Friday Follies...
Has this week been one helluva ride or what?
If it's not the President stopping by on Jay Leno's show (didn't watch - didn't care), it's the beginning of March Madness (took 'em better than HALF the frigging month to START it?) which to ME only means pre-empting shows I usually watch, and a ratings boost for the OTHER local news channel.
Now I could give a rat's ass as to WHICH COLLEGE has the best b-ball team. I've always felt that COLLEGE is for HIGHER EDUCATION, and I'm sorry if my Draconian views don't jive with today's entertainment-laden status quo.
So you have a good basketball team...how many PHYSICISTS or MATHEMATICIANS are you graduating this year, hmm?
How many of your students will be ABLE to find solutions to national or global problems that DON'T include spending our way into socialistic insolvency?
Yeah, it's dumb questions like THAT which give me pause to ponder our future... But the weekend is HERE...NOW.
--FWPD stop rolling meth lab...
This just goes to show that you NEVER know what's in that car that passed you along that city street, doesn't it?
I was following this on the police radio, and I couldn't help but cheer both the police AND fire departments (hazmat team) in the manner this was resolved.
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090320/LOCAL07/303209960/0/LOCAL11#
One of the more "interesting" uses of a Turquoise HONDA, don'cha think?
At least we know the police WILL pull you over if your rear window is broken (to vent the fumes?) out, right?
--The police will ALSO pull you over for speeding (just not on MY street), even if it means an unmarked squad car gets hit in the process.
Sgt. Mitch McKinney was knocked out and was pinned in the car fro a brief time. He was taken to hospital and was later released.
Here's the link to the story: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090320/LOCAL07/303209959/0/LOCAL11
I will say that a chase down ANY alley in MY part of town is something to be taken very seriously.
Many alleys are overgrown and strewn with trash (anything from common refuse to abandoned cars), have been that way for YEARS, and navigating them, when you're not USED to driving down them can be sobering experience. That's why the "locals" down here frequent the alleys as "auxiliary streets". THEY know them damn well, and use them with increasing regularity to conduct their "business".
With many houses vacant, the garages that face these alleys are boarded up or are broken into and utilized for whatever floats these peoples' boats. Most all of the activity is NOT legal, trust me
And I keep encouraging our quadrant captain to have officers patrol these alleys ALL the time. I've said that if a person wanted to "get lost", these alleys would be a damn good start...they're that accessible, and would make a good study in covert activity.
--FWPD Chief York is supposed to have a press conference today regarding a person the department recently arrested in connection with the spate of robberies of people coming home from grocery stores.
Here's the link to the story: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090320/LOCAL07/303209895/0/LOCAL11 Now I honestly hope that this IS the guy they're been looking for.
He is being held for outstanding warrants in DETROIT (big surprise there, huh?)
I would STILL caution citizens here to BE AWARE when you arrive to your house or garage, nonetheless. Just because ONE guy is in custody, does NOT mean that this IS, without a doubt THE person the FWPD has been looking for. And, he MIGHT have an accomplice, who fits the description.
In this day and age, with the intensity of violence and frequency of criminal activity perpetrated against the citizenry, it would be arrogant to believe that everyone is "out of the woods", and all nice and safe once again.
Other thugs might have taken a liking to this robber's M.O., and decided to copycat him, so again, BE AWARE.
Practice SITUATIONAL AWARENESS...know your surroundings, and never look like a victim. Practice confidence in the way you walk and conduct yourself. Thieves don't like "confident" people. They like cowering individuals that appear scared.
--Lastly, yesterday marked the SIXTH year anniversary of our war in Iraq, and although we've lost 4,250 warriors in that fight, with countless others injured, we should hold OUR collective heads high...
We have deposed a dictator, established a democratic government in Iraq, helped to rebuild the cities and towns, repaired their infrastructure to accommodate normal living, and have done a LOT more good than the MSM is willing to admit to.
There is still much there that needs to be done, and our having some troops there will insure that it GETS done.
Will we be redeploying to Afghanistan next? Perhaps, and we will again do all in our power to halt terrorism in that area.
Does that make us the world's policeman?
Well, it shouldn't.
Our military is there to PROMOTE freedom and liberty through strength and force of arms, because sometimes, you can't talk your way out of a fight.
It's not the best policy...just the ONLY one many times.
You mess with us, expect a bloody nose.
America has always been that way...never provoking, but always provoked.
And when this nation is called to action, we don't disappoint.
Doesn't matter what point in our history you pick...we were there and we were victorious.
We might have lost the political war, but militarily, we are unsurpassed, and I believe we always will be.
And somehow, that makes being able to get some sleep at night a lot easier, knowing that OUR armed services make that possible.
THEY are our watchmen. They CHOOSE to do this. They still believe this nation is great (as should we all).
Have yourselves a good weekend, and...
Stay safe out there, America.