9 hours ago
Adorable 2-month old Pug
She’s adorable, gentle, quiet, and up for adoption for only the costs of the shots! ($45)
the Queen of Plinko!
I totally won at Plinko yesterday with one $2.00 chip. My father, who has watched Price is Right for decades, will be so proud of me!
Rosco is the proud owner of an oversized, larger-than-himself ladybug pillow pal. It’s quickly becoming a dog bed versus a toy.
Parking lots.
Fucking parking lots. Burn them all to the ground!"
As he was trying to get out of the mall
Kelly Thomas murder by police brutality
I don’t normally get into politics or the media’s current tragedy, but the Kelly Thomas story has intrigued me.
I found a well-written blog about the crime committed by the police officers. (Yes, crime committed by police officers). I couldn’t have said this any better myself. Mr. Thomas was accused of having someone’s mail. He was not a threat to the police officers. He offered little resistance (in the video taken by the local government, he seemed more confused at the orders barked at him than anything). Yet he was beaten to death.
I would like to add a photo of the police officer’s “injuries:”
Poor officer Manny
Are We Still Surprised By Police Brutality?
Posted 23 hours 9 min ago by Shaka Griffith
Unfortunately, history will always repeat itself and the police will always beat up people. So it’s no surprise that twenty years after the Rodney King beatings, which led to the 1992 L.A. Riots, we are once again talking about excessive force when it comes to coward police officers who hide behind their badges in the name of justice.
Taking matters into their own hands, Fullerton, California police officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli are standing trial for the death of Kelly Thomas, 37, a homeless man who was beaten so severely that he slipped into a coma and later died from his injuries.
In surveillance video taken aboard an Orange County Transportation Authority bus, you can see the officers pounding Thomas’ face as they hog-tied him while he cried out for his father.
The video was made public on Tuesday as prosecutors showed the graphic visual in a courtroom to determine whether Ramos and Cicinelli should stand trial in the death of Thomas.
Last July, Ramos responded to a call of a car break-in and found Thomas walking near the scene of the crime. He began to question Thomas, then called for back-up.
In the video you can hear Ramos say the following to Thomas:
“Put your hands on your (expletive) knees…put your feet out in front of you.”
“Well, which one is it, dude?” Thomas said.
“Both,” Ramos responded.
“I can’t do both,” Thomas retorted.
“Well, you’re gonna have to learn real quick,” Ramos told him.
After barking out a few more orders, Ramos told Thomas with “you see my fists? . . . They are getting ready to fuck you up”. The two exchange expletives, Thomas gets up and the batons come out.
“Get on the ground,” one officer yelled.
What I saw next made me sick to my stomach; officers began pummeling their batons on Thomas’ head and body while piling on top of him.
You can hear Thomas screaming at the officers “OK, I’m sorry.”
After repeatedly ordering Thomas to put his hands behind his back, another officer knees Thomas.
“OK man, I can’t breathe,” Thomas said.
Minutes later, Cicinelli ordered Thomas to stop resisting. Then he used his Taser on Thomas several times. Thomas could be heard screaming and begging the officers to stop while he screams out for his father, crying for help.
Ramos is now on trial for second-degree murder, while his fellow officer Cicinelli is charged with involuntary manslaughter and both have pleaded not guilty.
Kelly Thomas after the beating
The disturbing nature of the video only shows that when it comes to training these officers, it doesn’t work.
Thomas remained peaceful as he was being ordered by Ramos to assume the position, but Ramos’ constant elevated threats of violence were un-called for. He yelled at Thomas “you see my fists? . . . They are getting ready to fuck you up.” What officer that’s supposed to protect and serve threatens an unarmed, shirt-less homeless man?
Adding insult to injury, Thomas was diagnosed as being a schizophrenic.
At the hands of Ramos and Cicinelli, Thomas suffered brain injuries, shattered facial bones, broken ribs and a crushed thorax and was taken off life support by his family, dying five days after his beating.
When cases like this come across my desk, I’m never surprised, but what does surprise me is when the officers get off – as in the case of Sean Bell and Rodney King. Hopefully that doesn’t happen in the case of Kelly Thomas.
I want to see these officers prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and be subjected to the same punishment as if they were ordinary citizens – not have the badge they wear blind the process of justice.
Shaka Griffith is the News/Politics Editor of GlobalGrind.com Follow him on twitter @Darealshaka..
http://globalgrind.com/news/police-brutality-case-kelly-thomas-shaka-griffith-blog
Sleep
To sleep, or not to sleep. That is the question.
I’d give my kingdom to sleep like a normal person.
Zumba: “There’s no wrong moves, only unexpected solos.”
I saw a scary sign while running errands today:
Coming soon.
As said by Zumba instructor Steve Gregory, ““There’s no wrong moves, only unexpected solos.”
I made initial contact with the local instructor, Rachelle, and mentioned my interest in attending a Zumba class.
However, I have concerns:
- I’m almost 200 lbs and 5’7″. I’m definitely overweight. Does anyone really need to see a fat girl shaking her ass?
- Whether it’s because I’m white or old, I can’t dance. I’ve never been able to dance. So this could get dangerous for myself and/or other people around me. I have the coordination of Elaine Benes:
I actually make Elaine look like a good dancer.
Despite my concerns, I’m inspired. The sign inspired me. One of this seasons episodes of “Biggest Loser” inspired me (if 300 lb Jeremy could do it, then so can I). And my driving motivation is that bastard lying weight scale.
I can always try, right? If I end up looking like an idiot, I can never show my face in town again, but do I really care what a small town in Indiana cares about me?
An open letter to Mother Nature
Dearest she-bitch Mother Nature,
Apparently you are confused. Maybe the pollen and crazy weather are also wreaking havoc on your body. Therefore I would like to bring to your attention the age old saying: “April showers brings May flowers.”
Today is May 8th. M-A-Y. I don’t mind not having beautiful flowers blooming everywhere, but I certainly could do without the continued irregular thunderstorms. My back yard is a marsh (which my dogs do enjoy), my flowers are non-existent, and my sinuses are freakin’ killing me.
We all have our “off” times… the times when we just can’t seem to kick ourselves into the right gear. I completely understand. Especially as a woman, some days of the month can just be a drag. All I can do is have a good listening ear and recommend some great military psychologists.
Dearest Mother Nature… even with all of your current woes, please remember that it is May. Therefore I’d appreciate you sticking with the old adage and saving us humble servants from the continued pain and agony.
kxthxbye
Medicine, Hobbies, and the Brady Bunch
If the title of this post is any indication, this entire entry will be pretty sporadic (much like me).
I haven’t sat and blogged for awhile, so let’s start with something easy: medicine. The good part about moving halfway across the country was that the VA hospital is much nicer here. The bad part is that the doctors have all of their own opinions and changed all of my meds. Unfortunately for me, the doctors didn’t warn me about NOT taking the medication as prescribed, and I fell into a horrible downward spiral. I was in so much emotional and physical pain that I honestly didn’t think I would make it through the week. Thankfully, I did have family and friends step in to help me get back to health, along with a doctor that finally told me that my maniacal depression was due to the medications.
Another update… my photography hobby is in full swing. My equipment isn’t the greatest but it’s a hobby. I don’t need a $2,000 lens (although it would be nice). So right now I sit happily with my Sony A55, a couple of different lenses, and a bounce flash that works. I have a new computer on the way to handle the Adobe programs, and I even went to Roberts and bought a new photographers bag to hold all of my equipment. I’ll even have a website up in a week or so.
To help support my hobby, I joined a local Meetup group and attended my first meeting. We all met at a local cemetery to socialize, educate, and of course take photos. I had so much fun meeting some great people in the area and learned a lot of valuable information.
Beautiful memorial at the cemetery
Last update… the foreclosed house next door sold to a man and his three kids. Joining him is his fiancee and her three kids. So literally, the Brady Bunch has moved in next door.
Before I go any further, let me remind readers that I have high anxiety, and loud, unexpected noises are not my friend. One of the girls LOVES to scream at the top of her lungs for no apparent reason.
10 year old sniper living next door... no joke.
The Brady Bunch started their weekend by shooting high-powered BB guns across the pond. Across the pond where kids play in the high grasses. Across the pond where there are families of Canadian Geese. Police called… apparently they are now only targeting objects in their own yard.
Today I awaken to the sound of a mower. Except it wasn’t a mower; it’s a tiller. The neighbor has decided to put in a garden. A garden is nice… except when he’s tilling community property. A discussion was had and he decided, according to his measurements, that his property extended out to the pond (it doesn’t).
This causes four problems:
- The mowing company now cannot mow around the pond as indicated in our HOA agreement
- Walking paths were promised in the HOA agreement and will be installed in the future. But of course, his garden is now in the way.
- It’s hideous and (in my opinion) ruined the beauty of the pond (see photo below)
- Most importantly… IT IS NOT HIS FUCKING PROPERTY.
What the crap is that? And it BETTER not block my view of the pond...
