Important News News

Scott Pelley is being replaced as anchor of the CBS Evening News. Anthony Mason will replace him on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is found.

I Must Be the Only Person on the Internet

Usually the internet is a place where a diverse marketplace of ideas comes together creating a robust, thoughtful, intellectual discourse.
Just kidding, of course, but I was surprised at how overwhelming the reaction was in favor of United Airlines passenger David Dao.
Yes, I agree that United's policies are foolish and unfair. Yes, I agree the airline, if it really needed the seats for its own employees, should have offered a far more generous "bump" incentive than $800.
And yes I sympathize with anyone who buys a ticket, boards a plane and is then kicked off the flight against his or he will. I think we're all in agreement up until now.
But once the airline makes it clear the Dr. Dao has to leave the plane, that the flight will not take off with on it, that he will be "re-accomodated," Dr. Dao has to behave like a human being and walk off the flight.
All the terrible things that happened to him after that, the smashing of the nose on the armrest, the two embarrassing videos (one with shirt pulled up, one with incoherent ramblings and a bloody nose), the crush of media attention, the disclosure of his previous arrest and the embarrassing personal details all come back to his decision to force security to drag him off the plane.
Because he could have avoided these unfortunate circumstances just by behaving like an adult, I think a lot of the blame falls on him.

Staten Island Shooting

The 52-year-old man who was killed in a double homicide in Dongan Hills has been identified by sources as Carl Clark.

Police already identified Michael Genovese, 57, of Edgewater, N.J. as the other man who was fatally shot execution-style at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at a lending business at 124 Buel Ave. Police discovered the bodies following a 911 call about gunshots.

A suspect remains at large and the investigation continues, a spokesman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information said.

The suspect is described by police as an adult male who was possibly wearing a mask. He fled the location in gray sedan, heading east on Dongan Hills Avenue toward Hylan Boulevard, police said.

A motive has not yet been established. Police do not believe it was a robbery since nothing obvious was taken from the scene, the spokesman said. The victims were believed to have been alone in the building with the suspect at the time of the shootings.

A preliminary police investigation indicates the victims were shot in the back of their heads in a rear office. The medical examiner's office will determine exactly how many times the men were shot, police said.

The address where the men were shot is the location of Universal Merchant Funding, an organization that provides loans for small businesses. Genovese is listed the owner of the business, according to his LinkedIn profile.

When you get killed in Staten Island and your last name is Genovese, people think it's a mob hit.

Please Disperse

I know people died in this fire at a fireworks market in Mexico



but I can't help but laugh because the video reminds me so much of this scene from "The Naked Gun."

I Read An Entire New York Times Article

Normally I don't read the New York Times because it's a liberal rag. And when I do I seldom make it through an entire article.
But today, I actually made it through the entire "tech tip," advice for a person asking "When I'm mistakenly put on an email chain, should I hit 'reply all' asking to be removed?"
Here's the answer:

Kudos to Daniel Victor, for publishing this important information.

I Would Have Shot the Parents Too

The tragic death of Harambe the gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo is the direct result of negligence by the parents of the child who ended up in the gorilla enclosure.

Yes accidents happen. Small children do things and go places they are not supposed to. But any good parent would have rounded up their child before they even thought of getting close enough to the gorilla enclosure to fall in.
As sad as I am about the death of the gorilla I feel the Zoo had no other choice. A tranquilizer dart wouldn't work fast enough on an animal that large. Entering the enclosure, even a trained professional could have frightened the animal.
They did what they could to do save the child's life. Now if they could only do something about his parents.

I Hope We Find Them a Nice Warm Jail

A bison calf had to be put down after a pair of tourists to Yellowstone National Park put the animal in their car because they thought he was cold.

The idiots took him away from his herd, and efforts to reunite him were unsuccessful and he had to be euthanized for his safety and the safety of others because he kept approaching people and cars.

The tourists, who are not American, say they found him alone, thought he was freezing and wanted to drive him to a park facility.

That's bullshit. I don't know if they wanted to take him home, or just have a good instagram picture of a bison calf in their rental car but everyone knows you don't fuck with nature.

The park rangers said the tourists thought they were caring for the animal. I am not forgiving. They should be prosecuted.

The Beginning of the End

"Chalk it up to Swiss affluence. Voters here will decide next month whether all 8 million citizens and legal residents should be guaranteed a generous monthly income, something no country in the world has ever done.
On June 5, Swiss voters will weigh in on a radical proposal that would mandate the government to guarantee $2,600 a month tax-free to every adult citizen and legal resident, and $650 to each child.
The payment would be provided to everyone, regardless of work status, income level, or wealth. It is a benefit few countries can afford. But then, Switzerland is among the world's richest nations, with a per capita income of about $85,000, 40% higher than that in the USA."

This is going to happen. It is going to start in places like Switzerland, then move to places like Finland and Norway, then the UK and Canada and eventually to the U.S.
And when that happens we're done. Why would anyone ever work when a comfortable living wage is provided with no effort required.
Hopefully, I'll be long dead before they start paying everyone just to be alive.

Paul Amon is Dead

The tugboat crewmember who died after the ship struck a barge and sank in the Hudson River early Saturday was identified as a Bayville man.

Emergency crews recovered the body of Paul Amon, 52, after the crash, near the Tappan Zee Bridge, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said at a news conference.

Two others on the 90-foot tugboat, named The Specialist, were missing.

At a previous briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the missing crewmembers were believed to be dead and state police were using sonar to pinpoint the location of the tug.

"You have three people who left for work, who aren't going to come home and that's what today is all about," Cuomo said. "Again, our thoughts and prayers are with the families."

Your Mother and I are Going on a Crooooooze

When Papa Poop asked me to drive them to the port in Bayonne I never expected my parents would later become part of an international news story.
But there they were, shut in their state room on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas while the ship was rocked during a massive storm off the coast of North Carolina. Waves of 30 feet and wind gusts of at least 75 miles per hour were reported.
At about 3pm Sunday afternoon seas started getting rough and all passengers were asked to go to their rooms and stay there. I believe my parents were seeing a show at the time and dinner afterwards (Papa Poop had agreed to skip the Super Bowl).

So they stayed in their room with nothing to eat except the minibar. Papa Poop ate a Snickers bar, some M&Ms and some grapes for dinner during the game (the TV signal never went out) but poor Mama Poop didn't fare as well, getting seasick.

Today it was decided that the ship would skip their appointed route and turn around and come home because of the forecast of more bad weather. The ship was damaged but mostly superficial, nothing that would make the ship unsafe.

So Mama Poop isn't going to Cape Canaveral or the Bahamas and she's probably not going to take them up on their offer for another cruise at a 50% discount (though she will gladly accept the full refund for this aborted cruise).

But Monday afternoon they briefly had an open bar and a frozen margarita helped ease her nerves.

Mama Poop did say she was fine, but wants off the boat, but is accepting this as a free 4-day vacation.

She was actually planning to zipline too, but all activities of that sort have been canceled.

Maybe next time.

The Internet Breaks and Kim Kardashian's Ass is Not Involved

Federal authorities raided the home of Subway spokesman Jared Fogle Tuesday morning. FBI sources told CBS4 federal and state investigators were serving warrants at Fogle’s Zionsville home in connection with a child pornography investigation.

The raid started around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. An evidence truck could be seen parked in the driveway. Investigators from the FBI and Indiana State Police were at the scene.

Earlier this year, Russell Taylor, the former director of the Jared Foundation started by Fogle, was arrested in a child pornography case. He was accused of possessing and producing child pornography. Investigators said a search of Taylor’s home turned up more than 500 videos with images of child pornography. Taylor unsuccessfully tried to kill himself while in jail.

Fogle said the foundation severed all ties with Taylor following the arrest. Investigators wouldn’t say if Tuesday’s raid was connected to that case.

Fogle gained national fame after attributing massive weight loss to eating Subway sandwiches. He was a freshman at Indiana University at the time. He later became a visible presence in Subway ad campaigns, pitching the restaurant’s sandwiches and touting their health benefits.

The Watcher

A couple paid $1.3M for a house in Westfield, NJ and now they have fled the house and are suing the sellers for not disclosing that the house is being watched.

Shortly after they moved in the Broaddus family started receiving letters from someone called "The Watcher."

'My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time,' wrote The Watcher. 'Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested?'
'Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them to me. I asked the (prior owners) to bring me young blood,' the first letter, dated June 5, read. 'And now I watch and wait for the day when they (sp) young blood will be mine again.'
'Have they found what is in the walls yet? In time they will. I am pleased to know your names and the names now of the young blood you have brought to me,' the letter reads.
'Will the young bloods play in the basement. Who has the rooms facing the street? I'll know as soon as you move in. It will help me to know who is in which bedroom then I can plan better.
Here's what drives me crazy about this. They are suing the previous owners for failing to disclose that "The Watcher" had been harassing them too.

The stalker has nothing to do with the house, he doesn't come with the house. It is a criminal engaging in criminal behavior. This is a matter for the police, not for the courts.

I'm sorry for their plight but I have to tag this "frivolous lawsuits."

The Curse Claims Another Victim

Just a few days after Misao Okawa died, Gertrude Weaver of Arkansas was named the world's oldest person.
Five days later, she died.

The world's oldest person curse claims another victim. Every time someone receives the title they die soon after.

Jeralean Talley, watch your back.

World's Oldest Person Curse

This is Misao Okawa. She is about to fall victim to a curse worse than the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.

At 117 she is now the world's oldest person. That's because the previous world's oldest person died. Same thing happened to the one before that, and the one before that and you get the picture. Being named the world's oldest person is a curse. They're dropping like flies, usually within a short period after getting the title, they pass it on the next poor schlub who should being writing a will.

Here are some facts about her:
She was born in 1898
She has 3 kids, 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren
Her son is in his 90s
She has been a widow for nearly 84 years

Digital Good Samaritan

Trusted friend, caring sister, beloved Aunt and former shaving products magnate Razor is adding a new title to her long list of superlatives, she is now a digital good Samaritan. Over the weekend she found instagram posts threatening the police like one from "Woodgramflexinn" which said he was on his way to New York to kill two more cops. She forwarded it to a tipline for the NYPD, which then alerted authorities in his area (Tennessee) which went to the guy's house and determined the threat was not serious. The Fox affiliate in Memphis contacted Razor and eventually wrote this article about the incident.

How Did They Know Which Way He Was Going?

An elderly man was arrested for driving on the Wantagh Parkway Sunday night.
Troopers said they received a report of a 71-year-old driver in a white Nissan was seen traveling north in the southbound lanes at about 8:11 p.m.
State police stopped traffic and set up a roadblock where the Nissan had last been seen. When the elderly driver approached, he went past the roadblock, but he was stopped south of the Southern State Parkway, police said.
He was charged with reckless driving, speeding, failing to comply with a lawful police order and driving the wrong way.

They set up a roadblock, and he drove around it?

Angry Biker Gangs Terrorize New York

There's a wild story whipping all of New York into a frenzy, but it's a little complicated so let me explain it as best as I can.

A huge biker gang tried to take over the West Side Highway, slowing down and blocking on ramps, so they could have the entire road to themselves. One car, driven by Alexian Lien got caught in the middle.

One biker, Christopher Cruz, purposely cut off Lien, who bumped into his rear tire. The bikers then surrounded the car, slashed his tires and one biker even opened the driver's side door. When that happened, Lien hit the gas and sped away, running over one of the bikers on the way out of Dodge.

CORRECTION: the first confrontation occurs 30 seconds into this video, when he bumps Cruz, and then runs over Edwin Mieses. You can see the right side tires go up in the air. The second confrontation occurs at about 4 minutes and 30 seconds into it:



The guy who got run over is Edwin Mieses. Both his legs are broken, he's in a medically-induced coma and could be permanently paralyzed.

Instead of helping their friend (maybe a couple did), the majority of the bikers took off after Lien. The finally caught up with him when he had to stop due to the slashed tires, attacked his car, eventually pulled him out and beat the shit out of him in front of his wife and 2-year-old daughter.

They beat the shit out of him pretty good, and slashed his face.

But he doesn't have any serious injuries. He will not be charged with a crime. The biker who started it all, Cruz, has been charged with menacing, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.

Remember, his 2-year-old daughter was in the backseat. The same seat where one of these assholes was breaking the window.

This driver, Alexian Lin, did the right thing. He tried to protect his family from an attack. The only thing he should have done differently was run over more of them.

What Do You Give Me For? Charles Ramsey and Clarence the Barber from Coming to America

You all know how I feel about those racist autotune videos that make fun of black people saying crazy shit on the local news.
Our racist autotune hero of the week is Charles Ramsey who helped Amanda Berry call 911 to free her from her 10-year kidnapping ordeal.
Not to be racist, but he sure looks a lot like Clarence the barber played by Eddie Murphy in "Coming to America"

Father of the Year

As a father you know in your heart you would do anything to protect your children. Would you, could you, do this?
A 23-year-old Texas man beat a guy to death because he was molesting his 4-year old daughter.
"The victim was an acquaintance of the girl's father who came to the barn to help care for some horses.
The adults were shoeing a horse and had sent the 4-year-old and her brother to feed chickens when the attack occurred.
The children's grandfather said the boy returned to alert his father that the little girl had been taken away by a man. The father found the pair partially naked.
In the course of trying to get her away from him, and protect her, he struck the subject several times in the head and the subject died."
He won't be charged with a crime (unless new evidence emerges refuting this story). If it's true this guy is a hero. And I hope if I were ever in that situation, I would do the same thing.

Fiddling While the Trailer Burns

Last year I wrote about a town in Tennessee where firefighters allowed a resident's home to burn down because he had not paid the $75 annual fire fee.
Some people will never learn. Another resident in the same county, Obion County, had her trailer burn down because she hadn't paid the mandatory fee to the fire department of neighboring South Fulton.
Let's recap: Obion is too small for its own fire department. Nearby South Fulton is willing to respond to fire calls there, if its residents pay a $75 fee each year.
Like it or not, you'd think Vicky Bell would have paid the fee after reading about Gene Crasnick. Crasnick's house burned down and the fire department didn't intervene because he hadn't paid the fee.
Now the same thing happened to Bell's trailer.



Here's the bottom line: when someone tells you "if you don't do this, this might happen" and you still don't do it, then you are accepting the consequences.
Especially, the second time around. Bell had warning. She chose to gamble that her trailer would never catch fire, she lost.
It's unfortunate (and again, if people were in danger the firefighters would have helped) but the system wouldn't work any other way.
You can't charge people after the fact because it would still probably not be enough to cover expenses from fighting the fire, because the fire department costs money just to operate, waiting for a fire.
And if you charged an exorbitant fee, these poor rubes wouldn't be able to pay it.

It comes back to the debate which is tearing apart our country right now: the responsibilities of the individual versus the responsibilities of the society to aid the individual.

We have become way to reliant on others and we need to restore personal responsibility.