Vegas Vacation, Artifact Dig, and Race on the Big Screen

The wife and boy made it to Vegas with no problems, that's a good thing, I like good things. The wife was a nervous wreck, 90 lbs of balling balls and she she sees a problem with the luggage? 30 lbs each as carry one, 30 in the luggage, done is done! The boy had practice tonight, made 7 - 10 split, he's pumped. The wife is hitting the casino to win some money, have a drink, and relax a bit. I told her to be careful, there may be gigolos in the casinos, preying on women. She told me she sure hoped so. Ouch! The boy bowls at 6 pm tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed.

I'm going to go look for arrowheads tomorrow, a friend is building a house, he's found all kinds of things. His parents live next door in a house built in the early 1700's, so it's an old area. I think his dad has a metal detector, he's going to let me borrow it. Why wouldn't he we haven't gotten arrested together 30 years, so we can be trusted to play nice. I want to see what kind of things are there, maybe muscat balls, arrowheads, or even buttons. 2 things amaze me, we had wild Indians warring in our area at some point, and we have deer, 200 lb wild animals running around our neighborhood, now! That is so cool.

I don't claim to be the smartest man in the country, I leave that to the politicos, they are sure of lots of things. They are sure one of the biggest fixes we needed was for the Professor, the cop and the President to have a beer, bury the hatchet. Cool, that will fix the problems the black community perceive. I for one would want to attack the murder rates in our cities. Our young men are dropping like flies. 5 just this past week in Baltimore, and that's just the number that was killed, 3 times as many shot! 130 murdered for the year so far. I think it's horrible when white cops hassle black men for no reason, but look at the larger picture here, people are dying, 1000's of them a year.

Naval Academy To Seek Out Minorities

I can't believe sometimes the reasons given for why groups do something. The United State Naval Academy has decided there are not enough minorities at the Annapolis institution. Are they currently being excluded? If so, are they the most qualified? They are changing the way they sound, so they say. No more stern male voice on there recruitment video. Is it that the voice was male, or was it that it was a white voice? They replaced the voice with a gospel choir. Do all minorities like gospel music? I thought I read that Hispanics are the largest minority in the US? If they aren't, they soon will be. Does the ad get redone to include salsa music next?

What's a summer seminar program? Do all plebes attend one of those classes? Half of the 83 blacks attending this years freshman class went to one. The total number of minorities this year is 351, a new record. Did half of them, or half of the total 1250 go to a summer seminar? How many blacks applied for the Academy this year? What was the race of the other 268 minorities? Do we need to trim some of them to make the numbers jibe? Who decides this kind of stuff? Isn't that kind of like a quota when you plan on increasing the numbers of one race at the expense of at least one other?

It looks like the current application process is a 10 step one, very impressive. Will that be replaced with one question, race? Are they going to take their new recruiting film to black schools and try to talk them into going? I thought if they wanted to go, they applied? How do I get someone to tailor a program that they seek out 40 something, handicapped white guys, because they aren't applying in high enough numbers? I have to admit, I'm confused. Is the AFL-CLO running the Navy now? How much did it cost us to redo the new films, posters, letters? Who wrote the new novel, yeah, they wrote a novel aimed at minorities. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Sorry Dr King, evidently we aren't there yet!

Abell Report Calls Someone Racist, But Who?

Do you ever get tired of being treated like a child? Remember when you were school and the teacher said that if one more child talked, the whole class faced going in the chokie? Unfortunately that type of treatment doesn't end in grade school. The Abell Foundations says there is a huge difference in the number of convictions in Baltimore City and 3 of the surrounding counties. Abell must be some kind of blue ribbon panel that analyzes things. They say it is difficult to convict people in the city. But why you may ask? Good question, but what are they accusing?

The report says that the top charge in the city is only proven 2% of the time, while defendants are found guilty 63% of the time in the counties on the top count. Wow, that's a big difference. Are they saying the city prosecutor isn't doing a good job? Are the police doing a better job investigating in the counties? What are they saying? Abell evidently hired a second company, Choice Research Associate, to do the study. So did the city hire Abell to do the study, or is this just a group that likes looking into things for other people?

A regional Jury pool is what's needed to fix this problem. Oh, so in a left handed way, this report is calling the jurors racists, but they tiptoe around it, never quite saying so. They say the city jurors don't trust the criminal justice system, or they are a lower economic group, or less advantaged. Let me get this right. They aren't proposing any ideas to make those things better, they are calling for a pool to dilute the problem. You piss on my shoes and I know it, but if you take a leak in my pool I won't have to acknowledge it.

Let's talk turkey. Blacks in the city aren't convicting at the same rate as whites in the counties. Maybe if Abell hires a third company they will be able to say what they mean. Did we pay for this study? Did we need this study? Couldn't one of those smart 5th graders have done this study in a day if you gave them the numbers? Are they saying I'm to blame because I've done something to keep the city down. Are the city convictions a higher number of whites and the counties a higher number of blacks? Don't jury pools from a region of people you have nothing in common with go against that thingy about a jury of ones peers? What do you say we pretend everyone is adult enough to get rid of the political correctness and say what we mean.

Baltimore City Happy About Its 22 Murders In July

Way to go Baltimore City! The 22 murders in the month of July are the fewest murders in the month for the past 7 years. The worst part of it is that is good news. Less than one murder a day is pretty good with the way things have been going. What's the answer? How do we end the wild west show? Why was this month different from the last 7 years? Does anyone know how to improve on it? Did the poor economy make it so the bad guys couldn't afford bullets?

Our daughter is trying to pick her trip for school. Like I said before, she wants to go Israel and Jordan. Her Mother and I are worried about the safety part, but I suppose we should be happy she isn't going downtown for 3 weeks! People get all tuned up about travel outside the US, but there will be about 17,000 murders here this year, and every year. Maybe we would be safer in another state? In 2006 MD had 546 murders. WOW! That's not good.

I'm glad our neighborhood is safe, and it really is. We have murders here, but who doesn't have them in their hood? We actually had a murder 2 streets over, but that was a jealous husband over 30 years ago. We also had a guy kill his sister in law and a young woman before going to Maine. They executed him though, so I'm safe.

Let's be honest, if you are murdered in a robbery, or in a drive by shooting, you probably got killed by a black guy. If you are murdered in your home, with your entire family, and your dog, and then your vital organs are consumed, you probably got offed by a white dude. Either way, it' a shame we get excited over 22 murders in a month.

Racial Harmony, As Long As It's The Right Toon

I have been reading a woman's blog who promotes MS issues. She also lives with her partner and promotes Gay and Lesbian issues, problems, and concerns. I posted following comment in response to her post about a 15 year old boy who was killed because he was gay.

"Home is the place to combat all forms of hatred. I'm sure the boy that did the killing didn't form his opinions on his own, he probably regurgitated what he had heard at the dinner table. As parents we need to teach that everyone is equal, everyone deserves respect. Classes in school and the work place only confuse the message, besides, who has he right to try and regulate what my children are taught? I want my children to hold the door for their fellow humans, and shake hands with everyone. I was taught at sexual harassment awareness they we both taboo. It's time to get rid of all special interest groups. They aren't the answer. The answer is to treat everyone with the same respect you want for yourself and family. It's a nice thought anyway."

OK, we all know that is never going to happen. Why not you may ask. Special groups, special initiatives, special purposes. Let's teach the importance of taking care of the Bay. Show our children what an unbelievable resource it is, and teach them to use it wisely. Let's have a conference and have speakers tell the story. There is such a conference scheduled. In the beginning of August, or the middle, I think it's the 16th and 17th, the first annual African American Maritime Conference. Sounds exciting! Are white guys allowed to go? The founder is hoping to promote sailing in the black community. That's just what the young black guys on North Ave. are hoping for!

What about the united Negro College fund, Miss black America. Black history month. Doesn't that drive a wedge deeper between people? What is that supposed to do? What is that, separate but NOT equal? Teaching young blacks, or blacks in general, only the contributions of blacks in history is tantamount to teaching segregated history. Have a month with just white accomplishments and watch the T-shirts get printed up. Do away with all of it. Get rid of Al Sharpton.

The media has to stop promoting all things separate. Stop having different rules for all sides. Tonight is Latino night at the O's game. The ethnic festivals are great, be proud you are Greek, Irish, or African. Dress to show off your pride, name your children to indicate your heritage. Stop giving one group special treatment because their people were slaves almost 150 years ago. They aren't anymore. All these do is teach children they are different from others. I'm not sure if it is to teach them they are better, or that I am worse? The hate won't stop until you teach your children by example.