that some elements of explanation, quarks, quantum mechanics might be unclear (for example, what quantum mechanics means when you think about things like the "Observer Effect," entanglement, faster-than-light communication, and the implications of quantum mechanics as they apply to the macro (non-quantum) world).

Would Timmer have us believing still in "phlogiston theory?"

Apparently the USNAS version of theory doesn't account for new ideas replacing old ones.

The real problem is that quantum things like the Observer Effect makes it clear that we, as the observers in science, can and do affect what we observe.  And there is also the domain of theories of "consciousness" which are, by nature, observer dependent because the only observer of a conscious mind is the person who inhabits it.

Another problem is one of "scope" - yes, at some level - perhaps 1965 third grade science atoms make up the entire universe.  But only from the third grade perspective.  Simultaneously someone in graduate school in 1965 might have been advancing quantum theory or the understanding of quarks.

Is the third grader wrong?  Or is the third grader just working at a level of scope commensurate with his mental capability?  Does that make him wrong?

These things and others make at least some of what is called science today, at least by USNAS, fall outside the simple observation/hypothesis/theory model.  (For example, there is no known reason why macro objects cannot and/or do not behave like quantum objects.)

Over all I reject the Timmer model of constrained science.

Science is about truth.

Science is about mystery.

Science is also about "scope."

So who is to say that, at some level of scope, a religious perspective of the universe is wrong?

Certainly this is no different than trying to wrap up the notion of an "observer" in quantum mechanics.

Today's scientists certainly don't seem qualified to address these larger issues.

Instead it seems like "they" have a vested interest in keeping the definition narrow in order to keep the dogma where it is.

I think that we do a disservice to our children when we boil the world down to standard scientific "dogma" for them.

What does this do to their sense of wonder (I wonder)?

Quantum physics shows us that the standard scientific model is not going to hold up in the long run.

So how can anyone rule Divinity out of science - is it any more mysterious than quantum physics?

Today's science is not science.

Its "Facebook" - let's all click "Like" if we think this should be standard dogma.

But the Timmer's of the world should take a lesson from Facebook.

Just because everyone "Like's" something doesn't mean that its true...

Mother May I... Have a Flu Shot

Joseph Gobbels - Wikipedia

 I constantly receive random 1-800 calls at work.

Here's one...  (transcribed by the voice mail system)

Date    : Feb 13 2013 03:47:07 PM
From    : Name Unavailable (1800555____)
To    : The Lone Wolf  (1724555____)

"This UPMC health plan calling with an important health message for season is upon us. Make sure to cover your mouth when you sneeze, wash your hands frequently and most importantly prevent the flu by getting a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every one age 6 months and older get a flu shot. You can get your flu shot at your doctor's office, pharmacy or at a local flu clinic. Thank you"

The ministry of propaganda is at it again.

Flu shots, as I wrote here recently, are scientifically useless (have no measurable effect).   Basically they are magical thinking by the CDC (as I wrote in "Flu Shots and Magical Thinking" a few years ago).  Their own web sites and statistics don't even make logical sense.

I pay a good bit each month (and soon I will be forced to pay each month) for what used to be called "health insurance."

And these very idiots are calling me, with my money, to tell me that some idiot or idiots in my government want me to "conform" to their model of useless treatment even though their treatment is proven to be useless.

(Of course, there may be some placebo effect from the vaccine but that's hard to measure.  I could take a sugar pill and convince myself of the same thing and receive the same effect...)

How about using my money to get the CDC to stop with the flu shot nonsense entirely.

How about some actual research on the flu?

How about you stop nagging me to do something useless.

And no one questions this stupidity...  No, not at all. 

Flu shots are good for you!

Just like gas ovens.

Personally I've found proper health and nutrition much more effective than anything else I have done in my life to make me healthy.

Doctors today don't receive nutritional training in medical school.

The Case of Christopher Dorner...

Thich Quang Duc - Self Immolation - 1963

I am deeply troubled by the incident described, among other places, in this Huffington Post article.

There was stake-out for Christopher Dorner (a large black male with a silver pickup truck) and two hispanic women (47 and 71) in a aqua blue pickup drove up delivering newspapers.

The police involved in the stake-out opened fire on the truck with the hispanic women inside.

Wrong truck.

Wrong truck color.

Wrong number of occupants.

Wrong gender of occupants.

Wrong sized occupants.

Further one imagines that if the women are delivering papers by "throwing them onto the driveway and front walks" someone involved in the police stake-out would have noticed this before opening fire.

But either no one noticed or no one cared.

In either case this is quite troubling.

However, it happens again.  This time (according to the LA Times) a police cruiser rams a guy in a pickup truck on his way to the beach after work.  Apparently the driver was fired upon as well.

The LA Times seems to be making excuses for this behavior (from the above article):

"Nobody trains police officers to look for one of their own," said Maria Haberfeld, a police training professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "I wouldn't want to be in their shoes and I don't think anybody else would."

Dorner killed people - but somehow, like with hate crimes, the reasons apparently matter more to everyone than Dorner's actual acts.

(Clearly these two incidents could have killed people as well - my guess is that Dorner is better trained than the individuals involved in these incidents.)

I say this because clearly in both cases no one was attacking the police involved, the vehicles didn't match, and from what anyone can see there was absolutely no reason to suspect the victims in these two incidents had anything to do with Dorner.

Yet they were attacked.

The police, according to the article, are jumpy.

(How is this any different than Dorner???)

And with good reason because Dorner has a vendetta against some of them.

It took some looking below is Dorner's "manifesto" - read it for yourself and decide why everyone is LA is jumpy (reproduce from this LA new site) - note that actual names from the original manifest have been "redacted."

To me this manifesto reads like the plot for many of the "shooter" video games I have seen.

Dorner's is "you" and whether its the "Umbrella Corporation" or evil aliens or an evil bureaucracy the script is the same.  Read the "narrative" (here the first part of Dorner's manifesto) and then engage in your "mission" to right a wrong.

I have no idea if what is said here is true or not - I only know about the LAPD from "The Closer" - so I will not comment.

Is Dorner crazy?  I doubt it very much.

Is Dorner dangerous?  To the people he mentions below absolutely.  To anyone else I would bet not.

The LAPD's $1 million USD reward does not make me feel any better.  (Personally upon reading the "manifesto" a conversation with anyone who hasn't would likely be pointless.  Decide for yourself - is he nuts or crazy?)

I would hope that someone with real credibility beyond the LAPD itself investigate what is alleged here.

Dorner's fate (a "self immolation" by bullets no doubt) will take care of itself I am sure...

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
-- John F. Kennedy

(I recall from childhood the image of Thich Quang Duc...  I still think about it this day.)

----------------------- Manifesto -----------------------

From: Christopher Jordan Dorner /7648
To: America
Subj: Last resort
Regarding CF# 07-004281



I know most of you who personally know me are in disbelief to hear from media reports that I am suspected of committing such horrendous murders and have taken drastic and shocking actions in the last couple of days. You are saying to yourself that this is completely out of character of the man you knew who always wore a smile wherever he was seen. I know I will be vilified by the LAPD and the media. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name. The department has not changed since the Rampart and Rodney King days. It has gotten worse. The consent decree should never have been lifted. The only thing that has evolved from the consent decree is those officers involved in the Rampart scandal and Rodney King incidents have since promoted to supervisor, commanders, and command staff, and executive positions.

The question is, what would you do to clear your name?

Name;

A word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to.
Name Synonyms;

reputation, title, appellation, denomination, repute.

A name is more than just a noun, verb, or adjective. It’s your life, your legacy, your journey, sacrifices, and everything you’ve worked hard for every day of your life as and adolescent, young adult and adult. Don’t let anybody tarnish it when you know you’ve live up to your own set of ethics and personal ethos.

In 8/07 I reported an officer (Ofcr. XXXX/now a Sergeant), for kicking a suspect (excessive force) during a Use of Force while I was assigned as a patrol officer at LAPD’s Harbor Division. While cuffing the suspect, (XXXX), XXXX kicked the suspect twice in the chest and once in the face. The kick to the face left a visible injury on the left cheek below the eye. Unfortunately after reporting it to supervisors and investigated by PSB (internal affairs investigator Det. XXXX), nothing was done. I had broken their supposed “Blue Line”. Unfortunately, It’s not JUST US, it’s JUSTICE!!! In fact, 10 months later on 6/25/08, after already successfully completing probation, acquiring a basic Post Certificate, and Intermediate Post Certificate, I was relieved of duty by the LAPD while assigned to patrol at Southwest division. It is clear as day that the department retaliated toward me for reporting XXXX for kicking Mr. XXXX. The department stated that I had lied and made up the report that XXXX had kicked the suspect. I later went to a Board of Rights (department hearing for decision of continued employment) from 10/08 to 1/09. During this BOR hearing a video was played for the BOR panel where XXXX stated that he was indeed kicked by Officer XXXX (video sent to multiple news agencies). In addition to XXXX stating he was kicked, his father XXXX, also stated that his son had stated he was kicked by an officer when he was arrested after being released from custody. This was all presented for the department at the BOR hearing. They still found me guilty and terminated me. What they didn’t mention was that the BOR panel made up of Capt. XXXX, Capt. XXXX, and City Attorney XXXX had a significant problem from the time the board was assembled. Capt. XXXX was a personal friend of XXXX from when he was her supervisor at Harbor station. That is a clear conflict of interest and I made my argument for his removal early and was denied. The advocate for the LAPD BOR was Sgt. XXXX. XXXX also had a conflict of interest as she was XXXX friend and former partner from Harbor division where they both worked patrol together. I made my argument for her removal when I discovered her relation to XXXX and it was denied.

During the BOR, the department attempted to label me unsuccessfully as a bully. They stated that I had bullied a recruit, XXXX, in the academy when in reality and unfounded disposition from the official 1.28 formal complaint investigation found that I was the one who stood up for XXXX when other recruits sang nazi hitler youth songs about burning Jewish ghettos in WWII Germany where his father was a survivor of a concentration camp. How fucking dare you attempt to label me with such a nasty vile word. I ask that all earnest journalist investigating this story ask Ofcr. XXXX about the incident when Ofcr. XXXX began singing a nazi youth song about burning jewish ghettos.
The internal affairs investigation in the academy involving XXXX was spurned by a complaint that I had initiated toward two fellow recruit/offifcers. While assigned patrol footbeat in Hollywood Division, Officers XXXX and XXXX (both current LAPD officers) decided that they would voice their personal feelings about the black community. While traveling back to the station in a 12 passenger van I heard XXXX refer to another individual as a nigger. I wasn’t sure if I heard correctly as there were many conversations in the van that was compiled of at least 8 officers and he was sitting in the very rear and me in the very front. Even with the multiple conversations and ambient noise I heard Officer XXXX call an indivdual a nigger again. Now that I had confirmed it, I told XXXX not to use that word again. I explained that it was a well-known offensive word that should not be used by anyone. He replied, “I’ll say it when I want”. Officer XXXX, a friend of his, also stated that he would say nigger when he wanted. At that point I jumped over my front passenger seat and two other officers where I placed my hands around XXXXs’ neck and squeezed. I stated to XXXX, “Don’t fucking say that”. At that point there was pushing and shoving and we were separated by several other officers. What I should have done, was put a Winchester Ranger SXT 9mm 147 grain bullet in his skull and Officer XXXX’s skull. The Situation would have been resolved effective, immediately. The sad thing about this incident was that when Detective XXXX from internal affairs investigated this incident only (1) officer (unknown) in the van other than myself had statements constistent with what actually happened. The other six officers  all stated they heard nothing and saw nothing. Shame on every one of you. Shame on Detective XXXX (same ethnicity as XXXX) for creating a separate 1.28 formal complaint against me (XXXX complaint) in retaliation for initiating the complaint against XXXX and XXXX. Don’t retaliate against honest officers for breaking your so-called blue line. I hope your son XXXX, who I knew, is a better officer than you, Detective XXXX. The saddest part of this ordeal was that Officer XXXX and XXXX were only given 22 day suspensions and are still LAPD officers to this day. That day, the LAPD stated that it is acceptable for fellow officers to call black officers niggers to their face and you will receive a slap on the wrist. Even sadder is that during that 22 day suspension XXXX and XXXX received is that the LAPPL (Los Angeles Police Protective League) paid the officers their salaries while they were suspended. When I took a two-day suspension for an accidental discharge, I took my suspension and never applied for a league salary. Its called integrity.

Journalist, I want you to investigate every location I resided in growing up. Find any incidents where I was ever accused of being a bully. You won’t, because it doesn’t exist. It’s not in my DNA. Never was. I was the only black kid in each of my elementary school classes from first grade to seventh grade in junior high and any instances where I was disciplined for fighting was in response to fellow students provoking common childhood schoolyard fights, or calling me a nigger or other derogatory racial names. I grew up in neighborhoods where blacks make up less than 1%. My first recollection of racism was in the first grade at Norwalk Christian elementary school in Norwalk, CA. A fellow student, XXXX if I can recall, called me a nigger on the playground. My response was swift and non-lethal. I struck him fast and hard with a punch an kick. He cried and reported it to a teacher. The teacher reported it to the principal. The principal swatted XXXX for using a derogatory word toward me. He then for some unknown reason swatted me for striking XXXX in response to him calling me a nigger. He stated as good Christians we are to turn the other cheek as Jesus did. Problem is, I’m not a fucking Christian and that old book, made of fiction and limited non-fiction, called the bible, never once stated Jesus was called a nigger. How dare you swat me for standing up for my rights for demanding that I be treated as an equal human being. That day I made a life decision that i will not tolerate racial derogatory terms spoken to me. Unfortunately I was swatted multiple times for the same exact reason up until junior high. Terminating me for telling the truth of a Caucasian officer kicking a mentally ill man is disgusting. Don’t ever call me a fucking bully. I want all journalist to utilize every source you have that specializes in collections for your reports. With the discovery and evidence available you will see the truth. Unfortunately, I will not be alive to see my name cleared. That’s what this is about, my name. A man is nothing without his name. Below is a list of locations where I resided from childhood to adulthood.

Cerritos, CA.
Pico Rivera, CA.
La Palma, CA.
Thousand Oaks, CA.
Cedar City, UT.
Pensacola, FL.
Enid, OK.
Yorba Linda, CA.
Las Vegas, NV.

During the BOR an officer named, Sgt. XXXX, from Los Angeles Port Police testified on behalf of the LAPD. XXXX stated for the BOR that he arrived at the location of the UOF shortly before I cuffed the suspect. He also stated that he assisted in cuffing the suspect and that’s old the BOR he told me to fix my tie. All of those statements were LIES!!! XXXX, you arrived at the UOF location up to 30 seconds after I had cuffed Mr.XXXX. All you did was help me lift the suspect to his feet as it was difficult for me to do by myself because of his heavy weight. You did not tell me to fix my tie as the BOR members and everyone else in the room know you lied because the photographic evidence from the UOF scene where XXXX’s injuries were photographed clearly shows me wearing a class B uniform on that day. A class B uniform is a short sleeved uniform blouse. A short sleeved uniform blouse for the LAPD does not have a tie included. This is not Super Troopers uniform, you jackass. Why did you feel the need to embellish and lie about your involvement in the UOF? Are you ashamed that you could not get hired on by any other department other than port police? Do you have delusions of grandeur? What you did was perjury, exactly what XXXX did when she stated she did not kick XXXX.

What they failed to mention in the BOR was XXXX own use of force history during her career on the LAPD. She has admitted that she has a lengthy use of force record and has been flagged several times by risk management. She has a very well known nickname, Chupacabra, which she was very proud to flaunt around the division. She found it very funny and entertaining to draw blood from suspects and arrestees. At one point she even intentionally ripped the flesh off the arm of a woman we had arrested for battery (sprayed her neighbor with a garden water hose). Knowing the woman had thin elastic skin, she performed and Indian burn to the woman’s arm after cuffing her. That woman was in her mid-70’s, a mother and grandmother, and was angry at her tenants who failed to pay rent on time. Something I can completely understand and I am sure many have wanted to do toward tenants who do not pay their rent. XXXX was also demoted from a senior lead officer rank/position for performance issues. During my two months of working patrol with XXXX, I found her as a woman who was very angry that she had been pulled from patrol for a short time because of a domestic violence report made by Long Beach Police Department because of an incident involving her active LAPD officer boyfriend, XXXX, and herself. XXXX is the same officer investigated for witness tampering. She also was visibly angry on a daily basis that she was going to have to file for bankruptcy because her ex-husband, a former LAPD officer and not XXXX, who had left the department, state, and was nowhere to be found had left her with a tax bill and debt that she was unable to pay because of a lack of financial means. XXXX, you are a POS and you lied right to the BOR panel when XXXX asked you if you kicked XXXX. You destroyed my life and name because of your actions. Time is up. The time is now to confess to Chief Beck.

I ask that all journalist investigating this story submit request for FOIA with the LAPD to gain access to the BOR transcripts which occurred from 10/08 to 2/09. There, you will see that a video was played for the BOR members of Mr. XXXX who suffers from Schizophrenia and Dementia stating that he was kicked by a female officer. That video evidence supports my claim that XXXX kicked him twice in the upper body and once in the face. I would like all journalist to also request copies of all reports that I had written while employed by LAPD. Whether in the academy, or during my 3 years as a police officer. There are DR#’s attached to each report (investigative report) that I have ever written so they all exist. A FOIA request will most likely be needed to access these at Parker center or at the Personnel/Records. Judge my writin/grammar skills for yourself. The department attempted to paint me as an officer who could not write reports. Even though Sgt. XXXX a training officer who trained me stated for the BOR panel that there was nothing wrong with my report writing and that I was better than all rookie/probationer officers he has ever trained. Officer XXXX stated the same but refused to testify as he did not want to “get involved” with the BOR’s. Contact Sgt. XXXX ,(now a Captain at Lompoc PD), Sgt. XXXX, and Sgt. XXXX. All will state that my report writing was impeccable. I will tell you this, I always type my reports because I have messy handwriting/penmanship. I never had a single kickback/redlined report at Southwest division and Sgt. XXXX and Sgt. XXXX can testify to that. I never received an UNSATISFACTORY on any day or week. The same can be said within the U.S. Naval Reserves. All commanders will state that my report writing was always clear, concise, and impeccable. Even search my AAR (after action reports),chits, Memorandum’s, IIR’s (Intelligence Information Reports) which were written in the Navy. All were pristine.

I had worked patrol at LAPD’s Harbor Division from 2/06 until 7/06 when I was involuntarily recalled back to active duty (US Navy) for a 12 month mobilization/deployment to Centcom in support of OIF/OEF. I returned back to LAPD’s Harbor division on 7/07 and immediately returned to patrol. I worked at Harbor division until 11/07 where I then transferred to Southwest Division. I worked At Southwest division until 6/25/08 when I was relieved of duty.
I have exhausted all available means at obtaining my name back. I have attempted all legal court efforts within appeals at the Superior Courts and California Appellate courts. This is my last resort. The LAPD has suppressed the truth and it has now lead to deadly consequences. The LAPD’s actions have cost me my law enforcement career that began on 2/7/05 and ended on 1/2/09. They cost me my Naval career which started on 4/02 and ends on 2/13. I had a TS/SCI clearance(Top Secret Sensitive Compartmentalized Information clearance) up until shortly after my termination with LAPD. This is the highest clearance a service member can attain other than a Yankee White TS/SCI which is only granted for those working with and around the President/Vice President of the United States. I lost my position as a Commanding Officer of a Naval Security Forces reserve unit at NAS Fallon because of the LAPD. I’ve lost a relationship with my mother and sister because of the LAPD. I’ve lost a relationship with close friends because of the LAPD. In essence, I’ve lost everything because the LAPD took my name and new I was INNOCENT!!!  XXXX, XXXX, XXXX , and XXXX all new I was innocent but decided to terminate me so they could continue Ofcr. XXXX. I know about the meeting between all of you where XXXX attorney, XXXX, confessed that she kicked XXXX (excessive force). Your day has come.

I’m not an aspiring rapper, I’m not a gang member, I’m not a dope dealer, I don’t have multiple babies momma’s. I am an American by choice, I am a son, I am a brother, I am a military service member, I am a man who has lost complete faith in the system, when the system betrayed, slandered, and libeled me. I lived a good life and though not a religious man I always stuck to my own personal code of ethics, ethos and always stuck to my shoreline and true North. I didn’t need the US Navy to instill Honor, Courage, and Commitment in me but I thank them for re-enforcing it. It’s in my DNA.
Luckily I don’t have to live everyday like most of you. Concerned if the misconduct you were apart of is going to be discovered. Looking over your shoulder, scurrying at every phone call from internal affairs or from the Captains office wondering if that is the day PSB comes after you for the suspects you struck when they were cuffed months/years ago or that $500 you pocketed from the narcotics dealer, or when the other guys on your watch beat a transient nearly to death and you never reported the UOF to the supervisor. No, I don’t have that concern, I stood up for what was right but unfortunately have dealt with the reprocussions of doing the right thing and now losing my name and everything I ever stood for. You fuckers knew XXXX was guilty of kicking (excessive force) XXXX and you did nothing but get rid of what you saw as the problem, the whistleblower. XXXX himself stated on video tape ( provided for the BOR and in transcripts) he was kicked and even his father stated that his son said he was kicked by XXXX when he was released from custody. The video was played for the entire BOR to hear. You’re going to see what a whistleblower can do when you take everything from him especially his NAME!!!

Look what you did to Sgt. XXXX (now lieutenant) when he exposed the truth of your lying, racism, and PSB cover-ups to frame and convict an innocent man. You can not police yourselves and the consent decree was unsuccessful. Sgt. XXXX, I met you on the range several times as a recruit and as an officer. You’re a good man and I saw it in your eyes an actions.

Self Preservation is no longer important to me. I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09. I was told by my mother that sometimes bad things happen to good people. I refuse to accept that.
From 2/05 to 1/09 I saw some of the most vile things humans can inflict on others as a police officer in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the streets of LA. It was in the confounds of LAPD police stations and shops (cruisers). The enemy combatants in LA are not the citizens and suspects, it’s the police officers.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. How ironic that you utilize a fixed glass structure as your command HQ. You use as a luminous building to symbolize that you are transparent, have nothing to hide, or suppress when in essence, concealing, omitting, and obscuring is your forte.

Chief Beck, this is when you need to have that come to Jesus talk with Sgt. XXXX and everyone else who was involved in the conspiracy to have me terminated for doing the right thing. you also need to speak with her attorney, Rico, and his conversation with the BOR members and her confession of guilt in kicking Mr. XXXX. I’ll be waiting for a PUBLIC response at a press conference. When the truth comes out, the killing stops.

Why didn’t you charge me with filing a false police report when I came forward stating that XXXX kicked Mr. XXXX? You file criminal charges against every other officer who is accused and terminated for filing a false police report. You didn’t because you knew I was innocent and a criminal court would find me innocent and expose your department for suppressing the truth and retaliation, that’s why.

The attacks will stop when the department states the truth about my innocence, PUBLICLY!!! I will not accept any type of currency/goods in exchange for the attacks to stop, nor do i want it. I want my name back, period. There is no negotiation. I am not the state department who states they do not negotiate with terrorist, because anybody with a Secret or TS/SCI has seen IIR’s on SIPR and knows that the US state department always negotiates by using CF countries or independent sovereign/neutral country to mediate and compromising.

This department has not changed from the Daryl Gates and Mark Fuhrman days. Those officers are still employed and have all promoted to Command staff and supervisory positions. I will correct this error. Are you aware that an officer (a rookie/probationer at the time) seen on the Rodney King videotape striking Mr. King multiple times with a baton on 3/3/91 is still employed by the LAPD and is now a Captain on the police department? Captain XXXX is now the commanding officer of a LAPD police station (West LA division). As a commanding officer, he is now responsible for over 200 officers. Do you trust him to enforce department policy and investigate use of force investigations on arrestees by his officers? Are you aware XXXX has since promoted to Sergeant after kicking Mr. XXXX in the face. Oh, you Violated a citizens civil rights? We will promote you. Same as LAPD did with the officers from Metro involved in the May Day melee at MacArthur Park. They promoted them to Sergeant (a supervisor role).

No one is saying you can’t be prejudiced or a bigot. We are all human and hold prejudices. If you state that you don’t have prejudices, your lying! But, when you act on it and victimize innocent citizens and fellow innocen officers, than that is a concern.

For you officers who do the job in the name of JUSTICE, those of you who lost honest officers to this event, look at the name of those on the BOR and the investigating officers from PSB and XXXX and ask them, how come you couldn’t tell the truth? Why did you terminate an honest officer and cover for a dishonest officer who victimized a mentally ill citizen.

Sometimes humans feel a need to prove they are the dominant race of a species and they inadvertently take kindness for weakness from another individual. You chose wrong.
Terminating officers because they expose a culture of lying, racism (from the academy), and excessive use of force will immediately change. PSB can not police their own and that has been proven. The blue line will forever be severed and a cultural change will be implanted. You have awoken a sleeping giant.

I am here to change and make policy. The culture of LAPD versus the community and honest/good officers needs to and will change. I am here to correct and calibrate your morale compasses to true north.

Those Caucasian officers who join South Bureau divisions (77th,SW,SE, an Harbor) with the sole intent to victimize minorities who are uneducated, and unaware of criminal law, civil law, and civil rights. You prefer the South bureau because a use of force/deadly force is likely and the individual you use UOF on will likely not report it. You are a high value target.

Those Black officers in supervisory ranks and pay grades who stay in south bureau (even though you live in the valley or OC) for the sole intent of getting retribution toward subordinate caucasians officers for the pain and hostile work environment their elders inflicted on you as probationers (P-1′s) and novice P-2’s. You are a high value target. You perpetuated the cycle of racism in the department as well. You breed a new generation of bigoted caucasian officer when you belittle them and treat them unfairly.

Those Hispanic officers who victimize their own ethnicity because they are new immigrants to this country and are unaware of their civil rights. You call them wetbacks to their face and demean them in front of fellow officers of different ethnicities so that you will receive some sort of acceptance from your colleagues. I’m not impressed. Most likely, your parents or grandparents were immigrants at one time, but you have forgotten that. You are a high value target.

Those lesbian officers in supervising positions who go to work, day in day out, with the sole intent of attempting to prove your misandrist authority (not feminism) to degrade male officers. You are a high value target.

Those Asian officers who stand by and observe everything I previously mentioned other officers participate in on a daily basis but you say nothing, stand for nothing and protect nothing. Why? Because of your usual saying, ” I……don’t like conflict”. You are a high value target as well.
Those of you who “go along to get along” have no backbone and destroy the foundation of courage. You are the enablers of those who are guilty of misconduct. You are just as guilty as those who break the code of ethics and oath you swore.

Citizens/non-combatants, do not render medical aid to downed officers/enemy combatants. They would not do the same for you. They will let you bleed out just so they can brag to other officers that they had a 187 caper the other day and can’t wait to accrue the overtime in future court subpoenas. As they always say, “that’s the paramedics job…not mine”. Let the balance of loss of life take place. Sometimes a reset needs to occur.

It is endless the amount of times per week officers arrest an individual, label him a suspect-arrestee-defendant and then before arraignment or trial realize that he is innocent based on evidence. You know what they say when they realize an innocent man just had his life turned upside down?. “I guess he should have stayed at home that day he was discovered walking down the street and matching the suspects description. Oh well, he appeared to be a dirtbag anyways”. Meanwhile the falsely accused is left to pick up his life, get a new, family, friends, and sense of self worth.

Don’t honor these fallen officers/dirtbags. When your family members die, they just see you as extra overtime at a crime scene and at a perimeter. Why would you value their lives when they clearly don’t value yours or your family members lives? I’ve heard many officers who state they see dead victims as ATV’s, Waverunners, RV’s and new clothes for their kids. Why would you shed a tear for them when they in return crack a smile for your loss because of the impending extra money they will receive in their next paycheck for sitting at your loved ones crime scene of 6 hours because of the overtime they will accrue. They take photos of your loved ones recently deceased bodies with their cellphones and play a game of who has the most graphic dead body of the night with officers from other divisions. This isn’t just the 20 something year old officers, this is the 50 year old officers with significant time on the job as well who participate.

You allow an officer, XXXX, to attempt to hack into my credit union account and still remain on the job even when Det. XXXX shows the evidence that the IP address (provided by LAPFCU) that attempted to hack into my account and change my username and password leads directly to her residence. You even allow this visibly disgusting looking officer to stay on the job when she perjures (lies) in court (Clark County Family Court) to the judge’s face and denies hacking into my personal credit union online account when I attempted to get my restraint order extended. Det. XXXX provided the evidence and you still do nothing.

How do you know when a police officer is lying??? When he begins his sentence with, “based on my experience and training”.

No one grows up and wants to be a cop killer. It was against everything I’ve ever was. As a young police explorer I found my calling in life. But, As a young police officer I found that the violent suspects on the street are not the only people you have to watch. It is the officer who was hired on to the department (pre-2000) before polygraphs were standard for all new hires and a substantial vetting in a backround investigation.

To those children of the officers who are eradicated, your parent was not the individual you thought they were. As you get older,you will see the evidence that your parent was a tyrant who loss their ethos and instead followed the path of moral corruptness. They conspired to hide and suppress the truth of misconduct on others behalf’s. Your parent will have a name and plaque on the fallen officers memorial in D.C. But, In all honesty, your parents name will be a reminder to other officers to maintain the oath they swore and to stay along the shoreline that has guided them from childhood to that of a local, state, or federal law enforcement officer.

Your lack of ethics and conspiring to wrong a just individual are over.

Suppressing the truth will leave to deadly consequences for you and your family. There will be an element of surprise where you work, live, eat, and sleep. I will utilize ISR at your home, workplace, and all locations in between. I will utilize OSINT to discover your residences, spouses workplaces, and children’s schools. IMINT to coordinate and plan attacks on your fixed locations. Its amazing whats on NIPR. HUMINT will be utilized to collect personal schedules of targets. I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, I’m terminating yours. XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and BOR members Look your wives/husbands and surviving children directly in the face and tell them the truth as to why your children are dead.

Never allow a LAPPL union attorney to be a retired LAPD Captain,(XXXX). He doesn’t work for you, your interest, or your name. He works for the department, period. His job is to protect the department from civil lawsuits being filed and their best interest which is the almighty dollar. His loyalty is to the department, not his client. Even when he knowingly knows your innocent and the BOR also knows your innocent after XXXX stated on videotape that he was kicked and XXXX attorney confessed to the BOR off the record that she kicked XXXX.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants-TJ. This quote is not directed toward the US government which I fully support 100%. This is toward the LAPD who can not monitor itself. The consent decree should not have been lifted, ever.
I know your TTP’s, (techniques, tactics, and procedures). Any threat assessments you generate will be useless. This is simple, I know your TTP’s and PPR’s. I will mitigate any of your attempts at preservation. ORM is my friend. I will mitigate all risks, threats and hazards. I assure you that Incident Command Posts will be target rich environments. KMA-367 license plate frames are great target indicators and make target selection even easier.

I will conduct DA operations to destroy, exploit and seize designated targets. If unsuccessful or unable to meet objectives in these initial small-scale offensive actions, I will reassess my BDA and re-attack until objectives are met. I have nothing to lose. My personal casualty means nothing. Just alike AAF’s, ACM’s, and AIF’s, you can not prevail against an enemy combatant who has no fear of death. An enemy who embraces death is a lose, lose situation for their enemy combatants.
Hopefully you analyst have done your homework. You are aware that I have always been the top shot, highest score, an expert in rifle qualifications in every unit I’ve been in. I will utilize every bit of small arms training, demolition, ordnance, and survival training I’ve been given.

Do you know why we are unsuccessful in asymmetrical and guerrilla warfare in CENTCOM theatre of operations? I’ll tell you. It’s not the inefficiency of our combatant commanders, planning, readiness or training of troops. Much like the Vietnam war, ACM, AAF, foreign fighters, Jihadist, and JAM have nothing to lose. They embrace death as it is a way of life. I simply don’t fear it. I am the walking exigent circumstance you created.

The Violence of action will be HIGH. I am the reason TAC alert was established. I will bring unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in LAPD uniform whether on or off duty. ISR is my strength and your weakness. You will now live the life of the prey. Your RD’s and homes away from work will be my AO and battle space. I will utilize every tool within INT collections that I learned from NMITC in Dam Neck. You have misjudged a sleeping giant. There is no conventional threat assessment for me. JAM, New Ba’ath party, 1920 rev BGE, ACM, AAF, AQAP, AQIM and AQIZ have nothing on me. Do not deploy airships or gunships. SA-7 Manpads will be waiting. As you know I also own Barrett .50′s so your APC are defunct and futile.

You better have all your officers radio/phone muster (code 1) on or off duty every hour, on the hour.
Do not attempt to shadow or conduct any type of ISR on me. I have the inventory listing of all UC vehicles at Piper Tech and the home addresses of any INT analyst at JRIC and detachment locations. My POA is always POI and always true. This will be a war of attrition and a Pyrrhic and Camdean Victory for myself. You may have the resources and manpower but you are reactive and predictable in your op plans and TTP’s. I have the strength and benefits of being unpredictable, unconventional, and unforgiving. Do not waste your time with briefs and tabletops.

Read more: http://ktla.com/2013/02/07/read-christopher-dorners-so-called-manifesto/#ixzz2KihJe0a9

Read more at http://ktla.com/2013/02/07/read-christopher-dorners-so-called-manifesto/#E7SZH0EmR0CR6mdk.99

Indoctrination - The Failure of Modern Schooling

My granddaughter and I were looking at "modern art" the other day.

For example we viewed images like

as well as

I asked her what she thought of these.

"They look like little Joey painted them, or maybe I did," she replied (little Joey is three).

I said "but these were painted by famous artists."

"So what," she replied, "they look like crap."

Next we had a discussion about "The Emperor's New Clothes" and how sometimes it takes a small child to speak the truth about what every else is seeing but not acknowledging.

More discussion ensued.

One of the other grandchildren had just spent five years in misery because the school had failed to diagnose a significant dyslexia problem (the worst the one psychologist had ever seen).  The parent had fought mightily for many years to get the school to acknowledge the child was smart but struggling with basic reading concepts.  (The evidence, near gifted science scores with failing reading and writing skills, had been on the report cards for many years.)

Ultimately the initial school psychologist that claimed the child was "near retarded" was disgraced. A new psychologist in conjunction with the school produced a multi-page "IEP" that correctly diagnosed the child's problems and provided a teaching plan to address the issues.  The methodology of teaching provided being the one the parent had conducted on their own despite the school's best efforts to thwart them.  (The school was reported to the state by the new psychologist and the investigation is still going on...)

I explained to the grandchildren how the initial "school psychologist" was like the "swindlers" in the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes."

No one would question the initial school psychologist even though, as it turned out, she was routing students she diagnosed as "troubled" to her own practice for treatment.  She had many letters after her name and years of schooling - how could she be wrong?

Today I believe that most, if not all, of what children do and see in school has to some degree a level of indoctrination involved.  Whether in explaining the workings of the world, the environment or social behavior, orthodox descriptions and solutions to these problems are provided that leave little or no room for the child to make their own interpretation of what they see.

Is the Pollock or Picasso above really art?

Is it "good" art?

Certainly I am not qualified to render an opinion even though I might have one.

But a child is much less likely to be limited by social concerns related to what they see and simply blurt out the truth.

However, often in today's schools at least, social pressure is used to silence these sorts of opinions.

Fortunately at least some people see fit to enable their children with enough self confidence and self sufficiency to be able to speak their minds regardless of what others might say or think.

I think there is far to little of this in the world today.

The Emperor is not wearing any clothes and has been in this state for a long time.

Sadly most of the population simply agrees that the "clothes" he is wearing are of the finest make and quality...

Disabling Time Machine via AppleScript (Update)

While my Carbonite AppleScript in the last post worked nicely there was an error with the Time Machine script.

The problem is that executing

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool true

from or as part of a shell script requires you to be root.  Otherwise you get an error like this:

... defaults[6633:707] Could not write domain com.apple.TimeMachine; exiting

The fix is ugly.  Of course, even though you own your Mac or MacBook you have to have explicitly set things up to access the user 'root'.

Pretty much no matter what you do (upgrade a machine, buy a machine, etc.) root is disabled by default.  To enable root use these instructions here (make sure you remember and/or write down the password you choose).

Once root is enabled you have to make sure you can run a shell script as root.

Typically this is done via a command call sudo.

You start a terminal window and enter the command:

 sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool true
Password: 

You then have to manually enter the root password.

Putting this into an AppleScript won't work because there won't be anyone or anything to type in the password.

However, there is a not-so-simple work around.

First, create two shell scripts like this:

TM_Off.csh:

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool false

TM_On.csh:

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool true

I put them into my Desktop folder: /Users/fred/Desktop as /Users/fred/Desktop/TM_Off.csh and
/Users/fred/Desktop/TM_On.csh.

I also performed the following on these files as 'root' though I am not sure it is necessary:

chmod 4555 TM_O*.csh
chown root TM_O*.csh

Next you have to (most likely) create a file in /etc call sudoers, i.e., /etc/sudoers.

So if you normally log in into your machine as "fred" then you have to create an entry in the /etc/sudoers file like this:

fred ALL = NOPASSWD: /Users/fred/Desktop/*

What this does is allows user 'fred' to run scripts via sudo from the folder /Users/fred/Desktop.

If you've set this all up right then as user fred you should be able to manually enter the TM_On.csh and TM_Off.csh commands into a shell windows, e.g., created by Terminal, and you should be able to check and see its working via the "System Preferences."

Then you can use the following AppleScripts to control Time Machine:

do shell script "sudo /Users/fred/Desktop/TM_Off.csh"

do shell script "sudo /Users/fred/Desktop/TM_Off.csh"

 

So there you have it - an AppleScript solution for controlling Time Machine.

Carbonite And Time Capsules...

 I use Mac OS X laptops as my primary development platforms.

With that I have set up Time Machine to backup the numerous Macs floating around the office.  Most are used as "remotes" from my main development machine and as such its okay to have Carbonite and Time Machine sucking down a huge amount of cycles (which they do).

For example, running two or more of  Logic, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Parallels, XCode, etc. usually bog things down to the point of uselessness.

Carbonite usually hums along at about 60% in the background heating up the laptop significantly as well.

So what can you do to fix this?

Of course you can manually diddle with the apps turning them on and off but of course you'll forget at some critical point to turn them back on and poof - two days of work lost!

For me I would like the backups to run at night - say between about 8 PM and 7 AM when I am not using the computer for development.   This keeps the worst of it out of my way.

Fortunately there are some relatively simple solutions.

First, in the case of Time Machine you need to create two AppleScripts:

T_M-On.scpt

do shell script "defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool true"

T_M-Off.scpt

do shell script "defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine AutoBackup -bool false"

Next you need to use iCal to set up a daily event starting when you would like backups to begin and ending when you would like them to finish.

Associate the T_M-On.scpt with the start of the event, e.g., 8 PM and T_M-Off.scpt with the end of the event.

So in this example we have set it up to run the Time Machine "Enable" at the start of the event and the "Disable" at the end (in this case 7 AM or so).

I set this to repeat each day.

In the case of Carbonite, which is not built into Mac OS X like Time Machine, you need an AppleScript to access the "System Preferences" and perform the same type of function.  Carbonite's control panel is somewhat non-AppleScript friendly so you have to do something like this:

Carbonite-Enabled-Script.scpt:

tell application "System Preferences"
    activate
    set the current pane to pane id "com.carbonite.prefpanel"
    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "System Preferences"
            -- Carbonite Version 1.1.11 build 582
            --
            -- Select the "Status" Window
            --
            click radio button "Status" of tab group 1 of window 1
           
            -- Click the "Backup is: Enabled/Paused pop up
            -- to bring up the choice list...
            click pop up button 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
           
            -- The choices are Enabled, Paused, in Recover Mode, Disabled.
            --
            -- So we use the "up arrow" to move to the top of the
            -- choice list "Enabled" - we use three "up arrows" because
            -- this ensures we get to the top
            --
            -- Choices are:
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 30) -- up arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 31) -- down arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 29) -- right arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 28) -- up arrow key
           
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
           
            -- Enter a "return"
            key code 36
           
            -- Leave the window open so we can see the state…
            --
        end tell
    end tell
end tell

Unfortunately the version will change and this will break but at least for now this seems to work.

Carbonite-Diabled-Script.scpt:

tell application "System Preferences"
    activate
    set the current pane to pane id "com.carbonite.prefpanel"
    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "System Preferences"
            -- Carbonite Version 1.1.11 build 582
            --
            -- Select the "Status" Window
            --
            click radio button "Status" of tab group 1 of window 1
           
            -- Click the "Backup is: Enabled/Paused pop up
            -- to bring up the choice list...
            click pop up button 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
           
            -- The choices are Enabled, Paused, in Recover Mode, Disabled.
            --
            -- So we use the "up arrow" to move to the top of the
            -- choice list "Enabled" - we use three "up arrows" because
            -- this ensures we get to the top
            --
            -- Choices are:
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 30) -- up arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 31) -- down arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 29) -- right arrow key
            -- keystroke (ASCII character 28) -- up arrow key
           
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
            keystroke (ASCII character 30)
           
            -- Down to Disabled
            --
            keystroke (ASCII character 31)
           
            -- Enter a "return"
            key code 36
           
            -- Leave the window open so we can see the state…
            --
        end tell
    end tell
end tell

You can use a similar iCal trick to start and stop Carbonite as well - or even combine these Time Machine and Carbonite scripts into a single AppleScript file.

The "Carbonite" control panel you see in "Systems Preferences" is actually created by the file "com.carbonite.prefpanel" which is located in /Library/PreferencePanes.  To control it via AppleScript you need its "real name" - yes this is "Alice in Wonderland".  To find this you have to double click it and look inside "Show Package Contents..." at the plist - appropriate name for the Carbonite Control panel is located in the "Bundle Identifier."

Of course this depends on Lion (10.7), not 10.8 which I have not tried it on.

Your mileage will vary....

To find the appropriate "System Preferences" elements to control in AppleScript you can use the script below to find whatever UI elements are available to control:

tell application "System Preferences"
    activate
    set the current pane to pane id "com.carbonite.prefpanel"
    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "System Preferences"
            set xxx to every UI element of window 1
        end tell
    end tell
end tell

This will print out the list of items you can script in the "Results" window in the "AppleScript Editor:"

{button 1 of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", button 2 of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", button 3 of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", tab group 1 of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", button "Carbonite Help & Support" of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", button "Click the lock to prevent further changes." of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", checkbox "Click the lock to prevent further changes." of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", static text "Carbonite Business Premier" of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", static text "Version 1.1.11 build 582" of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", static text "Serial Number: 3505391-4391" of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", tool bar 1 of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events", static text "Carbonite" of window "Carbonite" of application process "System Preferences" of application "System Events"}

You can troll through this (replace the commas with newlines) to drill down into the appropriate control structure for controlling Carbonite.  You iterate down by finding controls and adding them "set xxx" command.

EDIT: Note there is a problem with the AppleScript for Time Machine as described here - please check out this post for the details.

S & P - The Horses are Already Out of the Ban

My, my, my the federal government, as well as various state governments, plan to sue S & P (Standard and Poors) alleging wrong doing related to the rating of mortgage bonds (see this).

This wrong doing would relate to the fact that though banks and the US Government were creating insane loan products like the "no doc" loans that allowed virtually anyone with some cash to buy a house via a mortgage.

Because of the 2008 financial crisis the government is now looking for a scape goat on which to blame this crisis.

In response to the lawsuit presented by the US Government S & P said: "It would disregard the central facts that S&P reviewed the same subprime mortgage data as the rest of the market—including U.S. government officials who in 2007 publicly stated that problems in the subprime market appeared to be contained—and that every (collateralized debt obligation) that DOJ has cited to us also independently received the same rating from another rating agency.

"S&P deeply regrets that our CDO ratings failed to fully anticipate the rapidly deteriorating conditions in the U.S. mortgage market during that tumultuous time. However, we did take extensive rating actions in 2007—ahead of other ratings agencies—on the residential mortgage-backed securities, which were included in these CDOs. As a result of these actions, more collateral or other protection was required to support AAA ratings on CDOs."

S&P apparently, see the underlined text above, relied in part on the US Government's assessment of the housing market.

Hmmm...

But where did this "subprime" market come from (that was or was not "contained")?

It started in 1977 with the "Community Reinvestment Act" - an act designed to help people purchase houses - houses they could afford.  Traditionally it was difficult to get a loan, particularly if you lived in a distressed area because there was a greater risk of the value of your home diminishing.  (You can think about it this way - buy a $20,000 house in one neighborhood that had property values going up and another where the values were going down.  Which is a good investment?)

While this worked to some degree it didn't make enough people happy.

So in 1994 this appeared in the Federal Register: "... Evidence of ``disparate impact,'' when a lender applies a practice uniformly to all applicants but the practice has a discriminatory effect on a prohibited basis and is not justified by business necessity. ..."

So even if we treat everyone trying to buy a house equally - exactly the same in all regards - and there is evidence of 'disparate impact' there is a problem.  The core of "disparate impact" is this: "It [ disparate impact] does not require any showing that the treatment was motivated by prejudice or a conscious intention to discriminate against a person beyond the difference in treatment itself. It is considered by courts to be intentional discrimination because no credible, nondiscriminatory reason explains the difference in treatment on a prohibited basis."

Well this is a problem: you can be found guilty of "discriminating in housing" even if you actively don't discriminate if the government just so happens to "discover" some consequential discrimination and can find no other explanation for it.  Kind of like the tax man discovering you're a millionaire by adding up all the deposits your business made in a year (completely ignoring, for example, any expenses or inter-account transfers), calling it all your "income" during an audit,  and sending you a tax bill.

The new model of the 1995 Clinton version (see link above) of the Community Reinvestment Act as this: "The only thing that ought to matter on a loan application is whether or not you can pay it back, not where you live."

So if you buy a house in a neighborhood that had a decreasing property value you should get the loan as as easily as if you bought a house in a neighborhood with an increasing property value.

Hmmm...  Great investment advice that.

So what happened is that everyone, the government, the banks, the rating agencies, the lenders, the loan officers, etc. etc. simply stopped worrying about what you were buying and worried only about if you had the income to make the payment.

Here's a good summary of the results:

With banks having to issue loans to virtually anyone the price of housing rocketed up because there was enormous pressure for houses.

As the government and banks moved "down the income ladder" looking for customers there was a shortage of houses.  Fannie Mae and Freddy told the banks to just keep loaning because it was guaranteeing the loans.

Moving down the income ladder involved things like ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) which became huge (see 2004 in the image at the top of the article).

Then interest rates rose, prices rose, and making payments on your "cheap and easy" mortgage became a problem.

Which left us with the housing crisis of 2008.

Sadly while S & P is right that that Fannie and Freddy said they would guarantee these loans when push came to shove - but without it in writing they are probably screwed.

And don't blame Bush - in 2002 the Bush administration tried to "regulate" Fannie and Freddy because they were out of control:

Here Barney Frank tells us that Fannie and Freddie are "financially sound" and that, if we regulate them, there will be less "affordable housing."

Poor S & P - it went to the party with its big brothers Fannie, Freddy and its good Uncle Sam.

But sadly, when the lights came on with the cops standing in the room S & P was with its pants down, as it were...

So now the government will sue S & P.

In fact it should be suing itself because its practices and regulations created the problem.

Banks, auditors and the S & P's of the world had no choice but to go along.

And now they're standing with their pants down.

I wish them luck but I don't see them getting out of this alive.