Let's see if I can embed this video from Facebook :)

Post by The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.

Good to know they can still have fun even with all the pressures where they live. (And if course, it's 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', not 'The Lion King Song', but I won't quibble.)

Three hours after I came home last night

Two women were robbed while walking about two blocks from here. I have generally felt safe in my neighbourhood, but crime can happen anywhere, of course. I don't know if the thing last night was in any way related to that or not. Probably not. But it's highly unusual to have the police out here.

I came home this afternoon and rested (yes, that means napped), and I've spoken to YKWIA a couple of times on the phone. The last hour or so I've been trying to find an important piece of paper to make a payment on something that cannot be paid online, I don't otherwise have the information to pay it like address, account number, and amount, and I'm highly annoyed because I'm sure I put it in a 'safe place', so safe I can't find it. The payments are made quarterly, so it's not with much frequency. Tomorrow I'll have to call the company and get them to send me the information. I can go online and initiate a loan, but I can't find any information about the very small loan I'm trying to pay on. Grrr....

This morning I went to my endocrinologist, which I dreaded because I don't feel like I've really kept my diabetes under the control they needed to be. But my weight and hA1c are both down, so it was a good report. They took some blood and an urine specimen, and I went on into work. It was nice to be able to give them a report of my glucose readings from the new meter without having to type in the readings manually. Today I had two goals:

1. Drink only one diet soda. I drink far too many in a day, up to two two-litres sometimes on the weekend, but even on an average day, about 4-6 20 oz. bottles. I managed to reach that goal, and while I was a bit sleepy in the afternoon from lack of caffeine, I did okay. I drank one sparkling flavored water and the balance has been regular water. Go me!
2. Enter everything I ate into my phone application. Everything. Which I did. And I made pretty decent choices today. For example, at lunch they were doing warm chocolate-chip pecan pie with ice cream, which I totally skipped in favour of spicy vegetarian black bean soup, broccoli, summer squash, a couple of slices of tomato, and a small seeded roll. Breakfast was the worst, as with my appointment I missed breakfast at work, so I went to McDonald's and got two egg and cheese biscuits, which are a combined total of 780 calories! Dinner was more soup, corn on the cob, a small roll, and about five tater tots, so still a bit heavy on the starches, but not horrible. Later I had a couple of pieces of string cheese, a banana, some sugar-free pudding, and a little bit of hazelnut spread on bread. So I've eaten about 2000 calories today and according to the application, which records my steps, I've burned over 300 calories. Even at that, according to my doctor, at my current weight I'd lose on that, but I'd like to take it down to 1800 calories slowly. If I hadn't snacked in the evening, I'd have kept it under that.

In general I'm going to try to eat less bread, more fish, eggs, beans, fruits, and vegetables, and generally make better choices, and see what happens. Although I am pescetarian (fish but no meat), I rely far too much on bread and cheese and not enough on protein and vegetables. Now that my knee is doing better, I also want to start walking, although today was far too hot and humid to start. Perhaps in the mornings or evenings.

Okay, I think I'll go in the other room for awhile. Tomorrow I have a bunch of things planned for the afternoon and evening, including appointments and 'The Awesomes', so I'm not sure if I'll get in early enough to really blog. Have a good night.

So I came home tonight to discover

the police here, blocking part of our drive up to my apartment with a car, although only one car/officer seems to be here. The police officer seemed to be filling out a report. So I parked a few buildings over and rolled my laundry cart over to my apartment (there wasn't anything indicating danger), and there was a young girl sniffling on the steps to my building with a phone in her hand. I asked her if she knew why the police were here, and she said, 'I think they're here for me,' which was wonderfully vague, so I don't know if she's the victim or the criminal, but she was obviously upset, so I said, 'I hope it's nothing very serious' in a comforting tone and continued on into my apartment, figuring she probably didn't feel like answering a lot of questions. Now a young man who looks somewhat like her (maybe her brother?) is out there with her on the steps. I don't know if maybe there was a domestic situation and he's come to comfort her, or if there was a break-in, or what. So I'm pretty much staying out of it. I'm in the house, have put my food away, including some lovely asparagus deviled eggs (I went ahead and had a couple, and if I remember, I'll take the others to work tomorrow if I can. Actually, I keep forgetting, I have an appointment early in the morning with my endocrinologist, so maybe keeping them in the car, even that early, may not be such a good thing. Now I'm in the bedroom listening to some Loreena McKennitt music and trying to decide if I want to turn in early or stay up a bit longer. I have to get up by about 6:30, so I think I'll head on too bed. I've done housework, watched some more of 'The Black Adder' and an episode of 'World's Strictest Parents', and it's been a good day all around. I noticed that Jim Parsons has certain similarities to Rowan Atkinson. I don't know if he was influenced by him or not, but some of the mannerisms were similar between Sheldon and Edmund. Also, the king on 'The Black Adder', played by Brian Blessed, is barking mad, bonkers, delightfully insane. We did try to watch a movie from Netflix, but it had an irregularity in the disc and wouldn't play correctly, so we've reported it and I'll send it back tomorrow and they'll send another copy. I left and A was watching The Maltese Falcon and YKWIA was having a bit of supper that I'd fixed him. I'd done a couple of loads of laundry over there, too. A carried my cart out for me and put it in the trunk of the car. Fortunately it was fairly light, since I'm parked further away than normal.

Hope you had a good weekend. I think I'll turn in. Good night.

Good cops! :)

Post by 1,000,000 Pictures.

I just woke up on the loveseat

all cramped and sore, after falling asleep two hours ago while listening to a happy Celtic channel of Loreena McKennitt and similar music on Pandora. The windows are open and I think it's sprinkled a bit outside. I have my fan and CPAP out here in the living room. That means I didn't watch 'The Originals' or 'Supernatural', but I did record them. Now I'm going to turn over the TV to the local news because I am curious as to why the police had a road I was on earlier shut down (and no, it wasn't the situation with the person hit on New Circle Road--this was another part of town). There were something like eight cruisers across the road, two on the way, and about twelve police officers in the yard of a house when I had to turn around.

No word on the news about what was happening. Oh, well. I guess it didn't make the cut. Maybe it will be on the Herald-Leader website tomorrow. Time to move the fan and CPAP back into the other room and close the windows. I did finally figure out the settings on the TV to make it widescreen. Good night.

Good for him

Memory card in mouth saves police shooting video

I'm a big fan of police, but there are times when they step over the line, like smashing a cell phone because someone films them. If they're not doing anything wrong, it shouldn't matter. Plus, you'd think a video would be better than a witness in the case of an investigation. But no, this man was treated like a criminal, had a gun held to his head even though he had no weapon, but got the last word in by removing the card from his smashed phone, and now it's out there for the world to see. Not cool on the part of the Miami Beach police.

25 somber miles, hundreds of vehicles, and many people who stopped their day to pay tribute to a fallen officer

Officer's last ride allows Lexington to say thanks and goodbye

As people began gathering along Main Street to wait for the funeral procession of Lexington police Officer Bryan J. Durman to pass, I asked why they were there.

The answer was always the same: "I just wanted to pay my respects."

That's why Brad Morris was there, too, along with his wife, Jessica, and their daughters, Grace, 3, and Lucy, 1. But their reason for being there was more personal than most.

Morris had met Durman, 27, the morning of the night he was killed by a hit-and-run driver while investigating a noise complaint on North Limestone.

"We met at the barbershop," Morris said. "I got a haircut in the chair beside him, and 10 hours later he was dead."

A Lexington firefighter for 11 years, Morris knows all too well the ever-present dangers faced by uniformed public safety workers.

Morris was driving an ambulance on Feb. 13, 2004, when he and other firefighters responded to a domestic violence call on Adams Lane in rural southeast Fayette County. A deranged gunman opened fire on them. When the shooting stopped, firefighter Brenda Cowan was dead. Morris took cover behind the ambulance until police officers could escort him to safety.

Officer Durman's procession covered a path 25 miles long, bringing the cortege around Man O' War, down Richmond Road/Main Street past the main police station and the memorials for fallen police and firefighters, and then back down Harrodsburg Road to be buried. All in all, that meant going through over 100 intersections and covering over a quarter of the city along main roads. About 2,000 attended the funeral; 600-1000 vehicles from all over Kentucky and beyond crept along the road, the entire passage taking about forty minutes from beginning to end for an observer at the side. It began shortly before 2 pm and lasted until until 3:30.

I was there. I originally intended to watch from the front lawn of the hospital, but decided I should take an earlier bus to my next job (down Richmond Road) so as not to be caught in the traffic. I had just arrived at the parking lot of the gas station when I heard the first siren. A man near me had brought a large flag to hold during the procession. We lined up along the sidewalk someberly at attention as the first vehicles began.

There were many of them--hundreds, from all over, from cities and counties I recognised and those I did not. But I teared up when the Lexington contingent came by, and by the time the hearse arrived I was crying openly. One of the state trooper cars drove by and I heard my name. One of the officers I see regularly at the store had called to me. I saw the widow as they went by (her son was apparently sick and could not attend the funeral). After the family had passed, I went back up the hill because it was almost time for work. The bus I had been in was still stuck on the other side of Man O'War. I just barely made it. But I'm glad I was able to pay my respects. Later, an officer and his girlfriend or wife, who was still dressed for the funeral, came in. I said I knew it had been a very long day and was very gentle with them. It was so important to honour this young man, but I'm sure it took a toll on those who did.

He was also an Air Force Veteran and was buried with military honours. But the last call from the police radio that they play in one of the videos below choked me up even more than 'Taps' or a gun salute.

The only mar to the thing was that one of the cars across the road which was stopped in traffic was playing its bass a little too loudly. I think they really should have either turned the music down or off out of respect, especially as Officer Durman was killed during a routine noise complaint.

Here's some video about today:

The funeral

During the procession

After the procession

After the burial

Officer Bryan Durman, please rest in peace. And to other officers, like Grace, who called to me, or to my neighbour, let me just say that we appreciate what you do and your willingness to sacrifice so much in order to serve and protect. And you are very much in my thoughts tonight.

A logistical nightmare, but a fitting tribute

Funeral procession for Lexington officer will travel down Main Street

Services will be at noon Tuesday, also at Southland Christian Church, in Building E. Graveside services will follow at Bluegrass Memorial Gardens.

After the service, the procession will leave the church, proceed north on Harrodsburg Road, turn onto Man o' War Boulevard, then go to Richmond Road and proceed into downtown Lexington.

The procession will travel down Richmond Road/Main Street before turning onto Broadway to travel back to the cemetery in Jessamine County.

Lexington police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts says the department has been contacted by dozens of agencies — including from Ohio and Tennessee — that want to pay their respects. Roberts said that Louisville police would be sending its mounted unit and that there will be 14 different honor guards. She said neighboring agencies, including Georgetown, Harrodsburg and Clark County, would be assisting with traffic control.

If people want to watch the procession, Roberts said the department is asking that they park at the old Lexington Mall and stand along Richmond Road/Main Street to reduce congestion.

For those of you unfamiliar with Lexington, Southland Christian Church is way out beyond Man O' War, which is the outermost of two belts around the city. The procession will proceed around a full quarter of the city. Richmond Road is the same thing as Main Street (Lexington roads change names at major intersections, and all of the main roads going out of town are named for the towns they go towards). I heard from someone that when a police officer dies, his body is escorted by his assigned station, so I'm assuming the one on Main Street is what he worked out of.

The procession will be going by the hospital I work at sometime tomorrow afternoon. I want to pay my respects by going out to the sidewalk. I'll ask the security guard if he can tell us when the procession is approaching.

Eerie

Brandon and I were talking about the slain police officer last night after one of our regular cops came in and we'd expressed our condolences. I asked Brandon when he graduated high school; Officer Durman and he were the same age, graduated at the same time. They each have a child about the same age. He said he thinks that's why, when he first heard the news in the early morning yesterday, it hit him oddly, even though he didn't know that particularly officer. It turns out there's another parallel; they each have a twin sister.

Slain Lexington officer remembered for his efforts to save lives

To officer Durman's wife, son, mother, sisters, and colleagues, let me just again express how sorry I am that he died on a routine call by someone else's senseless act.

Also, more on the suspect:

Man charged has long history with law

He sounds troubled, like his life spun out of control.

I am so sorry to hear

Police officer is killed
I don't think I've met Officer Durman (I see several police regularly who stop in by the store, for which I am grateful.) He was responding to a noise complaint and speaking with one of the passengers in the offending car when someone in possession of drugs and with outstanding warrants struck him, the car he was near, and the one in front of that. The suspect then sped off but Glenn Doneghy was later found and charged with murder, leaving the scene of an accident (a felony), 4 counts of assault 3rd Degree, 1 count of assault 2nd Degree, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled a substance suspected to be cocaine, plus two counts of failure to appear in court unrelated to the incident.

Durman is the first Lexington police officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1985, (a sherriff's deputy was killed in 1987).

Ironically, the last uniformed officer I saw was Wednesday night, in honour guard uniform, who had spent all day doing casket duty. Officer Durman was killed last night, Thursday. I'm afraid there will be more of those somber uniforms as his body is laid to rest.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends.

Oh, good lord

Unconscious Carroll man found after 11-hour search: Sheriff unhappy with Verizon’s ‘line’ on emergency

Police were searching for someone believed to have taken pills and then fled, concerned that they had a medical emergency on their hands. Like good law enforcement, they thought, 'Let's try to track him with his cell phone.' Only trouble? The man owed Verizon $20 and the company refused to turn the phone service on.

'I was more concerned for the person’s life,' [Sheriff Dale] Williams said. 'It would have been nice if Verizon would have turned on his phone for five or 10 minutes, just long enough to try and find the guy. But they would only turn it on if we agreed to pay $20 of the unpaid bill. Ridiculous.'

The department was making arrangements to pay the bill when they found the man--unconscious and unresponsive--after an eleven-hour search. He was later released from the hospital and is presumably okay, but it could have been far worse, and if so, I think Verizon should have been held responsible. He should so be allowed out of his contract and switch carriers. But I seriously wonder how the others would have responded, for that matter.

Does corporate America have any heart whatsoever? Or rather, do its minions?

Who thought this was a good idea?

A distraught, naked man who was out on a ledge in New York city was tasered by police and fell to his death. I ask you, what did the police officer expect to happen?

Man falls to death after police stun gun shock: Officials probe whether officer violated guidelines; new focus on Taser use

Another odd thing in the news related to cops...

Man charged with battery for farting near cop: Police say suspect passed 'very odorous' gas during breathalyzer test

I have great respect for the police, but these stories take the cake.

An arms race with too many bystanders

AK-47s Are Turning Up More in US

and a different use for guns

Ricker melts guns, turns metal into art

It happened a few days ago

but I felt I should include this news story from Pineville, KY (the actual article is from the Lexington Herald-Leader. I'm linking it at another site since articles at the H-L go into archives after 7 days and are no longer available for free).

Side by Side, Forever

Deputy Sean Pursifull, 31, and his K-9 drug sniffing dog, a German Shepherd named King, were killed when two teenagers who drove away from a gas station without paying led police on a chase. Deputy Pursifull was parked, waiting to join the pursuit, when the teenagers ploughed into his cruiser going about 100 mph. Neither of them were hurt seriously, but the deputy and King were killed. They were laid to rest next to each other to full honours.

Someone at work who has contacts in Pineville told me that some time ago he and King were both shot in the line of duty. Apparently a suspect shot the dog, and was going to again, when Pursifull put himself in the line of fire and took the bullet meant for the dog. I don't know if that's true, but it certainly shows loyalty to his canine companion. Also, he has two young daughters and another child on the way, she told me.

The teenagers, David Poppiti, 17, of Delaware, who was driving, and Eric Gerren, 16, of Pennsylvania may be tried as adults if the authorities get their way. I'm all for it. But it's a shame that two lives were cut short--and two teens became murderers--over $38 worth of gas.

Do I just have a blazing neon sign on my car?

I got stopped by the police again last night--a block from where I started, because I didn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign. I guess I was distracted by my own thoughts and not really concentrating on driving. Fortunately he gave me a warning rather than a ticket. But I am beginning to wonder if my driving is deteriorating or if I just have had some bad luck when it comes to being in the car lately. Well, actually, that's wrong. It's my fault I was stopped, not the universe's. But it's still frustrating.

I did have a bit of good luck yesterday, too, because for the second time this year someone pulled out in front of my at the corner of Lakeshore and Richmond (they were turning left from Richmond to Lakeshore while I was approaching. They were basically turning blind, since you can't see the oncoming traffic because of the cars in the opposite turn lane.) I had to swerve, but we didn't T-bone. I'm thinking of contacting the councilman for that area, whom I've worked with, to see about getting a protect arrow installed on that light. It couldn't hurt, anyway.