The First Seal is Broken – part IV
An Isolated Incident I, II and III The First Seal is Broken I, II, III
By the time Frank parked at the Hoover building, there were seven incidents known, the latest having been reported moments before he had turned off the engine. Nor were the attacks simply against police that had engaged in asset forfeiture. Right now social media was outpacing mass media, but that wouldn’t last – this was big news. With that would come a whole new round of political scrutiny – neither the Administration nor Congress was going to be satisfied with a lack of rapid progress in ending this.
The scene was one of barely controlled chaos – the nerve center of the federal effort a bundle or raw nerves. Frank sat down at his computer and started sorting through the internal communications and the primary source streams off of social media. Another window contained a scrolling headline feed as local and national media picked up the stories. He focused for a moment on the apparently CNO-sourced online accounts of the incidents. There was something there, but he couldn’t figure it out. There was a burst of activity – as he watched, another incident was being reported.
This one was a little different, it didn’t target active LE, but a private company that taught agencies how to conduct asset forfeiture operations. The business was called The Golden Road – the offices had been burned to the ground. It wasn’t known if there was anyone inside at this point, but Frank assumed that to be likely. Even before he finished reading the official communications, a post had popped on the social media feed – with a link to a CNO statement. That statement confirmed Frank’s assumption – the founders of the business were dead, along with the destroyed office and records. At the end of the statement, the CNO had repeated the line that was becoming common:
There are none who are not accountable for what they do.
By the end of the day, two more incidents had come in, with accompanying CNO statements. Frank finally found the thing he had been seeing but couldn’t identify – the timing. The CNO statements ran on a time-line independent of news or other social media. Some had actually preceded media accounts and others had slightly lagged, but the timing was consistent based on when the attack was completed. They were clearly operating on their own tempo, and information dissemination was as precise as the physical attacks. That might create a window that the FBI could exploit by releasing an official statement, even a false one, before the CNO could make their own. Frank summarized this in a brief report for leadership.
At the end of a very long day, Frank rolled out of the office, stepping out into the evening the air was fresh, and noticeably less pressurized then it had felt inside. He drifted off down the street, not ready to drive home, but somewhat in need of a beer or two. Almost aimlessly he walked into a semi-authentic Irish pub and found an empty stool at the bar. He ordered a pint of Guinness. While he waited and focused on the TV above the bar (it was on news reporting about some of the violence), a man sat down next to him. The fellow asked the barkeep for two shots of Jameson. Those of course were poured more quickly than a proper pint, and one was slid by the man to in front of Frank. He looked up quizzically.
The man extended his hand and said “my name is Conor, have a drink with me”.
Good stuff. Well written.
great story
?
An acquaintance of mine (Firster’s do not have friends – friends must be equals, after all) who is aware of my secret identity as The First Of All Firsters gifted me a cape today. I personally cannot wait to test it out, see how it feels as I First with a bit more style now.
Up, up, and away.
Pic of Bro in his cape
No capes!
Not even Rick Wakeman’s cape?
Or even Roger Daltrey’s?
Uhh, that Frank Zappa…
But, never forget Dave Vanian’s cape!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrc6HSoBmnM
I believe pie is the only one among us that can wear a cape appropriately
Great story. I’m hoping there will be a killer little redhead girl at the pub
#metoo
‘The man extended his hand and said “my name is Conor, have a drink with me”.’
Unbeknownst to Frank, Conor had just slipped him a Mickey. After Conor pulled the old “Oh, my buddy had a bit too much. Dragging him home routine”, drove Conor to an undisclosed location were he received both drugged induced and hypnotic influences. After the intended after effect of short term amnesia takes hold Conor awakens then becomes convinced that some guy known as JI on a backwater website is behind it all.
With this belief guiding him, JI, TPTB, several of the commenters who joke about woodchippers and lampposts, and at Preet’s personal request, rhywun, are rounded up and disappeared.
However, this bought the CNO just enough time to institute their crushing blow to ever expanding and lawless police state.
Congratulations, Glibs martyrs.
There is special place in hell for commenters who drag me into this shit.
Ah, damn. That’s a shame.
You’re actually one of my favorites.
😛
Does that mean you tell the prosecutor that your attorney is in fact the Prince of Darkness and we can’t proceed until he appears?
*hiccup*
I totally got Conor and Frank flipped.
I’m an asshole…ha!
Yeah. You need to cool it with the ampay ostpays and oodchipperways.
?
Holy, misthread, Batman!
…then we all hooked up with a hot readheaded barfly.
The End.
MOAR!
Go on!
https://c4.wallpaperflare.com/wallpaper/295/482/472/men-women-bar-redhead-wallpaper-thumb.jpg
GODDAMIT! It was just getting good!
Look up.
????
Hope I am not going off-topic too soon, but some comments at end of skiing thread reminded me of Deepness in the Sky and the planet that was dying due to ubiquitous monitoring.
Geez, I’ve read that and browsing the plot on Wikipedia I don’t remember a bit of it.
The man extended his hand and said “my name is Conor, have a drink with me”.
Cliffhanger.
Frankhanger.
Just wait until it’s revealed his last name is Macleod.
Moar!
Saw two overpasses with Canadian and US flags tied to the fencing today. First one also had signs saying Stand for Freedom. We’re not alone.
I went back and read 1-3 to get back up to speed. And now the waiting game.
I really like this series. Good job, JI.
I figured this link is on topic seizing armored trucks
Tempura doesn’t work well in airfryer unless someone has a secret to it
Nothing is ever so permanent as a tempura government solution.
A man breaded is a man battered
The secret?
Fill it with oil.
Isn’t “air frying” just “baking” or “broiling”?
IIRC, you do have to add a little oil, and it gets blown around the food so you don’t need as much.
I have some olive oil in a pump spray bottle and give a light spray to the food I’m air-frying.
Basically a small convection oven.
It’s a glorified convection oven. I think it does a better job than the convection toaster oven we have, but thats a function of the fan size, not of some qualitative difference.
I haven’t tried it, but a short time in the freezer is supposed to help a soft batter hold better. Not long enough to actually freeze, just a hard chill.
Because the batter is so thin you can’t cook it that way?
From what I’ve heard, air fryers are good at some things but have limitations.
I think it’s a mix of trial and error, how good of one you have, and determination. I work with a guy who cooks practically everything in his. We are happy with using ours in place of a deep fryer or in place of the microwave for rewarming some dishes.
Definitely agree on the reheating things like fried chicken.
I like to toss in potato wedges sprayed with olive oil Pam and sprinkled with no-salt Weber chicken seasoning.
Another reason to consider an air fryer is that the oven can be in use for something else at the same time.
When summer is baking my brains here in the desert, I’ll probably try the air fryer for other things so I don’t have to heat the big oven.
The Kitchen Aid microwave in this house has a convection oven mode and a metal rack to install so we have some options.
The glorified convection oven is a good analogy. Some things just need boiling oil. Like corrupt politicians.
Also, great stuff juris!
Great stuff, JI! I am taking a short break from work, been at it for over 12 hours now. Would not be disappointed if the dickheads responsible for moving.up my deadline by 2 weeks with no notice were to fall victim to an “incident”. *Note to FBICIANSADHSFUCKYOU, not a real threat.
Pity. I’ve had plenty of those days over the years but my current position is a piece of cake in comparison.
“It’s not going to get done this week.”
“OK, let’s try for next sprint.”
The stuff I work on is not customer-facing.
The customer who is requesting this feature is a media company (TMITE) you might recognize – a different kind of 3-letter agency. The more you know…
I bet you’re proud as a peacock to be working for those three letters.
I will be flipping them the bird at every opportunity.
This is why there are no libertarian women (sound on).
My wife overheard me play that. But don’t worry, I quickly said, “Luckily, I found all that in one woman.”
Nice recovery.
I just gotta make sure my wife never meets her
It would be improbable…nay, impossible…to find 4 female Firsters to share my seed with. The only trait I look for in a mate to couple with is being First.
Excellent, JI.
It’s definitely going to get us all on a list, but seems inevitable at this point anyway.
Now to wait another week, damn, you get an old guy hooked, then play him like a fish.
Thanks, JI. Keeps me coming back for the next episode.
A lot of us carp about having to wait for the next episode.
I’m a sucker for a good story.
/mmmmm, pickled sucker
We end up just floundering about, eager for the next installment
Just grin and barracuda it.
I cod handle a couple of chapters a week.
That’d be too muskie for me.
For God’s hake, man up! If your wrasse can’t handle it, just say so.
The last time we had ichthyological wordplay, people shad all over the thread.
These puns are pretty crappie.
Occasionally, though, you find a pearl in the sand.
It’s a good thing that Swiss is conched out. He’d never let us skate on this.
His sole is tired.
He’s from Chicago. He should appreciate a good pollack joke.
He seems to be not taking the bait
JUST LIKE THE GORRAM FISH!
I’ve got the urchin to do more.
Pray for me: “Dear Lord, look over our brother Shpip. Mahi never stray far from your Grace.”
This is all a bunch of abalone!
I’m thinking he may opt to throw a stick of dynamite into this pond.
To be fair to Swiss, he’s been herring puns all day.
Well, I’m perched on a ledge.
Just wait until your pun game has been tuna’d up.
I hope Bro doesn’t start babbling about his starfish again.
*shudders*
We’re just sea-horsing around. Why ya gotta bring THAT unpleasant image up?
When I was in the Army, I had to shower on my own because even straight men would lose it at the sight of my anus. Spontaneous. Ejaculations. Just the sight of it.
*pours Borax in eyes*
They nearly kicked me out of the military over it, but I was too damn good to lose because my beautiful asshole was a distraction.
He really isn’t your chum, is he?
Thank you all, I definitely hit a stall and kinda had to grind a little on this, so I’m glad it didn’t suffer.
It suffers from brevity. 😉
I like the brevity.
Not in aggregate. Yeah, I’ve always had a tendency to be too concise. I know I’ve really just been sketching with this, not committing to fully fleshing out either character or plot as much as would be needed to make it a full story.
No, I mean the story here is too short. I can’t wait for another chapter to drop.
Perfect timing for this series as Trudeau does his thing. Good job, JI.
Right? I was thinking that too.
Kid: “Let me do the laundry!”
*30 minutes later
Me: “Hey, where are my jeans? Oh, being washed while the belt is still on them and my wallet is in the back pocket.”
Getting them into money laundering early. Good work.
This reads like a Glib comment chain — bravo!
Thoroughbred medicine for an inbred.
The Queen is secretly a Glib and listens to Joe Rogan while working on her glutes. Can you guess her avatar?
The first of England?
Meh. She’s German. Horses speak German. Therefore, she’s a horse.
Could a wood splitter substitute for a wood chipper? Asking for a friend
*cringes*
Seen some wood splitter injuries, that’s a bad way to go. So, YES!
In a pinch.
*snort* That might be the best pun I’ve heard today.
You crushed it!
I’m glad you liked it. I was afraid maybe it would strike the wrong cord.
They give me the day off for the emperor’s birthday. Maybe I should give him a surprise party.
Is he wearing clothes?
It might be YOU getting the surprise.
The Emperor does not want a Straf special. He’s a happily married man.
I identify as a comfort woman.
Hirohito was born in April. Fake news.
I personally look forward to when our progressive overlords make Obama’s birthday a national holiday, separate from President’s Day.
Presidents Day is bullshit anyway. It was originally, and still should be, Washington’s Birthday that we celebrate.
But Washington barely expanded state power and then willingly gave up the presidency. He’s like a 3/10 on the progressive scale, and the 3 is only because of the Whiskey Rebellion.
Lincoln? Now that’s where the action is at.
Fuck Abe.
Habeas Corpus
Also, he thought Federal gov. should pay for infrastructure rather than leaving canals, roads and such to private enterprise.
Overall though, it’s gone downhill ever since the ink dried on the Constitution.
Which was today and I didn’t hear a thing about it.
I can not tell a lie. I hope you had a great Washington’s Birthday.
??
Enh, it was an average day. I’ve had many worse recently.
Real president day.
https://boingboing.net/2019/03/08/andrew-jackson-becomes-rambo-a.html
Jeezus. Of course it was Nixon who made the change:
In Stossel’s latest video he sports a beard and has Matt Yglesias on. I feel like he’s trolling us. *strokes beard*
That was a good video.
What *is* up with the replacement of the word “equality” with “equity” lately? What sleight of hand are they trying to get away with?
Equality ==> equal in the eyes of the law
Equity ==> equal outcomes
The move to equity is to take from those that have and give to those that don’t. It’s paper mache over socialism. It’s purely about destroying business from within.
Yep.
Two different things.
Equality is what all good people strive for.
Equity is giving certain people an advantage because they’ve been historically disadvantaged. I.e. Marxism
Marxist agitprop, and they’re hoping you don’t notice.
Another shape shifting of definitions. Equity is the difference between one’s assets and liabilities or, in other words, what belongs to you.
Why “Marsha’s Artisanal Mayonnaise Shoppe” thinks its equity should be the same as Walmart’s is beyond reckoning.
I like Rebus novels. He drinks all the time, he investigates, Edinburgh sounds just awful, and he drinks a lot.
I stalled out on them, I may go back soon
I literally just finished “Say Nothing” (minutes ago) – really excellent non-fiction but time for some palate cleansing fiction.
Is that fiction? I need new gift options for dad.
I started up the Rebus habit cuz I bought him the anthology a couple years ago.
Non-fic, about The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Highly recommended. A page turner.
Bought and out for delivery.
Thankee sai!
Edinburgh has a beautiful park, and it is miles away better than Glasgow.
Yeah, I’ve heard Glasgow is a shithole.
Don’t know about today or after 2012 which was the last time I visited, but in the 90s I went to the university there for a year. The south side of the river was rough, and you did not want to be wearing the wrong colors over there (that’s the Trainspotting side of town), but city center was fine.
I’m reading Rankin’s descriptions from twenty years ago that makes it sound like a lot of Edinburgh is just projects. I’m sure that’s not true, otoh where else do you store the trash?
After a long workday, this story installment is the perfect length for me. Thanks, Juris!!
Are there really private companies that train agencies on how to do asset forfeiture?!?
Yes, yes there are. Let me find it…
The one I’m thinking of
https://www.freedomworks.org/content/desert-snow-company-teaches-government-how-take-innocent-peoples-property
I’m sure there are others.
Fuck. I really hoped that was a plot device.
Those type companies are somewhere between public and private. If the mob brings in an outside hit man for a job, is he not somewhat part of the mob?
Punish Russia by making them sell gas and oil to someone else. So basically, Biden is punishing US customers. That’ll teach Putin.
Biden has been punishing us for a year and change already – why stop now.
It was a Mystery Alaska night. So cheesy but a town built around hockey…
That had the guy that wasn’t Rob Schneider from Men Behaving Badly. The only reason I watched it. He also was in The Runner, which I watched because him and John Goodman were in it. Turns out the guy who created CSI wrote that movie, and when he came to talk to my class in film school at UNLV I was the only one who had seen that movie, so we had a short conversation.
Today I got the pens I ordered for my side-hustle. Now I know how Navin Johnson felt when he saw his name in the phone book.
“MikeS, Handsome Boy graduate”
Trying to read about Prussia on Wikipedia is an exercise in circular logic.
Saying a lot without saying anything. Some circular logic, if you whim.
Prolly because the original region changed hands so many times. And late in the game, the Krauts got a hold of it and spread the name to distant areas that were never historically ‘Prussian’.
Art is supposed to evoke emotion. ?
https://mobile.twitter.com/MuseumModernArt/status/1496143121721303054
Rolling eyes is an emotion.
This guy gets it:
See also: modern architecture.
I love the comments
Doesn’t anyone else want to hear about my spectacular anus? I’m taking all questions until midnight in Firster’s time.
Is it larger or smaller than my giant taint?
See! I knew it!
I feel better now
It’s bigger than a bread box.
Oh! look at the time! Say, I’d love to hear about your anus, but I really must be going. Tell you what, I bet CPRM would love to hear about it.
I assume your anus is visiting Greenwich?
It turns into a pumpkin.
While being able to pilot a full-sized pineapple in and our of your anus without scraping the sides is certainly impressive, ‘spectacular’ really requires you to keister three ripe heirloom tomatoes on a ten mile trail run, without losing or squishing any of them.
Size is nice and all, but agility is the real talent.
You have high standards ES and I believe the bro can live up to them.
Sentences I never thought I’d read.
I’ve got to return some video tapes.
If Germany had any balls, they’d retake Königsberg Goa-style.
Once again, PPB and Multnomah Co DA prosecute one side of any confrontation in Portland. The armed criminal conspiracy that terrorizes the city is released without charges.
https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/02/portland-police-confirm-identity-of-alleged-gunman-in-normandale-park-shooting.html
Am I missing something about this story? It sounds like this guy was angry and started shooting protesters.
Antifa tampered with the scene, removing and destroying evidence, and is providing the “witnesses” to media. I am skeptical of their narrative. Resident shoots at armed threatening mob with history of violence taking over his neighborhood has a different slant to it.
No charges for the antifa thug that brought a weapon to a criminal event says a lot.
Ah but did he leave a trail of hate across the internet worth going into minute detail for paragraph after paragraph?
That’s the lesson. If you’re gonna defend yourself directly, you need to have your social media management worked out in advance, along with your legal representation. This is the world we live in.
Especially an AR pistol, which you can almost guarantee is double-digit fed charges for the very asking.
Ice storm disc update:
We were to start at 1 pm, with hopes to finish ahead of the first wave of “wintry mix” but Nick was running late as usual so Nick and Josiah and i Started at 2;15, right as the shit rolled in.
Things started ok, OB for Nick, park jobs for J and I, it was mostly ice, so our skips went waaaay far, lot’s of fun, and pars all around. our luck continued including a starframe! which is when the entire group Birdies. This was all during an ice storm, coating us in ice crystals and freezing water on our discs, truly the most intense conditions. We finished well,
Josiah -3
Nick -2
Bob -1
Then we played ten more holes at our home course, fucking Cold!
Josiah with a 60 foot birdie, notice the Blue disc in the center,
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aLmDjV4Rf2P3wK1a8
Woo-hoo! You have fun games
and we go out tomorrow, high of 19, Ice capades!
Chill!
https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/02/22/jonathan-akubu-philadelphia-carjackings-murder-arrest-crime-homicide/
Actual police work? ?
I read that article as the PPD is taking credit for work done by the Feebs.
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/beehives-worth-hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars-reported-stolen-across-california/
? thefts. Really?
Huh, sounds like the cops need to do a sting before this gets too out of hand.
Make sure to tip your waitress folks, I’m here till Thursday.
Yay! I have internet again! ?
The cable & internet went out last night – for the third time in the last couple of weeks. ? This is probably part of the downside of being in a neighborhood with “mature trees.”
So…anyway, good morning, Stinky & Sean!
Good Morning GT and the rest of the morning crew.
No going out this AM, freezing rain and sleet.
We need the moisture, just wish it was a bit warmer.
Good morning, ‘bodru! We’re due to get that weather tomorrow. ?
Canadian oppression (still sounds funny) brings a cryptocurrency skeptic around:
https://world.hey.com/dhh/i-was-wrong-we-need-crypto-587ccb03
Not sure if the current incarnations of crypto hold the answer but we definitely need something.
To me, it seems as if it would be too easy to shut down the means of transmission. I’m inclined to look into more…tangible stuff.
Centralized exchanges are a no go.
I’m having a hard time visualizing a system that offers the convenience necessary for broader implementation and adoption without the risk of government interference.
Right now it just seems like a way to move large amounts of value off the books.
I miss Person of Interest. In the last season they set up a mesh network to avoid the surveillance state (of course our heroes were doing “good” surveillance for a time). Decentralized mesh networks would be interesting.
I helps to have a loving (AI) god.
And hot ballerina hackers with guns.
This newsletter that you speak of…
Oh yeah. Badass hot babes are eminently watchable. Root or Shaw? Why not both!
I went through the same journey as Hansson.
Mornin’, all.
Welcome back to digital paradise, GT. We had to relearn the art of conversation when we lost power for two days during Sandy. Awkward, it was.
Nice weather you’re having, Robo. Coming here Thursday night, should be fun driving Mrs. Patzer to the doc. Yuck.
Enjoy the 60s today.
I’ll need to put on the muck boots before heading out to the park tonight
Mornin’ Free Folk! A funny thing happened when I arrived at the Plant last night. Everyone is sitting in their vehicles in the sub-zero temps. I ask what was up and they tell me that someone on-site tested positive for the plague and they were waiting for the disinfector to show up. I shook my head and told them that the equipment was already there and I could have the job done in about a half hour. Nope, ticket has been issued. So we wait. And wait. And wait some more. The forewoman is getting frantic so she finally shakes the tree and I get the go-ahead to disinfect the building. You know what I did? I entered the building and made sure that nobody entered for 30 minutes after I was done, then I went and burned some data for awhile. They had been sitting outside since 7:00 and I arrived at 8:30. It was an hour later that I got the go ahead to do my Tinkerbelle routine and another hour after that when they could finally go back to work. Honk Honk
Science deniers, the lot of ya.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/deep-cleaning-wont-save-us-from-covid-and-this-new-study-says-why
Festus, the hero we need in these troubled times. Keep on truckin’ !
Tiny insurrections are minimally satisfying but I’d rather munch on a cracker than a plateful of dog shit.
Mornin, F.
I often wonder if your immigration situation isn’t fixable. (Forum?)
It hasn’t come to that yet. The forum is a good resource just because there happens to be so many law-talking fellers hereabouts.
It’s all theatre anyways. Why not just act the part? No one is the wiser except you guys. Fuck them where you can find them, sez I! We’ve had people getting injured by the disinfectant. Rashes and the like. Some of my compatriats really lay that shit down thick. KILL THE BUG!
Things I’ve noticed about Facederp. The more I ignore my account, the more pestering emails I get about things I missed.
Facebook is that clingy girl that you ended things with because she seemed a little “off” but she can’t let it go.
RUFKM?
Prosecutors have a UNION? The power to indict anyone they feel like harassing wasn’t enough?
I’m kinda torn on this one. On the one hand you have a commie piece of shit letting sociopaths run wild and on the other hand there are prosecutors with a union. Woodchippers for the lot of them!
“Rank-and-file” always inspires confidence, doesn’t it? Like they’re just there to cash a paycheck.
Yep. Lined up for drill every morning at 05:00 sharp! Selfless public servants, they are.
suh’ fam
whats goody
Read above^^^
You’re allowed to call me “Tinkerbelle” for a limited time only. “Baby-Head” will live forever.
*logs in to work computer*
*sees a zillion emails*
*logs back out*