How did we ever live without the internet?
My thoughts on Proposition 8
I usually do not write about stuff like this because honestly I am not into politics or anything of the nature but one thing that has caught my attention is this Proposition 8 thing going on. I never vote but this might get me to vote, then again I don't know if I want to mess up by non-voting streak. Proposition 8 is a initiative measure on the 2008 California General Election ballot titled Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry. If an individual votes "yes" then they are voting for only marriage between a man and a woman to be valid or recognized in California. If you vote "no" then you are voting for the fundamental equal rights for same sex couples to marry.
There has been much advertising by both sides of this issue on the radio and on television. The subject first caught my attention when the "yes on 8" commercials started coming on TV. They stated how same sex marriage would be taught to school children as being acceptable. OK, now this really caught my attention since I am the father of 6 children all 12 years old and younger. Then I started seeing "no on 8" commercials about the false claims made by the other side. The "no on 8" commercial had a big shot from the school district, I think the LAUSD saying that schools do not have to teach anything about marriage to children. Then I see a counter by the "yes on 8" people. They say that it is a lie and that it is mandatory to be taught to children in 94% or 96% of the schools. Anyhow, these people can be quite confusing. Who in the hell is telling the truth here. You can see why I don't like getting involved with stuff like this. Politics are made up of a bunch of liars! Who's the liars? Shit! I don't know!
No matter what they say about the teaching of it in school, it does not change my opinion on the subject though. I am "YES ON 8" because I do believe in traditional marriage. Even if they are not going to teach it to school children my personal beliefs is that only a man and a woman should be able to get married. Am I against homosexuals? Am I discriminating? Call it what ever you want. I don't hate anyone for what they do but that does not mean that I agree with what you do. To me being just being with the same sex is not natural and it pisses me off that the media is trying to make it seem natural. I mean, I remember as a kid that if you seen two men or two women together on television it was like "What the hell"! Now, it does not even surprise you that much anymore and no one is shocked to see it. I personally think that the kids of today are being brainwashed by the media and as a parent it is up to you to teach your child what is right and what is wrong. Teach them morals and values.
Forget the streak, I'm voting! Also, if "no on 8" wins I'm moving out of California because I think that will be the last straw with God! It could be the next Sodom or Gomorrah here and I'd rather be somewhere else. One more thing I wanted to point out is that it seems that some people who do not follow things to closely think that by voting "No" that they are voting that same sex couples should not be able to get married. It can be a little confusing for some people. I think the "No on 8" will get many votes by some people being confused.
It's tough being Mexican American
On the other side of the token. A lot of white people look at you and think that you are an illegal immigrant, go figure.
Why is this in my head? Because today I was in Encino, a mostly white neighborhood. There was a white guy who I was conversating with and during the conversation he asked me what country I was from. This was odd to me! What country am I from? I've never had anyone ask me this question. I wasn't offended, just surprised. I mean, I have absolutely no accent, don't even speak Spanish all that well. I had to explain to him that I'm 4th generation on my moms side and 8th generation of Los Angeles on my dads side. He was surprised and said that most Mexican people he meets were either born in Mexico or their parents were. This guy needs to hang around North East Los Angeles more often or the San Gabriel Valley were many Mexican Americans have been around for three generations or more. I mean this guy must be hanging around Macarthur Park, Maywood or Huntington Park where you would find what he is saying true most of the time. I really threw him off when he found out my Spanish is next to none. He really needs to get out more because he acted like he never seen a Mexican American who didn't speak Spanish. Trust me, there are hundreds of thousands of us! Shocking?
Later in the day I was near Downtown Los Angeles. A guy asked me something in Spanish. I couldn't understand him and he asked me the same old questions that have gotten real old. With his broken English he asked:
"Where were you born?"
"East L.A." I say.
"Where were you parents born?"
"L.A." I say.
"How about your grandparents?"
"L.A. and Texas" I say.
They then understand a little more.
It's just crazy but that's life. Just my days experience.
Getting murder charges for drag racing?
Should someone get charged with murder for drag racing? I will ask this again after a further explanation. Let me start with the story leading up to this. A few days ago in Eagle Rock, which is a district of Los Angeles; a car crashed into a tree which sits in the center divider of Colorado Blvd. Witnesses and law enforcement officers explained it as one of the most horrible things they had ever seen, one witness said that body parts were scattered around and there was nothing anyone could do to help. The Nissan Maxima actually split in half.
The driving was a 19 year old, eight months pregnant girl and she carried four passengers with her. Among them was her 16 year old sister, a 19 year old family friend, the divers 19 year old husband and a 15 year old boy who could have been the drivers brother or cousin since he shared the same last name.
According to a police investigation they were racing with two other cars and could have been going 80-100 MPH. I used to drive Colorado everyday in that area and know that the speed limit is 35 or 45 MPH. The driver, her unborn child of course, her 15 year old sister and the family friend all died instantly. The drivers husband and the 15 year old boy were in critical condition but are not expected to make it.
One witness said that she went to help the husband but the help he needed was way beyond First Aid. She said that he was missing his legs and all she could say was that everything is going to be alright.
One of the cars involved in the racing kept going and left the scene but the other car that was racing stopped. Yes, the guy actually stopped to help the injured out. Now, this guy who stopped has been arrested and is facing murder charges! They are still looking for the third car.
About the guy facing murder charges. I really think that it is a bunch of crap! This guy should not be facing murder charges! He did not kill these people. Now, don't get me wrong here, this is a very sad thing that just happened here, one of the saddest things you could hear but this guy did not make these people crash. It was the 19 year old girls decision to speed like that and race and unfortunately the worst thing that could happen happened.
I do not defend these drag racers at all, trust me. I hate them actually. I think when people get caught doing this they should have their drivers license taken away for life and if caught again give them some time in the big house and make it a felony charge and if they repeat doing it make the punishment even stiffer.
Back to my point though. This guy actually stopped, he had compassion and was probably raised in a good household by some good parents and should not get life for this!
Stupid woman confesses to murder on Tom Leykis radio show
Tom Leykis is a radio show that comes on here were I live from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The show is aimed at men and educates them on woman or what Tom calls - Leykis 101. Leykis basically educates men on not getting into problems in life with woman such as getting married young, having babies, paying child support and so on. One of Tom's catch phrases is that he will never spend more than $40 on a date with a woman and advises others not to spend a lot of money on a date with a woman either. There is way to much to explain the Tom Leykis show to those who don't know it but I just wanted to give a quick run down on his show. Many woman hate Tom Leykus and his way of thinking, there have even been woman who have called and said that they hate him because he educates men about them (woman), which of course works against the woman.
Anyhow, back to the point of this posting. A woman called up the Tom Leykis show in November of 2006. The woman identified herself as Sue, she was from the state of Arizona. The woman started telling Tom Leykis that she had killed your ex-boyfriend after he refused to pay her child support. Actually, he was really a one night stand she said. Apparently she got pregnant and had their child. He refused to pay child support so she took the law into her own hands and went to family court and they started garnishing this guys work paychecks. The guy ended u quitting his job and Sue approached her babies father for under the table child support. When he refused she shot him and killed him with a 9MM. She also said that she shot him right in the heart and that she's a nurse so she knows right were to aim. When the police investigated she said that she told the police that he had killed himself and that they believed her. Tom told her that she has just confessed to murder on the radio and that she will be found and will go on trial. The woman (Sue) then hung up her phone.
Police have investigated and found this woman (Sue) to really be Megan Suzanne Vice. Recently police formally presented the Maricopa County Attorney's Office with the investigation of the March 24, 2001, death of Torsten Karl Rockwood of Ahwatukee Foothills. Police are seeking charges of first-degree murder and filing a false police report against Megan Suzanne Vice. Vice repeatedly told detectives that she did not kill Rockwood. She said she made the call from a park. She said she was channel surfing and found Leykis' show, and she decided to call while Leykis was talking about strange things people do. Megan also said that Rockwood had killed himself just like it was reported in 2001 and said that before the incident happened that he would always threaten to kill himself. Strangely enough though, Rockwood's parents can vouch in Megan's behalf on this one. Rockwood's mother, Mary Francis Searle Rockwood, and one of his sisters, Aunica Brimhall, also told police they had heard Rockwood threatening to kill himself. He told his mother, "I'll shoot myself in the head before I let a shrink give me drugs."
This girl was really stupid for calling this talk show and saying all that she said. It sure looks like she did it and that she is just a moron for calling but I have to wonder if anyone is really that stupid. I mean, I'm thinking that she could have been just some bored poor soul out at that park looking for some attention and had no idea that it would escalate to this. The mother of Rockwood also saying that her son always talked about killing himself also makes it weird. I don't know, send her to trail!
Police Officer loses his job because of a cup of coffee
A police officer in Daytona Beach, Florida has been fired because of a cup of coffee. How is this possible you might ask. Well, apparently after a Starbucks coffee shop refused to serve Lt. Major Garvin with free coffee and wanted him to pay for it the officer replied to them that his response time may be a little slower should they have any situations there at the coffee house. Lt. Major Garvin told them that a two minute response time may turn into a fifteen minute response time.
Wow! Kind of seems like extortion doesn't it. Just like the gangsters would do to some businesses.
"Pay us and we will protect you!"
Employees said that Garvin would roll his bicycle into the shop and would ignore the employees when they would tell him that he could not bring his bike into the coffee house.
To make matters worse he would take cuts in the lines and would not just order the regular house coffee but always ordered the specialty drinks.
Garvin had been going to this particular coffee shop for a couple years and was used of getting his way there but when new management took over all of that changed. He would visit five or six times a day costing the shop about $20 per day.
Garvin denied the allegations and said that the shop employees are boring it all up but the department said that the officer failed a lie detector test. They fired Garvin and he is now out of a job because of a cup of coffee.
Giving officers freebies is the choice of the business and it can be good practice. What better way to get free security for your business when an officer is visiting your business three or four times a shift but no officer or anyone for that matter should ever expect that getting freebies is a given right.
This story is a serious one and the coffee shop owner should be honored for taking a stand against this officer. Most people would be intimidated and let an officer get what he wants.
In a way though I could not help but find this story amusing and had to laugh at it picturing this cop. I mean It's just like a little kid in elementary school, the so called big bully taking cuts in line and flashing his badge around then threatening that if he don't get what he wants then he won't help you out when you need him.
My Adventure in Downtown Los Angeles Today - Road Rage, Parking Meters and more
Toy's R' Us Sucks
This post is about the unfair return policy of Toys'R'Us. I don't know how many other stores operate like this but I will never shop at Toys' R' Us again. I don't care if they brainwashed all of us with their little commercials back in the days, you remember the song don't ya
"I don't wanna grow up"
"I'm a Toy's R Us Kid"
Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla
"It's the biggest toy store there is"
Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla
They may be the biggest but Toys R Us prices are definitely not the cheapest - A big rip off if you ask me - but they can sell for whatever price they want.
Anyways, during my Christmas shopping I bought my son a blow up remote control four foot robot. He liked the toy when he opened it up Christmas morning but after putting air in the different sections of the robot we realized that there was a little tear in the head part so the air would leak out slowly but surely.
No problem I told my wife, I'll just return it to were I purchased it - Toy's R' Us. I barely took it back in yesterday which is January 6th. Told them I wanted a replacement, they said it would be no problem, just go get a new one. I looked through the isles but did not see any more and let them know that. They said they would see if they had anymore and discovered that they are out of stock and would not be getting anymore. I said O.K., no problem, just give me my $40.00 back. They said there are no cash returns on anything electrical (Anything that uses batteries). WHAT! GIVE ME MY DAMN MONEY BACK!
This really angered me because I wanted my money back so that I can find the robot somewhere else. Instead, they gave me a dumb Toys' R' Us gift card which forces me to get something else from their store for $40.00. I didn't have to get it right there on the spot, I have the card in my wallet at this moment. But Toys' R' Us return policy sucks and I will never again shop there again or any other place that operates like that.
I will now look for and buy the robot somewhere else and will have to get something with that certificate at Toys' R' Us'. I might as well use it right, what am I going to do? Let them keep my $40? Of course not.
To sum up this post: "Toys R Us" SUCKS! Don't shop there!
