Monday, June 22, 2026
Police Encounters
I've watched several videos about dealing with the police.
Most police encounters are going to be friendly, but I don't entirely trust the police. A police officer doesn't know anything about you, and could assume that you are guilty of something.
People might think that if they are not guilty of anything then it doesn't matter how they interact with police. I know three people convicted of things where their guilt was questionable, so how you deal with the police is important. You need to protect your rights.
For a traffic stop, they are only allowed to keep you long enough to write a ticket. Do not argue with the cop. Be polite. If you are going to fight the ticket, do it in court.
The police officer might ask if you mind if he looks around a bit. They might say it will only take a minute. This is a trap, because if you give any kind of consent, they can hold you for hours while they search your car. The question is deliberately worded vaguely, because if you answer either "yes" or "no" the officer can claim that you gave consent, like "No, I don't mind", or "Yes, you can search."
Always state that you do not give consent to searches. This includes them asking to look at your car, asking you to hand over your keys or property or your phone, or asking you to pop the trunk, or them saying that they need to pat you down for "officer safety." They might keep pushing, but repeat as many times as necessary that you do not give consent to searches.
If a police officer has probable cause then they don't need to ask you to do a search. The fact that they ask means that they are just fishing for evidence.
If an officer asks for your keys, simply tell him, "My keys will remain with me during this encounter." This is legal. Then if he asks you to step out of the car, lock your doors as you get out of the car.
In all 50 states, passengers in cars do not have to present identification during a traffic stop unless the officer has probable cause that a crime has been committed.
If an officer tries to delay you longer than necessary with questions at a traffic stop, or tries to stop and question you while you are walking down the street, always ask the question, "Am I being detained, or am I free to go?" If he says that you are free to go, then leave. If you are in your car, tell him that you are leaving.
If an officer says that you are not free to go, specifically state that you exercise your right to remain silent and that you will not answer questions without a lawyer present. Simply being quiet can be taken as a sign of guilt.
If you are not free to go, you could ask him, "Officer, what crime do you suspect me of committing?", or ask if he has probable cause for detaining you.
If an officer states that your silence or lack of consent must mean that you are hiding something, simply state, "My exercising my rights is not an indication of anything."
If you have a gun in the car, different states have different rules about whether the police can search your car and about whether you have to disclose that you have a gun in the car. Having a gun in the car might be more trouble than it is worth and could possibly put you in danger during police encounters. People have been killed over misunderstandings. Never touch your gun during a police encounter.
If you have to defend yourself with a weapon then you are likely to be arrested. The cop has no idea what happened and won't make any assumptions in your favor. For all he knows, you are the guilty party, and it is not his job to prove your innocence.
In a home invasion where you had to defend yourself, you can succinctly explain what happened, always stating that you were afraid for your life, but then say that you will not answer any further questions without a lawyer present. If the police don't think that you were afraid for your life, you can still be convicted. Failure to call the police promptly can be taken as a sign of guilt.
Police are allowed to lie to you. They will say that they have evidence against you or that someone claimed you committed the crime, when it is not true. They will claim that they know you are guilty. They might exaggerate what happened because the natural human tendency is to correct any false statements they make. This is how they get you to talk, and they will use any inconsistency in your statements as a sign of guilt.
Always state that you will not answer questions without a lawyer present. This is your 5th and 6th amendment rights.
The following video goes over ways that police will try to trick you into giving them information. It is divided into 8 sections:
8. The friendly chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=113s
7. The clarifying question trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=214s
6. Your need to be liked. The "good cop" technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=319s
5. Maximization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=422s
4. Minimization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=632s
3. False evidence and police deception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=761s
2. Leading questions and fact feeding: https://youtu.be/AqigALLB3GM?si=s-pn_qO-IibDOzt6&t=895
1. Isolation, Fatigue and "Just End This" trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=1048s
Most police encounters are going to be friendly, but I don't entirely trust the police. A police officer doesn't know anything about you, and could assume that you are guilty of something.
People might think that if they are not guilty of anything then it doesn't matter how they interact with police. I know three people convicted of things where their guilt was questionable, so how you deal with the police is important. You need to protect your rights.
For a traffic stop, they are only allowed to keep you long enough to write a ticket. Do not argue with the cop. Be polite. If you are going to fight the ticket, do it in court.
The police officer might ask if you mind if he looks around a bit. They might say it will only take a minute. This is a trap, because if you give any kind of consent, they can hold you for hours while they search your car. The question is deliberately worded vaguely, because if you answer either "yes" or "no" the officer can claim that you gave consent, like "No, I don't mind", or "Yes, you can search."
Always state that you do not give consent to searches. This includes them asking to look at your car, asking you to hand over your keys or property or your phone, or asking you to pop the trunk, or them saying that they need to pat you down for "officer safety." They might keep pushing, but repeat as many times as necessary that you do not give consent to searches.
If a police officer has probable cause then they don't need to ask you to do a search. The fact that they ask means that they are just fishing for evidence.
If an officer asks for your keys, simply tell him, "My keys will remain with me during this encounter." This is legal. Then if he asks you to step out of the car, lock your doors as you get out of the car.
In all 50 states, passengers in cars do not have to present identification during a traffic stop unless the officer has probable cause that a crime has been committed.
If an officer tries to delay you longer than necessary with questions at a traffic stop, or tries to stop and question you while you are walking down the street, always ask the question, "Am I being detained, or am I free to go?" If he says that you are free to go, then leave. If you are in your car, tell him that you are leaving.
If an officer says that you are not free to go, specifically state that you exercise your right to remain silent and that you will not answer questions without a lawyer present. Simply being quiet can be taken as a sign of guilt.
If you are not free to go, you could ask him, "Officer, what crime do you suspect me of committing?", or ask if he has probable cause for detaining you.
If an officer states that your silence or lack of consent must mean that you are hiding something, simply state, "My exercising my rights is not an indication of anything."
If you have a gun in the car, different states have different rules about whether the police can search your car and about whether you have to disclose that you have a gun in the car. Having a gun in the car might be more trouble than it is worth and could possibly put you in danger during police encounters. People have been killed over misunderstandings. Never touch your gun during a police encounter.
If you have to defend yourself with a weapon then you are likely to be arrested. The cop has no idea what happened and won't make any assumptions in your favor. For all he knows, you are the guilty party, and it is not his job to prove your innocence.
In a home invasion where you had to defend yourself, you can succinctly explain what happened, always stating that you were afraid for your life, but then say that you will not answer any further questions without a lawyer present. If the police don't think that you were afraid for your life, you can still be convicted. Failure to call the police promptly can be taken as a sign of guilt.
Police are allowed to lie to you. They will say that they have evidence against you or that someone claimed you committed the crime, when it is not true. They will claim that they know you are guilty. They might exaggerate what happened because the natural human tendency is to correct any false statements they make. This is how they get you to talk, and they will use any inconsistency in your statements as a sign of guilt.
Always state that you will not answer questions without a lawyer present. This is your 5th and 6th amendment rights.
The following video goes over ways that police will try to trick you into giving them information. It is divided into 8 sections:
8. The friendly chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=113s
7. The clarifying question trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=214s
6. Your need to be liked. The "good cop" technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=319s
5. Maximization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=422s
4. Minimization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=632s
3. False evidence and police deception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=761s
2. Leading questions and fact feeding: https://youtu.be/AqigALLB3GM?si=s-pn_qO-IibDOzt6&t=895
1. Isolation, Fatigue and "Just End This" trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqigALLB3GM&t=1048s
Keir Starmer resigns, as Andy Burnham confirms he will run to replace him as Labour leader and PM
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ckger03mrl0t
Starmer is self-described as a socialist, but tried to focus on what was practically achievable. This wasn't enough for the left wing Labour Party, so they pressured him to quit, putting in a different socialist.
The opposing Conservative party, also known as the Tories, is reportedly more left-wing than their American counterparts, but it seems that they aren't as popular.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Why Did We Think Iran Would Keep Their Word?
I agree with Ben Shapiro that Iran violated the Memorandum of Understanding shortly after it was signed. That does not necessarily mean the agreement itself was bad, but it does mean Iran failed to comply with its commitments. I also agree with Shapiro's view that a more aggressive approach toward Iran would have been preferable.
Shapiro assumes that Trump's motivations are solely economic and political. This feels like a straw-man argument. I think Trump is smarter than that and would prefer to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
I have a problem with J.D. Vance, who is more of an isolationist and sometimes makes statements that seem less than truthful. He could become president in the distant future, or circumstances could make him president much sooner. However, he may not be the right person for the job.
Everyone is questioning the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, but the United States, as the more powerful country, holds most of the cards. It can impose whatever terms it wants on Iran.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
The Justices Are Finally Colorblind
The EEOC and other such guidelines require virtually all decision makers subject to discrimination law—employers, lenders, landlords, universities and others—to pursue racial balancing objectives. The mechanism is straightforward: Disparate impact constrains and often forbids the use of any criterion that has a statistically different effect on a particular race, making it virtually impossible to rely on background or credit checks, verbal or written aptitude tests or academic disciplinary records. Among other things, the EEOC’s guidance warns employers against basing decisions on criminal background checks due to “problems that may be more common among people of a certain race.”
As the OLC opinion concluded, this approach “structurally compels the very racial discrimination that the Constitution forbids” because it operates as a “racial thumb on the scales”
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-justices-are-finally-colorblind-53c4296a
As the OLC opinion concluded, this approach “structurally compels the very racial discrimination that the Constitution forbids” because it operates as a “racial thumb on the scales”
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-justices-are-finally-colorblind-53c4296a
Friday, June 19, 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
He just became public enemy NUMBER ONE
The first photo is one that I recognize. The picture is from the Mr. Bean show (1990), with a face substituted.
Monday, June 15, 2026
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Saturday, June 13, 2026
Monday, June 8, 2026
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Is Fusion power going to connect to grid soon after next year's demonstration?
On Tue, May 5, 2026 at 3:07 PM Larry wrote:
If only we had an enormous ball of hydrogen to generate fusion power.
Solar power is reportedly borderline cost-effective. As fossil fuel reserves decline and likely become more expensive, solar power should become more economical. However, I’m not sure how long this rise in cost will take; it could be decades.
Installing solar panels on your roof can make roof replacement twice as expensive. Panels can also damage or overheat your roof, and storms could damage them as well. I would rather leave that to the power company.
The solar roof tile idea is interesting, but only if there is a shortage of land for solar installations. There is a great deal of surface area on roofs that we could utilize.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Monday, June 1, 2026
Friday, May 29, 2026
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Kroger Robot
For the first time I saw a Kroger robot on Monday. It was connected to a charging station. So functionally it resembles my robot vacuum cleaner, except much bigger and much taller. How it checks inventory I’m not sure, but I assume that it involves AI.
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Friday, May 15, 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The 10 American things I can’t get in the UK... so I import them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcJk_OElNqo
This is minor stuff, but everything I have seen about the U.K. and Europe makes me not want to live there. Even Canada would be more interesting, and although I don't like to travel much anymore, I think a trip to Canada might be fun.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
"Nobody Goes to Jail!" — Chazz Palminteri on the COVID Shot
1 minute ago
Every conservative pundit has attacked the COVID-19 vaccines, with many claiming that they didn't work. These are conspiracy theorists. They are just trying to get clicks.
I've read the studies, and the COVID-19 vaccines reduce the rate of infection and transmission. Problems with the vaccine are rare.
People forget that in the year 2020 the initial death rate from COVID-19 was 5%. Doctors eventually got that down to 1%. You might have a one in thirty-two thousand chance of having a bad reaction to the vaccine like myocarditis, which is treatable, or a one in a hundred chance of dying from COVID-19. No vaccine is completely safe, but you are much better off taking your chances with the vaccine.
If you think that Fauci should go to jail, what crime did he actually commit?
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Friday, May 8, 2026
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