In the past, when a member of the United States Congress mentioned the “nuclear option,” it was a reference to a parliamentary maneuver by which the Senate majority party could do with a simple majority what would otherwise require clearing the more difficult hurdle of a three-fifths majority. It was given that name due to
Recently, a somewhat controversial police shooting transpired that garnered national headlines. West Virginia Police Officer Stephen Mader (who is white) was ostensibly terminated for not firing upon an armed suspect (who was black) and who was believed to be suicidal. Other officers, upon arrival, did fire upon the suspect. Officer Mader stated that he made
On the Way to Sunday School A middle-aged Detroit woman and her adult daughter were leaving for church at 1030 on a Sunday morning when they were accosted by a strange man on the walk in front of their house. He grabbed one of the women by the coat and demanded money, but she was
If you drive through a remote area, whether the terrain is wooded, desert, mountainous, or flat, think ahead about what could happen if you had a vehicle malfunction such as a flat tire or overheating. Are you prepared if you have to stay out an entire night in your car or truck? The truth is,
Fighting back against an attacker may be as simple as grabbing something close by and utilizing it—fast! Most big cities worldwide have crime. Situations with locals preying upon obvious tourists often end in some sort of physical conflict. This could be an encounter with a casual pickpocket or overaggressive local where you have to fight.
My law enforcement career lasted 30 years in total, I’ve only owned three houses in my life, my last vehicle had almost 200,000 miles at trade-in, and my local newspaper outdoor column has run continually since 1989. My history here at S.W.A.T. shows similar longevity. According to my records, the first Street Smarts column was
Counselling Resistance It was about 10pm on a Wednesday in November when the proprietor of a counselling service in north Sacramento, California had a routine evening interrupted by an unexpected intruder. A masked man brandishing a gun and demanding money entered the business, which is located in an office park. But the tables were quickly
Police are well known for being economical. This is an established, scientifically based fact that I have observed on many fronts. Classic example: Officer “A” in a bar will drop vast sums during the course of one evening’s festivities to increase the chances of having his way with a femme fatale. Same Officer “A” would
When the bruising fight over President Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh as the newest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court finally ended with Kavanaugh’s confirmation, there was much celebration in gun rights advocacy circles. Indeed, the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the forcible citizen disarmament lobby was by itself something to please any
When Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States in 2016, social media was filled with posts to the effect of, “We’re safe for the next four years.” I cautioned then that historically, control of either the Senate or the House of Representatives—or both—often flips in the midterm elections. And that was
