Friday the 13th

Now that Friday the 13th has come and gone once again, it should be safe to talk about, right? No cause for alarm or panic, the world didn't come to an end.

For most.

But for many in a Denver, Colorado, neighborhood, the world may as well have come to an end, because it has been changed forever. It was changed by a student gunman who -- surprise, surprise -- one day before the Sandyhook anniversary and just ten miles from Columbine added his name to the history books. God be with the people of Arapahoe.

But what do we do about this senseless school violence? How do we put a stop to this parade of young killers shooting up theaters, high schools, colleges, churches? What cost is too high, what measures to extreme to protect our children?

Gun Control. Is that the answer? Ask anyone with anything more than just an opinion on the matter and they'll tell you that taking guns away from honest Americans doesn't take them away from criminals. It only prevents those honest Americans from defending themselves.

Concealed Carry. Do we institute and enforce concealed carry laws nationwide? And if so, how do you enforce them? Would Police have the right to do random checks for firearms or permits? I'm sure the ACLU would have a field day with that. And what of the first strange looking individual walking down the sidewalk with what looks like a gun bulging beneath his jacket? With all the craziness lately, you may as well shout "Fire" in a crowded theater.

My family was in a mall earlier this week in suburban Louisville, Kentucky, when a fire alarm started going off inexplicably. While several people reacted as if they didn't hear it, others responded by saying, "It does that all the time lately." Most people in the mall were numb to it. Most. But not all. My wife passed one woman who was quickly shuffling to the exit while her companion tried to keep up. The companion asked the shuffling woman where she was going, and my wife heard her respond, "There's a man back there with a gun. There's a man with a gun."

Of course, there wasn't. But there could have been (as there was in an Arapahoe High School two days later). And there was no panic invited by the shuffler's  proclamation. But there could have been. And in either case people could have died.

And as shocked as we are every time that this happens, we should not be surprised. Because nothing has really been done to prevent it. Which brings me back to my earlier question: how do we put a stop to it? I have an idea that would make some people happy, others not so much, but would likely make any would be shooter think twice before opening fire.

Open Carry. Let me first say that I think concealed carry laws are stupid. The only people who need to secretly carry a gun probably shouldn't be carrying one in the first place. It may make them feel safe, but what of everyone around them who either (a) doesn't know that they have a gun until it needs to be drawn -- which is already you too late, or (b) sees a suspicious bulge and becomes fearful of what they suspect is a gun.

My argument for Open Carry laws is simple.
(1) A gun carried openly by an honest citizen would likely deter a shooter who doesn't want to be shot before doing his damage.
(2) If guns were carried openly there would be less cause for concern when one is seen in public.
(3) If guns were carried openly, Police could easily check for permits without random targeting -- or profiling.
(4) If concealed carry was illegal, as soon as someone withdrew a concealed weapon they would be identifying themselves as law breakers.

Think about it, aren't you more concerned about someone who has something to hide?

If you have a better idea, I would love to hear it. Share it in the comments below.

Attempted Home Invasion - Thwarted

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Attempted Home Invasion - Thwarted

I was just sitting in my family room, playing games on the Wii with my son, when my wife said, "Some guy just walked through our yard. He looked in the window." At first I just kept playing, then she said, "What's he doing?"

So I quit playing the game, said, "Is he still out there?" and walked to the patio doors. There at the house behind ours stood a 20-something black male trying to open the patio doors of our neighbor's house. He was wearing a black coat, gray pants, and a dark winter hat. I opened the door and yelled, "Hey!" Of course, he didn't look -- wanted to make sure I couldn't identify his face -- he just turned and started to walk away. I told my wife to call the Police and headed out the door after him, trudging through the snow in house slippers with no coat on.

I called 911 on my cell phone as I followed him down the street, talking on speakerphone. The man walked slowly around the house as I followed, and started running when he rounded the corner. I ran after him, and when he slowed to a walk so did I, staying close enough for him to hear me talking to the 911 dispatcher but far enough away to maintain safety. Not knowing if he was armed I wasn't about to try to tackle a man half my age and five inches taller who has nothing to lose and his freedom to gain.

Half a block down the road his friend was waiting: another tall black male wearing a tan Carharrt coat and dark blue jeans so low that as he turned to flee he tripped over his own crotch and fell in the snow. Having given descriptions of both creeps to the 911 operator I continued to follow the one who had walked through my yard and tried to walk in to my neighbor's house.

I updated 911 as the creep ran through another yard and vaulted a fence. "He just jumped the fence," I said as I ran along the fence. "He's hiding between two sheds now where he thinks I can't see him."

I heard him jump over something and saw him come back between the sheds. "He just jumped the fence again," I said as I followed him around the house where he jumped the fence a third time and fled. In my slippers, which were now soaked with snow, I wasn't prepared to jump the fence and go after him.

I waited for the Police to arrive at the street corner with a nearby resident who had seen his buddy flee in the opposite direction. Two Cumberland, Indiana, officers responded and began searching the area while an IMPD officer was at my house taking a report from my wife.

--------

Shortly after I began writing this, the phone rang, and the IMPD officer informed me that they had a suspect in custody nearby. He asked me if I would like to come by and identify him.

I drove the short distance (less than a quarter mile) to a house in the 900 block of Woodlark between Tenth and Washington Streets on Indy's east side, where the officer met me on the street. As I waited in the car he brought the suspect out onto the porch in handcuffs. Standing there before me was creep number two, the buddy with the baggy pants who had taken off running when he saw me chasing his friend down the street. I confirmed his identity and told the officer which one he was.

Moments later, the officer asked me to stick around and get a look at a second person. This one was brought to the porch sans handcuffs. He had ditched the black coat and changed out of his gray pants, but was wearing the same dark winter hat I had chased down the street moments earlier.

The officer thanked me for getting involved, informed me that both the creeps had a record, but said they would probably not be able to arrest them since they hadn't actually entered the home.

It's great to see the authorities respond so quickly and successfully, but a little disappointing to know the creeps got away this time. My wife is concerned that they might come back for revenge. I suspect that they're just cowardly enough to stay away from the house where a crazy man in house slippers chased them a block and half and later returned to identify them.

Maybe I'll start looking into security systems, anyway.

Below this post are pictures and a Google Maps link of the house where the creeps were found by the Police. Got any similar stories you'd care to share?

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Ga. Rep. Deal Challenges Obama’s Eligibility | The Post & Email

Deal Challenges Obama’s Eligibility | The Post & Email:

"(Jan. 5, 2010) — The Post & Email can publicly confirm that on the first of December, last, U.S. Congressman Nathan Deal (GA-R) challenged the eligibility of Barack Hussein Obama to hold the office of the U.S. presidency."

To show support for Representative Deal, you may contact him here:

The Honorable Nathan Deal
2133 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1009
DC Phone: 202-225-5211
DC Fax: 202-225-8272
Email Address: http://www.house.gov/deal/contact.shtml
WWW Homepage: http://www.house.gov/deal/

Need some suggested text for your letter to Representative Deal? Feel free to copy and paste below:

Representative Deal:

I want to applaud you for having the courage to stand up for country above all else in calling for Mr. Obama to settle the eligibility issue once and for all. This is clearly a matter that Chief Justice Roberts and his team may never get to decide -- whether by their own choice or not -- and a matter that must be settled. What this country needs is more Representatives who are willing to stand up for that which matters most -- the sovereignty of this great nation.

This is not a matter of getting Mr. Obama out of office. It is a matter of ensuring that he is eligible to hold the office.

Thank You, sir.

Send me your comments. Joe

AJA Press

Captain Hook, Captain Feathersword, and Captain Phillips

My son loves pirates. Absolutely loves them. He loves The Wiggles, and was Captain Hook for Halloween. He plays with PlayMobil men all the time, and his favorite are the pirates. When he first heard the news of Captain Phillips being held hostage by Somali pirates, he said to his mommy, "Pirates aren't real."

Of course, the pirates he loves aren't real -- the variety of pirate that has a hook for a hand, a feather for a sword, and a patch over one eye -- no, those pirates aren't real. Those are the pirates as they have been romanticized by Hollywood. The pirates he plays with on the living room floor -- the plastic variety with removable beard and ear-ring -- those pirates aren't real, either. But I'm afraid that, as Captain Phillips can certainly tell us now, pirates are indeed very real. Too real, in fact, for us to sit idly by and allow them to deal their brand of terror across the seven seas.

My son, who seems to remember everything forever, will hopefully learn a valuable lesson from his first "real" pirate experience. He will hopefully learn that the way Hollywood and Toys'R'Us portray things is in now way realistic, and that it is all designed to lure us in to give them more money for more entertainment. He will hopefully learn that much of what he thinks isn't real in this world really is real, and sadly so. He will hopefully learn that some day, but not today. Not today, because I'm not ready for my son's innocence to be lost just yet. I'm not ready for his world view to be tainted by scum sailing the seas taking advantage of others.

Not that the sea-faring variety of scum is any worse than those that prey on their victims on land. The news today is cluttered with acts of violence, terror, and torture. Just last week a man was shot dead by police less than a football field's distance from where I park my car every day at work. He was shot dead by one of the good guys, an IMPD undercover narcotics officer who was investigating suspected drug dealers when the deal went bad. One man died that day, and two were arrested. And it could just as easily have happened in my own front yard as across the street. It could also easily have been the good guy pronounced dead at the hospital while the drug dealing immigrants escaped.

I was speaking with my father-in-law about these Somali pirates on Easter Sunday, and expressed the opinion that swift action had to be taken quickly to send a message to this sea-faring scum. These floating vermin had to be literally blown out of the water at any cost, in order to send the message that the United States -- once admired as the mightiest nation on Earth -- has no tolerance for such behavior. I argued that failure to respond swiftly and decisively would send an entirely different message -- one that any thug with a boat, a gun, and a couple of buddies could wreak havoc on the high seas, and no one could do anything about it.

Did America act swiftly enough? I read a post at OpinionHead that it wasn't Mr. Obama at all who gave the order to take out the pirates, but rather a Navy Admiral who ordered the SEAL team into the area and gave the order to take the shots. I have no way to verify or validate that story, and present it hear only as a possibility. It seems that Mr. Obama was wont to speak of the pirates when asked about it before the matter was settled. Maybe his teleprompter hadn't yet been briefed on the situation.

Either way, I thank God that Captain Phillips has been freed, and that at least three pirates will no longer be an influence on the high seas (and that there's at least one less drug pusher on the streets of Indianapolis). And I pray that my son will still enjoy his pirate toys and pirate movies -- for a few more years, at least.

Your comments?

Joe

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Average Joe Audio Blog -- Concealed Weapons

Average Joe Audio Blog

Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:49 PM Posted: 09 Apr 2009 09:49 AM PDT This afternoon, at the Walmart store across the street from my work, there was a shooting. An undercover IMPD officer was investigating three men suspected of drug trafficking when one of the men opened fire. The officer shot and killed him. The other two were arrested. I've heard reports that after the incident, the men were found with narcotics in their possession, as well as additional weapons. The entire parking lost was roped off, as several dozen IMPD cars, including one SWAT van, responded to the incident. I mention the incident for two reasons. First, I'm sure the families of both the suspect and the IMPD officer who shot him could use your prayers this evening. Second, I had a conversation with a Manager who works for me about concealed weapons. He claims to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. My argument was that concealed weapons are hardly necessary, and that any time you have three people in a car each with a concealed weapon, it isn't likely to be a good thing. I am all for the right to bear arms. I am a patriotic American and U.S. Army veteran, and I understand and value our freedom to bear arms and understand that our country is only in existence because of that freedom to bear arms. However, I do not believe that concealed weapons are necessary. I have never had to wield a weapon in self-defense (Thank God), and I can hardly imagine feeling so insecure that I would need to carry a concealed weapon in public for defensive purposes. If a concealed weapon is necessary for defense, then I must be doing something wrong to begin with. I'd love to hear your take. You can submit voicemail by calling 317-644-6129, respond by email to joe@averagejoeamerican.us, or on Twitter @AverageJoe. Your comments may be used on the site or in a future episode of The Joe Show. Download - Cinch from averagejoe on Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:49 PM This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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The Day The Constitution Died

You've no doubt heard of The Day The Music Died. Well, today could very well become known as The Day The Constitution Died.

Supreme Court turns down case challenging Obama's citizenship

New Jersey man claimed Obama was not a 'natural born citizen' and could not be president

By David G. Savage | david.savage@latimes.com |  Tribune Washington bureau

10:36 AM EST, December 8, 2008

The Supreme Court today turned down an emergency appeal asking the justices to consider whether President-elect Barack Obama is a "natural born citizen," and thereby, eligible to become president.

Read the full story here .

I'm just discouraged that the Supreme Court would ignore this issue, rather than hearing it and putting the matter to rest one way or the other.

Vacation: Day Two

Vacation can be such a wonderful thing. Even though we don't have any major travel plans, I think I'm actually having my best vacation yet.

This morning, after everyone had breakfast and prepared themselves for the day, we headed to Rock Paper Scissors in Greenfield. It's a coffee shop and arts center. I may have mentioned it previously, either in an article or on The Joe Show. My wife took our two children there so they could each create a piece of pottery for me for my birthday last month. After the children each selected a pre-made piece of pottery and painted them, the Rock Paper Scissors staff was to prepare them for glazing and firing in the kiln. My wife was told she could pick them up a week later. Both pieces took longer than a week, and it was nearly four weeks before my daughter's piece was ready. We were given a gift certificate for four pieces of art and four drinks free (approximately a $50 value) for our inconvenience, and decided to use that certificate today.

My wife had some crazy coffee concoction to drink that isn't really coffee at all, I had a cup of coffee, and my children both had juice boxes while we sat down and started working on our masterpieces. I never claimed to have any artistic ability, and the mug in the picture (I'm sure you can pick mine out quite easily) proves it. I thought it would be cool to have a mug with a hand painted logo of the site, which I will certainly use whenever I partake of my coffee. We had fun, and we were treated very nicely -- they even remembered our name, but that's just a result of the squeaky wheel getting the grease -- and were told that our items would be ready in a couple of weeks (sounds like they may have learned something about under-promising and over-delivering, as well). My wife and I are both anxious to get back our coffee mugs. My son, of course, got a little carried away and painted one of the meanest looking snakes I have ever seen.

After leaving Rock Paper Scissors, my wife decided to drive a little further into Greenfield to see what we have missed (we usually turn left at that intersection and have never driven straight through). We came across Riley Park, with a rather large children's playground, and decided to stop and let the kids play for a while. Our children are about 2-1/2 and 5 (come Monday), and absolutely love going to the playground. My daughter could swing all day long. In fact, to get her off the swing, I had to bribe her with an Icee at Speedway on the way home.

Once home, my wife began working on the birthday cake for our son's birthday party on Saturday. She's making a pirate ship (sorry, no pictures of it until it's unveiled at the party) because my son is big into pirates right now. While she was making the cake, I got word that an anticipated Loss Prevention investigation was going on at my store. I won't go into details, other than to say that an Associate had been caught falsifying some company documents to cover up some discounts she gave on items that she purchased herself. Loss Prevention was asked to come into the store and investigate, and didn't make it in until after the start of my vacation. After admitting to her dishonesty in a written statement, she was terminated.

And as further proof that vacation isn't completely without work, I was then asked to be on a conference call where a new Senior Vice President was announced. Thankfully, it was a short call.

I then took my son upstairs to the play room while my daughter was napping, and we began the process of reassembling his Thomas and Friends play table. We had to run to Toys R Us to pick up one missing piece. When we returned, my son was so excited about the new pieces we purchased that he totally dismantled all of the work we had done, wanting to start over. Of course, my son was watching TV and when he saw Good Eats With Alton Brown come on, he quickly lost his interest in the train table. I suggested we go downstairs and watch the show and rebuild his track tomorrow. After watching Alton Brown and Food Detectives, the kids were both shipped off to bed, and I began recording this week's episode of Soapy Joe, with special guest host Microsoft Anna.


While making music selections and working on the show, my wife and I watched Senator Barack Obama make his formal acceptance speech on the last night of Obamafest. To say that I found myself inspired, moved, or in any other way affected by the rhetoric would be an overstatement. I just pray that voters across the country will open their eyes before November and cast a smart vote, not an emotional vote.

I did find Senator McCain's words, posted at JohnMcCain.com after the Democrat spectacle, to be more like the kind of talk I would want to hear from my next President.

Direct video link.

The entire family is now asleep, and having completed my review of the second day of my vacation, I find myself with a little reading time on my hands. More updates over the next six days of my family time vacation.

Your comments?

Joe

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The Joe Show 77

Average Joe Radio
presents

The Joe Show
featuring
Average Joe American

Episode Seventy-Seven:

Direct video link.

Woods of Chaos by Rob Costlow

Phone: (317) 644-6129
Email Feedback: joe@averagejoeamerican.us

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Seeking Justice

Just learned that the in-laws house was burglarized earlier today. The mother-in-law started a new job yesterday, and today she came home from work to find all of the doors open and the bedroom in disarray.

To make matters worse, it appears that the culprit(s) was/were still in the home when she arrived home. When she saw from the hallway the scattered dresser drawers in the bedroom, she left the house to call 9-1-1 from the car. Several items were left behind that had clearly been gathered with the intention of stealing, including some jewelry and guns.

Luckily she made enough noise before making her discovery that the perp(s) hid long enough for her to get out of the house, then fled the scene.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they deal with the feelings of violation that are sure to follow, and as they try to regain the sense of security that we should all be able to feel in our homes. And, if you're like me, you'll also pray that the police catch the person or persons responsible.

Joe

Reagan Shot 17 Years Ago Today

This was supposed to go up yesterday, but I forgot to post it...
It was seventeen years ago today that the bullet of would-be assassin John Hinckley, Jr., struck the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. The Gipper's reaction? From The Reagan Diaries:

My day to address the Bldg. & Const. Trades Nat. Conf. A.F.L.-C.I.O. at the Hilton Ballroom--2 P.M. Was all dressed to go & for some reason at the last min. took off my really good wrist watch & wore an older one.

Speech not riotously received--still it was successful.

Left the hotel at the usual side entrance and headed for the car--suddenly there was a burst of gun fire from the left. S.S. Agent pushed me onto the floor of the car & jumped on top. I felt a blow in my upper back that was unbelievably painful. I was sure he'd broken my rib. The car took off. I sat up on the edge of the seat almost paralyzed by pain. Then I began coughing up blood which made both of us think--yes I had a broken rib & it had punctured a lung. He switched orders from W.H. to Geo. Wash. U. Hosp.

By the time we arrived I was having great trouble getting enough air. We did not know that Tim McCarthy (S.S.) had been shot in the chest, Jim Brady in the head & a policeman Tom Delahanty in the neck.

I walked into the emergency room and was hoisted onto a cart where I was stripped of my clothes. It was then we learned I'd been shot & had a bullet in my lung.

Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breathe it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that tiled ceiling and prayed. But I realized I couldn't ask for Gods help while at the same time I felt hatred for the mixed up young man who had shot me. Isn't that the meaning of the lost sheep? We are all Gods children & therefore equally beloved by him. I began to pray for his soul and that he would find his way back to the fold.

I opened my eyes once to find Nancy there. I pray I'll never face a day when she isn't there. Of all the ways God has blessed me giving her to me is the greatest and beyond anything I can ever hope to deserve.

All the kids arrived and the hours ran together in a blur during which I was operated on. I know it's going to be a long recovery but there has been such an outpouring of love from all over.

The days of therapy, transfusion, intravenous etc. have gone by--now it is Sat. April 11 and this morning I left the hospital and am here at the W.H. with Nancy & Patti. The treatment, the warmth, the skill of those at G.W. has been magnificent but it's great to be here at home.

Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve him in every way I can.

Amazing, isn't it, that in the midst of suffering and recovering from a gunshot wound and a bullet lodged in his lung, the most powerful man on Earth was thinking more about three other people than himself: the poor soul that shot him, the most powerful man in the world (God), and his wife. What an incredible display of his ability to keep it all in perspective in the face of adversity!

Joe

Indy Immigration Reform Passes the House

From the Indianapolis Star:

House OKs illegal immigration bill aimed at employers
By Dan McFeely
dan.mcfeely@indystar.com
February 28, 2008

The Indiana House voted 66-33 this evening to pass an illegal immigration bill that cracks down on employers that knowingly hire undocumented workers.
The bill also requires the Indiana State Police to take the necessary steps to start enforcing federal immigration laws and provides funding to make that happen.
It also includes funding for the Indiana attorney general's office, which would investigate written complaints made against employers.

Hispanic leaders have been joined by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and other business lobbyists in predicting dire economic consequences if the bill causes thousands of illegal immigrants to leave the state.

Similar legislation in Oklahoma and Arizona has prompted thousands of illegal workers to leave those states.

Joe

Indiana Immigration Bill Update

An update, from the Indianapolis Star (followed by some interesting comments by Joe):

A proposal to crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants was revived today when the Indiana House of Representatives voted to insert the measure into another bill.

The measure, now part of Senate Bill 345, is ready for a third and final reading in the House by Wednesday.

The House resumed business late this morning when Republicans returned to the chamber after a boycott Thursday night.

But Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, immediately filed a protest to Speaker B. Patrick Bauer’s decision not to hear amendments to the immigration measure.

Despite the tug-of-war over procedure and whether the bill could be amended, Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Terre Haute, the House sponsor for the bill, said he believes Bauer is committed to getting it passed.

Technically, Senate Bill 335, a crackdown on Indiana employers who hire illegal immigrants, is dead. But the proposal was inserted into SB 345, a separate bill concerning the collection of unemployment contributions from Indiana businesses.

Tincher said the amendments contained all of the crucial elements in the original bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, except for language that made it illegal to harbor, transport or conceal an illegal alien, which was removed.

Tincher also said his amendment restored language that said Indiana State Police "shall" enter into an agreement with federal immigration officials. Last week, that word was changed to "may" at the same time $1.5 million in funding was added.

As for a late flurry of Republican amendments offered Thursday -- including the denial of social benefits to illegal residents of Indiana -- Tincher said those amendments are not in play today.

Bosma: decision an ‘embarrassment’

The procedural dispute rankled Republicans, who accused Bauer of not following the rules.

Bauer, the House speaker or presiding officer, ruled that the House recessed Thursday night instead of adjourning, meaning the chamber's business this morning would pick up where it was left off last week.

Republicans argued the House should have been adjourned, so they would have the opportunity to offer amendments to the immigration proposal. Republicans also argued it was against the body’s rules to recess from Thursday until today.

Bosma called the decision "truly an embarrassment to this institution.”

Majority Leader Russ Stilwell, D-Booneville, argued the decision was forced by the Republicans’ walkout and that Bauer acted within the body’s rules.

Bosma said he filed a protest so the historical record would show Republicans objected to Bauer’s interpretation of the House rules.

“I consider this to be a dark day for this institution,” he said.

I was speaking with someone today about the bill, and he mentioned to me that he had spoken with a friend at a retailer who had told him that they had sold out of car towing dollies two times, and the majority of the purchasers have been Hispanic. It was then that I realized that my own store has sold out of vehicle tow bars three times, and again mostly to Hispanics. Are they packing up to leave the state before the bill is passed?

Joe

Illegal Alien On The Job

CLICK THE MAP FOR A LARGER VIEW

I discovered today something that I have suspected for the past couple of weeks: I have another illegal alien working for me. Yes, I said "another." Just a couple of months ago, it came to my attention that I had an illegal alien working for me that was hired by my predecessor. When I approached the illegal, he admitted to his status, and I immediately terminated him.

The past couple of weeks, I have had reports of suspicions that another employee was an illegal alien. This one hired by my predecessor's predecessor -- he's actually been working in the store for two years now. After receiving the initial report, I asked every employee to voluntarily submit the required documentation to reverify their I-9 forms.

Because the investigation is still in progress -- in other words, I'll be presenting the employee with an ultimatum tomorrow -- I cannot go into details now. But it has been verified that the number on the Social Security Card the employee in question presented to me is not assigned to him. He will be given thirty days to produce valid documentation from the Social Security Administration that he has a valid Social Security number that has been issued to him. Failure to do so will result in his termination for falsifying documentation. I suspect he'll disappear long before the thirty days is over. Of course, should he admit to being an illegal when I confront him, he, too, will be terminated immediately.

I'll give more details when the matter has been fully closed.

Joe

The Drama of Returning from Vacation

It has been a very dramatic week at work since returning from vacation. It started with a phone call at home on my last night of vacation, when I learned that a Manager -- my so-called "business partner" -- had not been to work for several days. I went into work the following morning to discover that another Associate had quit without notice while I was away.

The first day back was hectic, as can be expected. I quickly called several applicants to schedule interviews for the week, and wondered exactly what would happen with my "business partner."

My second day back to work was when the drama really got intense. I had received another call the night before, on my way home from work, to inform me that my "business partner" no longer was. He had been released from employment with the company. His Assistant Manager had worked the past ten days without a day off, and no sign of one in the near future.

As I drove across Indiana on Interstate 70 heading to work, I was making good time, expecting to arrive at work about 15 minutes early. I was toying with the idea of stopping for coffee when brake lights and flashers lit up the highway ahead of me. The rapidly approaching offramp was clogged with stopped traffic, as well. Not knowing the cause of the delay can make choosing a course of action a bit difficult: join the clogged traffic on the offramp, or park myself in the fast lane and wait. I chose the latter, hoping traffic ahead would begin moving soon.

It didn't. No faster than 3 or 4 miles per hour, anyway. I inched my way forward to a break in the guardrail, crossed the median, and headed back a quarter mile to the west-bound offramp. I joined some mildly congested, though moving, traffic on U.S. 39, hoping to detour the highway traffic by heading through Plainfield.

On U.S. 40 in Plainfield, my plans changed again. As I merged in with all of the other motorists who had chosen the same detour, the traffic again became heavily congested and snail-paced. I quickly made a turn onto Indiana 267 and began a second detour toward Avon.

Indiana 267 to U.S. 36 to Interstate 465, and I was back on track. Back on track, but not back on time. Instead of arriving at work 15 minutes early, as I'd anticipated, I was almost 45 minutes late. It turns out that a semi truck and trailer had turned over in the median in I-70, causing the delay.

Not long after arriving at work, I discovered that the store had been the victim of vandalism and theft. There is a secured, gated area next to the building, and there were some cars parked in this area. The gates were locked, and the fence is protected with barbed wire at the top. At some point during the evening, person or persons unknown entered the gated area from the back side of the building, dismantling the fence to gain access by peeling the chain link away from the corner post. The opening was large enough to drive a small vehicle through. This person (or persons) proceeded to the front of the secured area, past several other vehicles, to a Ford Probe parked near the front gate, and proceeded to strip the vehicle of anything of value.

Several things made this interesting, and just a bit suspicious. First, the perpetrator(s) went straight to this one vehicle, and no others were touched, indicating that they (and I'm pretty sure there was more than one) knew exactly what they were after and where to find it. Interesting.

Second, the car was left with no wheels, sitting up on bricks. Bricks that were not readily available in the parking lot. Bricks that the perpetrators brought with them. Interesting because they knew they would need the bricks, meaning they knew they would be taking the tires. Interesting because they chose to use the bricks, not wanting to cause damage to the vehicle. Your average thief would not care about damaging the vehicle and would have just dropped it on the blacktop, resting on the hubs. Who would want to protect the vehicle from damage? Interesting.

Another interesting thing: the driver's door was left standing ajar. But there had been no signs of forced entry. The doors had been locked the night before, but the perpetrators gained access to the vehicle without using force. How could they have done that? Interesting.

But there's more. One of the most interesting parts of the story is the list of what was stolen. Tires and rims, as I've already said. Stereo. Speaker boxes. A performance intake from under the hood! A performance starter! Who would have known to even look under the hood for performance engine parts? Or under the vehicle for a performance starter?!

These were not your common thieves. These were trained mechanics, or people with mechanical skills and experience. People who knew where the vehicle was and what was on it. People who cared about not causing damage to the vehicle after stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods from it. Obviously either (1) people who had a vendetta against the owner of the vehicle, or (2) people who, one of which, was the owner of the vehicle.

It became clear which was the case as the story unfolded. When the owner of the car was contacted and told his car had been burglarized, he responded with a very unenthusiastic "Oh really?" When he arrived to meet the police to file a report for the theft from his vehicle, he was shocked to learn that my company was not responsible for the loss of items from his vehicle while on our lot. And after speaking with the police, they were very certain, as well, that the owner of the vehicle was indeed the perpetrator of the crime. And his status as a student at the local automotive school wrapped up the case nice and tight.

Of course, there was nothing to charge him with. The car was dusted for prints, but it was his car -- his prints would be all over it. And apparently the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department didn't feel they had probable cause to visit his home and scout around for the stolen goods.

The drama didn't end there. Oh no. The day was a very hectic day, right up to quitting time, when I walked across the parking lot to my car and saw another of Indy's Finest, inspecting a pickup truck with latex gloves on. Curiosity got the best of me, and I approached the officer to investigate. Every single interior panel had been removed from inside the vehicle and discarded into the bed of the truck. When I inquired about this, the officer told me he believed that someone had been searching the vehicle for hidden drugs. It had been stolen and abandoned in our parking lot. I later learned that the panels had not been removed while searching for drugs, but to allow access of the thief to thousands of dollars in high quality audio equipment that had been installed (and subsequently removed) from the vehicle.

Next day, more drama, starting again with the drive to work. Another commute on I-70, and another delay. This time, apparently, they were repairing the guardrail that had been destroyed by the flipped truck the day before. Traffic kept moving and only delayed me about ten minutes this time. Not much more drama, really, but I stopped for gasoline during lunch, just up the street from my store, and once again, there was Indy's Finest, with a car stopped blocking most of the parking lot of the gas station (two cruisers), cuffing the driver of the car. Don't know what that one was for.

The rest of the week was a bit less dramatic, but no less hectic. Here's hoping for a smoother week starting tomorrow.

Joe

Simpler Times

It's been a little while since there's been a real post here. There's been more podcasting than anything else lately. Sorry, it's just become an enjoyable hobby.

And things have been so hectic at work lately that it's hard to find any time to sit down and actually write. In fact, I'm writing this on my Palm Tungsten T3 while my son plays in the bath tub. I guess I just have to take the time where I can get it.

Hopefully I'll be getting a little more of it soon. I start a (short) vacation on Thursday, which just happens to be my daughter's first birthday. Wow! It's hard to believe that a year has gone by already. She's gotten so big and is almost walking. And my son is getting bigger and smarter every day.

With the kids growing so quickly, and so much going wrong in the world every day, it's hard not to be a little concerned sometimes. Concerned for the well-being of my kids. Concerned about what the world will be like when they become young adults. Concerned that some idiot could shoot them down before they even have the chance to become young adults.

Bloody April has had two new casualties: two people shot to their deaths in a mall in Kansas. For what reason? That could have been any two people -- like my two kids.

We do everything we can to protect them, but you can only do so much before your efforts become over-protective and you actually do them more harm than good.

I know that every parent throughout history has had these concerns -- and it may have been the innocence of my youth -- but I don't remember ever being so concerned about my own safety as a kid. Times just seemed to be so much simpler back then.

Joe

Gun Control

This is a controversial topic lately with the recent rampage at Virginia Tech. Read on:

THE GIPPER ON ARMS

“There are those in America today who have come to depend absolutely on government for their security. And when government fails they seek to rectify that failure in the form of granting government more power. So, as government has failed to control crime and violence with the means given it by the Constitution, they seek to give it more power at the expense of the Constitution. But in doing so, in their willingness to give up their arms in the name of safety, they are really giving up their protection from what has always been the chief source of despotism—government. Lord Acton said power corrupts. Surely then, if this is true, the more power we give the government the more corrupt it will become. And if we give it the power to confiscate our arms we also give up the ultimate means to combat that corrupt power. In doing so we can only assure that we will eventually be totally subject to it.” —Ronald Reagan

So what is a country to do? One of the many founding principles of this country was the right to bear arms. But at what point do we say, "Enough is enough?" Do we give up the right to bear arms in the interest of a common safety? The answer is no. And yes.

I don't believe that we, as American citizens, can afford to give up our right to bear arms. In a time of terrorism and unexpected attacks by unknown attackers at unexpected times, it would be folly to lay down our arms. But I do believe that change is necessary. I don't believe that any man or woman should be able to just walk into a pawn shop and be able to walk out the same day with a gun. Granted, mandating some type of background checks and waiting period is not going to eliminate violent crime with guns. I do believe that it might reduce the number of "heat of the moment" violent crimes just by forcing the potential gunmen to wait long enough to hopefully cool off before getting his hot little hands on some cold hard steel.

Others -- and I can think of at least one person in particular -- would probably argue that waiting periods will just force a potential killer to get his gun illegally, through a black market, where it is never registered and can never be traced, possibly making solving the case more difficult. I can see the validity of that argument.

More importantly than all of this, I believe that we as a nation should not allow the possession of firearms by non-citizens. Period. I also believe that we should not so readily allow the possession of concealed weapons. It's just my own personal opinion. No reason to argue it. I doubt that there's any way to actually enforce it, but I sure wish there was something we could do about it.

Joe

President Bush's Weekly Radio Address - UPDATED

20070420-2.a.mp3
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Looks like they recorded the podcast on Friday this week instead of Saturday, causing me to have the wrong link for the file. All should be working correctly now.

In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "This week, the thoughts and prayers of millions of Americans are with the victims of the Virginia Tech attacks. We mourn promising lives cut short. We pray for the wounded. And we send our love to those who are hurting. ... The day after the attack, Laura and I attended a memorial service on the campus in Blacksburg. We met with faculty members who lost students and colleagues, and shared hugs with grieving moms and dads -- including parents who had lost their only child. We offered what words of comfort we could, and we were moved by the solidarity and strength of spirit we found. We wanted everyone at the university to know that this tragedy saddened our entire Nation -- and that the American people stand with them in an hour of darkness."

April Bloody April

You've no doubt heard most of this already in the past week, but you haven't heard it from me. With the tragic events at Virginia Tech that started this week off, and the history of tragedies that seems to plague the month of April, it's enough to make one wonder exactly what it is about the start of spring that brings such disaster to us. Consider these other great tragedies of history:

April 19, 1993: Seventy-nine members of the Branch Davidian religious cult, including twenty-one children, perished in defense of their compound in Waco, Texas. While the compound burned to the ground during a government siege, autopsies later revealed that many of the cult's members, including leader David Koresh, died of single gunshot wounds to the heads.

April 19, 1995: The Alfred P. Murrah federal building was bombed by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, killing at least 168 people.

April 20, 1999: At Columbine High School near Littleton, Colorado, twelve students and a teacher were killed during the shooting rampage of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

April 16, 2007: Thirty-two people were killed by Cho Seung-Hui in the worst such massacre in modern history.

Other April tragedies:

• The San Francisco earthquake in 1906
• The sinking of the Titanic in 1912
• The assassinations of both Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King
• The Rodney King riots
• A record number of tornadoes in one day in 1974
• The Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986

And, lest we forget, Adolph Hitler was born 108 years ago today.

So what is it about the month of April? Email me with your thoughts, or call 206-600-4JOE.

Joe

Virginia Tech Massacre Timeline

So with all the Virginia Tech massacre dominating the network news today, here are the updates as I received them in my email as events unfolded. My personal comments are noted as text in GREEN.

Apr 16, 2007 10:35 AM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! One Person Dead In Virginia Tech Shooting
Police say one person is dead and Virginia Tech is under lockdown after reports of a shooter on campus.

It has since been reported that there was no lockdown of the campus. In fact, the only notification most of the students received when the tragedy began was an email, which most of them would have had no access to during classes.

Apr 16, 2007 10:23 AM
subject: Breaking News - Virginia Tech reports shooting on campus, tells students to stay indoors
MSNBC Breaking News: Virginia Tech reports shooting on campus, tells students to stay indoors

Apparently, "indoors" is exactly where is was not safe to be.

Apr 16, 2007 11:07 AM
subject: Breaking News - Official: Seven to eight additional casualities at Virginia Tech campus
MSNBC Breaking News: Official: Seven to eight additional casualities at Virginia Tech campus

This is actually the first breaking news email I received that even mentioned "casualties," as "seven to eight additional."

Apr 16, 2007 11:13 AM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! Suspected Gunman Arrested In Virginia Tech Shooting Spree
Officials have told The AP that a gunman suspected in one killing and seven to eight additional casualties at Virginia Tech has been arrested.

This was apparently the cause of the delay in notifying students and why the school did not evacuate the building. Police were on to the wrong suspect.

Apr 16, 2007 12:04 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! 17 Injuries Reported In Virgina Tech Rampage
A hospital spokeswoman reports that 17 Virginia Tech students have been treated for gunshot wounds and other injuries. At least one person is dead.

Apr 16, 2007 12:26 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! Cops: 22 Dead In Va. Campus Shooting Massacre
The Virginia Tech campus police chief says at least 22 are dead after a shooting massacre at the university.

Apr 16, 2007 12:23 PM
subject: Breaking News - University official reports multiple fatalities in shootings at Virginia Tech
MSNBC Breaking News: University official reports multiple fatalities in shootings at Virginia Tech

Apr 16, 2007 1:47 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! At Least 30 Dead In Va. Tech Shootings
CBS News confirms at least 30 people are dead after a gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech.

Apr 16, 2007 2:27 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! Sources Tell CBS Lone Gunman Took Own Life
The FBI and the ATF believe two handguns were used by a lone gunman who took his own life after fatally shooting at least 30 people at Virginia Tech, sources tell CBS News.

Apr 16, 2007 2:28 PM
subject: Breaking News - Officials tell the Associated Press the Virginia Tech death toll has risen to 31
MSNBC Breaking News: Officials tell the Associated Press the Virginia Tech death toll has risen to 31

Apr 17, 2007 9:29 AM
subject: Breaking News - Virginia Tech gunman identified as South Korean native Cho Seung-Hui, 23
MSNBC Breaking News: Virginia Tech gunman identified as South Korean native Cho Seung-Hui, 23

Apr 18, 2007 8:29 AM
subject: Breaking News - Virginia Tech building evacuated, police swarm with guns drawn
MSNBC Breaking News: Virginia Tech building evacuated, police swarm with guns drawn

I received that report this morning. That police had swarmed a building on campus today with their guns drawn. There has been nothing more about it since then, that I have been able to find.

Apr 18, 2007 2:24 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! Officials Say Gunman Left Suicide Note
CBS News has learned a search of the Virginia Tech gunman's apartment produced eight pages of notes which law enforcement sources characterize as a suicide note. They say the writings "appear to be a manifesto."

Apr 18, 2007 4:43 PM
subject: CBSNews.com News Alert! Police Say Gunman Mailed Manifesto To News Station
Police say Virginia Tech shooting Cho-Shun-We is believed to have sent a manifesto, multiple photos and video to NBC News which were apparently mailed after his first shootings but before his second shootings, two hours later.

So what does this say of the media? There is such a rush to keep the American public informed that we are often given unconfirmed or totally false information, because the media is so anxious to be the first to report that they don't actually take the time to make sure that what they are reporting is true. Is this a case of too much, too soon?

Joe

UPDATE: Brit Captives Tell Their Story

From the NY Times:

Treatment in Iran Described by Britons
By JON ELSEN and SARAH LYALL

The 15 British marines and sailors who were released by Iran on Thursday said today that they were threatened and subjected to psychological pressure before giving videotaped statements appearing to apologize for trespassing in Iranian waters.

I wonder if we'll hear the same kind of outrcy there would be if this had happened in the United States. Did you ever notice that we're held to a higher standard in the land of Freedom?

Some of the former captives said today at a news conference that they knew they were really in Iraqi waters when they were seized, and that they had no choice but to surrender quickly when surrounded by Iranian boats. They denied having ever given the Iranians genuine confessions that they had entered Iranian waters.

Once in detention, they said, they were stripped and blindfolded, isolated from one another and interrogated. On one occasion, they were blindfolded and lined up facing a wall, and could hear guns being cocked behind them.

This is wholly unacceptable behavior!

“Some of us feared the worst,” said Capt. Chris Air of the Royal Marines.

The captives were kept separately in small stone cells where they slept on piles of blankets, they said. Iranian interrogators told then that if they confessed to being in Iranian waters, they would be returned to Britain, but if they did not, they would be imprisoned for seven years. ...

Leading Seaman Faye Turney, the only woman among the detainees, was held separately from the men and was told that the men had all been released, Captain Air said today. “For four days, she thought she was the only one there,” he said. ...

...today, a group of the former captives explained at the news conference that they had spent most of their 13 days in detention in separate cells, and were not allowed to see or speak to one another until nearly the end of the ordeal, and then only while being watched by Iranian journalists.

Finally, when the captives were dressed in civilian clothes and allowed to watch Mr. Ahmadinejad announce they would be released, “there was a great deal of elation,” said Lieutenant Carman.

The captives were then lined up to meet the president, and afterward were blindfolded again and taken to a hotel.

Captain Air said today that on the day they were captured, two Iranian boats blocked them in and rammed their boats, and the Iranian crews were aggressive and seemed unstable. Another six boats quickly closed in. Captain Air said he could not calm the Iranians down, and judged that if his crew tried to resist they would both lose the fight and cause a major international incident.

“They had come with a clear purpose, and they were never going to leave without us,” Captain Air said. “I believe we made the right decision.”

On Thursday, once the captives were released and were safely in the air on the way home, Prime Minister Tony Blair set aside the careful, diplomatic language he had used during the crisis and spoke in tough, almost antagonistic, terms about possible links between the Iranian government and terrorism in Iraq. ...

So Tony Blair came out after all and said what he really thinks. I bet there's lots of ill will now.

Mr. Blair reiterated on Thursday that Britain had traded nothing in return for the detainees’ freedom. They were released, he said, “without any deal, without any negotiation, without any side agreement of any nature whatsoever.”

Britain maintained throughout that the sailors and marines were in Iraqi waters on United Nations-mandated business when they were seized. Iran contended that they had trespassed in Iranian waters and demanded that Britain apologize and never do it again — an apology Britain does not appear to have made, at least publicly.

Speaking on BBC radio, Mike Dewar, a retired army colonel who is now an expert on security issues, said that the sailors and marines had not had appropriate protection and that their capture could have been thwarted by, for instance, the presence of helicopter gunships overhead.

This is the real story we've been waiting to hear.

Joe