The First Seal is Broken – part II
An Isolated Incident I, II, III; The First Seal is Broken I
Three operations and another half dozen officers of the law that weren’t going home again. The Corrector Novus Occidentis (CNO), whatever and whoever they were, had announced themselves with a simultaneous media blitz – as precise and calculated as every one of their attacks. And initially, just as mysterious – the FBI was absolutely stymied trying to tie together how it was done. There were no known organizations – not even ones the agency hadn’t been able to penetrate that appeared to have any of the requisite competence. Each agent who came to that realization had a moment where it became hard to swallow – a little tug of fear that tightened the throat. It had always been so reliable – any organization could be identified, infiltrated, subverted and then prosecuted; this was a very different beast.
The digital sweeps, thanks to extensive cooperation from the NSA (and the assurance that none of this would end up in any court of law), had produced either so much data as to be useless or nothing when all of the filters were applied. The most extensive surveillance of the internet, everything that crossed it, and nothing that even hinted at the communications of this group. If there was a signal it couldn’t be detected through the noise. The few tracks that did exist quickly led to dead ends. Worse, the media blitz had given them the opening to create public awareness; now the government was answering questions (that it couldn’t answer) rather than directing the media in what to say. That was to say nothing of the questions from the Hill and the White House. The political aspects were as bad, if not worse, than the actual loss of life.
The message from CNO was clear:
We are the Corrector Novus Occidentis.
We are the arm of justice that strikes the corrupt.
The corrupt have captured the fortress,
that is the people’s trust in our institutions.
The corrupt have to face accountability,
before trust can be properly restored.
The legislative branch created asset forfeiture – it legalized stealing.
The executive branch used this against the innocent as well as the guilty.
The judicial branch turned two blind eyes –
one on forfeiture, the other on qualified immunity.
Nor is this the only transgression against the Constitution and the People.
What choice did you leave the citizens of this country?
You created and sustained grievances with no redress;
thus, we are the redress.
There are none who are not accountable for what they do.
Accompanying this statement had been video snippets of the officers from all of the incidents, that were edited to incriminate them, in the public eye – some posted where they couldn’t be taken down or blocked. These were going viral, which was just damnable – the public being betrayed by what they saw and heard. Of course what the officers were doing was legitimate, there were laws they were upholding, even if it could be spun as legalized robbery. But no one who saw them could avoid just how bad it did look, even knowing the men talking were now dead. Were they really doing their duty? They sure seemed to take pleasure or at least have no remorse for taking money where there was no crime. Even Frank Regan found this disturbing and he hadn’t been disturbed by the reality of how agencies were flat out profiting from this.
No physical traces and nothing on the virtual side that wasn’t deliberately put before them, left the FBI in a state of frustrated impotence. It was like chasing ghosts.
I had the greatest cheesecake I’ve ever had the other day. This cheesecake could have been made by The Great Firster’s own hands and it couldn’t have been better. It nourished The First That Will Change Everything. I have to admit, I came a little bit with each bite. It was like having multiple orgasms – a gift given to each Firster.
It came from a food truck that specializes in gourmet eggrolls which were pretty damn good, too.
The voters choose to be ripped off.
They chose to rip off the people who didn’t vote for it.
The govt’s pronouns are we/mine.
Lol
Thanks for the compelling story.
Everybody has their breaking point. Guess taking half your shit, spying on you and sending your boys to war don’t reach it for most people.
Not enough people have had their shit stolen yet.
Profoundly perfect
Speaking of 401K’s… my company is moving ours again. That’s like the 4th time in a decade.
10 years. Zu veel own nothing and Zu veeel be happy
I’m hooked. Looking forward to the next installment, juris.
More and more intriguing as I put myself in Regan’s WTF shoes.
Thanks, JI, now to wait another week…
No physical traces and nothing on the virtual side that wasn’t deliberately put before them, left the FBI in a state of frustrated impotence. It was like chasing ghosts.
I’m wondering if it is coming from the inside.
That would explain shooting the dog.
Life is too short for:
*insert your answer here*
bad pizza
perfunctory sex
Some guy was trying to explain why sex is more “successful” for men than for women.
“Sex is like pizza. Even when it’s bad is still pretty good.” — supposedly not true for women.
*blues riff*
If it weren’t fer perfunctory sex,
I wouldn’t have no sex at’all
**blues riff outro*
I’m just lookin’ for a girl who knows what “perfunctory” means.
“I put the funk in perfunctory”
IPA
tying back to the lunch post. 😉
Liquor is quicker!
I’m a bottom shelf guy for vodka (I ain’t interested in the flavor, I just want to forget!), but I go top shelf for toilet paper, dark chocolate, truck tires, motor oil, cheese, and gin.
I bought the Ghirardelli hot cocoa that everyone was raving about. I’m looking forward to pouring some Grand Marnier into it.
As something of a vodka connoisseur, I can say that there really is a difference between top shelf and bottom shelf.
Not that I can afford top shelf at the rate I consume it.
I did a taste test with a friend once.
One the rocks? Grey goose wins.
Mixed with Fresca or Diet Squirt (which has become hard to find and Is my preferred evening tipple), bottom shelf is more than fine.
I love Squirt but it’s hard to find here too.
I don’t drink on the rocks but I go mid-shelf for my highballs. Bottom shelf is a little rough even for that.
My buddy who drinks more than his fair share of mixers almost exclusively uses Diet Sundrop.
Not sure I have ever seen that in the wild.
I think it might be popular in just a few regions, including Wisconsin and MInnesoda. A cheaper version of Mello Yello or Mountain Dew.
Seems like Squirt is the only one of these without caffeine. I did Mt. Dew for 20 years… I want the no caffeine.
Squirt was always my go-to for mixed drinks before I became a quitter.
Pinnacle vodka is where it’s at for quality/cost.
Hmm, I just had a couple Apricot IPA (experimental.) Fuckin’ delish!
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1304/582410/
public health fascism.
Or is that too serious of an answer?
simple fascism will do, Mr. Connery.
What is your next category on Jeopardy?
Tig ol bitties for $200 please Alex.
Answering your own questions
In my experience, as a Structural Test Engineer for a major airplane manufacturer, the FAA could answer a LOT of their own fucking questions. If only they were smart enough.
“Those who can’t do- teach. Those who can’t teach… work for the FAA” -A&P instructor
(radar techs excluded of course)
You ain’t wrong about any of that.
First wives.
I can’t disagree. I spent 26.5 years taking every piece of shit my my first wife dished out. We dated for 6 years before that.
/loyal to a fault
Yeeeeaaahh, you have me beat by an order of magnitude on the first wife action.
And now I’ve taken almost 48 years of the same abuse from # 2 but the cooking is much better, IYKWIM
Um… I’m a first wife…
Have you dished significant shit?
It’s not the placement (first, second, third…), it is the dishing of shit.
I try not to.
Simply making the effort is appreciated.
I still have my first wife.
You chose well.
I…thought I chose well, but I did not.
I know the feeling.
Guess I chose the wrong chalice.
Yep. I don’t have the energy to find a new one.
So, I am my wife’s first husband, but she is my second wife. Make of that what you will.
Mostly, I was supporting Nick.
I appreciate that, even though you somehow wrested the spinal column of dead JFK and wrapped it in Marilyn’s negligee.
It’s my badge of office.
If Sean stops by, yep, I saw the news about the Atilis Gym owner running for Congress. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’ll get anywhere.
NJ is fickle these days…
I want to believe.
https://mobile.twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1488660359422648320
lolwut?
You expected honesty from Trudy?
Can I get the Justin Trudeau combo?
excellent
nice
Glad everyone is enjoying. I’m enjoying writing, and I can say that the perspective that has captured my interest wasn’t where I originally thought it would go either. I’ll be on the road when next week’s installment drops.
thanks for the story.
we will muddle through without you.
safe travels.
No muddling for me, other than through life.
Enjoy the trip!
Thanks for the story!
Once you build the character, they kind of take on a life of their own. You aren’t directing their action. You’re just trying to keep up as you run along behind.
Oh, by the way, I’m enjoying it.
Some of mine are telling me I should get back to them.
They are Impatient.
“Once you build the character, they kind of take on a life of their own.”
So, we may see Biden come to life yet? I can’t wait forever.
Bad enough I have to wait a week for Juris, Animal, Yusef
Tapping into my suppressed murderous fantasies is always welcome. TY.
Hey l0B0T: Not only am I enjoying the Great British Sewing Bee, but I realized this is the perfect gift for my sister’s birthday. I just ordered a drive to copy them onto and will give it to her. Thanks again.
I’m also rearranging furniture so I can get my sewing stuff out. I have some unfinished projects and ideas for new ones.
Today my husband asked me to mend a little thing on his jacket and I realized something: I really hate sewing. I have all the stuff. I can do lots of repairs and make my own clothes and quilts and whatnot if I want to, but…I don’t. All these years and I never knew I hated it. He said, “Or shall I take it to the tailor you’ve been using?” Yes, that.
Yet I love fabrics and fabric stores and fashion and quilts and sewing crafts. So, this is all kinds of fucked up.
“But you hate people!”
“Yes, but I love gatherings. Isn’t it ironic?”
+37 (not in a row)
I love doing things I hate.
My sister is really good at sewing. She made my nieces costumes for synchronized swimming, altered all their prom dresses (bought at discount places because they could find sorta what they wanted and then she made it exactly what they wanted) she makes purses. he is really, really, good and she will absolutely love this show.
A bottle of Hoppy today.
https://ibb.co/pxhfrTd
You are definitely improving.
If KK is our resident aviation geek, I am our resident train geek.
Then I get to be the Steam Geek.
https://www.antiquepowerland.com/steam-up
Somebody call for steam power?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4BWsYbJROQ
Mo, you a member of NRHS and subscriber to several train enthusiast mags?
*hangs head*
*sighs*
No.
Thought you might find this interesting. I spend a lot of time working at a customer’s house about 100 yards upriver from this really old swing bridge on the Mississippi.
It’s really cool watching it open and barges go through. It’s an ancient relic. The part that swings open is 3.5 football fields long.
Since the river curves just before the bridge, the longer barges aim towards shore, then back churn to straighten out to go through. The tugs are right in front of my customer’s property when they do this. If they come in hot or the current is really strong, they power up all the engines and sometimes it takes them almost an hour to straighten out and the tugs are so close to shore I can almost jump onto the boat from a point on land (a little exaggeration). In the spring when the water is high and fast moving, another tug will hang out and help slow down and guide the barges through.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Crosse_Rail_Bridge
Oooooh, neat!!! Thank you!
Railfan if nice, foamer if not or being self deprecating.
*raises hand*
Be a creeper.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/apple-facebook-snapchat-support-new-anti-bullying-emoji/#app
We definitely need more virtue signaling.
2015 lol
For MikeS.
What did he do to deserve that?
He knows what he did.
It must have been bad.
And for you…
Sorry, is that supposed to be punishment?
See, you get me.
Naw, I’m just throwing out stuff I really like, even if it is sappy. I’m not totally and completely all about Motley Crue all the time.
Here’s another one.
I love all of those.
Honestly, they remind me of doing my paper route early in the morning with my transistor radio tuned to KDWB.
Sappy is underrated.
Here’s one for you, Mo.
“Tucson, Arizona (Gazette)” is my favorite Fogelberg song ever. It’s almost as depressing as this one.
I FLOVE THAT SONG!
I love that one!
How about this?
Probably my favorite Heart song ever.
We need to have a radio show.
That’s a really good one!
The place I get my hair cut has kick ass music playing all the time. The girl that cuts my hair might be 30, but possibly younger.
We sang this together last time I was there.
Anyone who says the music of the ’70s sucks is an ignorant douchebag.
Ok, let’s do it!
I want to be Ann and Nancy when I grow up.
And then there is my patron saint. (Pssst…I wrote that into a book as the wedding processional.)
You are killing me.
Which book?
Man, we need to get the two of you a room. Preferably one filled with microphones and recording equipment so you can sing each others’ brains out.
(Not a euphemism.)
Black Jack. I’ve dropped a sample here before.
Karen is the hero’s favorite music artist. He hates live music, but he tells the heroine that there is only one pure voice, only one he would pay any amount of money to hear sing live, which is possibly the most romantic thing any man has ever said to the heroine.
Lol. I think Mo and I might have been separated at birth.
OK. Got Black Jack.
Will report back!
It’s an awesome idea, but I would have no idea how to go about doing that.
GLIB, your home of 70s sap.
I seen Ann a couple years ago at Warren Hayne’s Xmas Jam and her voice is still really good.
She did a couple impromptu songs between bands, including this heartfelt one. It was moving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ2xQ2EAF3E
About 1:30 AM she joined Gov’t Mule on stage and they rocked out until about 3.
Oh, and 70’s is the best music decade. So much variety.
Glibs After Dark.
https://archive.md/mUxBn
NSFW.
My hero. Schwing!
Great beer article earlier PutridMeat. I don’t have much “aging” at the moment other than some heavier holiday stouts from Hardywood. One of my buddies has a “subscription” with them and gets multiples of everything they put out every year. I think he has most of them in storage too.
I need to free up a little more climate controlled space – particularly since – like you, I’m watching carbs currently.
Also more small breweries opening up in central VA the last couple of years – but I haven’t really had time/opportunity to check them out yet. (also another one here in Colonial Beach – may try later this month).
Seems most of them do cans/crowlers/growlers at most and only the larger ones really bottle on their own. May be jumping to conclusions a little.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-jersey-s-spring-predicting-milltown-mel-dies-just-before-groundhog-day-crossed-over-the-rainbow-bridge/ar-AAToiea
?
Happy ground hog day, unless you’re Mel.
I’ve helped a few of Mel’s cousins cross the rainbow bridge.
Just dying to get out of Joisy.
Unboostered Phil is still on the job.
https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/nation-world/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-2022/507-4efc9548-ada7-44b6-9195-b5cdfd2eca30
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/whoopi-goldberg-suspended-from-the-view-for-2-weeks-over-holocaust-race-remarks/
A whole 2 weeks? That’ll flatten her anti-Semitic curve!
What she said would have been enough to get anyone of the non-leftist persuasion permanently cancelled.
Besides being wholly ignorant.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/former-ucla-philosophy-race-lecturer-arrested-threatening-commit-mass-shooting-white-members-philosophy-department/
O.o
Race lecturer, racism promoter; potato, potahto.
Schizophrenia
If only Drumph hadn’t cancelled mental health funding!
Remember: a “lecturer ” is just a TA who’s not enrolled in a degree program.
https://www.fox29.com/news/philadelphia-police-officers-must-be-vaccinated-against-covid-arbitrator-rules
I should feel bad for them, but they work for a corrupt enterprise…
Very conflicted.
Any time a cop quits because continuing to be a cop violates his or her principles is a win.
Morning, Glibs.
Good morning, U, Chip, Sean, & Plinky!
::looks at weather radar showing a mass of rain/”wintry mix”/snow bearing down on SW OH:: I don’t think any groundhog around here is going to see his shadow today, so…yay?
Don’t trust the forecasting ability of an overgrown rodent.
Justin Trudeau isn’t a weathermxn.
-27F here in Fairbanks, glad to be flying home today.
Good morning, all. Just wanted to pop and congratulate our serious and dedicated leadership for their stunning acheivement.
Good morning, TARDy!
“US Federal Debt to GDP Ratio: 128.02%”
I don’t think my CU would give them a loan with that sort of debt to “income” ratio.
GDP isn’t even the income. The upper bound on revenue is about 19% of GDP. So the ratio is more like 6.7 to 1
I’ve never really been involved in the lending side of the CU, but I HAVE learned “Never give a loan to someone with a two-digit credit score* and a four-digit DTI ratio.”
*Yes, I know. Exaggerated for effect.
That makes me even more impressed.
I like that they broke out the debt for us stupid income taxpayers (not payroll). Moooo! Tax Cattle indeed.
Hello, GT! Hey the ratio is down from the record of 129%. We’re building back better!
:achievement:
i before e, etc.
Could be worse, I guess:
https://www.eurasiareview.com/11102020-japan-embraced-debt-as-a-way-out-of-its-budget-crisis-its-not-working-analysis/
Mornin’ Glibbies! I know that I foreswore any “Proggy-in-the-Mist posts many months ago but I’ll share a positive one. My scared little duckling has spread her wings and found a beau (technically a belle)! She has become her own boss, lost a bunch of weight and seems to have conquered most of her debilitating fear of human interaction. This makes me happy. What makes me unhappy is hearing relationship details, especially intimate ones. Girl, I know you are excited about this but no, I am not your sounding board nor am I a woman. Boundaries, please. I’m glad to have helped her along but I don’t want to hear about how the sausage is unmade.
Meant to say that I’ve fed a stray cat, grown fond of her and now here we are…
Record her descriptions, then upload? Please?
Um, mighty fine?
Minds out of the gutter, please!
::grumbles:: Technogeeks, what does it mean when my laptop’s wireless network adapter keeps needing to be reset?
Your computer is lousy with viruses after playing too much porn?
You probably need to buy one of those plug-in adapters. Worked a treat for my ancient Asus. They’re cheap.
Or what TH said.
I totally haven’t had that happen to me in the past. No sir.
Typically not good.
First thing would be to see if it’s a signal issue by testing from alternate locations relative to the router.
Second would be to check for newer drivers in case there’s a software fix.
Worst case the hardware is failing. If it’s integral as most modern wireless cards are, that’s not good.
The first two cost nothing to fix. The last one would require a new piece of hardware, cheapest would be an external wireless adapter to take over from the failing internal one.
Mine has been failing. A reboot every couple of weeks or so brings it back. If it fails, I’ll plug in a cat-5.
How do you know it’s not the router’s fault?
^^^This. How is the stability of the connection with your smartphone?
I got a call the other day from a very nice Indian fellow named Doug who helped me clear the viruses from my laptop. They were so bad I had to pay him $500 but everything is OK now. I’ll bet he could help you.
Mornin’ everyone
I’m really liking this series
“It was like chasing ghosts.”
Heh.