I get it now!!!!

This is my final post to this site.

Stubborn me has finally accepted that most "normal" people don't give a rat's a** about what a cop does or says. I thought people would visit but I have been a bad blogger and a selfish one.

My attempt to reinvent this site well, sucked! So I have decided to try something new. Although I will no longer use this site and will eventually remove it from the web, I have started a new and this time A LOT LESS POMPOUS & SELFISH site that will deal more with broader issues and events.

I am no speed-reading, political maven like "E" over @ the HAGGIS, but in her tradition of being true to yourself I have a new site I hope BOTH of my readers will visit.

So, as 1 blog ends, another begins. PLEASE visit me @ http://haggisandgrits.blogspot.com

That's Right! "Haggis and Grits" I am embracing not just my career but my heritage, my family and my state. Bless y'all and come on by for some HAGGIS AND GRITS with all the fixin's.

America's Myopic News Services

As an American I fully understand the desire to see all things American. However, in this age of Internet, Global Economy, International Terrorism, and World Travel why do American NEWS outlets rarely, if ever, show us what is going on outside the borders of the United States?

Are we that afraid of what's out there? Did someone decide that looking beyond our borders is just too un-American for words? Or is it something else?

Is it the fear of knowledge? Is it the institutional mindset of news agencies, regardless of individual slant left or right, that if American citizens begin to see, learn and understand that there is a huge world of good, bad and ugly out there we will stop watching the slorpping buckets of poo they are force feeding us 24/7/365?

With events of significance happening worldwide why do I have to fight through the Anna Nichol Smith story on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, MSNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, CNBC, as well as every other local affiliate of those channels to find even a tiny morsel of information about Iranian nuclear plans or the status of Israeli talks with the Palestinians?

For example, CNN's "Reliable Sources", bills itself as, "one of television's only regular programs to examine how journalists do their jobs and how the media affect the stories they cover"(as per CNN.com). Well, today "Reliable Sources" host Howard Kurtz wasn't concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin crushing the Russian free press and individual free expression. Nor was he upset at the limited coverage of continued rioting in Denmark.

No, Mr. Kurtz (and CNN) wasn't even moved to discuss how, with all the major news outlets available to cover stories of importance, there remained a complete absence of coverage of Hugo Chavez' on going plans to turn all of South America against the U.S. and toward his totalitarian way of thinking one nation at a time, bribe by bribe.

Instead Mr. Kurtz and his fellow journalists were yapping like teenagers with the latest hot gossip about CBS news. Not about the accuracy, honesty or professionalism of the CBS Evening News, but rather about whether Americans want to get there news from a reporter like Katie Couric who has no "real" experience as a big time news anchor. WHAT???

No wonder I log onto as many foreign sites as I can. Sure they too have their slants, but at least they are telling news, not gossip or punditry disguised as news. Did you know that a California Highway Patrol Sergeant checked on an apparently disabled vehicle and found a rental truck containing about three tons of marijuana? That's about $20 million in weed this one cop got off the streets by simply doing his job. So who covered this huge seizure, ABC - nope, CBS -nope, CNN - nope again. It was reported to the world by BBC News. A huge seizure of drugs in one of our largest states and the ONLY place I found a report beyond the local area was on the BBC.

THAT'S JUST SAD!

17 years and still chuggin' along

Yep, 17 years ago today yours truly tied the forever knot with The Wife. She remains the most beautiful woman I have ever known and I love her even more today than that cold day we married.

The Wife is, and always has been, my foundation. When people ask me what it takes to be a good cop I tell them, "A Strong Foundation". Not just in law, sociology, and physical fitness, but in life. I can only be as good a cop as I am a person. The Wife has been the bedrock of our relationship from day one. I will do anything for her, including quitting the job I love, though she would never ask it.

Everything I am I trace to 3 women and 1 man, My mom, My child( The Bairn), My Dad, and "The Wife". At my core I am who I am thanks to the love and teachings of Mom and Dad. The visible me, the daily me, the everything I have become since childhood, I am because I have a wife who loves me and a child who needs me to be the best daddy ever. They need me to be my best possible self AND they give me the strength and courage that I need to do so.

I have very big plans for the future. HUGE! But none of what I have become and none of what I can be is possible without my family. More specifically, MY love, MY heart, MY soul mate, MY foundation, MY wife.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWEETHEART!

Okay, So I'm A Monthly Writer!

Oh well, So much for being better at this BLOG thing! I can't justify blogging from work - unethical, unprofessional, & way too busy. I therefore must blog from home but then I find myself getting lost in my family. The Bairn just wants to spend every minute she can with me and The Wife deserves my attention too. Next thing you know I haven't touch this site for a month!

SO BE IT!

I have found I enjoy writing these posts, but I enjoy living my life more. I want to share my experiences with you, but I want to experience my family first. I will be here, I will write, but I will not write just to write. So please, check back and I WILL have something to say, Really!

The Man of Steel Made me Cry

I'm workng late shifts this week so I tempted the anger of the Netflix gods and rented a PPV (Pay Per View) movie. Superman Returns to be precise. Well, it was very formulaic and just as I had hoped, great special FX, no really deep plot lines, and a villian you love to hate.

But that is not why it got me writing. I'm telling you this because one man of steel made another one cry. I'm not talking a sob or a weep, I mean a fullout box of hankies howl followed by the big nose blowfest. If you haven't seen the movie, too bad, 'cause 2 parts of the story came together in a way I was absolutely NOT expecting.

The first is what really hurt me and made me cry like a little kid for the first time in almost a year. Superman was badly injured by Kryptonite while saving the world (no surprise there) and wound up unconscious in the hospital (stick with me on this) with the obligatory heart/pulse O2/Respiration monitor beating in the background. Then while he is laid up Lois Lane visits him and tells the comatose SM that he's a daddy! Yep! SUPERBOY (5yrs old in movie time). BUT, before she tells him this little nugget she leans in close, wipes away tears and starts to monologue, "I don't know if you can hear me, they say people can still here when they are like this...." and the heart monitor flutters and skips a beat.

I just lost it!

Last February 21st my Dad died from complications related to a genetic disorder we are blessed with. Before he died Dad was unconscious for a time but my sisters, my mom and I spoke to him often and he'd respond to our voices and our touch. When the time came and his Rabbi told him, "John, it's time" my fathers heart rate climbed as if he was saying no, I'm not done yet. But we knew it WAS time so we each took his hand, thanked him for being the best Dad ever, and assured him we would be okay. The Rabbi told Dad, "You've done well, raised a good family, it's time for you to rest, John, it's okay, it's time". I leaned in close, kissed Dad goodbye and held his hand until he was finally at peace. It broke my heart like nothing before.

As I tried to pull myself together so did the now stronger SM. He leaves the hospital (flying, of course), slips into his new son's bedroom and watches his boy sleeping, just as I've done to the Bairn many times before and I know my Dad did with me. Then, as if Dad was talking to me through, of all things a DC Comic character, SM quietly told his sleeping son;
"you will never be alone,"
"you will make my strength your own,"
"you will see my life through your eyes,"
"your life, I will see through mine,"
"a son becomes a father, a father becomes a son"

I love my Dad and I miss him very much. I just wanted you to know.

Smiles From a 4 Year Old

Yep, I do enjoy them so. But first, I just got done telling you how I will be a better blogger and to post more regularly........then........LIFE hits me in the back of the head like I'm an NCIS probie. I guess I forgot that I have a full time job, a wonderful wife, a 3...scratch that... 4 year old daughter, and a house, and a, and a, and a, ad nauseam. So here I am, what, a month since my last post hoping you're still out there. Anyway, it's difficult to explain how my life can sometimes be such a display of contradictory paths between work and home. Yet my home life and work are inextricably intertwined. Read on if you dare......

I just spent the past two weeks on a case where some sick SOB attacked young boys with a chemical spray as they walked down the street. Fortunately, we quickly discovered the chemical was pepper spray mixed with Fabreeze so the effects were painful but not scarring to the victims. So I spent my days looking for some ba*#*rd that thought this was a cool and funny stunt then, I came home to my bairn (Scottish for "baby") who was eagerly anticipating her upcoming birthday. To visit a teenager with a chemical burn on his face and eye then go home to a perfect angel made me SO VERY grateful for the blessings in my life.

The Bairn knows daddy puts "Bad Guys" in jail but has no concept of just how bad those guys can be. Hopefully, it will be a long time before she has to know. Such as the disappearance of a 23 year old girl from her cruise ship vacation with friends. The girl was last seen with an unknown male at a bar in the Bahamas. As you know cases like this quickly take on a life of their own (think FBI, CNN, etc.). So, as I am trying to deal with this case I am looking at the photos on my desk of The Bairn's smiling face and pray I won't have to call someone else's daddy and crush his heart.

In my eleven years of service I have come to believe it is important to enjoy what you do, but more importantly you should do what you do with passion, devotion, and honesty. Passion for the job, the hunt, the belief that what you are doing is right and that you can make a difference. Devotion to the truth, to the facts, and to perform my duty with honor. Finally, to serve with honesty. Honesty in purpose, honesty in ability, and honesty in life. Above all, Honesty is the keystone. Without it the remaining traits are hollow and unavailing.

So, for me, I use the wonder and delight of coming home to the excited hug of a 4 year old girl that missed her daddy to give me the strength of character and strength of will to remain honest to myself, my wife, my family, and my job. I just thought you'd like to know that.

The Stench of the Union

Okay, I held off as long as I could, but no more. As a cop I have a great respect for the Office of President of the United States. But as a citizen I am left dumbstruck by the absolute arrogance of President Bush in particular, his administration in general, and the Republican party as a whole after the display of monumentally moronic proportions that the media laughingly named the State of the Union address.

Mr. President has had six years to prosecute first one war, then two wars under the auspices of the grandaddy of all "Gimmie's", his often touted "Global War on Terror". As much as I dislike TV Psycho-hacks I absolutely must pull a Dr. Dumdum, I mean Dr. Phil, and ask, "MR. PRESIDENT, HOW'S THAT WORKIN' FOR YA?"

September 11, 2001 changed this country in many ways, some subtle, some much more severe. But on September 12, 2001, EVERY American stood behind President Bush and said "Never Again". EVERY American, whether they admitted it or not wanted Osama Bin Laden and the Al 'Qiada network wiped from the face of the earth. EVERY free, democratic nation on the planet offered their support to President Bush.

What will history say of George Bush? I'm not sure! I, however, will say that in just five and a half years his arrogance of purpose, his arrogance of righteousness, his arrogance of privilege have forever tarnished the proud and unique history that is the ONLY successful free and democratic nation "of the people".

President Bush's myopic view of what a war on terror should be took the goodwill and support the citizens of the world offered to the United States and transformed this nation from a wounded but noble defender of global freedom striking out against terrorism in all its forms worldwide, and transformed this nation into the poster child for blood-thirsty imperialism bent on world domination to the drumbeat of slogans like, "Nation Building", "Stay the Course" and "Regime Change".

I lost count of how many speeches were given by all levels of the Republican party touting the threats posed by anyone who dared to question the actions and plans of the President. I am heartsick as the bodycount of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen steadily passes another thousand. I am exponentially outraged by the palpable contempt President Bush, Vice-President Cheney and others in the Republican party display for those good citizens who step forward to speak their minds and challenge the direction our President has chosen.

Justice Anthony Kennedy said, "The First Amendment is often inconvenient. But that is besides the point. Inconvenience does not absolve the government of its obligation to tolerate speech." We are a nation built on the principle that I as a citizen can argue my displeasure with the government to the highest levels of power. But since I do not fit into the President's view of America I cannot. I must be silenced, ignored, or more commonly, ridiculed as being un-American, Un-patriotic, even subversive and a friend to terrorists.

As we rev up for the 2008 Elections I try to rebound from the abomination that was the State of the Union address. Mr. President stood in front of the world and tried to pass off his arrogance as sincerity, cooperation, and perfectly appropriate behaviuor. I will try hard to forget the fawning Republican lemmings who clapped every time Mr. President stopped long enough to take a breath. I will also try hard to forgive the self-righteous Democrats who sat stonefaced and acted as if they had no part in the past five and a half years. I don't care what side of the aisle you are on, if nothing changes I will have to trust Aesop's fable about "The Frog and the Ox" and hope to heaven that their "Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction."

Bangor Leaders send Constitution up in smoke

Mayor Richard D. Greene of The City of Bangor, Maine is leading the vanguard thrust to protect children from second-hand smoke by shredding The Constitution and supporting a traffic law that has absolutely nothing to do with traffic or public safety.

The City of Bangor just passed and enacted a law which gives police the authority to stop any motorist who is: 1) smoking in their vehicle and 2) has a juvenile (child under 18) in that same vehicle. The result of such an infraction is a civil fine of $50.00.

Okay, lets review. Every court in the nation has held that, with only a few exceptions, a person has the same RIGHT to privacy in their vehicle as they have in their home. Next, a traffic safety law is supposed to be just that, a law that improves traffic safety. Finally, smoking IS a health hazard, but this law, while well intentioned, is subjugating each citizen's Fourth Amendment Right, "to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures" for the sake of an anti-smoking campaign.

Bangor and Mayor Greene have missed the proverbial broadside of the barn by taking such a narrow shot at dealing with the 1000 pound gorilla no-one REALLY wants to confront.

First lets deal with this law. It has been written as an ordinance that is a part of the city's traffic laws. What does this law do to improve public safety on the streets of Bangor - NOTHING. How does this law make it safer to drive on the streets of Bangor - IT DOESN'T.

Next, the City officials claim they are giving police officers this broad authority to stop you for this violation because second-hand smoke is such an immediate danger to the development of a child. In fact, Mayor Greene was quoted in the January 19, 2007 edition of The New York Times as saying, “I think it boils down to common sense: smoking is not good for you. Certainly if you have young children who are in the process of developing and growing, it’s even worse for them. You wouldn’t say, ‘Hey, here’s a bottle of mercury. Go bob it around.’ ” Okay, Mr. Mayor, if this is such a risk then why does this law rise ONLY to the level of a CIVIL INFRACTION. No Misdemeanor, No Felony, No Jail, No Prison, just a $50.00 fine?

I am appalled and ashamed that you and five other members of the Bangor city council went out of your way to give the Bangor Police the authority to make what every court in the nation calls a "detention" or "arrest" and a serious infringement on MY Constitutionally protected Fourth Amendment Rights against warrantless seizures so YOU can try to get me to quit smoking!!!

My response is simple. If second-hand smoke is such an immediate and serious danger to the health of our children then we must confront and kill the proverbial 1000 pound gorilla. We must fully and completely prohibit the possession, use, sale, delivery, and cultivation of this dangerous substance. Tell the tobacco lobby to go to hell, tell the tobacco farmer enough is enough, and tell the multi-billion dollar a year cigarette companies that the United States will no longer tolerate their abuse of our fellow citizens. Cigarettes ARE BAD FOR YOU, DUH!!!!!!!
Cancer and the other associated diseases attributed to cigarettes WILL KILL YOU!!!!!!

So, GET RID OF THE CIGARETTES and the rest takes care of itself. As for Bangor, I'm glad I live in Florida.

New Year, New Blog

The last three months of 2006 were just so busy I did absolutely nothing with this bolg. My bad! But with the new year I get a whole new chance to try again.

2007 is full of promise, full of opportunity, and full of stuff to blog about. As you can see I have slapped some paint on the ole digital walls and slung a few new doo-dads into the mix to try and win back my loyal readers (both of you) and, perhaps gain a few more.

I start this new year revival by realizing I was blogging but not connecting with you. I just threw my thoughts out there and left them to rot on the internet vine. NO MORE! I will be an active participant in this blog from now on and will try hard to speak to issues that not only affect me, but you too. I will speak from my heart, my head, and sometimes out of my a**, but I will do so with the intent to get us involved in our lives, our families, and our communities.

I will not always be right. Hell, I may never be right, but if I can talk about a subject and get you interested, mad, sad, or even just a little bit more inquisitive about it, that is the connection I want to make. I will try to be fair to all but I will express MY opinion and you can take it or leave it at your pleasure.

As always my views will, inextricably, be colored by the exercise of Law. After all, I am a Deputy Sheriff and my views will always be from that Pro-Law Enforcement viewpoint. However, I am not a lemming, I will not just drum out a Pro-cop chant all the time. I abhor anyone who uses their Authority to discriminate, abuse, control, or otherwise insult and injure those they have been sworn to protect. Such loathsome conduct not only can be perpetrated by police officers, but by politicians, teachers, business leaders, and even parents. As such, this year I will broaden my horizons and we'll just have to see where it may take us.

May you be blessed this new year with peace, love, faith, and good fortune.

Tis' Haggis Huntin' Season

Not much more I can add to one of my favorite Scottish pastimes that Scotsman.com hasn't covered in this updated version of the time honored tradition.

http://haggishunt.scotsman.com/

Enjoy.