New TSA training

The T.S.A. in their infinite wisdom, decided to go against the wishes of flight attendants and pilots, and allow passengers to again carry scissors and screwdrivers on their flights. I was getting used to taking off my shoes when I flew and now, I don't have to.
Now the agency is training a small handful of screeners to spot passengers who exhibit high levels of stress and anxiety during the holiday season. Behavior recognition helps the screeners identify suspicious passengers.

Let's say you are traveling with your four kids. You're hauling all their toys and things to keep them occupied on the flight to the aunties. You and your wife are getting stressed from running after the little kiddies. You both will be so pleased when you can strap the kids into their seats on the plane.
But wait, you need to relax. You had better not look too stressed. OH God, did you pack the smallest ones blankey? What if it's not in the suitcase? He will scream bloody murder. Did you put enough diapers in the small suitcase? What if the green suitcase does not make it on the plane? All the kids electronics are in it?
Was the newspaper cancelled? What if the mail piles up in the mailbox, will the next door neighbor who plays that god awful music, decide to ransack the house?

Now imagine the above situation happening to 10,000 people in the airport at a time?

Perhaps the TSA screeners should look for people acting normally.

There is an idiot in this house

As we were getting dressed this morning, my lovely wife asked if I was going to take my walk outside. Both of us had just heard the weather report and the outside temperature was a cool 25 degrees.
I told that I was going to take a walk. And she said there was an idiot in the house. I looked at her with the look that all husbands have, when their spouses have implied that there is an idiot in the house. Guys, we are the idiots. Wives are never the idiot. Some of us might think that wives do idiotic things but we do more idiotic things than they do idiotic. Perhaps, we were born idiotic. I wonder if scientists will ever find the idiot gene in men?

As I responded to her question, I reached for the thermal long sleeved shirt. I might be an idiot but 25 is 25. Twenty five is not 75 unless you are freezing to death. I would have put on my thermal bottoms but they are either lost in the maze of clothes in my drawers or I lost them somewhere else in the house. Next, I pulled on my long sleeved sweat shirt and sweat pants. Gym socks and tennis shoes were almost last.

Going downstairs, I put on a thin 70 degree something jacket. I slipped on the reflective tapes so the idiots on the road would see me before they hit me. Gloves and a black ski mask and I was ready to venture out into the 25 degree morning air for a brisk walk.

I told our two dogs to watch the house as I pulled the door closed.
Then I began my brisk walk.
Christ it was cold.
Who was the idiot who thought it would be warm?
I thought these gloves were supposed to keep my fingers, toasty warm?
I think my toes are frozen.
I thought about stomping my shoes on the pavement but I stopped short because the idiot I am, thought my toes would snap off.
The front of my ski mask was wet from my breath. The wet was no longer warm but cold. I had cold wetness clinging to my mouth.
I kept on walking and somehow I warmed up, a little. Very Little. Not enough to jump up and down about.
My forty five minute brisk walk seemed to take three hours.
As I opened the door to our house, I was greeted by my two dogs.
I think they were trying to tell me that only idiots take walks on freezing days.

A Tabletop Exercise

Recently, the Office of Homeland Security conducted a drill involving some military officers, Cabinet members and others. The purpose of the drill was to determine how well the response would be of the government to a Bird Flu pandemic. During the four hour drill, the participants were supposed to be pushed to the breaking point.

My questions to the Office of Homeland Security are:
Did you really learn anything from this drill?
Don't you think three days would accomplish more in the way of finding gaps in your response than four hours?
If you want to see how people work under pressure, let them drink all the coffee they want. Then lock the bathroom doors. You will get answers.
Who are the others?
Did the others have name badges? Was their name "Other?"
Why were the others invited?
Did the others bring the coffee and bagels?

All kidding aside, I hope these people and the others learned something from their short exercise. I hope these people will be better prepared, the next time something happens to the USA.
And above all, I hope these people will not point the finger at someone else and blame them for screwing up.
We look to the government for leadership. We don't need another excuse!

Wine, Beer, Screwdrivers or Scissors

Thank you T.S.A. No one would ever have thought to end a band on screwdrivers or scissors on airlines. All the flight attendants were quite happy with the band but no, you had to cave to the "Screw you Association of America" and the "Paper and scissor Federation of the lower east side." What were you thinking when you lifted the band?
No, don't tell us. We would never believe you.
I'm sure there is a perfectly good reason to allow passengers to carry screwdrivers on board. Perhaps you were thinking, passengers with screwdrivers could tighten screws on the doors or the seats. But would that not tick off the airline mechanics union? Wait till I tell the union, you are trying to take away their jobs. Boy will you ever be in deep dodo.

As for the scissors, there must be a handful of passengers who need to cut coupons out of local newspapers while they wait for their plane to take off.

Please TSA, show us a little common sense. It is not hard to do it. Set an example for the rest of the government. Just imagine, if you guys start using common sense, then perhaps other agencies might do the same. And in no time, we would have a government which uses common sense.

I hope the TSA does not decide remove toilet paper from the bathrooms. Someone might use it to start a fire to stay warm!

Quit your 9-5 job!

Are you tired of working for someone else?
Do you dream of quitting and becoming a zillonare?
Do you remember college when you needed money, you just picked up the phone and called dear old mommy or daddy. And the money arrived without a question.
And if the money did not come as quickly as you wanted, then you kept asking until they opened their wallets.

I want you all to reach into your pockets or purses and send me the first twenty dollar bill that your fingers touch. Yes, that's the one. Right there. And for that twenty dollars I will send you, 'The Guide for Making a Zillion Dollars.'

But for a limited time, if you send me a fifty dollar bill or two twenties and a ten, I will send you a personally signed copy of 'The Guide for Making a Zillion Dollars."
After you have read this simple guide to riches, you will of course want to have it framed. So as a special offer to all my friends. And you are indeed my friends, I am offering you a 12x16 inch gold-leaf frame for just $2000.00 And if money is a little tight, I can offer you financing which will make me more money than the frame is really worth. But that's okay because I have taken your money and you are quite happy.

So now that I have your attention, I want you to send me seventy five dollars in cash. Be sure to tell your friends about this limited time offer. When your friends order a copy of 'The Guide for Making a Zillion Dollars' for just a hundred dollars, you will get a ten dollar reward. Just think of all your friends sending me two hundred dollars and you getting ten dollars for each of their orders. In no time at all you will be able to take a trip of your dreams.

When I have taken as much money as I can possibly use, I will move on. Then I will travel to some beach and dream up another way to make a zillion dollars from suckers such as yourself.

Mice Infected With Bubonic Plague Missing

Recently three mice which happened to be infected with bubonic plague became missing in action. It was just one of those things which I'm sure happens all the time in research. The last researcher closes up at night and just forgets to close the cage. The government says the mice may never be accounted for.

The government says the mice may have been stolen, eaten by a hungry lab assistant or just misplaced. Misplaced?

In a local community near the lab a little boy asks his mother, "Can I have a pet?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"I found these cute little mice in the back yard," her son says.
"Okay, but you have to take care of them. I don't want them running all over the house.

Next time, Save the paint

As my wife and I walked North on Route 1 in College Park, this evening, I was the first to notice that the town of CP had painted white stripes alongside the cross walks. I said something like, its about time. My wife said, does it really matter? Are the stripes going to matter when someone mows us down?

After we finished our low Cal ice cream, I suggested we try out the newly painted crosswalk. Bravely I stepped off the curb onto the crosswalk with the white stripes on either side. Then we waited and waited for a car to make the decision to stop. Not one car stopped. In fact I got the feeling the cars were speeding up as they approached us.
We finally crossed when all the cars had passed us without even slowing down. Actually, I'm wrong. Three cars did slow down to make illegal U turns.

With my luck,the one time I do not use the white striped crosswalk,I will get a ticket for jay walking.
You could have saved your money College Park! Other than my wife, myself and a dozen or so other people, no one stops for persons in crosswalks anymore.
How quickly we forget how to drive!

Ten Days is Not enough

No doubt you have heard or read recently of the two baseball players who tested positive for steroids or was it stupidity? They claim it was an accident! How can it be an accident? Were they asleep when the swallowed the pills?
And they want to be role models for our kids. I think there is something wrong.
So I have a solution.
Being suspended for ten days is not enough. The punishment is like a slap on hand for stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
I purpose that if the players are tested positive for steroids or any other drug which might influence their performance, they are fined one third (1/3) of their total salary.
Do you think they would get the message?
And if the player does need steroids for a real medical problem, then have three doctors sign off on the prescription. And have one of the doctors actually give the medicine each and every time to the player.

Then the players could not say it was an accident.
But knowing them, they would have yet another excuse.
How about socking the coach with a similar fine?

Don't Eat So Much

The other day on my way to work, I stopped by my 7-11. Like most mornings, this store was packed with customers. As I fixed my hot cocoa and coffee jet fuel, I chatted with an 7-11 employee making sure the coffee pots were full. I commented that she looked like she had lost weight. She looked at me and said, "No, I just have a different haircut."
Again, I commented about her weight and asked what she had done?

"I eat less," she replied.

Eating less! My goodness, what a novel idea! Just don't eat so much! So simple.
But as my lovely wife pointed out, eating less is not so simple. Most people don't have the motivation to lose weight. Your loved ones can tell you that you look too big and you can say you are just very healthy. Your doctor can tell you, that you will be dead in a year unless you lose weight, and you might just listen.

Or you can do something about the weight, now!
Do something before you drop dead.
Don't wake up dead one morning and tell yourself I should have lost weight. I think it will be too late by then.

You can eat less. One less piece of bread, or helping of cream covered something. Less going in means less being put on.
And if you are not doing some kind of exercise, do it like your life depended on it.
Exercise is not getting up from the couch during a commercial break to get a beer or bag of potato chips. Exercise is taking a brisk walk around the block for starters.
If you live in New York City, those blocks are darn long!
Do check with your doctor before you do anything.

If you think you don't have the motivation to exercise, then hire a trainer. The money you spend on the trainer could be the best money you have ever spent on anyone.

If you don't want to hire a trainer, then send me a couple of dollars each week and I'll nag you into losing weight via email. As long as you send money I will remind you that you are not losing or exercising enough. You can do it. I know it's in you. I know there are pounds to be lost. You will feel better and look better. And there are nice side effects about losing weight and exercising. My asthma is a lot better, my heart is healthier and I sleep better now.

Now, put that fork down and push away from the table!

Armored trucks are the answer

Yes, I am crazy but armored trucks are the answer. If you have teenagers of driving/dating age or know of any parents who have teenagers, then armored trucks are the answer. Don't waste your money buying them a BMW or some clunker. Sure, what teenager would not want a BMW, but who is going to have to fill the gas tank? You, of course.
Okay there are a few parents who have told their kids that if they have a car, then the kid takes care of all the maintenance and insurance.
But what about taking their friends out? And those date problems. Any friend would love to be picked up in a BMW. But imagine being picked up in an armored truck? Would you want to be picked up in an armored truck to go to the movies? Do I see any hands up?

That's the whole idea. The boys will not be able to get any female dates and boy's male friends will not want to be seen dead in the family armored truck. You can always weld all the doors shut except for the driver’s side. But if you do weld the doors and you need to borrow the truck to go grocery shopping... You see my point.

Have your mechanic install a motor governor with a cap at 35 miles an hour and your kid will never speed no matter how hard they try. The new young driver will also never drive on the highway at high speeds!

And as a finale note, if your teenager is ever involved in an accident, rest assured your child and the family armored truck will be fine.
As you can see, armored trucks are the answer!

I.C.E.

God forbid something should happen to you while you are alone.
But suppose something does happen. And that something is bad enough you have to be taken to a hospital. And for whatever reason, you can not speak.
How are your loved ones going to know where you are?

If you had entered the letters ICE in front of your wife's,girlfriend's or boyfriend's name or any other relative who happened to be in your digital something in your purse, pocket, or briefcase, the medics would know to contact that person.
You see I.C.E. stands for In Case of Emergency.

Don't delay, It's time for ICE.

94 Pounds

A bag of cement weighs 94 pounds. I'm sure there is a logical reason for this occurrence. One of my readers will know the answer. Cement is one of three ingredients for my artificial stone pots. But as it turns out, cement is the heaviest.
About three weeks ago, I went to my local Home Depot. Honestly it was not the closest store. I'm willing to travel a little to find a store where the sales help is willing to help. That's what sales help is for. To help. Not to point and walk away. Or shrug their shoulders and say, it's not my department.

So I went to the Home Depot further away. I walked to the construction materials area and found the area for the cement. There was no cement. All I wanted was plain old Portland cement. Not pre mixed or extra fast setting cement. Just cement. I saw mixtures for stucco or filling in post holes. There was the self leveling cement mix but no Portland cement.

I found a salesperson, who said there had just been a delivery in the parking lot. Then he turned and walked away. I looked at his vanishing image. He stopped and looked at me. Oh, you want me to follow you?

I followed him to parking lot. There was another sales person unloading the shipment. The fellow I was following asked me how many bags I wanted. "One," I said.
The guy on the top of the load picked up the bag like it was a bag of potato chips.
The bag was handed to the guy I had followed. The guy I followed, groaned a little.
Turning around, he asked if I needed any help.

"No," I answered as the bag was handed to me. I felt my back muscles begin to quiver. I held the bag close to me as sweat began to pour off my forehead. My cart was maybe 15 feet behind me but it felt like it was moving away from me as I moved toward it. Of course, my nose began to itch. Oh, what I would have given for a third arm/hand. I thought of asking someone to scratch my nose but perhaps it would be a little forward of me.

I got to the cart and gingerly dropped the bag. Of course the bar code had to be on the bottom when the cashier wanted to check me out. "I'll lift the bag and you wand it," I told the cashier. As I lifted the bag, she looked in the store directory for bags of Portland cement. She knew what was going through my head but I can't say because I run a family blog, for now.
Pushing the cart through the security check point, I made it to the car.

Bags of Portland cement were not meant to bend over a trunk lid. As I lifted with my legs, the bag suddenly felt heavier. Was the cement absorbing moisture through the plastic liner? I got the cement over the trunk lid and into the trunk without altering too many vertebrae.

Arriving home, I carried the 94 pound bag of cement to the garage. Then I had this great idea of putting the bag of cement into a plastic trash bag to keep out the moisture.
Bad idea.
I wonder if Portland cement comes in 10 pound bags with easy carry handles?

Another Shower

Today is Friday, July 1, 2005. It is our pizza night. Pizza night means, da, we get pizza and we also share a bottle of wine. We used to get a large plain pizza every Friday night but then my wonderful wife realized that eating this much pizza was not good for us. We both looked forward to Pizza night every Friday night. Our two dogs knew when it was Pizza night. Of course, they would get samples from each of us.
Now we have a medium pizza with an assortment of veggies every two weeks. A medium pizza with veggies IS NOT THE SAME AS A LARGE CHEESE PIZZA. I just wanted all of you to know that!

Because I now exercise 6 days a week and usually do my workout at night, on pizza Fridays, I exercise in the morning. We both know not to exercise after wine and pizza. The results are not pleasant.

So this morning, my lovely wife asks me why I'm getting into the shower. I look at her with my typical confused look and say why should I not, or something like that.
She says that since tonight is Pizza night, you need to exercise this morning. I pause and tell her that I plan on walking for an hour this morning.
She says you will sweat out there.
I tell her if I sweat, I'll just take another shower.
She shakes her head.

I began walking the streets of our town at 0535. Please don't tell anyone that I'm a street walker. Word travels fast in a small community. I felt as though I was walking through humidity as thick as pea soup. There were some places where I actually felt a breeze. Those places, I could count on two fingers.

On my way home, I noticed a guy delivering newspapers. When I lived in Berwyn Heights, I delivered newspapers as well. It was a learning experience. Some of my neighbors were so nice when I would see them working in their yards. But when it came to collection time, they treated me like I was foreclosing on their house. I got more excuses about why they could not pay me than I would ever like to hear.

So this morning, I see this man throwing newspapers from his Mercedes. I stopped and thought I was hallucinating. It was the heat and humidity that made me think that a newspaper person was driving a Mercedes. But then I remembered that I saw this same man driving a Lexus the other day. And he was also delivering newspapers as well! I wonder if anyone gives him a problem when he drives up in his Mercedes to collect for the newspaper?

I approached the house, with my clothes clinging to my body and sweat pouring off my forehead. I felt like a car which had just gone through a car wash. If the temperature had been zero degrees, I would not have sweated.
My wife is correct most of the time. Today she was 100% correct, as I stepped into the shower for another shower.

If I Were to Die tomorrow

There is an insurance company ad which pops up once and awhile. The lead line says, "If You were to Die Tomorrow."
I did not know I had a choice!
Do insurance companies have more knowledge about dying than doctors?
Does the FDA know that we don't have to die?
As far as I know, most of us are getting older. At a young tender age, I was told that as soon as I was born, I was dying.
"How can this be," I asked.
"Everyone has to die."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because that is the way it is!" "Now stop asking such a stupid question and take out the trash."
"Why? I asked again.

Just because doctors tell us that we are dying, does it really mean we are? There have been numerous cases of patients making a full recovery from a deadly illness. And the doctors have all scratched their heads and collectively said they did not know why.

I have not heard of anyone who has fought off death. There is the saying about whoever dies with the most toys, wins.

Okay, I know. Doctors have more education than I do.
But it still is the Practice of Medicine!
When will doctors be done practicing?

Let's all ban together and not die.
Imagine all the birthday presents we will be receiving?

The Shortest Distance

The shortest distance between two cross walks is the middle of the road.

My wife and I sometimes eat at Quiznos in College Park, Maryland. We will order our meal inside and if the weather is nice, we will eat outside.
On any given evening, we will witness persons crossing the street. One or two of them might use the crosswalk but I figure they live in the area. The other walkers will stroll across the four lanes of traffic as though they are doing nothing wrong.
Somehow, I thought that college students had more sense. I guess I was wrong!

When school gets back in session, the roads are going to get pretty crowded with humans on foot. Multi-ton vehicles can not always stop on a dime. Someone is going to get hurt.
It's just a matter of time.
And when someone does die, everyone is going to take notice.
Why must anyone die before the local government does something?

PS,
Crossing in the crosswalk is not much better. There is a Maryland state law which says that all vehicles must stop for pedestrians in cross-walks. Unfortunately, there are too few drivers who obey the law.
Look both ways and pray no one hits you in the crosswalk.
But if the vehicle does strike you in the crosswalk, you can rest easy that they are at fault!

Marilyn Did Not Die Alone

As I got into my workout clothes, yesterday afternoon, I listened to the answering machine.

There were two messages.
One message took my breath away.

Alison, our next door neighbor had called to tell me that one of our neighbors, Marilyn had been found dead in her bathtub. Apparently Marilyn had fallen and struck her head in the bathtub. Her body was found by the police and her family a couple of days later.

Marilyn loved to work in the yard. Several times in recent month she had told us, the yard was getting too big for her. She said she had been thinking of moving into a smallish condo up the street.

I wish I could say more about her. I wish I had had the time to talk with her about her family. She lived alone in her house.

But you see, she did not really die alone.
Friends and family were with her to the very end.
Marilyn died surrounded by all her memories.

Pretty Stupid

I don't normally call someone stupid. Usually I'll say they are not thinking. I don't think I can blame it on the heat because the non thinkers have been doing a great job lately.

Crossing a main road in the middle of the street is bordering on stupid.
Pushing a baby in a stroller out into traffic against the light is irresponsible.
Walking out into traffic as though you own the road is well, what adjectives can I use?

Anyone who drives along East West Highway in front of Prince George's Plaza will witness this non conforming, I dare you to hit me, activity. There is a very nice pedestrian bridge which safely allows people to cross the street. I'm sure the bridge cost quite a few tax dollars.

I have never seen the local police giving out tickets. Of course this does not mean that they have not given out a thousand tickets for jaywalking. I know for a fact that nowhere on a police ticket pad is there a place to issue a ticket for being stupid! But give us time.

I have seen parents holding their children as they stroll across the busy street.

Business people walk across as well.

No one seems to think or care that at anytime, they could be hit.

They walk as though it was their street.

Who do we blame for this questionable behavior?

The list of those to blame is as long as two arms.

If others around us are jaywalking, do we also jaywalk?

If others can get away with it, then it must be okay.

When will we take responsibility for our own actions?

If mom says its okay to rob a bank, do you?

Moms can be wrong.

To me and I have an untrained police eye, here are persons breaking the law. A crime is happening right under the police officer's noses. How simple can it be? Just set up a table and give everyone a ticket. Simple as that. But wait. I sense there is a problem. Have the jaywalkers filed suit against the city for infringing on their rights to jaywalk? Is jaywalking an Art form? Can citizens be given a ticket for ART? I'm sure there is a concrete reason why the police don't enforce jaywalking. Police could be chasing a red light runner through traffic, endangering lives as other squad cars take up the chase. That would be a lot more fun than standing and telling someone you are giving them a ticket for jaywalking. And then listening as the jaywalker says its not their fault.

Someone is going to get killed as they jaywalk across East-West Highway. Friends will place roses and crosses at the sight. Then parents pushing their kids in strollers will pause, look down, wonder what killed that person and continue across the street as they jaywalk.

But It Will Cut Into My Computer Time

Like hell, I’m not stubborn. I was born stubborn. My lovely wife will be the first to admit that I' m stubborn. She claims that all men are stubborn. Is this true? Are women not stubborn? Will women ever admit they are stubborn?

I have lost and gained weight most of my adult life.

Because of my wife, I’m now exercising for an hour or more six days a week. Because of my wife, I'm eating better than ever before. And because of exercising, I have lost weight and my blood chemistry is happier.
On February 28, 2005 my: total cholesterol was 154.
Triglycerides were 173.
HDL was 28
LDL was 91
As of May 26,2005, my total cholesterol was 145, tri-152, HDL-33 and LDL-82.
My HDL has been 28 forever. Before I got married, I tried all the recommendations the doctors threw at me, except for exercising. I never had time to sweat at home. I was too busy. I was doing something all the time.
Around the first of March 2005 my wife decided that if she was going to exercise six days a week, then her husband (me) was going to do the same. I had been getting a workout three times a week and thought I was doing pretty good.

When am I going to have time to play on the computer? I asked her.

"You can get on the computer after your workout at night," she said.

The concept of sweating six times a week did not appeal to me. Many times she has shared that she would rather be doing almost anything other than doing weights or using the treadmill.
Eventually, I gave in. What was I supposed to do? Say no? I tried saying no. No, is not an answer, she wished to hear from my lips.
My blood results are looking pretty damn good. And my weight is still dropping. I hope to get my weight down to about 185.

Getting old is not fun. But because of stretching and bending my body six times a week, some of me might not hurt as much as I get UN-Young. And who knows, I might live longer because my body parts have not broken down as quickly.

Exercising six days a week still seems to cut into my computer time but not exercising means a premature death could really cut into my computer time.

Okay, what’s your excuse? If you have put off sweating and bending, what are you waiting for? No, it’s not fun to exercise and I know I’m going to die one day but I just might be able to stay alive long enough to actually retire and then I will have plenty of time to write and exercise.

Look at it this way. If you start to exercise you might be able to put old age/ death on hold.
Exercise now, die later.
A friend once told me that I could always sleep when I was dead.
Trust me, you won’t be able to exercise when you’re dead!

Read what Prevention Magazine says about exercise:
http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-2-69-242-5124-1,00.html

Just A Little Test

Listen up guys! Hey you! You there on the couch. Or sitting in traffic in one of the worse traffic jams on the Wilson Bridge. Do I have your attention? Good.

There is a little test which could save your life. No, it does not require any studying. You need to have your doctor do the test. The doctor is the one giving you the test and not vice versa.

If you have not recently had a PSA, GET ONE!!!
No excuses. No, it can't wait until next year. Make the time, today. If you are over 50 years old, and your doctor has never given you one, ask him or her why. Then get it done. Then look for another doctor. You don't need a doctor to gamble with your life!

Prostate Cancer Is The Second Leading Cause Of Cancer Death In Men.
Lung cancer is the first leading cause of CANCER DEATH IN MEN.
Let this sink in.

Attention all significant others. If your male partner keeps putting off getting a PSA, drag them to the doctor. You could save their life.

If you are younger than 50 and there is a family history of prostate cancer, get a PSA.

No more waiting for that break in your schedule.
Make the time.
Do it for yourself.
Do it for the ones you love.

How about Stopping?

Our house is very close to a four-way stop. While I was washing the windows in the living room this past Saturday, I watched as two dozen or so cars, moved through the intersection within 10 minutes. Of those two dozen cars, four vehicles made complete stops.

A hundred years ago,when I was taking driver training in high school, my instructor told the class, "Come to a complete stop and count to three. Then look both ways and proceed slowly on your way." Back then, a stop meant just that. The vehicle is not moving when it is stopped. He warned us about doing a California stop. "Never Do A California Stop", he yelled at us.

While my wife and I were walking to a restaurant, we paused at a cross walk while a car came to a stop. I thought it was a stop. It was supposed to be a stop. The car had a stop light. That means the car was supposed to stop. We stepped down to the street and proceeded to walk to the other side. I turned to see that the driver of the car who was supposed to be stopped, was looking at traffic coming from her left. Her car was moving ever so slowly as we walked past the front end of her car.

Then she stepped on the gas as we were just clearing her bumper. At the last nanosecond, she slammed on the brakes. There was a threads thickness between her bumper and my wife's leg.

My wife yelled,"What are you doing?"
She answered, "It has been one of those days."
And if she had hit us, it was surely going to be one of those days.
As my wife and I stared at the driver, she said, "Have a nice day!"
Have a nice day? Was she on drugs? If she had hit us, our day would not have been nice. It would have been rather bad. And hospital food is not great.
This driver was not looking both ways. She may have seen us but running us over does not make me feel all fuzzy. If her day had been one of those days, then I'm sorry.
She should have come to a complete stop and waited while we crossed. She should not have tried to run us down.
I wish all drivers would come to full stops.
I wish all drivers would use seat belts.
I wish all drivers who talk on cell phones while driving, would not.
I wish I could use a cross-walk without fearing for my life.
What will it take for us to change?
It is just a matter of time before two cars meet in the intersection near my house. Someone will be seriously injured. Then new laws will be passed and not enforced. And everyone in the neighborhood will drive slower and stop at all stop signs, for a while. Then when we have forgotten about the damaged or lost lives, we will go back to our old way of driving and not stopping.

Did You Know

Did you know that every time a county police officer in Maryland writes a speeding ticket, the money goes to the state? No, I'm not making this up. Ask any police officer and he or she will tell you the same thing. Moving violation fines go to the state. Running a stop light or a stop sign and the money goes to the state. Did you ever wonder why police officers don't want to write more speeding tickets? The county gets nothing.
Actually, the thing about the Maryland counties not getting anything is not entirely true. The Maryland counties gets less than 10 percent back for the school system.

There is no real incentive for police officers to write speeding tickets other than it is in their job description. When enough of the right people scream in the county that there are too many speeders along a specific stretch of road, the officers will set up their radar guns and write tickets.
Imagine for a second, what would happen if Maryland split more of the fines with the counties? The state would not have to give up the whole thing, maybe 60-40. The counties just might have more money to hire police officers! What a novel idea? Detectives would have money to purchase crime scene equipment rather than using their own money. Undercover units would have access to better digital equipment for surveillance.
So the next time Maryland politicians say they don't have enough money for law enforcement, don't believe them. They have the power to change the laws. And this law needs changing, don't you think?
How else are we going to get more police officers on the streets?

I still made a difference

Some months ago, I decided I wanted to do something for my community. I ran for a seat on the University Park Town Council. Going door to door, I spoke with familiar and new friends. I told my neighbors that I wanted to do something for my community. I wanted to make a difference in our town. I listened as they told me what bothered them about the town. Many residents were concerned with cars not stopping at the stop signs. We also have a goodly amount of cars who exceed the speed limit. I told the residents that something had to be done before someone got hurt or worse. I talked to residents about rental homes with college students. On the weekends, the homes would host loud parties. I told my future voters that they had the power to do something about the problem. I told them to call the town police and report the loud music. I also told them there were laws on the books which forbid disturbing the peace after 8pm. Call the police and let the police give out citations to the renters and to the rental home owners. If three citations were issued in a 12 month period, then the rental permit for the group home could be pulled. My future constituents had not heard of the law.
Election day arrived and I stood outside of the polling place as I greeted the voters. My opponent stood with me and commented that normally there were only a handful of voters who came out for a uncontested election.
The polls closed and I waited as the votes were counted.
Ninety nine voters came out to vote for me and my opponent. I received 19 of those votes.
I had lost the election but I kept my promise to make a difference. If I had not run, then only a handful of voters would have cast their ballots. Perhaps next time, I will have more of the votes!