The Union "Gospel" Mission

701 E. 8th Street, S.F., S.D.

Hey America, and welcome back - to my own, and on-going personal Hell.

I have gotten to the point where I suppose it matters not if the criminals in my case(s) know where I am.  I'm out of state, meaning that they have no more power over me or anything I do (not that they ever did to begin with).  I don't completely rule out that they might not use this newly discovered information to once again attempt something crooked and off the books...don't think I don't imagine that the Des Moines Mafia King, Polk County Attorney John P. Sarcone, has a brother who might just be the mayor of Sioux Falls, S.D. (he already has one crook brother who runs a law firm in the Des Moines area...so it's not that inconceivable that he doesn't have more than one, or a sister someplace).  Even if he doesn't, I'm sure this wouldn't stop him from calling the local law enforcement to tell more lies to them, like he did all of the FBI offices in a 1000 mile radius, a couple years back.  I say, do your worst Johnny boy.  Add more to the pile.  The summons you'll soon be answering in federal court will already reveal more than what I need to put you away...or at least oust you from your high horse in Polk County.  They gotta find me first, right?

As to mine other enemies out there...you know who you are...in particular, the idiot "That1Lurker", who fruitlessly attempts to push my buttons (they've been pushed to their limits by a lot better'n you, and I'm still here, and ever shall be) by commenting...privately no less...on each...and every thing I post, I'm not too worried bout you either.  I've ruled out Jeanne and Mark (neither of these are too intelligent, nor could they even begin to push even a corner of even one of my buttons with any fortune), which pretty much only leaves one of 2 enemies.  I'm gonna say it's....none other than Foggy Fogbow or Jack(ie) Karlson, since these are the only two of the idiot enemies I have left standing that have no life, and nothing better to do than try to get my goat.  Neither of these people are smart enough to worry me, nor are either of them particularly close...so knowing where I am for them will do pretty much...zip.  Again...they gotta find me first.

That said, and in case you haven't figured it out for yourselves, I am in Sioux Falls South Dakota.  Which, of course, brings me up to date, as well as brings us to today's subject, a place where I was forced to lay my head for a few days when I first got here, The Union..."Gospel" mission.

Now, before I get started, I feel it's important to praise all the good places and people that I encountered FIRST...BEFORE the nightmare to follow.  Since I was forcibly chased out of the Union, I then stayed a few nights at the Bishop Dudley...I found out quickly that it wasn't as bad...in fact, tons better than I had imagined it to be, and 2 tons better than the Union.  The people who worked there were polite, kind and helpful.  They didn't preach, there was no mandatory church to attend, and you could do pretty much anything you wanted to do until lights out...Hell, after lights out too.  After lights out, if you wanted to have a middle of the night smoke, this was allowed.  Finally, showers could be taken anytime you chose.

Also worthy of my praise is a place called "The Banquet.", the local free eatery, that feeds the homeless for miles about.  The place sports a fine meal...on time, every time, for breakfast, dinner, and one weekend lunch.  After eating here, everything else offered elsewhere pales quickly.  The ambiance is homey, the people are your classic "Here...let me get the door for you" helpful, sweet, "I want to contribute to the community" types.  If it were an actual restaurant?  I'd give it 5 stars, no hesitation.

The first thing I should have figured out about the Union was that this just wasn't the place for me...but time was fleeting, and the bags I brought with me were getting heavy, and the other local place, the Bishop Dudley, made you take all you had with you every day.  The Union Gospel Mission, on the other hand, gave you a locker to put your belongings in, that you could leave.  Fair enough...and believe me, the ONLY reason anyone would reasonably select to stay, considering its other glaring red marks.

The first red mark?  You were FORCED to take a shower from 4-7 p.m.  Not forced to take a shower...that I could understand...between 4-7 p.m. was the problem.  100 men, all taking showers together at the same time, sometimes in the absence of hot water.  Smart.  Never mind that I just took one this morning...or right before I checked in...or like to take one in the morning...if I don't take a shower in this time frame?  I'm out.

2nd, because of its "Gospel" status, you were forced to endure a NIGHTLY...yes, that's 7 NIGHTLIES...chapel, where, because you wanted to eat dinner (at 8:30 p.m,) and stay here, you had to first endure a nightly parade of various religious circus acts from various churches in the area (we literally had a Christian Country Karaoke guy one night, who was evidently so old he no longer knew he didn't sing very well...no joke).  All of these guest pastors believed, evidently, that there was such a good turnout...because everyone was there by choice (one actually commented on the good turnout, obviously not knowing that everyone HAD to be there to eat and stay overnight).  At the door to the chapel, a staff member stands ready with a clipboard to make sure that all staying guests are in attendance (what's your bed number??).  After forcing the "Message of God" down the throats of those in attendance, you're finally allowed to eat.  Then?  It's off to bed young man, since bedtime is 10 p.m.

You are then FORCED to sleep until it's time for them to wake you up.  That's 5:55 a.m. Monday-Friday...and 6:55 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.  What do I mean by forced?  If you get up for any reason except to a.  Go to work, or b.  Go to the bathroom...you're out.  The average sleep time for the average American male?  5-7 hours.  Get up before that without good purpose, and you're out in the cold.

The other wonderful portion of the "Gospel" moniker will be discussed shortly, and concerns a man who deserves national attention, as the most un-Christian-like Christian ever to grace a mission door, "Deacon" Don (this is his self-given title...not anyone else's)

The guy who runs the place, Fran, is a guy I've never met as yet, so I can't say much about the man, except that I'm not, certainly, the only person who has complained about "Deacon" Don, nor, I'm sure, will I be the last...but the guy has, in a sense I suppose, "met" me, through a letter that I will soon share with you.  Leave it to me to only be here a week and start a new micro-war in another state, so soon...right?

Anyway, let's begin with Don's version of the mission of the Union Mission.  There's only three words for this mission according to Don..."To Glorify God".  Not to help the helpless...not to help people find God...just, simply, to glorify God.  That's it.

Now, from what I'm told (from Don anyway), this man is a man of God...a leader, as he says...but as we peer closer, there are things about Don that I've heard too much to ignore.  For one, he is, allegedly, a conceal and carry "Deacon" of the mission.  Strapped to the side of his hip, where no man can see, Deacon Don...carries a 9mm handgun.  Sorry?  A leader of men, a preacher, a deacon...CONCEALING AND CARRYING IN A HOMELESS MISSION??  I don't care if it is private property...Hell, I don't care if murders occur nightly, since when did this become a norm in a city the size of Sioux Falls (164,000...slightly smaller than Des Moines, where NO one in ANY kind of shelter carries a handgun), in a gospel mission???  Around women...and CHILDREN??  And the director must know this!  There's 2 points off for his character, right off the cuff!

Now, I'm not going to bore you with commentary about what this man did, then make you read it again in the letter...but I will post the letter I wrote to the director directly after my more than voluntary "eviction" from their property (probably the best thing to happen to me this entire week).  Here you go, just to show you the condition of our world today...and to show you that some con artists (this one believes that God provides him with the means to judge mankind) are better than others (keep in mind, this is BEFORE I discovered he was a Gunslinger):

"Dear Fran,

As the director of a "Gospel Mission", I feel it's important that you be made aware of what actions a certain employee of yours considers "Glorification to God" and "Ensuring that our clients are living in a safe environment."

Please try to read past this paragraph, as the rest of this letter is, indeed, quite enlightening, where this man is concerned.  I'm not sure how much you are aware of what your employees do when you're not there, but "Don" ("Hair-Trigger Don", we've recently dubbed him) is a Napoleanistic self-righteous, judgmental hypocrite who believes that God has endowed him with heavenly powers previously believed to only be in the Father's realm.

It began when I met him.  I jokingly sidled up to him and said "You must be hair-trigger Don...I've heard about you."  Now, unless I'm not aware of it, I don't believe that God has recently put a ban on good humor of late, not even the ill-times kind, but, after a moment of complete surprise, he asked "Why would you call me that?"  I told him because I'd heard that he calls the police on the clients on a hair trigger, to which he replied "I like to be sure that our clients enjoy a safe environment here", as I'm sure that you all do.

However, in the week that I stayed at your mission, Don has, on some days, called the police on clients as many as 3 times a shift, on just about every day I stayed there.  I'm certain that none other of your employees could possibly boast these kinds of numbers.  There's safe...and there's ridiculous.  There are Godly employees...and there are paranoid control freaks.

This man, then, proceeded to accost me at least 3-4 times a shift, going out of his way to point out all that he felt that I was doing wrong.  Once, I'm not kidding, he got on me for writing my name too large in my spot on the duty sheet.  On another occasion, because I had picked off a piece of a Hershey bar on the way to my seat in the chapel, he went out of his way to point out to me that there was no snacking in the chapel.  I won't bore you with any more of the hundreds of things I "did wrong"; I'll only say that this man acts like a boorish tyrant, and this is echoed in the words of not only the clients, but in the words of his fellow employees as well.

Finally, today, the man put me out of your mission.  I said the word "Ass" in his general vicinity (in a literal context, mind you).  He then drug me into the office of the mission (where he was supposed to be working), closed the door and the window to the office, and proceeded to preach to me for well over an hour.  He ignored other clients who wished to check in, or who wanted to do their duties, or wanted to ask questions, talked to me in a judgmental, narcissistic and condescending manner, and refused to let me leave until he was finished with me.  I was only allowed to speak once (for around 10 minutes), after which he was right back on me again.  Finally, after an hour of this, I asked to leave (I had things I needed to get done), and was told that I could NOT leave, until he was finished.

During this "sermon" (for this was pretty much what it was), he continuously slandered other Christians in our country, claiming that the majority of them were fakers, and not really saved.  Others, who he said did not believe as he did, were doomed to Hell.  Finally, (the one that finally caused me to walk out), "Deacon Don" told me that God himself had given him the power to judge mankind, and those who entered his realm.  This was after I challenged him on his ability to judge whether what others believed was right and good, or wrong and damning, and stating that God was the final judge of this.  That did it for me.  I walked out of his office, and gathered up my things, leaving more than willingly.  He then TOLD me to leave (I was, of course, already), then threatened to call the police on me if I continued to act unruly (I wasn't acting unruly at all).  After I had gathered my things, I was followed by Don all the way down the stairs, all the way out the door.  He then proceeded to watch me to ensure that I did, in fact, leave, like I was a child.

First sir, I am not an unintelligent man.  I am 56 years old, and I've been around the world and the block more times than I care to admit.  I was raised by a minister in a Christian home, and I've read the Bible cover to cover 4 or better times, all before I was 18.  I am 5 years college educated, and have studied 4 other religions.  I did not come to your mission to be "preached" to or taught in the ways of "Deacon Don", nor did I come to you sporting the usual homeless issue.  I am not a felon, a druggie, or an alcoholic, or any of the usual things that cause a person to be homeless (the demographic is changing, I'm sure you're noticing).  I chose to come to your mission for only one reason...because you do not charge for the use of your lockers.  That's it.  I don't need to be saved, generally, or for real (Don dared to insinuate and accuse me of not really being saved.)  I am quite saved, thank you very much.

If you could have heard what this man said to me, as he blatantly waved off all who dared interrupt his sermon to me, you would have blanched too, I'm sure.  "Deacon Don" informed me, in his sermon to me, that the purpose of the Union mission is to "glorify God."  Helping people get a leg up, he said, was "incidental"...a benefit.  Tell me, how is removing more clients from the property by calling the police on those you mean to minister to, and help find the Lord, more than all the other of your fellow employees combined, helping your clients find and glorify God?  Isn't it quite enough that you force those who stay at your mission to attend a DAILY chapel, but now they are forcibly inclined to attend the chapel of "Deacon Don" as well, whenever he deems it necessary, and for however long it is that he feels it should take for him to get out what he has to say?  Isn't the purpose of any such like mission to do God's work?  If this is God's work, then, by example, I'd say that's not the work for me.  I think you'd be surprised that the reason for your turnover is hardly because people leave by choice, but rather because they're all chased off by your "Deacon" for ridiculously unimportant reasons, to be put out in the cold for not following the God-given authority of "Deacon Don" (his words, on the authority.)

This man expects immediate and unconditional respect from his clients, yet treats everyone like children, then calls the police on those people he doesn't like, or who don't follow his God-given authority to the letter, all the while presenting himself as someone who "only ties his wagon to the children of the light (his words exactly), and refuses to acknowledge that he is connected to, directly, those who are, indeed, from the very darkness he claims he has opted to shun.  When I tried to point out to him that he was surrounded by and serving (and preaching to) those of the "darkness" as a supposed missionary, he became upset with me and made it clear that he was no longer associated with those sorts of people.  He kept claiming, that if I had been born again (of course, insinuating AGAIN that I was NOT), I would understand all that he was saying.  This man is not serving you at your mission, or anyone else, for that matter.  He can only be harming it, and others, by working there.

I wish to have nothing more to do with you, or your "mission", but I would like an apology.  Not from you.  From Lord Don.  I am going to give you 48 hours to have him do so.  After this time, if I have not heard from Lord Don, I am going to write a blog article about you, Don, and the Union "Gospel" Mission.  Is this some hobby blog, where I've had a whole 500 views from local fans?  Hardly.  My blog is nationally and internationally read, and has 30,000 views, just in the last 5 months.  After finishing this article, I will post it as the FEATURE article, and leave it there for a full year.  I will then post this article to every Sioux Falls related group on the internet, send it to the elected officials of Sioux Falls, your primary newspaper, and to every local church.  After I finish with your mission, within a year, your mission could, quite possibly, be all a distant and unpleasant memory.  This is hardly a threat...it's a promise.  You can find this blog at:

http://themightyswordamericasdeadlysins.blogspot.com

or you can just simply Google "America's Deadly Sins."  I come up the entire first page of results.

After I get my apology, I would like to see Lord Don removed from working at your mission...not because it would make me happy, but so that others will not have to endure his hypocrisy, and can get on with their lives, feeling truly blessed by God, as well as being truly helped by your mission.  These people, in their individual situations, don't need someone getting on them about every little silly thing they do...they need your help, don't they?  Some, even, though I realize this is hard to believe...have other more important things to worry about and to do with their lives than having to listen to "Deacon Don" blow hot air about what he only seems to believe, and force his beliefs on others, under threat of Hell.  That, my friend, should be your mission...salvation by example...not under threat of eviction into the cold, should your clients refuse to bend to Lord Don's authority.

I have a social security card coming to your address.  I have put my current address on this letter for a dual purpose, so you'll have the address I am going to be staying at from now on (and, if you do not forward this to me when it arrives to the address stated, I will sue your mission for federal mail tampering,) and 2nd, to show you that I have no fear of any reprisal you may take concerning this promise I've made to you.  The state I just came from jailed me for a year for also exercising my right to free speech, and now 24 elected officials and more are involved in a Federal civil lawsuit, sporting 16 Federal code violations against me and my family, including judges, lawyers, detectives and more.  Nothing you could do, using the police here, concerning this promise I've made you, would net me anything more than a charge of simple harassment, and would cost me no more than maybe 30 days in jail...at which time (if I have not done so already), I will continue to fulfill my promise to you anyway.  Just because I have a full-scale war going on with one state, doesn't mean I have no time to start another war in another state, so do what you feel you must.  It will only temporarily slow me down, and will not deter me from MY mission in any way.

Thank you for your time.  You can have the Lord Don reach me at XXX-XXX-XXXX, anytime.

Christopher The Living Man/The Mighty Sword"


Well, since you folks are indeed reading this, it should be obvious that "Deacon Don" did not call and apologize, the director of the Union Mission evidently does not care, or, I'm guessing, may have never received his copy of the letter (I also left a copy of it to Don, on the same day).  This concerns me not...and, as promised, the article is up, and copies are being sent to all I promised to send them to.  Oh...and Don?  If you're reading this?  Go ahead...make my day.  Make yer move...punk!  As others have done in the past, you messed with the wrong sheep.  Christopher don't play.  :D

Standardized Sheeple Syndrome (SSS)

I have posted this video before, on Facebook, but I've not, as yet, found good reason to share it here, on my blog, except that it's just freakin' cool.  Well America, t'would seem that there is finally just cause to present what could be my very favorite video on taxes, and why you don't have to, nor should you pay them.

The other day, I was tagged by a guy who was simply shouting out "Stop Paying Your Taxes!"...and that was pretty much it.  I sat and thought about that for a while.

Oh, make no mistake, I agree with the guy.  But just like women across America shouting "Death to Trump", and nothing else, I just can't leap onto such a bold statement without some pretty damn good reasons to back it up.  So please bear with me, while I give you some damn good reasons.

For one, you can't NOT pay any taxes for a number of reasons.  For one, where gas, fast food, etc. are concerned, oftentimes, the taxes are bundled in.  What are you gonna do, walk into a McD's and say "Gimme just the burger, and tell me what it is without the tax on it; that's all I'm going to pay", or gas up at the pump and just get the un-taxed gas?  Impossible.

You wanna mess up the Government, both State and Federal?  I give you two viable ways, that make a lot more sense, go a lot quicker, and that are a whole lot easier.

1.  Don't file tax returns, and

2.  Don't drive.

Let's start with number 1.  Now, Standardized Sheeple Syndrome; a debilitating disease that affects the way the majority of Americans everywhere think; dictates that if we don't file our taxes, the Government is going to swoop down on us and wipe us out and take everything we have to get the bill paid.  Trust me when I say that you have all been suffering from SSS for far too long if you believe this (see video).  This is primarily untrue for a couple of reasons.

1.  The majority of Americans do not have to pay taxes.  We file to get returns.

2.  The Government simply does not have the manpower to enforce this.  If it ever had to enforce it, let alone on EVERYONE, by the time they got to all of us, a couple of decades would have gone by.

There's a problem that a lot of you probably haven't realized about State and Federal tax returns of late.  I strongly suggest that you first peruse this article that I wrote a year or better back, about how the Government, both state and Federal, has now taken on the role of "Bill Collector" for Government RELATED debts.  On a federal level, if you owe any bill (school loans, etc) to a federally AFFILIATED function, they will remove the debt from your returns, something I don't believe they have a right to do.  On the State level, the State now takes moneys that you owe the City and County you reside in.  As if we don't pay them enough to torture us by charging us taxes on the income we bring in, sometimes as much as half of it, now they're collecting on our debts too?  Come on, what's next...our utility bills?  Credit card debt?  Don't you dare doubt it for a moment.  You can find that article here, it's a hell of a thought provoker:

http://themightyswordamericasdeadlysins.blogspot.com/2014/07/corruption-part-iv-collection-agency.html

When I thought about the fact that the Federal Government, who merely SPONSORS banks to loan students money for school and school supplies (the Government USED to do this, but, like everything else, decided instead to dole the privelege out to greedy private banks; like we haven't done enough for them already, right?),  but instead rips students off with unreasonably high interest loans...(you ready for this baby boomers?  5%...per month...per one hundred dollars loaned.)

Let's take a look at $10,000 in loans for just a 4 year period.  I borrowed this in the first semester alone.  Let's say you take this amount in the first semester of school, and pay for the rest.  After 4 years of non-payment, that comes out to  $500 a month...for 12 months...times 4 years...a whopping $24,000...IN INTEREST ALONE!  You think for one minute I'm going to pay that at the end of the day?  Sure they presented that on the day of signing...but what college-aged student is going to do the math?  I mean, this is FICA...they wouldn't do us like that right?  SSS at work.  Grants are the only way the Government contributes to our education these days.  The rest is a rip off.  Oh, but they'll stand behind these banks in a second, and take it out of your tax return to cover the bank's butt.  Nice.  Oh, I agree.  Stop FILING your federal taxes.  Quit supporting private banks.

On the state level, I came up with a damn good reason not to pay your state taxes, and screw them all up at the same time, the aforementioned #2 - stop driving.

Last night, I was talking to my friend Alyse Thrush, who has been through some real Hell herself, and beings it was like 5 in the morning, and I was barely awake, and answering something she had asked.  I'll bet she's sorry she asked.  I responded with quite the ordeal.  I was led from there to write this article, matter o' factly.

She asked me a rather simple question really..."Why do you walk around?"  A loaded question, of course...especially where I'm concerned.

I said it like this.  I haven't driven in Iowa since 2010.  They started suspending my license for various reasons; non-payment of Child Support (thanks again, DHS...oh, and by the way, that is ALL PAID OFF NOW), and non-payment of parking or speeding tickets...and every time, I'd have to pay them $200 to re-instate it, and test AGAIN to get it back,  Let's not even discuss the fact that half the time, I wouldn't know it was even suspended, at least not until I got pulled over.  I wonder who thought of that wonderful way of handling the non-payment of your county and city debts?  I just wanna stick hot pokers up his/her nasal cavities.

Finally, on the last suspension, I decided to take a 2 year haitus from driving in my favorite state.  They want my money?  They'd have to come to my door and try and take it from me.  In the meantime, I'll take mass transit, thank you.

Then, in 2014, after my daughter was stolen from us, I woke up to just how much money I was paying Iowa concerning my right (they call it a privilege) to drive (travel) and I swore I'd never drive again, as long as I lived there.  Then this occurred to me:

Surely, as much money as we pay the local, county and state Government to drive (buying the car initially and paying the taxes on it, even AFTER it's ours, free and clear; registrations, titles, plates, insurances, unavoidable gas taxes, license fees, driving classes, renewal fees, reinstatement fees, SR-22 insurance, driving tests, CDL testing and licensing fees, etc.), you just gotta know all that money we pay for all of this simply doesn't only go to pay the employees of the DMV.  I'm sure that part of that goes to none other than paying the state to do other things...like stealing our children, or prosecuting us incessantly.

You have to consider this:  The state is, under no circumstances, going to tell Iowa's (or any other state's) citizens that they need a million dollars so that we can pay social workers to remove children from bad...or good homes; nor are they going to tell them that they need to pay the County Attorney's office to wrongfully prosecute thousands of state citizens until they win, using your taxes.  No, they need to be a bit more subversive than that.  They'll do it anyway...but they'll just take the money from other revenues...like all the money that the State makes from us owning and driving cars.

Now THERE'S something to think about, eh? Personally?  I'm tired of paying the State and Federal Government to do crooked and corrupt things to me.  Now that's a good reason to stop paying your taxes, and to stop driving and start taking the bus if naught else, right?  :D

Legislative Proposals...the New Breed

Who knew?  The Mighty Sword now writes Legislative Proposals...but not like you politicians have been known to...not all filled with legal gobbledy-gook, boring passages and hard to read/understand language.  No, here, you'll see something that you rarely see in a congressional document...common-sense.  Will it work?  Hard to say...but I think we may see a new trend on how we, the standard sheep, deals with our government (and they with us), using good ol' fashioned street smarts and EASY TO UNDERSTAND terminology...not the other-worldly secret language Governmental Legislators use.

So...here it is, Mr. Living Man's first proposal to get rid of the law that stops us from having and taking care of our children, as God intended (TAKE THAT CRIMINALS...hehe).  Now it's time to get rid of that pesky Confidentiality dealy, and the biggy....immunity to prosecution.

Proposal for Legislation to have all Juvenile Hearings Recorded Using Modern Technology, for Accurate Records

In the current Iowa Code, Vol. III, Chapter 232, Concerning Juvenile Justice, §232.41, you’ll note that it currently states:

“232.41 Reporter required.

Stenographic notes or mechanical or electronic recordings shall be taken of all court

hearings held pursuant to this division unless waived by the parties. The child shall not be

competent to waive the reporting requirement, but waiver may be made for the child by the

child’s counsel or guardian ad litem. Matters which must be reported under the provisions

of this section shall be reported in the same manner as required in section 624.9.”

First of all, it clearly states that ALL processes are available...but in the district court (at least in MY hearings), no recordings were discussed, offered, nor mentioned. Later, when you ask for “recordings” from the clerk of court office, you’re told that recordings are NOT made in juvenile matters...only transcripts are made, and produced and entered only after the party pays the transcriber (not the court) $3.50/page.

Also provided by the Iowa Judicial Branch, there is a paper that you can fill out to get actual recordings of your hearings; including, quite obviously, juvenile, as shown below. Note that there is no misunderstanding that we are talking about actual DIGITAL RECORDINGS here:

Let it be known that, when I took this into the Polk County Clerk’s Office, Randy Osborn (The Clerk of Polk County Clerk) himself came to tell me that they don’t make recordings of juvenile hearings, only transcriptions. I then asked him to sign this paper, stating just that, and he refused to sign it, or give me the recordings...only offering the transcripts; and only if I paid $3.50 a page to the transcribers:

Mr. Osborn refused to sign this affidavit, for obvious reasons. There are most certainly recordings made of these hearings (the transcriber herself should, if nothing else, make a recording in case something happens to her machine, or there is an emergency), and shouldn’t a recording be made anyway, in case of foul play in our judiciary?

Obviously, paper transcripts of juvenile hearings (or any hearings, for that matter) are NOT an “accurate record”...of anything; for the following reasons:

1. No matter how good a court reporter may be, their training could in no way prepare them to differentiate as many as 10 different speaking voices, especially if 3 or 4 of them were talking at once. The transcriber may be familiar with the regular players of these hearings, but couldn’t possibly continually pinpoint the voices of those she does not know, such as the parents, or

others that are not regularly in attendance.

2. That there are way too many different meanings of words. How does a transcriber differentiate

between the words “There, Their and They’re” for instance, let alone its context? This is just

one of 1000’s of examples of words that could be heard incorrectly, or taken out of context.

3. I don’t care how you slice it, when given the means to do the wrong thing, some people take that road, just as sometimes when you elect an official, there is no absolute guarantee that, if given the opportunity, they won’t do wrong. If such an official (judge, county attorney, GAL, etc.) were to be involved in something untoward, and had the shroud of confidentiality (no one can look into a juvenile case until it’s over, the parental rights are ALREADY terminated, the child/children are already gone, you get the picture...isn’t more than a little convenient for those removing/adopting out the children and terminating parental rights?) to help keep the lid on things; and immunity from prosecution, isn’t it more important now than ever that ACCURATE and double assurance that the right thing is being done be in place? Let’s say this/these officials wanted to cover up what had been done in a court hearing. With no recorded version available to the public OR the parties involved, it’s not unthinkable that these officials could just toss what was transcribed into the trash and “transcribe” something more to their liking. As much as we don’t like to admit it, the law is sometimes subverted, and sometimes we put the wrong people into office.

The proposed legislation should read thusly:

“232.41 Recordings required.

Stenographic notes as well as mechanical or electronic recordings shall be taken of all court

hearings held pursuant to this division unless waived by all of the parties. The child shall not be

competent to waive the reporting requirement, but waiver may be made for the child by the

child’s counsel or guardian ad litem. Recordings of all hearings shall be made available to the involved parties for as long as 2 years, and shall cost no more than is normal for such a recording to be made.

Author’s Addendum:

I in no way intended to make this personal, (and believe me, it is NOT JUST personal...there are 1000’s of Iowa parents, over 1800 a month in Iowa, from what I gather, who go through the same thing we had to), but I will state this: If there had been recordings of what happened in our court hearings available to us, the parties, we would not only still have our child, we would have seen a judge, 1 Polk County Attorney, 2 Asst. Polk County Attorneys, some DHS employees, a CFI worker and a GAL go to jail. The things they got away with in our hearings were incorrigible, and completely covered up...by confidentiality and immunity...and by the fact that no recordings were, supposedly, made of these hearings, nor are any “available” to the parties. We, the wrongfully terminated parents, beg the house and the senate to pass this legislation as quickly as possible to protect all involved...the parents, and especially, the children.

America's DEADLIEST Sin (Greed, Revisited)

Well, America, I think my love affair with our great nation has reached a new low.  I can only keep saying "Wow", when I think about this...

What is America's favorite and most deadly sin again?  You'd think it was corruption in government, wouldn't you?  Nope.  Corruption stems from THIS original deadly sin...yes, I'm talking again about none other than good ol' fashioned American Greed, in all its lovely glory.  Please see my OTHER 2 articles about this here:

http://themightyswordamericasdeadlysins.blogspot.com/2014/04/day-7-greed.html

and here:

http://themightyswordamericasdeadlysins.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-original-7-deadly-sins-3-part-i.html

So, I'm sitting in a McDonalds in......no wait, I can't say that!  Almost messed up...anyway, a Mr. Paul Noyes is there, filling out an application for work, and as its just me and he in the room, he shouts this out as I'm packing up to leave McD's..."Well, at least here they don't charge you for applications, like they do in Washington State"...and I have a mini-brain-conniption.  WHAAAAAAAAAA?  ARE YOU SERIOUS??  Now they charge people to apply for jobs, $.50 to $1 per app??  Unfreakin'believable.  Every time I think we've reached the highest possible level of greed, America shocks me again.

I remember having the very same conniption when I came to understand that apartment complexes (and, because of this, house owners renting apartments as well) started charging you $25-$100 to apply to live in their apartments.  This was quite bad enough.  I mean, come on...these folks are going to be over-paid by you to live in their crappy little hovels as it is...now you're going to pay them to process an application to accept you so that you can over-pay them?  I tell the better portion of these people to kiss mah grits, and hunt down those who haven't as yet fallen into this stupidity.  Worse yet, you people are paying these fees...which, of course, not unlike most things we sheep shut up and pay, is standard brainwashed behavior.  If we would just open up our mouths and speak our minds, this would have never become the standard it is.

But no, this couldn't be enough.  Now you want us to pay you to apply to work for you TOO???   If this becomes a national standard guys, I'm giving up on America for good.  DON'T YOU DARE PAY THESE GREEDY LITTLE BASTARDS!!!!  Call your legislators, that takes up around the time it takes to pay these morons and fill out the application.  Go down to the state capitol building, and ask them to pass legislation against this crap!  Granted, I just learned you were able to do this sorta thing...but better late than never!

This is just the sorta thing that makes this country notorious for idiocy, and should NOT BE TOLERATED, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!

What Have We Here? - Part 1

Guess Who, America?  Yeah...it's me again.

Just wanted to fill you in on a few things.  For one, it's important to mention that I am well out of reach of the state of Iowa...so sad for them.  For two, my NCO's against the two biggie social workers in my life, Katie Gosch and Emily Nieman, are both lifted....so sad for them, as well.  For three, a big moment is coming up, as I'll be posting all the paperwork filed in ALL of my cases...both federal AND state, and will carry full commentary.  Included will be the remainder of all of the confidential paperwork in the Supreme Court Appeal to the juvenile cases, where they so OBVIOUSLY covered for all of the district level criminals, and upheld their decision to terminate our rights, even though DHS's own director cleared us of all charges, expunged our records, and removed us from the abuse registry in our Child Protective Assessment Appeal(s).  Also included will be ALL of the criminal cases that they've brought against me; since they decided that too many people were seeing (and reading about) what they were doing, and opted to jail me to shut me up, for pretty much any reason they could muster.  Here, you'll also see clearly how they CHEATED in order to win out.

Also forthcoming will be a HUGE and drawn out article concerning how the people of Iowa are continuously and wrongfully arrested for stupid little crimes, then made career criminals utilizing a money generating scheme that fully targets the homeless and the poor, and those without the where-with-all to afford attorneys.  Here we will be covering a MAJORITY of Iowa's criminal code (thank you Drake Law Library, for giving me the COMPLETE Iowa 2015 code books FREE so that I could accomplish this), and explaining how certain people are made into "Habitual Offenders", utilizing criminal code that 90% of Iowa's citizens don't know about, or had anything to do with passing.

Remember also that all things personal, concerning the ongoing and seemingly NEVER-ENDING war with the State of Iowa will be, around March 1st (the resurrection date for the podcast), going only here, on the following site:

(Blog Name):  Iowa, and More Importantly, Des Moines, Iowa

http://desmoinesandiowathevenusflytrap.blogspot.com

There is one final thing I wanted to address.  To the idiot who continues to read, then comment on my posts with completely unsubstantiated moronic drivel...(cough, cough, whoever that idiot happens to be THAT ONE LURKER), your comments are no longer read, most certainly no longer published, and simply deleted immediately on sight...so why bother?  Rest assured that you are most certainly wasting valuable kinetic energy that you could be expending elsewhere.   That you continue to comment is no skin off my neck...it only takes a mouse click or two to delete your stupid ramblings, and only CONTINUES to prove to me that you have little better to do with your life.  No matter...I'll say it again, what you comment is ineffectual to me, and certainly does nothing to or for my readers either, considering they never see what little to less than nothing of what you have to say.  To the fans out there that REALLY have something to say, keep saying it...when I see YOUR comments, they get published immediately...regardless of what you have to say.  I love you all...and at least, you have constructive and legitimate things to comment about my articles.  Someday when this mentally retarded person finally realizes the futility of trying to comment negatively, I may allow comments to be instant again.  Until then, I apologize for having to moderate.

What fun we're gonna have, eh?  Let's get this pahty ROLLIN'  :D

One More Below the Belt

Hey kids....been a while, it has, it has, and, well, with all the fuss about the site lately, I felt it was time to write another post to keep you abreast of the happenings.

Today was a rather productive kinda day, and I figured I'd best share it with the State of Iowa.  That particular state is due to be a rather unpleasant and duly distant memory in just 2 short days now...and don't think for even one minute I'll be upset about it either.  But before I left, well, FOREVER, I figured I wasn't done taking a last poke at those of the "BBL."  Thanks, by the way, go out to my good friends Melissa Martin (a fellow podcaster, and a damn good looking one to boot) and Jodi Mueller of "Parental Alienation" fame.  If it wouldn't have been for them, I mighta missed the whole kitten kaboodle.  Now, even though I promised myself that I wouldn't put them as the head photo to the article, this doesn't mean I'm gonna be Mr. Swell and leave them out in the cold either (where I'm certain both of them would much rather be) so here's my tribute...(sorry ladies, I just HADDA do it):

From left to right:  C. Bruce, Mrs. Zombie, Jodi M., Mr. Zombie, Melissa M.

Wait...hold it....now rewind...fuss about the site?  OK, Let's start there.  Now, here's a killer for ya....it took me two long years of publishing articles (most of my jail time doesn't count) to get to 100,000 hits on ADS...and I was damn proud of that too, make no mistake.  But here's the kicker, you ready?  From August (when it rolled over) until the end of December, I was rotting away in jail; and during this time, I published nary an article...but ADS picked up 26,000 hits in just 4 months.  This leads me to believe that, finally, the right people are taking a look.  Remember, there was only a single incentive to look at the blog, and that incentive was SOLELY the fact that I filed federal court complaints, and at the end of each and every section, it stated only this:  "For more information, see "America's Deadly Sins" (the blog).  Kinda makes me feel all gushy inside....finally, SOMEONE CARES!

2nd, today was a special day, when these two warrior women came to Des Moines to help fight the good fight at the Iowa State Capitol.  Of course, I couldn't resist.  I jumped on the first high-speed mass transit vehicle and wormed my way over to see what damage I could do.  And, I do believe my near-psychic ability about people worked in my favor.

I went to the "Find Your Legislator" section of the Iowa Legislator's website, and picked 4 names out of a hat, based solely on a hunch.  Out of those 4, 2 were dead on bulls-eyes.

I won't give out their names (we certainly wouldn't want DHS and the enemy laying it on 'em thick to lay low), but one agreed to introduce legislation to get proper code concerning making recordings of juvenile hearings (no more relying solely on transcripts, which they are currently charging $3.50 a page for, and don't even get put into the record officially unless you DO pay them to do so; and can be fabricated and forged easily for fraud purposes)...if I wrote up the proposal.  I naturally jumped on that, with a vengeance.  There was also mention made of the possibility to consider introducing confidentiality and immunity changes....but let's not jump too high.  I'm willing to forego those for now in favor of getting the recordings made; for those about to endure the taking of their children in the future.  Had I had that luxury, we'd still have our daughter.

The other legislator had evidently (as well as obviously) heard our kind of stories before, and showed true and massive concern for what we had endured in our cases...and promised to look into it with utter sincerity.  I think, just with  these two (especially after they get an oogle at the blog, which I kindly shoved down their throats), there's hope kindled anew.  Again, I'd like to thank Jodi and Melissa for giving me the opportunity to hopefully make a difference for my FORMER state of Iowa.

Finally, to the two legislators out there, who are probably reading this right about now?  Thank you for your time.  I hope this opens your eyes to what horrors are plaguing those of Iowa, and have been for some time.  Thank you for caring  :D

*********************************************************************************************************

Author's Note  (One more even further below the belt), a final goodbye to Iowa, and to the criminals of the "BBL":

Gee....I'm so sorry about Nancy Elscott and Kyle Thies' new found fame, but hey, all's fair in love in war....right?  So sorry I'll be out of your reach now, and equally sorry that I no longer own the number that your detective (who has ABSOLUTELY no reason to be calling) keeps calling.  No crime was committed...(not that there ever was a crime committed previously)...just flexing the ol' "Freedom of speech" rights.  Your little "warnings" are hardly needed (the damage is surely done...and, unlike the "Domestic Terrorist" article you fed the Register, not a word is libelous); I won't be talking to a single Iowa resident again...unless they're TIGHT friends that I've known for decades...and they know the secret handshake - or, unless they're going to be at the losing end of the myriad of lawsuits I intend to file...if they haven't been filed already.  I think it's only fair to say goodbye to all the criminals, just one last time...and to remind them that their day is coming...this time on the FED level, since it is my utmost promise that the fee for my case against Polk County will be my FIRST priority...even before eating or living.

2nd, and finally, I'd like to speak a special adios to the biggest criminal in the Polk County area, John P. Sarcone...I will not rest, my friend, until you see jail for all that you have done.  Your Hell on Earth will be personally serviced you by none other than me.  I will shout your name until the Earth stands still and justice is done.  Rot in that Hell when you arrive there, and don't forget who it was that finally managed to put you there.

Before you...or Linda get froggy and decide to jump out to try and catch me before I leave, I have no discernible address that you'll be able to find me at, at this time.  There's an address on file, in both the DMV and my court papers...but I'm staying at neither one...so don't waste your time.  NO ONE knows where I'm staying...not even my wife; and I intend to keep it that way for 2 more days.

Call the Secret Service on me...I'm sure they'll remember the last time you cried "Wolf", and won't be so quick to hunt me down...and call the FBI offices (you've called how many now?  10?  12?)  Not a single agent has ever been to my door, nor do they appear to be going through my emails anymore, are not hooked up to my NEW computer, nor do they seem to be logging in behind me on Facebook.  Looks like the case is CLOSED.  Too bad...so sad...for YOU!

The Fed Funny Farm Part IV

Well folks, your good ol' American truth teller is well on the path to being seriously disillusioned with even our higher level of "justice."  'Twould seem that the Feds are even worse nitpickers than our state courts, and for a lot less cause, to boot.

Let's kick the game off with the case that occurred while I waited for my release - The Writ of Habeas Corpus.  A writ designates this legal action (whatever the action might be) as needing (and seeking) immediate attention; unlike a direct appeal, which could feasibly take a year or better to address (redress they call this.)

As such, the Writ of Habeas Corpus (which in the queen's English means "produce the body") is a demand from the seat of a higher court (on the state level, this would be the Supreme Court of the State, and on the higher level, would involve the Federal District Court.  Naturally, if you had a federal case, the appellate U.S. Court would be involved here) to look down upon the lower court, and would ask of them to show just cause as to why the person petitioning the court was being held.  If the lower court is unable to show that just cause, they must then release the wrongfully detained person, A.S.A.P.  Sounds great and just, does it not?  In theory, I suppose...in reality, you should know that certain "catches" abound.

You can petition the writ on both the state and the federal levels.  The problem with doing this on a state level (done if your case is a state-level case) is this:  If the State is the problem, what good is it to ask the state to look into what the state is doing wrong?  Sounds like the start of a conflict of interest case, doesn't it?

Petitioning the writ in Federal court is equally problematic; since the Feds want you to "exhaust" your state level remedies first.  Again, if the State presents the problem, then why bother?  If you've been sentenced to a year in jail, and it takes 2 years for you to exhaust your state level remedies, they why even offer the writ...at all?  This writ, then, really only works for those wrongfully sentenced for 2 or better years, since it takes about that long (or longer) to exhaust all the possible State remedies.  Silly me for even trying, right?  What was I thinking?

Another thing I note, is that, when asking someone higher up to check up on someone lower down in the judiciary - you're asked to ask the higher ups, then, at the same time, notify the lower downs of your intent to ask the higher ups to check up on them.  Just a minute here....does this make a lick of sense?  Think about this...if your sister Peggy burns your baseball card collection in the middle of her bedroom floor while your mom is at work, and you decide that you're going to tell on her, what if the house rule read that, in order for you to tell your mother about it, you had to tell your sister you were going to rat her out at the same time; and then, it takes a month for your mom to look into the matter?  What do you believe will happen now?  Well, what'll happen is, Peggy will have the mess all cleaned up, all the tile replaced, and will have her ass properly covered.  How convenient for those of our judiciary, eh?  This doesn't really hold any legal water in real time, now does it?  The wheels of Federal Justice turn even slower than those in our state courts, so by the time the higher ups look into what the lower downs are doing, the lower downs should have all the paperwork properly placed, and their asses properly covered.  Honestly, if this is the best I can expect for the remainder of my state cases, I may as well call it a day.

Some other fabualities (no, no, that's NOT a real word; just settle down, willya?) I note on both judiciary levels:

1.  Money is much more important than justice.  Filing civil suits in State court costs $185, and $380 on the federal level.  What's more, most of the things that need to be done won't be done for you until you pay them.  Nine times out of ten, because of this, most cases get dismissed, due to the filing fee not getting paid.  Oh sure, you can attempt to show that you're indigent in order to get the filing fee waived, but it could be months before they choose to address that (more time to get your butts covered)...and chances are, it won't get granted.  The state also tends to mention the possibility of ADDITIONAL costs, and choose NOT to list these for you beforehand.

2.  Everything they bring against you is usually a criminal matter, and costs them...NOTHING.  THEIR money is YOUR money, giving them unlimited resources to try you incessantly until they win out or until you give up or go broke paying costs (lawyer, court costs, postage, subpoena and serving costs, etc.)  Every action you bring against THEM, however, is almost always a CIVIL action (even if it involves actual crimes the State, County or Feds committed against YOU), and could, ultimately, cost you three times:  $185/$380 to file the case; court costs and fees if you lose (and, since attorney's fees are RARELY awarded, those too); plus that same amount of YOUR money (taxes, etc.) that pay them to defend themselves...indefinitely, for what could be YEARS!!!

3.  Selective hearing on their part.  If it helps them, they hear things perfectly.  If it helps you, on the other hand, it's as though it was never said.  Logic doesn't tend to lend credence in a court of law these days, only the "Law" applies; even if that law (or case law) is totally illogical.  In some cases I've been though, I've found law that actually makes sense, only to later get shot down from the other side with a passage of equal or greater nonsense law from the other side; which is generally why I try to present all of my motions verbally in court.  This manages to deprive the other side from hunting and finding some way to weasel out of it using some bullshit passage of case law somewhere.

Probably the biggest and most horrific thing the courts do to win cases against you is the one thing we expect them to do - Use the law against you.  "Of course," you say?  That's the whole point, isn't it?  Well....yes...except that codes and statutes are not real law, remember?

Here's a good example of good ol' legal brainwashing for you.  The prosecution, by the way, uses questions just like these to pick (and, of course, excuse) prospective jurors for your trials.  Let's see how you answer these (and remember, there aren't 20 other people, including a judge, in the court room that you're worried about knowing how you'd answer them...so be honest!):

1.  The "Law" says that the speed limit is 60 m.p.h., and Bill is nailed doing 65 m.p.h.  Bill takes the matter to court, and asks for a jury trial on the matter.  How do you find Bill, guilty, or not guilty?

You said guilty right?  Fair enough.  OK, how about THIS one?

2.  The "Law" says that the speed limit is 5 m.p.h., and Bill gets pulled over doing 6 m.p.h.  How do you find Bill now, guilty or not guilty?

For you stubborn and brainwashed folks, I'm sure you're still going with guilty.  A good amount of you, however, are probably sitting on the fence with your answer, and awaiting more possible details before you make up your minds.

Now, whaddya say we get REALLY stupid with this, and go with this one:

3.  The "Law" states that the speed limit is 5 m.p.h., and unless the current month starts with "D", it's the 2nd Sunday of the month, and it's after 3 p.m., if you're pulled over with your hand on your head going 5 m.p.h., you're guilty of speeding.  NOW how do you find Bill?

If you found Bill guilty of speeding all 3 times, we really gotta have a talk, you and I.  See, you said guilty, because you've been brainwashed to believe these three prominent facts of legal American life:

1.  The law is the law.  If you break the law, you're guilty.

2.  The law is the law because of the will of the "People".  The "People" includes you.

3.  If you're arrested, you were arrested because you broke the law, and you deserve what's coming to you.

What you'll come to discover as you get on in life (especially when YOU'RE the one getting arrested) are these ACTUAL facts, in opposition to those just mentioned:

1.  Just because it's a law, doesn't make it a GOOD, FAIR or JUST law (or an intelligently thought out or logical one.)

2.  Not every law (very few, I'll warrant) represents your personal stance, belief or opinion on the law in question.  Tops, perhaps, max, 500 people might have been involved in the authoring or the passing of the laws we encounter along the path.  Of those responsible for the championing of that law, I'm betting only half could even remember the law, let alone could they tell you a damn thing the law said.  Nine times out of ten - I'm sure they pass it, and forget it.

3.  You may go along with that whole "guilty as charged" thingy the first time you get arrested for something (if the offenses are minor ones), but spend a couple of years in jail for writing an angry letter (or text) to someone; or 50 years in jail for shooting someone who broke into your home to steal your things, and the tune you sing changes a lot.

Wow.  How easily we get off the subject, eh?  I suppose I could arrive at the point here, and polish this off:  The courts win out, and almost always these days, because they've been at this game for an awfully long time.  They have all of their strategies down pat, they know all of the tricks of their trade, they know all of the legal loopholes, and if they can't possibly win, and they know it?  Trust me, I know...they'll CHEAT to get the job done.  Who's gonna stop 'em?  You and your $20,000 in cash and equity?  Not likely...not against their UNLIMITED resources (your taxes, fines and fees), their "sovereign immunities," and their ever-slowly turning judicial wheels.

Then of course, there's those ever-prevalent brainwashing terms that have worked so well over the decades:  "You can't fight City Hall," "Shit Happens," "That's just the way it is!","It is what it is," "That's life!" and "The Law is the Law!"  Funny how none of these terms sound very intelligent or self-convincing when YOU'RE the one in jail, and no one will put up your bond.

Keep this in mind:  No matter how diligently you try to keep up with all of the "laws" that are passed these days, you'll never know them all.  Ignorance of these laws is most CERTAINLY an excuse.  Don't allow them to divert you from the path of logic, especially since the law is not only not YOUR law, by the majority, nor is the majority of the law - logical.  Most of all, try to keep in mind that it's likely that you didn't even have a clue, nor did you have a fingernail stuck into the pot when 99% of these laws were passed, discussed, debated, or even when they were twinkles in your legislator's eyes.

The way most of us find out what "laws" were passed, is when we're fined, ticketed or arrested for "breaking" them.  Law always appears as right and logical when sitting IN the jury box, but not nearly so much when you're in the defendant's chair outside of the jury box.

Unchecked (and unbalanced, as it very much is for the defendant these days), our judiciary and those who purport to uphold the law are all on a runaway train.  Put in on your bucket list to attend a "Public proceeding", on both a state and federal level.  Get involved, if you're looking to fill up some free time.  Be a court watcher (yes, this is a recognized thing now...generally you have to identify yourself as such somehow, either with ID or a name tag, but it can be done).  What you'll find might surprise you; like the fact that the court rooms where arraignments and the like (minor court hearings) are held are HUGE...and the ones that trials are held in have next to no seating, are hard to breath in, and are no bigger than most closets.  You'll also be asked what you're doing there (usually by the judge or the prosecution), or who you are.  Public proceedings, you'll find, are not so "Public" as they say they are, anymore.  Think there might be a reason for this?  Just because you've heard that "The System Works"...doesn't tell you who the system works...FOR  :D

Home Again, Home Again??

NOTE!!!  This article and the ones to follow were written during my last stint at the PCJ, and concern the time from August to the present date...so bear with me if the news seems a bit slow.

Hey America!  Here we are, back at my recent home away from home, yes, I'm talking about the Polk County "Polkie" again.

Now, you would think, that after the "Sheriff", Bill McCarthy read both of my jail articles 34 or better times, that things may have improved at the Polk County Jail, wouldn't you?  Well, for the most part, sadly...no.  One thing managed to improve, I'll just say it, so that some portion of this can be positive (granted, only for a moment or two)...hygiene lovers, rejoice!  Now, instead of the one-size-fits-all foam soap that used to be there for everything...body soap, shampoo, cleaning out your cups, etc. (I still have to wonder if this soap ever really got anything clean at all), now there's a new foam soap for hands, and a new wonderfully smelling soap gel for your shower needs.  Ummmm....thank you?  Of all of the things I talked about that were wrong in my recent "Polkie" articles, a couple of articles down from this one, you would probably imagine that 1000 or so better things could have improved.  Also, as they say, what good is it to go one step forward, if you're going to go two steps back, eh?

Step numero uno, Even though there's only one clock (that only around 1/5 of the whole jail pod can see from their cells), and no alarm clocks, the jail has ceased waking people up in the early morning to receive their medications, given out from 9-10 a.m.  Granted, most normal people in the world are up around this time...but this is a jail.  Worse yet, this is the Polk County Jail, where if you don't sleep half of your time away, you'll more than likely kill someone, due to lack of anything better to do with yourself while you wait to get your sub-standard and low-key kangaroo justice; which of course could be and usually is counter-expectant to YOUR version of justice, something I haven't noticed happens in Iowa much, unless you pay some rip-off attorney tens of thousands of dollars to do things for you that you could have probably done for yourself, had you read up on the circus they call "Law."  Like my buddy Theo Booker in L.A. always says, "I've seen Bigfoot more than I've seen justice in my state."  Anyway, should you not be able to rouse yourself in time, the med pass people will then consider your absence a refusal to take your meds;, then the next time you DO manage to get up, your meds may not be there for you to take.  Now, this would normally be no big deal for someone like me, who takes Prilosec for acid reflux once a day or something...but to those who sleep their day away because they take Seraquil, or take some kind of psychotropic drug, the results of even missing one med could be the difference between that guy getting into a simple argument, or him knocking out someone's teeth.  Worse yet, now, since they've stopped your meds because of your "refusal" to take them, you now have to spend more money off of your books to see the jail doctor AGAIN, and get your med script started AGAIN, etc.  Ces't la vie, s'pose, and such is life.  It more than likely won't be ME getting MY teeth kicked in anyway, since I'm more on the side of the inmates, and don't hassle people or talk to them like children.  No, the teeth kicking thing is more likely to happen to the more than abusive detention officers or the emergency response team.  Believe me, knowing a lot of these guys, I can't really say I'd be too upset about that anyway.

Speaking of Prilosec (step back numero dos), older male sufferers of acid reflux, a truly debilitating condition for some, like myself, are no longer offered a decent medicine for this as a once a day option.  When it was available, you only had to take it once, in the morning.  It was prescribed you when you told the nurse during your initial FREE visit, before you were assigned a permanent holding pod.  Now, it doesn't matter what you tell her to start off with, you have to now claim to be sick of this later, so that you have to see the nurse again, which, of course, incurs additional costs.  Not only that, but instead of a once a day med, you are now prescribed something different...TUMS.  6 of them, during the course of the day, and over a span of 3 med calls.  Let alone the fact that TUMS relieves your acid discomfort for what, like 5 whole minutes; and you now have to wait 3-4 hours for 2 more, or overnight.  Nice.  Reminds me of taking 1 generic aspirin to relieve a migraine, or 2 Advils to take care of broken back pain.

But I digress.  How did I end up back in jail you ask?  A funny story, that one (ha freekin' ha), one I'm just dyin' to tellya too.

Also let it be said that this most current arrest was most cruel, most foul, and most ridiculous, and only involved 3 little misdemeanors, all simple.  Rest assured that I did, for maximum spite, and since I had to sit out the rest of my sentence anyway...probation, of course, did not pan out, as I predicted...ask for a jury trial.  You'll see why soon enough, right after my story.

*Mr. Bruce gets a starry look in his eye, as he goes WAYYYY back for the story on this one...*

Once upon a time, right before I met my current wife of 7 or so years, I met a guy we'll call Gary...or as I affectionately call him now, Gary the Doctor.  I call him that, mainly because he is, of course, now a doctor.  Anyway, he and I were both living at the YMCA at the time, and he was studying to be a doctor, probably one of the hardest professions a next to homeless type guy could study and succeed at - and he did succeed, much to my surprise.  I was, of course, duly impressed, and attempted to keep up with him as much as I was able as the years rolled on.

Anyway, after getting all of his necessary degrees, Doctor Gary moved into a rather swanky downtown location, unbeknownst to me.

Later, the wife and I moved into our own little corner of downtown hell, the Elliot Apartments, still owned by and notoriously run by one of the more slummy landlords of fame here in Des Moines, a guy named Jim Nahaus Jr., a slimeball, and the son of the more famous and much more kindly Jim Nahaus Sr.  This rat bastahd conned my wife into signing us out of our apartment, then threw out all of our hard-attained belongings as well.  He has a team of lawyers (you'd need those, with the kind of stuff he pulled on his tenants), deserves a special apartment of his very own in Hell, and it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't sitting at the feet of his father on his deathbed at the time he died, wringing his hands while awaiting his fortune to pass onto him.  Again...I digress.

In this home, whole we still lived there, there resided a nosy little gossipy woman named Nancy Elscott.  This woman attempted to make our acquaintance a few times, chatting us up in the elevator, etc., but someone had warned us early on that this woman was notorious for ratting out residents for things that went against the building rules when she didn't like you (which was impossible to ascertain, whether she did or did not); and sometimes, even when she DID like you.  We then proceeded to avoid her like the plague.  We never did know until later just how smart that decision would prove to be.

Nancy Elscott

Several weeks into the lease, the elevator doors opened to me the sight of my old friend, none other than Gary the Doctor, after a significant time of his being absent in our lives.  After slapping each other on the back and catching up a bit, we exchanged cell numbers and Gary then chose to inform me that he was dating someone right in my building, and that it was likely that I would be seeing him more often.  I was, of course, quite OK with that.

Another day or so later, more towards thanksgiving, the elevator opened for me again to Gary the Doctor.  I was thrilled...until I noticed the cancer growth that was stitched to his arm.  It was none other than Nancy Elscott.  My mind raced to tell him to run far far away, but out of respect for his apparent happiness, I bit my tongue....HARD, and figured I'd catch him on his way up to see her someday, alone.

That never happened.  The leech Nancy was attached full-time to Gary's arm.  They were inseparable, which did absolutely nothing for my opinion of Gary...Could he be so blind??  It didn't take me more than 2.2 seconds to verify what I'd heard...but I chalked it up to a hard-working and very tired man who couldn't make things out so well - being an intern at 60 could do that to a guy, I reasoned.  So once again, I kept my impossibly open mouth zipped tightly shut, hoping he would finger things out on his own.

I saw Gary and Nancy together a few more times, on towards Christmas.  The biggest thing that I noticed was, that Gary was spending an awful lot of money on Nancy...and every time I saw this, it seemed that Nancy was less appreciative about it, was nastier to my friend on subsequent occasions, and acted a whole lot more every day like a spoiled rotten brat.

Finally, one day, Doctor Gary called me to inform me that he was breaking off the Elscott-induced engagement he'd been duped into (I hadn't been notified of this, as yet) for pretty much the exact same reasons I just put out there.  I was quite relieved that I hadn't had to be the one to open his eyes to what was going on, he pretty much figured it out all on his own...thank the Good Lord, and all the heavenly hosts.

Nancy, on the other hand, was very hurt over losing Doctor Gary, and, looking for anyone that she could blame for it that wasn't her, of course, landed the blame squarely on MY head.  This would begin a years long war between us that existed for no better reason that, because I was there...and Gary was disturbingly absent.

Fast forward to the present day, I got out of jail on July fourth, as you all know.  As you also all well know, I didn't care much for Iowa probation.  I had gone to sign up the following day (no one told me where to go, or who to see, by the way...I had to ask another inmate for the information to avoid an immediate violation), and spent around 5 minutes listening to the guy tell me what was required of me (besides the $300 start up costs they IMMEDIATELY hit me with the moment I hit the door...I believe the secretary's exact words were "Ah, Mr. Bruce, you're expected...would you happen to have that $300 with you to sign up for probation?  We're gonna need that pretty quickly, so if you could get that to us right away please...")  Aside from that, he informed me that they didn't have probation in Carroll, and wanted me to go 60 miles away...with no car...to the Ames probation office.  My response in kind went to the tune of "Are you nuts; sounds like a personnel problem; and I'm not doing this"...and my walking out of the office.

Oh, and, imperative to our story, as soon as I decided NOT to do probation, I immediately submitted a letter to the judge telling him that I was staying in Des Moines, and to revoke me and put me back in jail.  He then set a court date for August 18th for my revocation hearing.  Then, after we had left Carroll, IA, the Ames office sent a letter to my home where I no longer lived, saying I had a probation appointment in Ames, for probation I did not sign up for and asked to be revoked from.  When I didn't show for the appointment, the Ames probation office filed with the court requesting a warrant for me, for probation violation.  I noticed this, and wrote the judge AGAIN, reminding him that I was in Des Moines, and due to attend a hearing for revocation, and to NOT put out a warrant.  Then, without notification, the judge put out a warrant for me ANYWAY...wow.

The next step I took from there was to call my wife to tell her to get packed, because we were going to move back to Des Moines, since it was more convenient to come see me when I went back to jail for the remainder of my sentence.  I didn't want to participate in wearing an Iowa collar, just so that they could yank me back into jail anytime they damn well felt like it, or if they didn't like what I was doing at the time.  The judge had already informed me that my first violation would be a whopping 90 days (for normal people, that would have been 30 days), and would increase exponentially for each subsequent violation...yeah, no thank you.

After moving my wife to Des Moines, she would have to, unfortunately, until this feat was accomplished, be transferred and uprooted from her cushy job, and would have to take up residence at the local and ONLY homeless shelter - at least, the only one that doesn't force you to engage in a monkly religious program for months before you can even start working again.  I, on the other hand, had been banned from the same homeless shelter for life - they had lost $300 of my belongings, and beings that had been all I had at the time, and had just recently been caused to be homeless by DHS when they STOLE my wife's only daughter - I may have jumped off of my rocker just a wee.  Icing on the cake, they didn't find it...until AFTER the police trespassed me off of the property.

I, thank God, had an ace up my sleeve for the doggie and I...there was a good friend of mine that loved my little TT, and after ringing his bell, he opened his door wide to us.  You remember TT, don'tcha?  If not, take note...since he becomes a major star in our story, henceforth.

We had only one little problem.  Much to our dismay, Nancy Elscott also resided in this same complex, and, it would be discovered later, lived one floor up from my friend Richard's apartment.  True to her nature, and without my knowledge, she began calling the apartment manager's offices, which were located right next door, and ratted me and my doggy out, telling them we were staying with my friend.

Within a week, my friend received his first friendly letter from the management of NEWBERRY LIVING, telling him that he couldn't have anyone else staying with him; even though in his lease it stated that he could house someone for a 14 day limit, that wasn't on it; and I had not, by this time, even been there that long.  More than this, he was also accused of housing an unapproved dog without paying an excessive $600 pet deposit.

NEWBERRY LIVING's LOGO...make sure you look for this one BEFORE you rent!!

Being that I only required a short time to get housing before I was re-jailed, I decided on fight rather than flight.  I first went to the managers and nicely plead out my friend's case, informing them that we would only be there a little while, until I got an apartment.  In short, I attempted to appeal to their better natures.  Little did I know that they did not have better natures, and told me that I would have to vacate the premises without fail, in short order.  I then told my friend that I would be OK, and would be sneakier.  He acquiesced.  I took his keys, and took the doggy out the back where Nancy would not be watching; yet I suppose the managers were looking out, because when I passed their windows, they were wide open...unlike before, when they were always shut, to keep prying eyes out.  They also took to spying on poor Richard...good one eh?...and myself right at the apartment door, and drove around the block a lot when their hands got full of Nancy's irritating voice telling them my every move.

I had planned to leave that very week anyway, but before I could, another knock came at my friend's door.  We were pretty sure we knew who it was...and we were, of course, correct.  The managers had come to deliver yet another love letter.  God, I wish I had a copy of that letter, it was illegal as HELL.  Instead, we'll just show you the trespass order that was given to my wife....who wasn't living there:

Richard, the apartment resident, as well as myself, were both veterans of the armed forces.  To say the very least, this behavior by this complex was duly abhorrent.  I did absolutely nothing wrong, wasn't being noisy or unruly, and avoided the other tenants of the complex at all times.

My friend Richard was threatened with unlawful eviction...and they handed US (my wife wasn't even staying there, by the way) trespass papers, forbidding our return to the property, just 3 days shy of our getting a place.  So...Mr. Bruce (me) decided to vacate the premises, in order to save my friend from eviction...and got inventive for revenge.

I proceeded to toss a blanket out on the boardwalk wide sidewalk, next to the street out of the way of foot traffic, next to the bus bench and the parking meters.  I laid out my doggy's bowls, and filled them with food and water...and made sure I was staring directly into Nancy Elscott's Apartment; and could, for effect, once the office opened, be able to turn my head sideways to stare down the managers of the apartments, when they arrived as well.  The plan was to stay put until the upcoming paycheck, and of course, torture the management for putting me and my cute doggy out.

So, the next morning, I am sitting on my little protest blanky, and I wake to see the police.  They're there to investigate a robbery...and don't say a word to me.

Two hours later, a K-9 unit pulls up on me, and asks if I'm OK, because someone called in, worried about li'l ol' me.  Nice.  I prove that I'm just fine, and ask if I'm breaking any laws.  He says "nope", and moves on.

In the next hour, I notice that there's a lot of movement going on with the apartment building and the management office.  The maintenance guy is outside, then someone pulls up to the offices, then the management comes over, then the manager and Nancy go to the management office and back....and I know that my time is about done.  They're trying to get me pissed off so I'll act out, so I'll get arrested...but of course, since I've figured it out, I just sit there, and smile...

Then a snotty little bike cop...Kyle Thies, of the Des Moines Police Department, pulls up on his bicycle, and says to me "What are you doing here?"  I say..."Uhhhh,,,,pettin' my dog, minding my own business?"  Then I give him the rundown on the situation honestly, and was completely amiable about it.  He says I can't be there, cause I'm trespassing.  I say I'm not trespassing, I'm on the public sidewalk, and not obstructing traffic in any fashion.  He then changes the story, and says I'm loitering.  I ask him to show me the no loitering signs, and he says there doesn't have to be any for me to be loitering...and this, of course, is new to me. Then he makes his mistake.  He gets on the horn, and calls in to have the ARL get my cute little harmless dog.  Keep in mind, no arrests have been made, nor have any legitimate crimes been mentioned.

I then called 911 and let them know that I was being harassed.  In the middle of my complaint, they hang up.  It's not an emergency, because it involves an officer, evidently.

I then gathered up my stuff, and went on down the road.  I turned, and went about another half a block...and I saw the entire management team of Newberry Living, and Nancy Elscott, following along...I turned and flipped them off.

4 seconds later, bike boy comes streaking around the corner and says I'm under arrest for disorderly conduct.  I tell him he's nuts, and called 911 again.  Again, they hung up on me.  He enlists the help of the police officer guarding the construction zone next door, Cole Johnson, and puts me under arrest, pushes me on the ground, then ties my dog up to the fence, to await the ARL.

Meanwhile, the wife is coming down the hill.  I tell her to grab our dog before the ARL comes to get him.  Officer Thies then threatens her with arrest if she even reaches for our dog.  She's there to take him, and they won't give him up.

By the way, the dog was taken by the ARL.  They gave him shots that he didn't need, and registered him to be in Des Moines.  He was already registered in Carroll.  They charged us $100, and, after only 2 days, had him ready to go into foster care.  What is it about the people I love (my dog and my daughter) that everyone wants to take them and put them in foster care???  Here's the ARL paper for that:

My wife then asks if its OK to gather up my things, and he gives her permission to do so.  Then, he asks me for my name...I tell him to get bent.  He's taking me dog, arresting me on bull spit, and threatening my wife.  FUCK HIM!!  KNOW WHAT HAPPENS?  He rips my computer bag out of my wife's hands and starts going through it to find papers that have my name on them.  He finds one...and calls it in.  Naturally, THIS is when I find out there's a warrant for my arrest for probation violation.  'Magine that.

The charges on this one?  Disorderly Conduct...making a loud or raucous noise (I swore at someone, in the vicinity of a residence).  Calling 911 with no emergency.  And Harassment of a public official.  Let's have some fun with these, OK?

First of all, disorderly conduct, making a loud and raucous noise.  Now, Webster's Collegiate defines raucous as loud and hoarse, or boisterous.  Are you forreal?  This is a crime now???    If that's the case friends, we can be arrested just about anywhere.  At the bar, at concerts...as the Band at the concerts, at the state fair...just about anywhere we might get loud or raucous.  How about construction areas, don't they tend to make loud raucous noises, as they put things up and tear them down again?  Basketball and baseball games.  Let's not even go to driving trucks and semis, or car racing, or demolition derbies, lots of raucousness going on there...Airplanes...police and ambulance sirens, anyone there get arrested?  Comedians...now THERE's a loud and raucous bunch.  Gimme a break.

 As for swearing at someone in the vicinity of a residence...where exactly is there NOT a residence (the only possible exception being a business or an office park); and for that matter, he had best get busy, because there are approximately 322,000,000 other Americans he had best arrest as well.  Why bother with speeding tickets, arresting people for swearing at others has got to be a whole lot easier, and more lucrative, doesn't it?

Let's move on to calling 911 without an emergency.  Now first off, I called 911 twice, more than likely because I didn't have to have the non-emergency number emblazoned on my palm, or handy in my wallet.  Everyone knows that the number for the police is 911.  But, I'm guessing, it's not an emergency if a police officer is the one committing the crimes, right?  If anyone else were stalking and harassing me, stealing my dog (when another owner was there to take him home), and threatening my wife, they'd be arrested on the spot.  Oh, and after the first call, did either the operator or the officer straighten me out on what number to call?  Nope.  And how about the management office people, did they get arrested for calling 911 on ME, for the crime of laying on a blanket in front of their building, for not having an emergency?  Hell no.

Last but certainly not least, there's my favorite, harassment of a public official, a crime I would have normally been really proud of, mostly because cops who bully lower classed citizens deserve harassment; but this bike king was nothing better than a piece of smelly doggy-doo that I wouldn't ask my puppy to poop out, nor would I consider this moron cop worthy of of hanging off of my summer foot thong, should'st I be fortunate enough to step in him.  Let alone, I got charged with this for not giving him my name, because he knew...that I KNEW that I had a warrant for my arrest....whatever dood.  So this cop is a mind-reader then...Robocop.

Folks, there will be payback for this...no, no, I don't wish to spoil it.  Let's just say, before I move far far away from Des Moines (IN 10 Days), I will have that revenge...and it will be served COLD...well, mostly because it IS cold..will it be against the law?  Hardly.  Will it be a happy time for all involved?  Of Course Not.  :D