Designed Inefficiency

Our constitutional framers designed our American form of government to be inefficient.

Our experiment has outlasted countless governments that were much more streamlined and designed to be efficient, nimble, and quick to act. Autocratic, dictatorial, or fascist regimes are much more efficient (in the short term) than we are. And it’s that efficiency that kills them.

We need to remember the vision of our framers. Our decisions are slow. They are reviewed, challenged, and tested before they go into effect. We are inefficient by design, and for good reason. It’s the best system for long-term survival. Sometimes, no decision is the best decision.

So, those who want a much more streamlined, efficient, and nimble government run the real risk of destroying our democracy. Our survival depends on keeping our branches of government equal and ensuring our checks and balances filter out bad decisions. Let us survive another 248 years. Let’s stay painfully inefficient.

Always Know Your Exits and Security Tips

Safety and Security Tips

1. Always be aware of your exits. In panic situations, we do as we plan/train. Even when you’re outside, be aware of your exits so you can lead your family to safety. Remember, people usually exit the route they entered, especially when panicked. Plan for an alternative exit(s).
2. When driving, always stop far enough back so you can see the car's tires in front of you touching the road.
3. Park in spots that are under lighting in high-traffic areas.
4. Always leave yourself an out.
5. Accelerate out of trouble and into safety.
6. Get in the habit of locking your car as you enter.
7. Use non-washable ink Uniball 207 pens for all checks and legal documents.
8. In a parking lot, do not park next to a van.
9. Always look into your car’s back seat before getting in.
10. Car keys are a powerful weapon to use if accosted.
11. Always check your tires as you approach your car.
12. When driving, always position yourself so you can drive around the obstacle without using the reverse gear.
13. Always park so you can pull out without using the reverse gear.
14. Keep your windshield clean to reduce driver fatigue.

Understanding the Real Message

My lectures are often entitled, "Understanding the Real Message." 

Understanding the Real Message is a critical and needed outcome in the complex communication process. We learn at an early age to listen to what people say, not what they didn’t say or what they really mean. Using Forensic Linguistics, we will break down the communication process and help the attendee better understand what is being communicated, what isn’t, and why precise and accurate communication results in better, factual, and more ethical decision-making. The process includes asking the right question, the right way, at the right time. Equally important is the minimization of contamination. 

Contamination is anything that affects communication. Questions contaminate, the number of interviewers contaminates, interview locations contaminate, and even the absence of contamination contaminates. 

Through lecture and real-life examples, attendees will learn the skills necessary to understand the communication process, preparing them to become better communicators and ethical decision-makers.

Endorsements for Getting the Truth: I AM D.B. Cooper

From those who know ...

“Joe Koenig provides a compelling case that Walt Reca is D.B. Cooper. It’s as if the reader is sitting in a courtroom experiencing a prosecutor building a step by step case, presenting relevant facts.”

—David G. Bishop, Retired Chief of Police, Beaverton, Oregon

Joe Koenig once again demonstrates his passion for acquiring the truth. His diligent search for what’s true through thorough investigation has identified the infamous criminal legend D.B. Cooper to be the real life Walt Reca.”

—Jim C. Esposito, Retired, Special Agent in Charge, FBI.

“Unequivocally, Joe Koenig provides a powerful case that Walt Reca is D.B. Cooper. Koenig’s well-reasoned analysis makes a very strong case that any prosecutor would consider. Joe Koenig’s objective analysis leaves little doubt that Walt Reca is D.B. Cooper.”

—Michael D. Robinson, Director, Michigan State Police, retired and Past President, International Association of Chiefs of Police

“In meticulous detail Joe Koenig traces every step of Reca, a.k.a Cooper’s life and career, and pieces together a compelling case that Walt Reca is indeed the infamous hijacker D. B. Cooper. If I were still the Prosecuting Attorney in Oakland County and this hijacking occurred within my jurisdiction, based on the investigative work of Joe Koenig, l would charge Walt Reca with the hijacking of the Northwest Orient Flight 305 on November 24, 1971.”

—L. Brooks Patterson—Former Prosecuting Attorney for Oakland County and former Oakland County Executive

“Joe Koenig makes a convincing argument for identifying the late Walt Reca as the elusive hijacker of Northwest Orient Flight 305 in November 1971. Joe’s assiduous review of the available documentary evidence and the application of his well-established forensic linguistics skills to the interviews of living witnesses and associates undergirds his investigative findings about this famous cold case.”

—Hon. James G. Huse, Jr., Former Inspector General of Social Security and retired Assistant Director of the United States Secret Service

“Joe Koenig’s exceptional ability to gather and analyze information from key witnesses and documents has resulted in a truly compelling case that Walt Reca is the “real” D.B. Cooper.”

—Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D. Dr. Kathleen McChesney, former Special Agent in Charge and Executive Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Joe Koenig has done a masterful job in objectively marshaling the evidence and applying forensic language analysis to the recorded conversations of Walt Reca. I am left with the firm conviction that there is probable cause to believe that Walt Reca is D.B. Cooper. The FBI would be remiss if it did not re-open its case to apply Mr. Koenig’s findings to the evidence known to the Bureau.”

—Carl Marlinga, Former Macomb County (Michigan) Prosecuting Attorney

“Joe Koenig remains one of the most accomplished investigators the Michigan State Police has ever had in its ranks. This is a complicated news story dating back to November 24, 1971. Joe Koenig spent considerable time traveling throughout the country, interviewing those who knew Walt Reca. I believe that Joe, with extensive and meticulous work, has without question identified Walt Reca as D. B. Cooper.”

—Col. R. T. Davis, Retired Director, Michigan State Police

“Joe Koenig’s meticulous assessment of the case against or for Walt Reca as D.B. Cooper is objective, deep and highly persuasive. It should be a model for writers of critical analyses of other cases yet to be offered of other mysteries. Precious few of the tens of thousands of police reports I have reviewed as federal and state prosecutor match this work.”

—John Smietanka, Former US Attorney and Principal Associate Deputy US Attorney General