Anonymously Involved Against Crime - Take A Stand

You’re at home alone and there is someone lurking around your house with intentions of breaking in. How upset would you be if you knew that a neighbor watched the whole thing unfold but did nothing because they didn’t want to get “involved”.

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People opting to not get involved is becoming an ever growing trend across the country. My questions is, WHY? Why does someone have to be a victim themselves before they see the importance of watching out for one another and making the effort to stop the criminal in his tracks.

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The anonymous crime tip line is the best way for those that don’t want to get involved. You do not have to give your name or have an officer to even contact you regarding the information that you give. With the ever increasing crime rate, people cannot afford to not get involved if they expect to feel safe in their own surroundings.

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I encourage everyone to take a firm stand against crime and utilize all of the resources available by local law enforcement to report a crime or even anything suspicious. When it comes to protecting family and friends against being a victim of a crime, there is no information too small or insignificant.

Health, Wellness & Prosperity. It’s All Psychological

Those who know me well, know that I am a firm believer in the power of the mind. The Power of Positive Thinking, if you will. That being said, I truly believe that a person can actually control their health and well being by merely thinking it and believing it.

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A thought is reality in its infancy, and if we can think ourselves sick, then we can certainly think ourselves well. This is no mystery. Worrying about work, relationships, money and finance, health, and issues about fitness can cause prolonged tension, stress, and the inability to relax, resulting in unmanageable anxieties. This weakens our health.

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It takes courage to face life, with all of its responsibilities and dynamics. Without courage, it is easy to doubt ourselves rather than thinking about the intended goal. Many people worry more about getting ill than living. So the first and the most important first step is your stance on life.

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You must take a Warrior’s Stance.

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Like a warrior, take a firm stance on life. Your intent on winning and succeeding will guide you through the difficulties in life. Stamp your foot on the ground and say aloud: “YES” to life. Of course you want to live, however that statement is ordinarily not affirmed with conviction. This solid commitment will realign not only your subconscious mind for success but your molecular structure as well and will strengthen your overall health.

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Having a strong stance on life will help you view things in a more creative and positive way. Viewing things this way will clarify what methods will be best for you. A strong stance, a clear viewpoint and an appropriate method will surely improve the quality of your life and relations, and you will find yourself free of problems before you know it.

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When you have an ailment such as a headache, cold or minor pain you must take control. Say unequivocally that you WILL NOT be held hostage by this minor setback. Forge on and firmly remind yourself that YOU control your life, its actions and reactions. Once you get that mind-set then you will begin to see major differences in your life and your health.

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I make these statements with great conviction because I do these very things on a daily basis. I believe it, I say it and I live it. You can too!

Sunny Day Fans Come Out Of The Woodwork

Since I'm not really a dedicated sports fan I feel like I can say this.   What is with all of the "Sunny Day Fans"?  You know, the ones that never mention a particular team or a game until a Championship is won, then all at once they are die hard, team color bleeding fans.

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The recent NCAA Championship win for the Kentucly Wildcats is a perfect example of what I am speaking of in this blog post.  I don't think I have seen so many "Sunny Day Fans" come creeping out of the woodwork to claim victory as I have with this Championship win.

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Every water cooler conversation and facebook status update is inundated with comments like "That's MY team, That's My Boys, My Team is awesome, My team this and My team that and so on.  I find it to be quite hypocritical myself, but hey who am I to say.  This is just my most recent observation that I just had to blog about. 

Going one more step on this topic is the "fans" that in their undying attempt to defend the chaotic actions of their fellow cheerleading fans they rant and rave with such vulgarity and hate that they remove any chance of being thought of as a respectable fan that they are trying to be in defense of in the first place.

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I believe Mark Twain said it best, "Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt".

Walking The Line Between Celebration & Chaos

I am as much about celebration as the next person but when it turns to crime and chaos then that’s over the line. Such is the case in Lexington where University of Kentucky fans are burning couches, pulling up stop signs and even pulling the fire hose from a passing fire truck to use as a tug of war rope. To “celebrate” their NCAA Championship win.

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As if the state of Kentucky needs something else to highlight idiocy and lack of class. These over zealous partiers should be made an example of by being jailed and fined as much as the law will allow. I know it may sound as if I’m a party pooper or a Debbie Downer but when you destroy property and put the lives of others in danger for pleasure then it becomes a crime and should be dealt with accordingly.

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So as not to sound as if this is the prejudice rants of a Louisville fan, I want to make it perfectly clear that my opinion regarding the celebratory chaos holds true for anyone involved in such madness. The evening that the Louisville Cardinals made it to the Final Four fans took to the streets in the same manner as in Lexington. I say, if you can’t behave then you need to be held accountable.

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In my opinion, these are the same types that were claiming to be the 99% during the Occupy Movements across the country. These types are always looking for a reason to justify their lack of intelligence.

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I’m sure everyone has an opinion on this very topic. I would be quite interested to hear anyone else’s take on this.

Respecting The Badge Should Not Be A Question

Being connected to every news source possible and an avid user of social media, I see many comments made by the general public when it comes to our local police department. I’m not going to mince words here when I say that I am completely pissed that so many have such negative comments about our first responders.

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I think many forget that first and foremost, police officers are human. That being said, yes there are going to be a few errors in judgment in some situations. On the flip side of that coin I also think that many also forget that when put in the situation that officers are often put into, sometimes a split decision needs to be made. In the field of law enforcement, hesitation in decision making can mean serious injury or even death for an officer.

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Secondly, I have to lean on the side of the police officer in their decision making and actions when it comes to dealing with the criminal element. Until we have walked in their shoes on any given day none of us have the right to pass judgment on their actions. I think that many tend to forget that in a typical day most people have jobs or activities that for the most part they are safe and will return home to their friends and families.

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In the case of a police officer, it is not a guarantee that when they hit the proverbial clock to begin working, they will come home. What starts out as a simple traffic stop can quickly turn into a deadly situation for an officer with little to no warning. There have been many officers killed in the line of duty, just for the simple fact that they are police officers.

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Another issue that I have noticed is that persons on a lower socioeconomic level tend to have a complete dislike and disrespect for law enforcement in general. This is a growing trend that has been backed by many studies. I’m not completely sure of the reasoning other than according to several studies, many with a lower socioeconomic  status are not always on the right side of the law in all that they do which equates hate for “the man”.

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As I wrap-up my ramblings I would have to encourage everyone that before you blast an officer, until you have walked a day in their shoes you might want to rethink your harsh opinions and comments. Remember, they chose that career to serve and protect you. Let them do it without regret.

Drive-Thru Liquor Stores. Convenience or Promoting Drinking & Driving

During a recent trip to my local Wal-Mart I was cutting through the adjacent strip mall which contains a Kroger, Papa Murphys Pizza, Library and few other businesses. The business located on the far end happens to be a liquor store. It is not unusual to pass by that particular liquor store and see the delivery trucks parked out front for restocking the shelves.

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This particular day I happened to notice some construction going on at the side of the building. After closer inspection I noticed a sign. Amidst the dust and dirt and construction equipment the sign that I saw read, “DRIVE-THRU COMING SOON!”.

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Before I go any further, I would like to preface this blog entry by saying that I am in no way against the sale or consumption of alcohol or discriminatory to those who consume it. My issue today is centering around the Drive -Thru concept itself in a liquor store.

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I completely understand that with our busy lifestyles nowadays, convenience is a must. I’m not so sure that I can be sold on the convenience aspect of purchasing alcoholic beverages. Although drinking and driving related accidents and fatalities in Kentucky have managed to decline in the past years, I cannot help but imagine how many more lives could be saved if the drive-thru liquor store was outlawed.

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After much research I found that I am not so off base in my thinking regarding the outlaw of the drive-thru liquor store. It seems that there are a handful of states across the country that have laws prohibiting drive-thru liquor stores. I have to stand firm in my belief that the drive-thru liquor store contributes as much to drinking and driving as it does to it’s convenience factor of shopping in general. When the convenience factor is second to life itself, then something is out of whack.

Below are some statistics.  I KNOW we can do better.  It's a matter of life and death.

The KSP reports that preliminary 2011 traffic fatality numbers indicate there were 720 deaths on Kentucky roadways last year. Of those, 49 percent were not wearing a seat belt and 16 percent were in alcohol-related accidents.

Every Generation Has a Crisis. It’s All Relevant.

During a phone conversation last evening with a very close friend, our conversation started with him asking “What in the world is going on with this country”? Being the optimist that I am, my response was “What do you mean”? We then proceeded to discuss every issue that is facing the American people today. To say the least, it was a very detailed and intense conversation.

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I admit, I always enjoy a good conversation with someone that actually has knowledge of their topics verses those that just rant with little to no knowledge of what they are ranting about. This was indeed one of the conversations that I truly enjoy.

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As this friend continued, the conversation led to him telling how concerned he was about the direction that the country was headed and, how in the world will our children and grandchildren every overcome this horrible fate?

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Again, wearing my optimists hat my response went like this. I’m not disagreeing that yes, there are many issues that face us and generations after us. I have to go back to think though.  Didn’t every generation have a crisis?

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Just off of the top of my head a few of those go like this. The 60’s had their Cuban Missile Crisis, the 70’s had the Oil Embargo, the 80’s had the Midwest Farm Crises and the 90’s had the savings and loan crisis.

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I can remember growing up, my grandparents saying “This world is going to hell in a hand basket”. Those words are still spoken today as they have been with every generation until now. In a nut shell I guess I’m saying that although the price at the gas pumps are averaging over $4.00 per gallon, the value of the dollar is near nothing and unemployment is at an all time high. Remember, we’re not the only generation to face what is thought to be the end of the world and somehow, we survived. I know that the American people is a resilient people and the Gloria Gaynor hit of the 80’s so proudly stated, “I will Survive”.