Our courts should not be used to cover bad parenting...

I saw this news article and really just want to scream.

Last year, a "misunderstood soul" (who just happened to be a wanted felon) decided to end his run from the law in spectacular fashion.  He did so, eventually on live TV, in the process carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint and shooting at officers during the chase.  In a minor timing error, Fox New did not properly use the 5 second delay and the end of the chase was broadcast, wherein the suspect decided to end it on his terms by shooting himself in the head.  Now, I have no love for the modern journalist, since mostly they have reduced the profession to sensationalized stories designed to sell, not necessarily tell the truth.  Nor am I fan of the live helicopter feed to the news room.  But still, as it sits, I don't blame them for anything more than any other station has shown.

I saw another article looking in depth at the events leading up to that car chase.  What I saw was a petty criminal building up to bigger crimes.  While tragic events did happen in his life, nobody forced him to buy drugs.  Nobody forced him to acquire a gun with a felony record.  Nobody forced him to get drunk and fight with his girlfriend.  He made those choices.  He chose to end it like that.  People lose family members to violence and illness every day and don't follow his path.

The ball of suck and fail comes in afterwards.  The children of the suspect heard at school that a televised car chase ended in an on air suicide.  So after school they rushed home to see the even on YouTube.  Only after they watched it did they realize that it was their father and suddenly they were traumatized.  Now the mother of said children has filed suit against Fox News because they broadcast the end of the chase.  Apparently the children are too traumatized after seeing the event to go to school.

Here's the problem with that.  First, your children were searching this out on their own after hearing about it. If it wasn't their father, this would have just been a guy they saw on the internet that they would have bragged about watching the next day at school.  We already know that their father was not a shining example of good behavior by his criminal record and his actions in his last weeks of life.  All I see on the mother's side now is a opportunistic woman looking to cash in on the lottery, using the failure of her and their now deceased father to properly parent as an excuse to sue for millions.  I want this to get thrown out of court.  Unfortunately, Fox will likely settle and get on with business and this lady will blow all of that money in 2 years.

Speaking of wishing someone to DIAF...

So lets look at the count so far.  The "issues" during the Obama presidency that have shown why I did not vote for him:  Obamacare, Fast and Furious, Benghazi, IRS Scandal, DOJ over reach in investigations (reporters or otherwise), his opinion of the 2nd Amendment, his lack of respect for the 4th Amendment...  The list goes on.  I should be railing about this and more.  But you know what really cheesed me off today?

Reading about this asshole.  He decides that a dog would provide great entertainment as a target for him and his pellet gun.  The x-rays showed over 100 in the dog's body.  And they were not fresh, as the wounds were healed.  The vet noticed the lumps and had to do the x-ray to determined if they were growths or something else.  It was the latter.  The dog is now happily living with an adoptive family, and hopefully this schmuck is in a cell with a 250 pound body builder who loves animals and has a mean streak.

So today, Mr President, I have no vitriol for you, despite your continued list of disappointing behavior surrounding your administration.  Besides, I'm sure some other fiasco will come up on Monday that will add fuel to the flames.  Why, Holder hasn't stepped in it in days, I'm sure he's due...

If this doesn't bring a tear to your eye...

I missed this tragic event and only saw it today.  I read this article and had to stop twice.  The dedication shown by dogs is amazing.  If you don't get choked up, I doubt you have anything resembling a heart.  Also, to the people who caused this tragedy, please feel free to write a confession and then die in a fire.

When minutes count... again...

Once again, we see the the false hope of "Call 911".  After agreeing to house sit, a woman was confronted with an intruder.  The intruder was a former tenant of the homeowner, but was no longer allowed to be on the premises.  When threatened by the intruder, the woman calls 911 for assistance.  The police do not show up.  After it becomes evident that the police will not be arriving anytime soon, the woman calls her husband, 20 minutes away.  He drives the 20 minutes armed with what Senator Feinstein thinks is perfectly acceptable for the masses, a baseball bat, to protect his wife.  Unfortunately, this is not ideal, since it is actually an awkward weapon weighted unevenly, would require much practice/training to be used effectively and is not a good choice for indoors/close quarters use.  As such, the much younger intruder ended up taking the bat away from the woman's husband and beating him with it.  Now that an assault has happened, the police arrive in minutes.  Unfortunately, the husband dies hours later from his injuries.  According to the police, the 40 minute delay in response was due to the fact that "they did not know what the intruder would do."

Well people, it would have been nice if you had shown up to find out.  Then we would have one idiot in jail for trespassing, one husband alive and well and a public comfortable in the fact that when called, local law enforcement will respond.  Instead we have a funeral being planned, a widow witnessing the violent death of her husband and a law enforcement organization that looks like they can't be bothered to respond unless someone dies.

I also note that the crack investigative journalism teams failed to find that law enforcement took 40 minutes to respond (according to the dapartment), and then it is only one article, linked above.  I have seen claims on the various comments section about an hour plus between the first call to 911 and the call to the husband, with a time lapse of 3 minutes between the second 911 call and the arrival of law enforcement.  That kind of coincidence smacks of "no response unless violence occurs."   I would wait for the official report on this disparity, but I doubt that will be coming through the Sacramento news organizations...

Over my dead body...

When I was a toddler, my older sister (age 5) wanted to get a dog.  She asked Mom, who said that it would have to be approved by Dad.    Excitedly, she hurried to get his approval.  His answer was "Over my dead body."  My sister, having the endless optimism that 5 year old's are filled with, was immediately filled with joy.  From then on, at all family gatherings, she happily told all of our relatives, "When Daddy dies, we're going to get a dog!"

So this weekend, the Humane Society is having a free adoption day.  Now, understand three things:
1. We now live in a 2 bedroom apartment.
2. My wife has a service dog.
3. I am allergic to animal fur, which means that the standard poodle that my wife has is the only option for us since they have hair and not fur.

That being said, we went into PetCo for something for the service dog.  I don't even recall what at this point. An hour later I am wheeling 2 (yes, two!) cats to the car.  In brand new pet carriers.  With additional pads in the bottom for comfort...

You see, I relented on the "Lets look at cats" thing.  Then I made the requirement that the cat would have to be tolerant of a dog, since the dog was raised around cats and has no problems with them.  Well, it seems that they had only two cats who were tolerant of dogs.  And it seems that they are a matched pair.  So, I end up with two free cats.  Which will cost $300 for the pet deposit at the apartment.  And the additional $400 of stuff (must have cat tree, food, toys, litterbox, litter for litterbox, aforementioned pet carriers...) means that so far, the free cats have cost me $700, and they both still need the usual medications and such.  Oh, yea, and lots of Claritin for me.  Free isn't what it used to be...

I'm surprised they didn't arrest him...

It appears that in the gun free zone that Hizzhoner Bloomberg is trying to create, not all people are prepared to be victims.  In this case, two armed men were stopped by a 10 year old with mighty brass ones.  After gaining entrance to the building under the guise of delivering a package, they set about their work, working to rob the 9 people downstairs.  When one went upstairs, he stuck his arm and gun (no word on if his grip was Teacup Hollywood Weaver or Gangsta)and the door was immediately slammed on said arm causing him to drop the weapon.  The alert 10 year old immediately retrieved the weapon and did what anyone in that situation should do, put steel on target.  Unfortunately, firing blindly through a door while dodging return fire, he missed the assailants.  This gave the criminals the opportunities to use their small brains for the first time that day and they fled the home.

So, this being NYC, we shall have to wait to see if they charge ten 10 year old for the list of felonies he committed in their fair city:  He stole a gun from the person who possessed it, he obviously does not have a permit or the ability to get a permit for the gun, and he discharged that gun within city limits.  However, what I want to know is what they tracking on the gun itself will show.  Will this lead us directly to the criminal, who I am sure properly purchased and registered the weapon?  Please, go check, I'll wait....