what next?
So Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize....I hate to spoil the fun, but I just found out that the Prez is also going to be awarded this year's Heisman Trophy as well!!!
Who knew????
Everybody Wang Chen Tonight
First we have to read an article about a local grocer who is being tried for combating a shoplifter – READ THIS ARTICLE
Okay – so that was fun.
Anyone reading this in the U.S. is probably shaking their heads, wondering why Wang Chen didn’t just shoot the guy and become a hero. Different laws folks. I almost wrote “different laws I’m afraid” but in some way it’s different laws and I am happy about that.
Based on what I have read about this case (and of course I am not a lawyer) it’s fairly clear that the victim in the story is Wang Chen, who defended and protected his property and in turn the thief who is being portrayed as a scum-of-the-earth-crack-addict (who is really into floral displays apparently), petty thief and is now being treated as the victim by the police and courts.
Obviously we don’t get all of the story here and the courts probably won’t either, but what I found most interesting in the article which I believe would apply in virtually any country in the free world (what is the free world anyway?) is the following:
Detective Chris Trites said shoplifting is a problem everywhere. He said it's not fair to cast stones at police for not cracking down enough.
“It's easy for people to say things like, ‘You should do something about drugs' or, ‘You should do something about theft,'” he said. “If people really want to help, then they should be offering some sort of positive solutions or positive ideas.”
Let me start by saying that chasing, catching and tying up a man is possibly not the most positive solution, and the cops hate vigilantes in this city, but basically what Wang Chen did should be seen by everyone (including the cops) as something of a solution.
I would hate for a shop owner to do something like this and find that the man they are chasing has a weapon and thereby see a tragic ending to something as simple as a shoplifting, but it frightens me that police can do nothing but tell it’s citizens to stop blaming them and start doing something, but don’t do anything lest we need to arrest you. Mixed message?
In my ‘hood we have seen an incredible increase in swarmings and muggings over the past 6-8 months. Basically what has happened is the petty thieves have been forced from their own ‘hoods for two reasons;
1.
it’s not safe – you pull a knife on a man and ask him for his wallet and you will be shot
2.
Police presence is too high in the high crime areas of Toronto – making the thieves take their road shows elsewhere
When you think of it though, where would you want to be a thief – in a ghetto, where you are stealing junk and or stolen stuff, or in a nice neighbourhood, where the kids have expensive toys like iPhones, Tiffany’s and $200.00 boots from Australia? Police are quick to tell you that the increase in crime in the nicer areas is due to this reason as well as the kids in these areas are told to hand it over, and walk away – never put up a fight.
Funny I can’t get my kid to listen to one thing I say, but this rule he and his friends are quick to adhere to.
There is no solution to Wang Chen’s dilemma, nor is there a solution to Chris Trites demands.
My opinion is that the police in this city are doing a fantastic job with limited resources.
Our illustrious quack of a mayor says that reported crime is down significantly – the key to that statement is “reported”. I suspect that this city is more criminally challenged than ever. Stand with your local grocery store owner for 15 minutes – he’ll likely stop a conversation and say “what this guy over here” and we’ll stand by and watch “this guy” as he places a $15.00 pound of coffee into his jacket along with a side of ribs and two bricks of cheese. Try it – I did and it was sobering.
“Why don’t you send someone after him, why not call the cops?” I ask
“The cops won’t be here for over an hour – the guy will have sold the coffee and cheese or gone home to feed his family. Head office have instructed us to let the people go – it’s too dangerous to defend, I’ll get the money back – that cost is built into the prices you pay” is his response.
That’s great to know. I just paid $15.00 for a pound of coffee that should have cost me $13.00 because of an unreported crime. In the old days (pre this goofball that is our mayor) Tom would have called the cops. He says so – but with Cops having a different set of objectives to work towards, we just choose to ignore petty crimes, and pity be the fool who takes his own money into account and tries to fight crime, because you live in a country that believes that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and even then the tie goes to the runner!
Nobel Rigged?
I’m not huge on the whole conspiracy theory thinking that seems to go hand in hand with skepticism.
Oh wait, yes I am – sometimes.
Conspiracy or reality?
John F Kennedy – Reality – Oswald did it, let’s move on.
9/11 – Reality – Sorry, Bush was never smart enough to concoct that.
Global Warming – Reality, with a side of conspiracy to make it sound better.
Princess Di – Reality – No, Charles and Lizzie didn’t do it.
Elvis is dead – Now that’s a complete conspiracy – He’s alive and well and living in Middleton Ohio, where he’s a counter person at the local Dunkin Donuts.
The latest thing to enter our world that calls into question it’s relevance to society and the possibility that one of life’s greatest rewards is actually rigged is the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to one Barack Obama, President of the United States of America.
Under normal circumstance I would say that this is possible. Hell he’s a black man and he’s president, isn’t that one of life’s greatest miracles to start with?
I read with disdain and hatred some quotes from Sean Hannity’s (Fox New’s Rightwinged extremist), but after a weekend of thought I realized that Hannity is right – sort of.
Think back to January 20th of this year. We all know where we were; watching Barack and his wife Michelle and their daughters in Washington on that blustery afternoon as he was sworn in as President of the United States.
A relative unknown in politics, Obama, the smooth talking smoker first came to the spotlight in 2004 when elected to the Senate. His keynote address at the National Democratic Convention that year made him the Democrats darling and the back office gangs went to work on creating their next star.
His speeches are mesmerizing and breathtaking, his candor and charisma electrifying. His platforms were almost irrelevant, because you couldn’t help but love the man no matter what he said. That was then, this is now.
Taking office January 20th Obama spoke of eliminating Gitmo (something that he has since retracted). He has vowed to increase military presence in Afghanistan, and end the war in Iraq in approximately 9 months (from today).
Those are all lofty goals, achievable perhaps, but Nobel worthy?
Let’s get even deeper into this. In order to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Barack Obama would have had to be nominated for the award on or before February 1, 2009. This is where Hannity comes into play. What the folks in Oslo are saying is that Obama made the changes necessary to be the just winner of this award in a mere 12 days. 12 days as president and he’s the winner.
Now where Hannity fails to go, and I will, is that the award isn’t being given to Obama solely for his work as president of the USA, but for the work he did in the past year (February 2, 2008 – February 1, 2009). In terms of his work schedule, this is one year into his campaign to be the Democratic Leader until 12 days past his inauguration.
While we all know that a lot of the president’s campaigning involves domestic AND foreign policy discussion, but it’s more about plans and discussion than actions and doings.
I still can’t stand Sean Hannity, however today I am glad that a headline of his reached my plate, because he was right – this time.
Barack Obama is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for enacting action on peace that equates to really doing nothing.
Hmmmmm
