Mark,

Let me tell you a story about a cop I recently had an encounter with. He was a State Trooper working around Luzerne County, and stopped me outside of Shickshinny as my registration had run out. Guilty as charged. It had run out and I did not notice it, nor had I received my registration in the mail. Weird I thought-it should have come. Then I remembered having gone through a 911 address change-from a box number to an actual street address. However, when that happened, I filled out a change of address and got a new drivers license.

I figured the Department of Motor Vehicles messed up and so I challenged the ticket based on those grounds, saying it was not intended and an innocent mistake. I was given a date to appear in front of the magistrate. I arrived as did the officer. At no time was this young officer anything but respectful.

I went in front of the magistrate knowing that my guess was correct. A change of address for your license does not mean it is changed for your registration even though both departments are in the same building, desks next to one another and on the same computer system. I reported this to the magistrate. He asked the officer what he had to say, and the officer told the magistrate what I said was true, including the change of address I had filled out-he had done his homework. Again he was nothing but respectful and the magistrate let me off the fine. I thanked the magistrate and the officer and he shook my hand.

I would tend to believe that most officers act this way. In fact I would imagine that the local guys would have an even better report with the local folks. So why all the bashing of the unions-police, fire, etc? A fireman works out at the gym where I do, and I have to think this guy is keeping himself in shape to be able to perform to the best of his ability.

Hey, here’s so more unity for you:

***Liberal Bloggers Say Election is 'More Depressing' Than 9/11
By Nathan Burchfiel
CNSNews.com Correspondent
November 05, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - Bloggers on the liberal Democratic Underground website have overwhelmingly labeled Nov. 3, 2004, the day after Election Day, "more depressing" than Sept. 11, 2001 in a poll of online members.

Seventy-two percent of poll takers said they believed the day Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) conceded defeat in the presidential election was more tragic than the day more than 3,000 Americans were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and on a hijacked plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

One member, "Big Blue Marble," said "I have lived 61 years, lost my parents and my sister plus many many pets and this is the darkest day of my life."

Another member, "zulchzulu," implied that he/she would like to see President Bush dead. "We can only hope that Bush doesn't make it through four years," he/she said. "The day Bush is no longer president before the term ends will be a national week-long holiday in my World."***

Ah, yes, more acceptance and diversity from the left. Hey, idiots-it was an election. It can’t hurt you. The world didn’t fall apart under Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and it won’t now. Relax. Breathe. In, out, in, out. I mean, there is even a name for these people-PESTs-Post Election Selection Trauma or some such thing. Sheesh, get a life, or at least a job.

Who's a coward?

Then we get the Marine shooting a wounded or dead guy in Fallujah. This comes on the heals of a Marine getting killed by a booby trapped body. They are using their own bodies as weapons and care nothing about life-so what are our guys in the field supposed to do. Walk over and treat the wounded? Absolutely. The Muslims are pointing out that that is exactly what we should be doing and they are calling this man a coward-a man who was shot in the face the day before and came an inch away from dying-literally. He’s a coward? Let’s get this straight-the Muslims are booby trapping their own bodies and the bodies of their dead in order to kill more of us, and we should treat them with military respect that is spelled out in the Geneva Convention. I got it-we need to follow the rules of war but the terrorists don’t. How is booby trapping a dead body an act of bravery?

World Hero

I’m not sure if you folks are aware of this or not, but there is a new “World Hero” out there. A man who needs no introduction. This man was truly a keeper of the peace, honest and true as the wind driven snow. Street signs in France, NYC, LA, and no doubt San Francisco will surely be erected. This man was responsible for swindling billions of dollars for himself, while offering his people up as human sacrifices-subjects of abject poverty. A man who wanted a state for himself and also himself, but refused it when offered it by President Clinton. Yes, this new “World Hero,” is none other than Yasser Arafat. From the way people are acting, they think this man was kin to Mother Teresa.

Change…it's never easy

Lastly, we have the fall of a dynasty-Penn State Football. I have missed perhaps one game in the last 15 years and I have never seen the offense this bad. They are running the same plays they have been since the 70s. Even last year I was defending Joe Paterno, but I can no longer do so. Here is a team with a nationally ranked defense and can’t run an offensive play. Case in point was the Northwestern game two weeks ago. The fourth quarter, time running out. We get a huge break in getting a turnover. We drive for two consecutive first downs and have the ball at the 18. First play, do we consider to drive the ball-nope, we shoot for the end zone. Follow that up with the staple play, delay handoff, next thing you know it is 4th and 7 to go. We can get a first down at the 8 yard line. What is the call? A two yard swing pass to the running back out of the backfield. Un-f-ing believable. How does this play even enter your mind? You are down by 7 and need 7 yards. This should have been the first down call. They simply do not know what to do on offense and I have to say that the offensive game has passed Joe Paterno and fellows by. And this is so hard to admit. It is time for a change.

PSU has now tried for years to rely upon two basic plays: first is a delayed handoff, where the quarterback drops back and hands the ball off to a stationary running back, and second is a simple sideline or out pattern. They are very easy to defense, because they refuse to use the middle of the field for their passing attack. They run the delay more then 10 times a game, usually out a few different sets, and pass between the hash marks maybe once or twice a game. When the fans in the audience know what plays are coming up, you can bet the other team does as well.

Time for a change.

Keep the faith.
Private Sector Dude.