Rushing Home – Or You Would Have Done The Same

When it comes to the news there are several types of stories. There depressing stories, feature stories, uplifting stories, and every once in a while a generally funny story.

This is a rare funny story that sounds more important than it really is. We get a press release from the local Sheriff’s department about a “Vehicle and Traffic Arrest for Unauthorized Use of Emergency Equipment.” So we think someone stole a fire truck, or ambulance, or event better a cop car. Not the case. Here’s what happened. Sheriff Rob Outhouse reports that at 5:30 PM Wednesday one of his Detectives while en-route home from his daily shift observed an Ambulance with lights and sirens speeding down Route 31. The ambulance was passing vehicles appropriately yielding to the emergency lights and sirens. The Detective wasn’t aware of any Ambulance calls in that area and continued to pursue the Ambulance to help with the emergency situation. The Ambulance made it to a residence at 2719 Bell Street in the Village of Weedsport. There he talked to 20 year old driver. He found out there was no emergency the driver was just trying to get home quicker. He was arrested and charged for the following Vehicle and traffic infractions: Unauthorized Siren, Unauthorized Red Lights, Unsafe Passing, and Reckless Driving. The kid worked for the “TRAC team” which is a voulenteer ambulance service. The vehicle is normally used to transport persons in need and to pick up charitable donations. He was operating the vehicle with permission of his employer. Sheriff Outhouse says “Untrained persons operating emergency equipment in this manner is certainly a safety risk. We are requesting that anyone with similar sightings contact the Sheriff’s Office.”

But lets be honest after a long day when you really just want to get home, wouldn’t you use your sirens on your car to get home a little quicker? Let me know. I know I would.

Breakfast Philosophy or Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk

After two days of back to back 14 hour days - I start feeling a little metaphysical. So my brain while pawing through news of the day and the normal weekend drudgery came onto the question. What is worse: Pouring a bowl of cereal and opening the fridge to find there isn't any milk left, or pouring a bowl of cereal and then pouring a plop of chunky spoiled milk on top? I will entertain all interesting thoughts on the subject.
In both cases you have equal anticipation. Your hungry its early and a bowl full of sugared cereal would hit the spot. However the level of disappointment and blame is where the two scenarios differ.

In the first case of their being no milk, its immediate disappointment, since there is no milk your breakfast plans are ruined and you will most likely have to go to work or class hungry. However you have no one to blame but yourself, since you probably finished the milk and knew to buy more but just forgot, or didn't feel like running to the store, so you have no one to blame but yourself. However on the plus side you still have dry cereal you can eat, your meal isn't ruined, its just half assed.

In the second case the disappointment is greater because it is delayed. You have all the tools to create the meal, but one of them is tainted. The shock and dismay when that first clump of milk comes falling out is far greater then finding no milk at all. Also add in the stink of spoiled milk, and the situation is far worse. However you can place blame on others. You can blame yourself for letting the milk go bad, but you can also just as easily blame the cow, blame the dairy, and blame the supermarket that sold you the milk. If is not past its expiration date you may even be able to get a refund from the store. It's not your fault the milk is bad - so you can toss the meal knowing your free from any part of its failure.

So what is worse? Less disappointment and discomfort but all of the blame, or more disappointment and discomfort and none or some of the blame?

Happy Anniversary and Many More or Stupid War

So it has been three years since American troop returned to Iraq. Much has changed, Saddam is on trial, there were two sets of votes, and a new inclusive government is getting ready to select leaders of the country. Yet American troops continue to return in flag draped coffins, car bombs and motor attacks still rip through Iraqi communities, and peace still seems almost impossible. On Saturday the President said there would be more bloodshed before the war in Iraq comes to an end. In his weekly radio address, President Bush defended the administration's record in Iraq, saying that the country's decision to depose the regime of Saddam Hussein was "a difficult decision—and it was the right decision." He pledged to "finish the mission" despite calls for withdrawal. Is life better for the Iraqi people? They no longer have a corrupt leader who would kill the people who oppose him. Yet they live in fear – a world where the simplest daily activities have become a life or death situation. A car idling in a market is it packed with explosives or deliveries to be made through the market? The President cites high voter turnouts, as proof democracy is something people want. However to look at the new Hamas controlled Palestinian legislature Democracy doesn’t always mean freedom. But despite being full of Israel hating terrorists the Hamas government is taking shape rather quickly. Democracy on the march, like it or not.

Meanwhile across the globe people of all races and creeds rallied against the United States. Protesters in London chanted, “U.S. go home,” as they marched. Yet only a thousand people showed up in New York’s Times Square to protest. It was a much smaller protest than the large-scale marches that preceded the war three years ago. So smaller protests despite lower public support for the war and way lower approval ratings for the President. The marches today were also not dominated by the war. Most protesters targeted Mr. Bush, his response to Katrina, jobs, welfare and big business. The protest wasn’t even the central message though it was the inspiration. A thousand voices each with a different message - and yet nothing is getting done. The protests haven’t brought home a single troop, or changed a public policy, or even stopped the possibility that America will invade Iran to stop them from gaining nuclear weapons. Here is what I know – a generation is growing up with war in front of them again. I have friends who graduated High School and went overseas to serve. We talk to the families and friends about 20 year olds who will never get to drink a beer legally in America. After Afghanistan, Iraq and eventually Iran there will be few countries in the Middle East we haven’t invaded in the last decade. Almost all of the countries that we haven’t invaded are considered allies and still have some level of American Troops. Three Years of war costing us thousands of American lives, billions of American dollars, and split this country. Despite his leadership role during 9-11 Bush will be remembered as a war time president, one who put this country hundreds of billions in the red, and left citizens to after Katrina. No matter what happens the situation in Iraq won’t be solved before he leaves office. There will still be violence, still be bloodshed. Even if American troops leave the country – streets will still be stained by blood of citizens. There should be no ‘cut and run’ but there should be a solution. Something I don’t see coming anytime soon and something I don’t think either political party has. Just like a birthday this anniversary seems to have the under lying message – one more year.

Sky Sharks - 0r – Follow Me Down the Food Chain

So life sucks. Work sucks, stress sucks, love sucks, or your lover doesn’t suck enough, but you know how it is. Everyday it’s the same thing, get up shower go to work go home, sleep, get up repeat. Now imagine if there was another animal up the food chain. A Sky Shark five thousand pounds 12 feet long and three thousand razor sharp teeth, and wings. They move gracefully through the skies and swoop down snatching unsuspecting people off the street like a fat man going down on a buffet. It turns a boring commute into a daily dose of cheating death.
You would come running into work sweat running down your face panting and your boss would say: “Well Bob I see you made it to work today – guess there is a hungry sky shark out there this morning. Hope he didn’t get his teeth on those TPS reports! Ha!” Then he’d eaten by a flying crocodile, because that’s the way my world would work.
Just imagine if there were giant squid in the sewers. Your just walking down the street thinking about how much your home life sucks and a huge tentacle come out a storm drain and drags you to your death. It would sure as hell make you appreciate making it home – who cares if your dinner’s as cold as your wife, or the house is a mess or there’s a sink full of dirty dishes you made it home safely without getting attacked by a giant squid.

Get fired? – Still not lunchmeat for a pack of wild baboons.

Got Dumped? – Good chance your significant other could become an appetizer for a grizzly while trying to drag all of their stuff out of your apartment.

Gas Three dollars a gallon? – well it beats walking where you could be a target for blood thirsty street eels.

Life would be sweet if every day you really put things in perspective. Even though there isn’t a blood thirsty Sky Shark looking to snack on you doesn’t mean you can’t live that way.

MySpace is the Devil or It’s Full of Sexual Pray Too

So by the time you read this half of the country will be on MySpace. MySpace, a division of NewsCorp., offers a free way for users to meet any of more than 60 million members. Searching by hometown, alma mater or interest, old friends can reconnect, musicians and filmmakers can find audiences and donors can find causes. Its also giving the perverts of the world a place to hunt down innocent girls, and bullies of the School yard a new place to terrorize people. There have been (to date) three major MySpace crimes (that we know of).

Most recently March 12^th Police in East Hampton Connecticut arrested a teen for threatening fellow classmates on the website. The 18 year old is charged with second-degree harassment and second-degree breach of peace.

While not releasing the full content of the threat – Authorities did say the threat included the phrase "Start saying goodbye to family and friends".

The student has no history of violence or behavioral problems. His father tried to defend him saying "It was a dumb, stupid move on his son's part and maybe a cry for attention" WTNH.com. Police didn’t find any weapons either but this isn’t the first time Connecticut and MySpace made headlines, the Middletown police – that’s one town with a population of only 43,000 is already investigating seven cases of underage girls assaulted by someone they met on MySpace.

This threat was the most recent and probably the tamest of the major incidents.

A week earlier in the same state a 21-year-old man was arrested after trying to rob a 19 year old he set up a date with over MySpace. The two met on a Friday night set up plans to meet the next day and when the woman picked him up – he became enraged when she took a call from another man. He then threatened her stole her cell phone and trashed her car.

At least both people were of age- but it’s not always the case. Lets move out west were earlier this month a 26 year old man was charged with allegedly making a date with a 12 year old he met over MySpace. Detectives say he carried on a sexually explicit cyber conversation with a 12-year-old on the popular Web site MySpace and tried to meet with her. He faces charges of attempted kidnapping and attempted rape of a minor. The 12 year old was smart – as soon as the situation escalated she told her parents and when the suspect arrived for the meeting police were waiting. That’s one smart 12 year old. But she’s lucky. There are two little girls who weren’t.

In the most high profile assault cases two men set up sexual encounters with underage Connecticut girls over MySpace. I have the details but ill keep them brief. In one case a 39-year-old man, molested a 14-year-old girl in his car while visiting from Elrama, Pa., in October, according to a FBI report. The report also says the man made several visits to see the girl between the summer months and January when he was caught.

In what is to me the most disturbing case a 22 year old traveled from Jersey City N.J. to Connecticut and molested an 11 year old girl in her playroom while her parents slept upstairs according to an FBI affidavit.

What would we do without technology? How would our sexual predators get access to our sons and daughters? No more driving around school yards around recess. The internet and MySpace has single handedly delivered our children into the hands of pedophiles and rapists. Many point fingers at the website – which holds its defense that it doesn’t allow children to register. But Kids lie, they lie pretend to be older same as these monsters lie to pretend to be older.

In a recent interview, MySpace Chief Executive Officer Chris DeWolfe said the Web site remains safe and encouraged parents to teach children the same commonsense rules on the Internet that they follow in the real world.

So it goes back to something I learned from a Bearenstien Bears book when I was a kid: never talk to strangers. It was something my parents taught me – and I managed to make it through puberty without being kidnapped. But all strangers could offer me was candy to try to get me into their car. Now kids have to deal with people pretending to be something their not. How paranoid do we make our kids? When your online in a seemingly safe environment talking to your friends how are you supposed to know who’s good and who’s bad? Is your new top ten friend really a criminal or just a friend you haven’t met?