Shooting Up the Truth
Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 7:35AM I began blogging in 2004. This is an article I published way back on August 8, 2007, a year before I began writing about true crime. What’s interesting about it is that the old saying remains the same — some things never change. The name of the blogger I critiqued does not matter today. We had become very good blogging friends and he was responsible for my initial move from Blogger to WordPress, back in the day when WordPress was by invitation only. Today, my site is on the Squarespace platform, but my original “Marinade Dave” Blogger and WordPress ones are still up and running. Mostly, I use them to link articles here.
In any event, as time went on, I noticed more and more disturbing things about my friend. He embellished an awful lot. So much, so, that I slowly started to distrust him. How could someone so obscure be so famous when no one knows who he is, I wondered? Every claim to fame emanated from his blog and nowhere else. Eventually, I developed a very sour attitude and we had a falling out. The article that finally did it — the final straw — is explained in the post below. I removed the title because there’s no point in drawing attention to him; good or bad. This is exactly how I wrote it over 5 years ago. However, I did make minor word changes, mostly grammatical.
I was intrigued when I read a blogger’s post titled, [EDITED] about two distinct shootings that occurred on opposite sides of the Atlantic, one in Far Rockaway, Queens, NY, and the other in Fulham, a suburban area of West London, England. As I familiarized myself with the story, I found some discrepancies in his version and what actually transpired, and I believe it to be a distortion of the truth. In it, he represented himself as a friend of the Queens victim. How sad that a person would accept offers of sympathy from his unsuspecting audience [blog commenters] over the death of this friend in light of the facts I will relate here. I looked into the Far Rockaway shooting as he described it and found nothing. I talked to professionals working the field, including a detective at the (NYPD) 101st Precinct. I went to news wires and feeds. I tried search engines.
What caught my attention was evident from the start, that he and the victim were friends and the victim had just arrived from Haiti to live the American dream. The blogger didn’t strike me as a person who’s spent much time on that island nation. How did he cultivate this friendship? How did they meet? Queens is not in New Jersey’s back yard, where the blogger is based and works out of his apartment. Neither is Haiti. Something just didn’t click.
Interestingly, with all of the murders in NYC, I was case specific in my query. Rightfully so. I asked about a Haitian immigrant who was shot in the collarbone, based on the blogger’s description of “his friend’s” senseless murder as he sat in a second-floor. The bullet that struck his collarbone careened into the heart, killing him instantly. In reality, the unfortunate gentleman who met his demise in the news account was not a “recent immigrant from Haiti” at all, nor was he shot in the collarbone, unless it somehow worked its way from the eye to the collarbone to the heart. The victim had been living here for years and was from Guyana, not exactly within swimming distance of Haiti. Certainly, he should have known where this “friend” was originally from and how long he’d been here. I kept thinking it’s not the same shooting, they’re not related, but there was no other incident and his story crumbled.
Was this an unprofessional attempt to elicit sympathy for the overall message of his post calling for a worldwide ban on handguns? If so, he should have done more homework and gotten his facts straight. Although weapons of this nature are legal to buy in America, most used in the commission of crimes are not purchased by the book and ‘Saturday Night Specials’ are next to impossible to trace. So are the bullets. He tied this shooting to one in London. Britain has some of the most restrictive laws in the world that make it virtually impossible to legitimately purchase firearms, which means that both crimes were more than likely committed with illegal guns. The attempt to tie the two together was feeble at best, and because of a lack of solid information based on facts, it diluted the focus of the message. He used a falsehood as the pretext to further his own questionable agenda. But was it about the evils of handguns or a cry for sympathy over the loss of a friend?
In the realm of non-fiction writing, in this case what I would consider to be more of an op-ed opinion piece than a news report, authors must not stray from the truth. Embellishment and personal gain are words that should not be part of the vocabulary. The world is filled with distortions and with the tools we have readily available today, all reports of news events will be put under microscopes somewhere, sometime, by someone. Bloggers, especially of this genre, are no different from any other journalist and it’s only a matter of time before a watchdog group scrutinizes and exposes what is recorded as true. Until then, readers beware.
Although I did not know him, my sympathies go to the friends and family of the deceased, Urtez Burnett, and none for the imagination of the author of that post, who was only happy to accept sympathy.
Here is a link to the account of the Far Rockaway incident: Bullet Kills 22-Year-Old As He Looks Out Window
If you or anyone you know has information on this, please call CRIMESTOPPERS at 1-877-577-TIPS or the 101st Precinct Detective Squad at 718-868-3428.
This is an opinion piece about one blog and should be interpreted as such.
LEGAL NOTICE
©David B. Knechel. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this site can be reproduced in it's entirety or in part without expressed written permission by the owner/administrator of this site in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Section 512(c)(3) of the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §512(c)(3). The charges against defendants are mere accusations and the subjects are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
Reader Comments (46)
Shooting up the truth.
Mainstream Media tends to slant the article per an agenda of the journolist or the paper/TV/Radio Station they are employed by
So mainline source for info on certain cases the peak my intrest are Blogs like yourselfs
They are free from pressures from editors shareholders ect.
I have encountered certain blogs though were agendas are rife an blatent.
I dont read there unless its to verify my original opinion.
Thease type of blog owners are more about self promotion.
Than provideing untainted truths.
[Ain't that the truth, ecossie. That particular blog was far from mainstream media. He was very opinionated, but he never tried to sell himself as anything more than what he was - a highly conceited, always right blogger. It's too bad, too, because he was, and probably still is, an excellent writer. He alienated a lot of people with his pomposity, but that was then. I have no idea about what he's up to today.
(I used to get a kick out of it when he bragged about his comment count. Look at that! Over 300 comments! The weird thing was, when I reminded him that half of those comments were his, he deleted it.
Thanks.]
Dave, I hope I am wrong, while understanding the interpretation of "slanting", I come away more with the thought that to this blogger you speak of, the persons (victims) were not important enough in his consideration, that he felt his readers also wouldn't give a darn for who his post was about (in his view) A "nobody"! Just a story to put up. Maybe I need another cup of coffee or a little more OJ but the significance of having respect is to make every real victim, someone important and give them our respect. if WE generate the thoughts that one is not important, it feeds and breeds in younger generations a selfish attitude toward people's differences. I have a lot of respect for your perception of true "victims", not only because they were criminally violated, also, you bring each as an individual to be the important. In doing so, you become a carrier of humanitarian rights and this brings you due reward of appreciation and respect for your presence in blogging journalism and as man.
[I don't know exactly what he was shooting for the most, New Puppy; sympathy or gun control, but he failed at both in my opinion because he lied about knowing the victim and he didn't do his homework on the poor guy or the murder in England. I've made errors in my writing before, but I never made anything up to elicit emotion or to promote a cause. I think I am the norm, not a standard bearer, but I do appreciate your faith in me as a writer. Well... I will admit I'm very compassionate and sympathetic. Thank you.]
Any comments are to be left on Dave's blog...at the thread he set up...thanks...link below
Jodi Arias Trial-live streaming here
Two things would garantee I would receieve a smack across the face from my Mother as a wee boy.One was to use the word puss Scotish slang for face,,,Think thats the origin of the expression sourpuss,
But if she heard me say ...Shut yer puss or look at the puss on you or words to that effect.
Second thing an far worse was if I took the Lords name in vain Blasthphimy;
Thinking back on the accuseds apearance on Hannatiy an the All Gods Plan comment.
It struck me that perhaps that was the most blatant vanity posssable to proclaim the Lords name.From a Catholic former allter boy to say this on TV show with an audience of millions;
In a self serveing propa gands show to justify his shooting of an unarmed child returning home to his Fathers house.A home unlike his that was bought an owned.He was not even paying rent.
He invokes Gods name for his surviveall an Trayvons death.
Saying therefore God wanted him to live an by implication Trayvon to die?
I M O I cant remember a more blatant use off takeing the Lords name in vain.......
Im sure the acussed an his familars/family read here so this is for the ACUSSED
Though shall not kill.
Take not the Lords name in vain.
Love thy Neighbour
[I agree. It was deplorable. It was repulsive. When he said it was God's plan, I wanted to puke. This guy turned to the camera to speak directly to the American people, as if he were a politician or something. He felt zero remorse and said he would do the same thing again, not willing to change a single thing about that night, when Trayvon ran. Or did he skip? He was in his teens. No, he was close to his own age. The kid reached for his gun. No, he kept punching and punching him in the face while he smothered him and smashed his head into the pavement while he lay in the grass. And reached for the gun. All in plain view of his god. Well, let me tell you, his god is not my God, nor is it Trayvon's parents' God. I don't think he knows anything about God, altar boy or not.]
I know its love thy neighbour as you would love yoursef
I wouldnt wish that anyone love as the Zimmermans love themselfs. Self loathing seems more apt for what that family does m o o.
Dave~~I am not sure that the Jodi thread will be easily found. It should have tags attached too. I would hate to think it is a waste of time. The thread needs exposure. I went in to Open Forum and read comments that I didn't even know existed. I knew you had to close it down for awhile and why it was necessary at the time. The trial is in recess until Jan 8th so you have a few days to decide what you want to do... My sandbox is my first priority but I have no problem sharing right here at SS. Okey Doke?
[In recess? Already? Golly gee whiz. OK, I'll work on it.]
One other drawback...If anyone were to comment at the Jodi Arias thread, their names do not show in the sidebar.."Comments"....
[Hmm... I don't know what I can do about that, if anything. Maybe I should just set it up as a post and keep a link at the top center, just below the banner and pages. Let me know what you think of that idea.]
Dave~~this must be just a status hearing??
George Zimmerman's Next Court Date Is on Trayvon Martin's 18th Birthday
[I looked over my notes from the last hearing, dated December 11, and a hearing was set on that day for February 5. The January 8 cancellation had nothing to do with next month's date, and to be fair, no one from Trayvon's family, including their attorneys, were in attendance to make a note of what day it was. They never thought, a year later, they'd be spending his birthday in a courtroom, facing his killer. And the judge and attorneys never gave the date a thought because no one was present to remind them. How sad.]
Dave~~let's just see if the Jodi thread gets any or many hits as per your stats...my stats have sky rocketed...I am getting many readers but only a few regs commenting. I linked your Arias thread at my blog so maybe my tags will draw them to SS. I am glad the trial will not resume until Jan 8th. The evidence, thus far, is very explicit and so much blood. It is definitely not for the faint of heart to see and hear.
[We'll have to wait and see. The lengthy break won't help, but I can get it in the search engines in the interim.
Nothing, it seems, has reached the massive scale that the Casey Anthony case and subsequent trial reached; not even the GZ case.]
Dave, In your previous post, I had my opinion which was not a pat on your head. To balance my negativity it seemed appropriate to bring back into focus that which has been impressive. My doing that, appears has embarrassed you by sounding like an idolizer, that you needed to explain yourself because of my comment. Just prior, a man had come in and blasted you with his comment. Why wouldn't those of us who have been around a long time and know of your dedication want to defend you with compliment. Admittedly, I know little of you as a person, your likes , dislikes, etc. as others have had close association and friendship. In this post, again, I recognize the difference in you two men according to the story as it is presented. That does not mean the other blogger you spoke of, did not more often do fine gathering of information and writing, I have never known of his material. My summation was based on how in a story, people are either demeaned or held high.
Obviously you and Snoopy are on a new working together plan with your blog. Some of us may not "fit" in as comfortably, depending on what the proposal is and focuses. I guess it is alright to mention here as you both are doing so yourselves. You are mentioning gathering more readers, advertising, how FLLB gets paid for his blog, leading me to believe the importance is to have more income from your blog with Snoopy's help and expertise. My question comes because I read you stating Snoopy will be handling this added adventure and those interested must go to her, there is also mention of tying in somehow with her own blog, which I can only assume to share "readers" The question is: Regarding personal identities, of which I have no great concern because mine has been examined and re-examined from which some very false accusations have come. As I have experienced, often comments get held for one reason or another, which I believe I somewhat understand. However, am I to believe that when it mentions an "editor" will release from moderation, is this strickly Squarespace editoring or will Snoopy now be having access to every personal email, address, names and all needed personal information monitor this new plan which which will work well and relieve you for time you will need for other plans and health. I personally would like to know and think it appropriate to explain for those sought after "newcomers" who may want to comment and do not yet have complete awareness.
Getting back to commenting appreciation for your talents and abilities. This has been ongoing for as long as I was in reading of the Casey Anthony Case and continuing through the GZ case. There is hardly a post that you do not mention a bit of distress, mostly sincere health issues. ALL your commenters often have applause for you, the way you write, when they comment. You have had a lot of distressing issues, as said, most often health and much ongoing immature behavior between continuing supporters. So, speaking absolutely for myself only it seemed right to have encouraging and uplifting words given you. Mine on your writing, because I don't know personal facts, therefore often repeat on your writing.
Steven King, I don't feel he is particularly a man I would want to know, he scares me, to be quite frank. I have heard that writers like him have the brain of a serial killer. I don't want to find out, but I have been intrigued by many of his books, screen and TV contributions, etc. I find his "brain" interesting, never been able to figure out if he is coookkky or is overly enforced with imaginations where he can put out the kind of interest he has. Not as much lately, but I can say that I have the book "Shinning" have seen the movie three times and still can not come to a conclusion if he meant the character Nicholson played was that this husband and father PLANNED the trip to go to that old hotel and murder his family, if he PRETENDED to be crazy so he could get away with it, or if he actually went medically crazy after they arrived. If he knew what he was doing, OR if we were to come away thinking the hotel itself held evil which took over. This leaves an impression, and I don't think he has ever ever explained how he meant it to be. Probably just as it did, leave everyone to question it. I just want to say I admire him and his work greatly, and maybe I am the only one that appreciates what goes on in his head and comes out on paper. I think you have a unique way, which could be more simply, that I can comprehend how you write, how you mean your words to be taken. Of course my comprehension may less than anything to say your style makes you great and interesting. Only that MY understanding, the level being what is, brings out my appreciation for you and your writings. Since my life has never been one of the kind of endeavors which are prone to receive appreciation or compliment, I know how nice it can help people to feel that they are contributing and valued. I have been an observer in this respect, witnessed how a few kind remarks a little positive recognition add value and reconstruct the lack of self-esteem. Today it is a sad situation as bullying and ridicule of children and behold ADULTS doing it too, can push some, particularly already feeling lack of worthiness over that line to suicide or most common murdering others. Well,none of this darkness if of or for you. It is just matters I have been observant of in life. I know how they could have added value to my lack of self-esteem, but that's not your story, it's mine.
[I don't mind occasional praise, New Puppy. Everyone likes it. I am just a humble person and that's the way I generally react. I didn't think you were idolizing me. I took no personal offense or anything like it. Encouraging words are always appreciated, too.
No one has access to private information but me. No one can log into my blog as an administrator. The Jodi Arias case is a big news story and I will not be writing about it. Snoopy will be addressing it and there's no reason why I wouldn't want some kind of coverage on my blog. This is a win-win situation.
Stephen King is an incredible writer, although I understand why some may have problems with his genre of writing. He's a genius, though. In The Shining, it seemed apparent that it was an evil force within the confines of the hotel that drove him mad; a lingering spirit that clutched him from the throes of sanity. Remember, he went there as a mild mannered writer and within hours, he was under its spell.
I would like to write murder stories sometime, but I have no desire to kill anyone. In order to write like that, one must put their mind inside the thoughts of a killer. It's more psychological than anything else, like when I wrote the post about how Casey may have spent June 16, 2008, in Anatomy of a Filicide.
One of the biggest problems in blogging deals with comments. People are totally insensitive to others because no one knows who anyone is. Because of this, they are rude at times. As long as you and others have been commenting on blogs, throughout the Casey Anthony case and today, this has been the nature of the beast. By now, I would like to think that the survivors have grown thicker skins, but I don't know. I will say that all this infighting is so old, I sometimes want to quit writing about this crime. It's not really one person in particular, so don't take it personally. It's just that some people have a hard time interacting, as if everyone hates each other. I know that's not true, but if people come in with negativity, they aren't going to feel comfortable. I guess it's my doing for allowing it to go that far. No, I am not singling out you or anyone else, nor do I want anyone, including you, to take this as a sign that I want you or anyone else to stop commenting. That's FAR from the truth. I just wish that comments could be more upbeat. If THAT were to happen, I believe more people would comment here.]
I read your "Shooting up the Truth" blog three timjes and can't the reason you wrote it...let's face it, you described the person who wrote about the two mjurde4rs as a "blogger,": Nobody should expect "HARD, TRUTHFUL, INVESTIGATIVE TYPE REPORTING iin ANY story written by a "blogger" for apprearing on a blog site...Just the fact they are on a blog tells you something about their backgound. So as a true, investigative crime reporter/photographer for 20 years in the major market of Chicago/NW Indiana,working for the seventh largest newspaper in America, and winner of a 1966 TV Emmy award for reporting on one of the most baffling missing person cases in the nation, I wouldn't lower myself in my retirement to spend my time and effort on a blog site pumping up my ego and writing about things I would not have time nor the authority to delve into fully and make sure I was printing the TRUTH.... Of course "bloggers" DON'T check into the stories they write about thoroughly, take comments from anyone who will give them the time of day, MOSTLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN AGENDA THEY WANT TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR PERSONAL REASONS...For that reason, "bloggers" strike me as a cross between a fiction writer pushing an agenda for political or special group interests and "TO HELL WITH THE TRUTH" and a frustrated old "REPORTER WANNA-BE" that has found in his reitrement days a HOBBY sitting at a computer and satisfying an over blown ego taking a legitimate news story and writing about it from the fringes,using quotes from people who know very little about the story. Your criticism of "your blogging friend's" embellishing the truth is rather laughable and read like a self-important way of saying, "NOT ME"....First "your friend" wasn't passing himself off as a NEWSMAN, OR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER writing for a legitimate media source which the public looks to for TRUTH IN REPORTING.....HE WAS A BLOGGER WRITING A "STORY" ABOUT A COUPLE OF OLD MURDERS HE THOUGHT WERE "INTERESTIG" ENOUGH TO CATCH THE ATTENTION OF SOME READERS OVER A BLOG WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO WITH THEIR TIME. ...HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSIBILITY TO ANYONE NOT TO EMBELLISH THE STORY IN WAYS TO MAKE IT INTERESTING.....THAT IS DONE MANY TIMES BY THE BEST TRUE CRIME AUTHORS IN THE WORLD IN THEIR BOOKS...IT IS CALLED "LITERARY LICENSE" , A "LICENSE" BY A PERSON/AUTHOR TO DEVIATE FROM STRICT CONDUCT, RULE OR PRACTICE TO MAKE A RATHER FACTUAL CRIME CASE INVESTIGATION INTO A PLEASANT, READABLE BOOK....IT IS DONE ALL OF THE TIME...This is strictly different from some self-appointed "expert" sitting at a computer, calling himself a "blogger", without any credentials of anything to do with legitimate news reporting or police invesitagtive work, forming some opinion of an important public crime case, and spewing words out into the plublc by means of a "blog" slantng everythng toward the "blogger's" view or even worst, use a case of public concern to push a political agenda, again "TO HELL WITH THE FACTS," IT IS THE OUTCOME THAT IS IMPORTANT....THAT IS WHAT THE ZIMMERMAN CASE HAS COME DOWN TO ON :"BLOGS."...
The individual police officers and detectives on the scene that night, and after questioning him and witnesses from the scene, looking at the actual wounds from a foot away, FOUND THAT HE WAS ACTING UNDER THE FLORIDA LAW IN USING DEADLY FORCE AT A TIME WHEN HE...REMEMER THE LAW TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION HIS STATE OF MIND AT THE TIME OF BEING ATTACKED, THOUGHT HE WAS IN DANGER OF DEATH OR SERIOUSLY BODILY INJURY....AND THEY DIDN'T HOLD HIM ON ANY CHARGES...THESE WERE THE OFFICERS WHO KEW MORE ABOUT THE CRIME THAN ANYONE ELSE..THEY WERE INVESTIGATORS WITH NOTHING TO GAIN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER...AND THEIR DECISION WAS BACKED BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE.....................If theDECEASED had been WHITE, from a average family, without any political affiliation, a schcol drop out, that had used drugs, in town from another state, wandering through a fenced community that had a rise in crime, , on a rainy night, with a "hoodie" on (known to be a garment of choice for hoodlum,s, gangsters and crimnals) and garnered the attention of a SECURITY GUARD WITH A LEGAL PERMIT TO CARRY A GUN, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN AWARD BY THE CITY, PRAISE FROM HIS COMMUNITY, AND NOT BE ON TRIAL SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND FACING LIFE IN PRISON!!!!
But because the deceased was black, and self-appointed black leaders from out of state came to Sanford to hold demonstrations, painting the deceased as a "child victim," using many years old photos in the media, not mentioning his martial arts training, his background, etc., and in a political year, the Police Chief was ousted without any charges of wrong-doing, political appointed lawyers stepped in, did their own investigation and Zimmerman is now a "POLITICAL PRISONER" facing life in prison...and subject to the UNQUALIFIED COMMENTS OF BLOGGERS, AND THE ABSOLUTE INTENTIONAL FALSE EDITING OF A TAPE....ALL BECAUSE THE DECEASED WAS BLACK AND RACISTS MADE THIS NON-CRIME AS MURDER.....
You were so indignant about "your blogging friend" using common "literary license"
in fluffing up his story by claiming to know one of the victims, but think nothing of your own blogs that tend to back an agenda against GZ, even though the law wording is never used, using questionable EVIDENCE, some provided by you in a highly questionable m,anner.....reminds me of an old saying about calling the kettle black...(non-racist, black)
[So, Dick, with all your credentials, you cannot remain unbiased, either? Of course not; not even close. Here's a simple question for you and I would expect a simple answer since your rage and hatred for bloggers is so obvious and I am a media credentialed blogger/journalist.
There's no need to yell and scream at me, like this: WHO GAVE YOU THE SUPREME RIGHT TO ELEVATE GEORGE ZIMMERMAN FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PERSON TO A SECURITY GUARD??? Neighborhood Watch is specific about walking around with guns. They are not allowed, nor is firing a gun inside the community, according to the HOA Declaration Articles Bylaws of the Retreat at Twin Lakes. Therefore, Zimmerman violated HOA rules. Did you investigate any of this? No, you didn't, and I DID.
HOA Ref: "13.31. Nuisances. No nuisance or any use or practice that is the source of unreasonable annoyance to others or which interferes with the peaceful possession and proper use of The Retreat at Twin Lakes is permitted. No firearms shall be discharged within The Retreat at Twin Lakes. Nothing shall be done or kept within the Common Areas, or any other portion of The Retreat at Twin Lakes, including a Home or Lot which will increase the rate of insurance to be paid by Association."
Trayvon's parents are suing the association. I guess the association would be WRONG to turn around and sue Zimmerman? That would be SO racist of them, right?]
Dave, You gave great response to Mr. Wylie!
[Thank you, New Puppy.]
Dick Wylie~~you seem to find it necessary to wear your credentials on your sleeve. Why? I was very impressed when I posted a previous link about you. Since reading your latest comment, I have changed my mind. By the way, did you write that article yourself?
Well here are my credentials. I am a retired accountant, not as old as you but getting close. I took up blogging as a pastime and a reason to drag my bones out of bed in the morning. I took an interest in the Casey Anthony case so decided to start up my own blog. I am not a good writer. The only assets that I am proud of is LOGIC/COMMON SENSE and being UNBIASED.
If I write an article and include my own opinions or speculate, I specify that. My commenters are encouraged to do the same. If a fact is stated, I want a link supplied to the reliable source.
Dick Wylie, you are condemning bloggers and lumping them all together. I, personally took offense at your comments. You are welcome to visit my blog and see how unbiased I am while discussing the Zimmerman case. Can you say the same?
You were not present on the evening of Feb 26th when Trayvon Martin was shot and killed yet you state that Zimmerman had the right to stand his ground. What is wrong with this scenario? You are finding fault with a blogger doing exactly what you are doing yourself. I do not know if Zimmerman is guilty or not guilty but you have the case solved. What gives you that right? Your credentials? Now who is being biased?
I am rather shocked that you have lowered yourself to visit this blog and make your lengthy comments. When a commenter writes in all caps, it indicates to me that they have an agenda or a bean up their ass, take your pick.
One other thing...I do not have to defend Dave nor am I defending him. He owns this blog and can handle things on his own and it is not my place.
Dick Wylie, you insulted me, a blogger and a damn good unbiased one at that. Google MainstreamFAIR and see for yourself.
Dave, with all due respect for your GREAT credential as a "blooggetojournalist, whatever in hell that is outside of a self appointed conmputergeek who elevates himself to a "journalist" because he can put two or three words together spelled right, unlike some of your "fans" that praise you to the heavens...To a REAL JOURNALIST, people like you are a laugh, a REPORTER WANNNABE, but never could get a job on a real newspaper, so goes to trials, sits and listens to testimony that is way beyond his undertstanding, get documents he uses to back his ridiculous point of view, i.e, HOA Rules, and tries to use them as justification for a response.
I rather liked your blog in the beginning, and I had nothing against you personally, but reali9zed from the start you were just a OBSERVER OF EVENTS, WITH NO BACKGROUND FOR DETERMINING RIGHT OR WRONG BESIDES YOUR VERY LIMITED PERSONAL OPINIONS....but those are worth reding sometimes, if only to get a laugh out of the pure misunderstanding of circumstances, investigative praatices and/or the law. IT IS CALLED, "ENTERTAINMENT" AND COVERED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. But when you get over into big-time controversial subject that could sway the thinkiing of potentiall jurists in a POLITICAL CASE where a young man put his life on the line for civilians, only to be greeted with a racist mob calling forthe rest of his life behind bars, IS THERE ANY WONDER WHY ORDINARY CITIZENS WILL NOT GET INVOLVED IN HELPING OTHERS FOR FOR THEY WLL END UP LIKE GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, FIGHTING FOR HIS VERY FREEDOM AND RUINING HIM FNANCIALLY FOR LIFE EVEN IF HE BEATS THE CHARGE...So, what restrictions does a "CREDENTIALED BLOGGER/JOUNALIST" adhere to? Do the courts recognize you as a "journalist" who can protect sources? If you should happen to find yourself.in possession of "evidence" can you refuse to testify on your credentials? Do you have any protection what-so-ever against lawsuits?
To prove by your own words how uninformed and stupid sounding you are in your reply to me above, a "security guard" is someone who watches out for the property and/or protection of others...they are called by many titles...Most are POLICEMAN WANNABES"., WHO FOR VARIOUS REASONS CAN'T GET JOBS ON GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, so they gravitate to private paid SECURITY GUARD positions, and/or join a mulltitude of organizatin which go by different names, like NEIGHBERHOOD WATCH, etc.,where they perform a valid service to the community and police to LOOK FOR SUSPICICIOUS PERSONS NOT KNOWN TO HAVE REASON TO BE IN A SPECIFIC AREA , AT A SPECIFIC TIME, WEARING SPECIFIC CLOTHING, CARRYING SPECIFIC ITEMS, JUST A FEW OF WHAT IN A GENERAL WAY TO A GENERAL OBSERVASNT PERSONS, MAKE ONE A "SUSPICIOUS PERSON."....Such a " security guard" with any of the various titles, employed by or volunteering to such organizations to protect propertyare in facts "SECURITY GUARDS" AND NOBODY HAD TO GIVE ME THE SUPRENME RIGHT TO USE MY BRAIN AND DEDUCE GEORGE ZIMMERMAN WAS ACTING AS A SECURITY GUARD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THAT COMMUNITY WHEN HE OBSERVED AN UNKNOWN PERSON THOUGHT WAS "SUSPICIOUS."
A civilian, whether belonging to a formal organization like NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, or any similiar group, or a paid security company on contract with a firm to protect its property, or even a good citizen caring about his community, HAS THE MORAL OBLIGATION TO REPORT A WHAT THEY THINK IS A SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN AN AREA. THE THRESHOLD OF "SUSPICION" WILL VARY WITH INDIVIDUALS, WHAT MAY BE SUSPICOUS TO ONE MAY NOT BE TO ANOTHER, THAT IS WHY EACH PERSON CAN MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS WHETHER TO REPOPRT OR DO ANYTHING .
Just because a person belongs to a group like NW, doesn't give him any specai authority to act, that is why law enforcement works with groups like NW to stess NOT TAKING ACTIN ON THEIR LWN OR NOT CARRYING A GUN. howeevr, THOSE ARE JUST "SUGGESTIONS" TO ABIDE BY THE "RULES" OF THE ORGANIZATION TO STAY WITHIN "GOOD STANDINGS," AND DOES NOT TAKE AWAY ANY CIVIL RIGHTS TO ACT WITHIN THE LAWS OF THE STATE.CITY/COUNTY. SO A PERSON WHO IS A MEMBER OF NW, WHO IS CARRYING A GUN WITH A VALID PERMIT IS NOT VIOLATING ANY LAW.....BUT MAY BE BANNED FROM NW IF HE IS FOUND IN VIOLATION OF THEIR RULES....The same goes with the rule not to take any action other than report what they see to authorities under the NW rules....HOWEVER, AGAIN NOTHING PROHIBITS A CIVILIAN, EVEN ONE WHO BELONGS TO NW, FROM GOING UP TO ANOTHER AND HAVING ANY LEGAL CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON.! It is NOT THE SMARTEST THING TO DO, BUT THERE IS NO LAW BEING BROKEN IF A SECUIRTY GUARD, NW PERSON, OR JUST CIVILIAN ENCOUNTERS ANOHER PERSON AND INQUIRES "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' OR "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"... AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T TRY TO PHYSICALLY "STOP" THE PERSON OR ASSUALT HIM IN ANYWAY, INCLUDING EVEN TOUCHING HIM......HERE AGAIN, THE GROUP THAT THE SECURITY PERSNN BELONGS TO CAN TAKE ACTION AGAINST HIM FOR BREAKING THEIR RULES, BUT HE HAS VIOLATED NO LAW!!!!! AND IN THE CASE OF GZ, WHEN THE POLICE DISPATCHER TOLD HIM NOT TO FOLLOW THE "SUSPICIOPUS PERSON", IT WAS ONLY A "SUGGESTION" FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CALLER, IT WAS NOT A VIOLATION OF ANY LAW WHEN ZIMMERMAN, IF HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW AND NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE "SUSPICIOUS PERSON.".
That is what is wrong with SELF-APPOINTED EXPERTS" setting themselves up as investigators or "credentialed journalists" and spewing out THEIR IDEAS WHICH RUN CONTRARY TO THE LAW AND GIVE THEIR READERS AN IDEA THAT GEORGE ZIMMMERMAN VIOLATED SOME LAW BECAUSE HE WAS CARRYING A GUN AS MEMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH; THAT HE VIOLATED SOME LAW BY FOLLOWING THE "SUSPICIOUS PERSON" AS A MEMBER OF NW; AND THAT HE VIOLATED SOME LAW WHEN THE DISPATCHER TOLD HIM TO NOT FOLLW THE "SUSPICIOUS PERSON."....ALL ARE WRONG,--=----BUT YOU DON'T EVER POINT OUT THOSE THINGS, THAT THERE WAS NO LAW BROKEN UNTIL WHAT ALL EVIDENCE POINTS TO AS MARTIN, A WELL-BUILT,TEENAGED BOY JUST MONTHS FROM LEGAL ADULTHOOD, DELIVERED A FIST TO ZIMMERMAN'S FACE, BREAKING HIS NOSE, THE START OF AN "AGGRAVATED BATTERY," (FSS 784.045) FOR WHICH, IF CONVICTED, COULD HAVE GOTTEN MARTIN 15 YEARS IN PRISON IF TRIED AS AN ADULT, AND OPENED MARTIN UP TO THE "JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE"STATUTE OF FLORIDA LAW , (782.02) WHICH STATES A PERSON CAN USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST ANOTHER WHO IS COMMITING "ANY FELONY UPON HIM."....
This is what is so dangerous about "SELF-APPOINTED EXPERTS" feeding their ego at the expense of erroneous dribble disguised as FACTS, without the knowledge or ability to assertain the REAL FACTS before putting them out for public consumjption. If it was a mistake, that is bad enough, but when it is done for an agenda to paint an entirely wrong picture of the facts for politicial purposes, the question arises how much good is a "CREDENTIALED BLOGGER/JOURNALIST?
I would be remiss if I didn't point out the assinine way you went over the "CREDENTIALED BLOGGER/JOURNALIST " CLIFF IN TRYING TO EQUATE BREAKING THE RULES OF A HOME OWNERS ASSN., WITH BREAKING ANY LAW....Your Ref "HOA 13-3, NUISANCES"is just such an occasionn to sit back and laugh at a supposedly intelligent CREDENTIALED BLOGGER/JOURNALIST TRYING TO GET HIS CHESTNUTS OUT OF THE FIRE BY PRINTING THE ENTIRE "NUISANCE" SECTION OF THE HOME OWNERS ASSN., RULE PROHITED THE "DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS," ON THE HOA PROFERTY AS A NUISANCE....I JUST HOPE YOU ENJOY BE LAUGHED AT.... TO USE A PROPERTY OWNER, BEING FELONIOUSLY ATTACKED BY ANOTHER AND RESORTING TO USE OF DEADLY FORCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA LAWS AND DISCHARGING A WEAPON TO SAVE HIS LIFE YOU POINT OUT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE HOA RULES ON NUISANCES...SHAME ON HIM...I SUPPOSE AFTER HE BEATS THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE HE WILL HAVE HIS POOL PRIVILEGES TAKEN AWAY FOR A WEEK BY THE HOA FOR THE NUISANCE HE CAUSED BY DISCHARGING A FIREARM TO SAVE HIS LIFE...
AND THAT MY BLOG FRIENDS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN READING THE TRASH AND MISINFORMATION THAT IS SO PREVALENT ON THE INTERNET WRITTEN BY PROUD, EGO INFLATED, CREDENTAILED BLOGGER/JOURNALISTS....I WOULD RATHER READ THE HOMEWORK OF MY 7 YEAR OLD "CREDENTIALED SECOND GRADE" GRANDDAUGHTER, AT LEAST I KNOW I AM READING THE TRUTH AS SHE SEES IT...
PS: DAVE, FLORIDA LAW SUPERCEDES HOME OWNER'S ASSN. RULES, FOR THE NEXT TIME YOU FEEL LIKE BEING THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLDWIDE INTGERNET....
Sometimes, it is good to take a break with a cup of nice hot tea, a glass of cold juice or wine if you prefer... A few deep breaths and do some pooch thinking......isn't this little chihuahua adorable?...
Smile of the day
Dick, I'm going to respond in a separate comment, lest it get lost in your gibberish.
You wrote: "A civilian, whether belonging to a formal organization like NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, or any similiar group, or a paid security company on contract with a firm to protect its property, or even a good citizen caring about his community, HAS THE MORAL OBLIGATION TO REPORT A WHAT THEY THINK IS A SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN AN AREA. THE THRESHOLD OF "SUSPICION" WILL VARY WITH INDIVIDUALS, WHAT MAY BE SUSPICOUS TO ONE MAY NOT BE TO ANOTHER, THAT IS WHY EACH PERSON CAN MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS WHETHER TO REPOPRT OR DO ANYTHING ."
You're right. A moral obligation to report, and Zimmerman did do that; however, that's where it should have stopped. Let the REAL police handle it from there. "ARE YOU FOLLOWING HIM? ... OK, WE DON'T NEED YOU TO DO THAT." He never should have pursued the boy. PERIOD.
IDIOT.
I owe you no explanation whatsoever regarding my writing style and content. You are free to critique my work, but I don't take too kindly to direct attacks that are nothing more than personal insults in nature. You, Sir, are insulting, and I have a good idea why. Here's the truth and don't try to lie your way around it.
About a year ago, you asked me if I would help you write a book. You praised my writing style. Nothing but compliments. I could go on, but I won't because it will only serve to make you more bitter and disgruntled. Here's the deal. I chose not to do it for several reasons. I could give you all of them, but I'm not nearly as insulting as you. Suffice it to say, I believed you would have been a terribly difficult person to work with. It is quite evident now that I was correct in my assessment. I'm a pretty good judge of character. While I liked you as a person, you would have been way too demanding. I guarantee, every "t" would have been crossed and every "i" would have been dotted your way and your way only. In that regard, it would have been best for you to write the book yourself because, to you, I would have been nothing more than a low-paid floor sweeper, cleaning up your vowel movements, which include poor grammar and spelling, as evidenced by your comments.
I was hired and paid to write for Orlando magazine. I recently appeared on an ID (Investigation Discovery) television program as an expert on a 1997 murder. As a seasoned investigator, you seem to know less about me than you think, I doth protest. A LOT LESS. What does that say about you? I am credentialed no matter what rant you go on. AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN. I can walk into the Seminole County Courthouse as a media credentialed journalist, so don't lay your crap on me. You think of yourself as king of the universe (all lower case, I might add) and larger than Rupert Murdoch, himself, and that's another good reason I turned you down - working for a self-centered jerk.
As for Zimmerman's status, he was a student who worked a part time job. He was a Neighborhood Watch person, and their rules state NO GUNS ALLOWED; watch and observe ONLY and call the police. DO NOT ENGAGE. Let the police do their job. Do not get involved. He did the moment he stepped out of his vehicle, whether legal or not. He initiated and escalated it. Now, a security guard is PAID to protect property, assets, and/or people. Zimmerman was nothing of the kind. You can turn him into whatever you want, but that's just another reason why I wouldn't have written for you. You are delusional. You are a very angry man. I want no war with you, but if you want a war of words with me, and that seems evident, I will make sure I am fully armed and prepared; more so than your beloved Chief Houston, who died in a federal prison.
Dave ~~thanks for opening our eyes to why, out of the blue, someone would come into your blog and verbally viciously attack you.
Mr Wylie, can we expect your rebuttal to Dave's response? When I see someone set out to degrade and put down another individual, I have always felt that it is to make themselves look bigger. I believe that my observations of your comments to Dave showed a person with an agenda and I think that I hit the nail on the head. I also noticed a person who probably could do with some 'anger management' therapy. Keeping all this anger inside you, Mr Wylie, could be very detrimental to your health due at your advancing age.
You insulted bloggers and, as a blogger, I could sit here and badmouth you half the day but I do not need to do that. Do you know why? I feel very comfortable in my own skin and do not need to boost my own ego by putting you down. I noticed that you completely ignored my response to you and I put that down that you do not have the time for the 'little people' who seem to have no place in your realm. Of course, that is your prerogative.
Now that our eyes have been opened to the 'real reason' that you attacked Dave aka Journalist/Blogger, should we anticipate an apology from you? Did you ever find someone to pen your book? It takes a BIG person to extend a sincere apology and/or make a retraction to previous statements. Are you up to that challenge? Time will tell.
This comment of mine is in no way meant to praise Dave to the high heavens (your words) but I certainly will come to his defense when I see him being maligned unfairly. Dave and I have hooked horns many times over the past four years but we do not hold grudges and still can retain a good working relationship and I proudly include, a friendship.
Snoopysleuth/Blogger
Well what a surprise I stopped by to see if there was a new article and lo & behold saw Dick Wylie's tirade against you Dave. Both you and Snoopy responded brilliantly. I hope he continues here,cause he is sooooooo funny,with his poor spelling,his poor understanding of what a journalist is and does. His really inane comments on those of us who follow you,not worship,just appreciate all you do to help us to better understand a situation,even if we disagree with you. I think if he comes back,the first thing he should do is take note of the Preview Post icon,and perhaps use it.
Snoopysleuth thanks so much for the smile,I truly believe "you can't fix stupid,stupid is forever",IMHO it applies to Dick Wylie.
Smile for this evening
An Italian tourist asks a blonde man:
"Why do Scuba divers always fall backwards off their boats?"
To which the blonde man replies:
"If they fell forward, they'd still be in the boat."
I love that joke, Tommy's Mom! I'm going to use it, for sure. Only it won't be a blond man.
As for Wylie, I don't know of any other reason why he blew his cork on me. It's one thing to disagree, as you said, but to go off the handle like that was truly absurd. Clearly, he doesn't know me or anyone else at this blog, but he sure thinks he does. HA!
Wait until he reads my next post. If he still reads here. Thanks. I appreciate your candor.
Tommy'sMom~~you are quite welcome.
I feel kinda bad now. Maybe I came on to Mr Wylie a little too harsh. I made it a point to go to Facebook and read his profile. I hope that I am wrong but there may be an underlying reason for his sudden outburst of anger. It has nothing to do with one's credentials, his or Dave's or any of their personal issues.
Mr Wylie, you came close to death. Life should be precious to you now. I notice you also quote God. You certainly do not sound like the same man in your Facebook account as the one who ventured in here. I hope you are alright and I apologize if I mistook your outburst at Dave for other issues you may have.
I would like to think that Dick Wylie is the kind of person who would high five a garbage man and not be someone who would write their own 5-page obituary in advance.
Now I am off to do some sleuthing... my first stop...google and "what makes people cranky?"
[He did that? Really??? Hmm...]
Dave~~I didn't say he did anything. I am hoping he would high five a garbage man. How you treat others speaks volumes of who you really are. I am an admitted snarky person.
INDEED!
(I intended to answer the comments of "Snoopy Sleuth" here but Dave posted his comments about me before I could post, so I will answer both of these "WANNABE JOURNALISTS/SLEUTHS (Detectives)" here. For you handful of followers of Dave, keep in mind while reading my answer, they are the words of a PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST/TV EMMY AWARD WINNER IN CHICAGO, PROFESSIONAL NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER, AND PROFESSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER/INVESTIGATOR over the span of two careers lasting MORE THAN 60 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG....not some fly-by-night "blogger" who had nothing better to do than attend a very interesting and tragic trial in Orlando and write about it in a website which apparently gave him a big head and an imagination that he was a JOURNALIST.)
Let me start by saying, I realize I am a controversial person. NOBODY CAN BE AN HONEST MAN IN PUBLIC PROFESSIONS, NOT BENDING FROM THE TRUTH FOR ANY REASON, GROUP, OR CAUSE, AND NOT MAKE ENEMIES AND BE CONTROVERSIAL. I HAVE ONE CAUSE, JUSTICE...I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE....AND TRUTH...NOT FOR PROFIT, FRIENDSHIP, PERSONAL GLORY, FAME, FORTUNE, OR ANYTHING, ANYBODY COULD GIVE ME IN LIFE, FOR I KNOW MY CAUSE IS A JUST ONE WHICH WILL BE REWARDED NOT BY PEOPLE BUT BY MY CREATOR... ....AS SUCH, I WILL NOT BOW TO PRESSURE GROUPS WITH AGENDAS, CAUSES, OR OFFERS OF SPECIAL FAVORS. I WILL NOT TRY TO INFLUENCE ANYONE TO MY THINKING FOR ANY REASON BUT ABSOLUTE JUSTICE USING FACTS, EVIDENCE AND THE LAW, NOT HOKEY-POKEY GIMMICKS, i.e, "pricking your finger" AND SELF-SERVING ENTRY INTO AN INVESTIGATION YET TO BE DECIDED BY A JURY WITH ONE-SIDED ADVOCACY, AND MANY INFLAMMATORY SIDEBAR ISSUES HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRIME CHARGED IN THE ZIMMERMAN CASE FOR THE SAKE OF COLUMNS FOR A SELF-PROCLAIMED "JOURNALIST" NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH "JUSTICE."
I ALSO WANT TO SAY, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A MAN WHO HAS BEEN TO THE SCENE OF HUNDREDS OF HOMICIDES, SUICIDES, ACCIDENTAL DEATHS AND TAKEN SCENE PHOTOS OF PERHAPS OVER A THOUSAND DEAD BODIES, AND TALKED WITH HUNDREDS OF SURVIVING RELATIVES, EACH DEATH OF A HUMAN BEING IS A TRAGEDY AND LOSS TO MANY WHO LOVED THAT PERSON....IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION ABOUT CAUSE OF THAT DEATH, " JUSTICE" DEMANDS THAT IT BE PURSUED TO THE FULLEST BY THE BEST AVAILABLE PROCEDURES CONSISTENT WITH LAW, WITHOUT PRESSURE BY ANY GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL FOR AN OUTCOME INCONSISTENT WITH LAW. THE DEATH OF TRAYVON WAS JUST SUCH A TRAGEDY. THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED HIM JOIN THE MILLIONS OF OTHER "VICTIMS" OF EVERY TRAGEDY WHICH OCCURS DAILY IN AMERICA...THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME "JUSTICE" AS ANY OTHER "VICTIM," NOT BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, OR THE NUMBER OF PRESSURE GROUPS THEY CAN ASSEMBLE, OR THE SORROW THEY CAN GATHER BECAUSE OF EFFORTS OF DISHONEST MEDIA SOURCES DELIBERATELY EDITING STATEMENTS OR STRESSING SMOKE-AND-MIRRORS ISSUES NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CRIME. LIKEWISE, THE RUINATION OF ANOTHER LIFE, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, IS JUST AS TRAGIC IF IT IS PROVEN HE VIOLATED NO LAW IN THE DEATH OF TRAYVON. THAT IS WHY I AM AN ADVOCATE OF "JUSTICE."...WE HAVE GOTTEN ACCUSTOMED TO LACK OF JUSTICE IN HIGHLY PUBLICIZED CASES LIKE OJ AND ANTHONY, BECAUSE OF OUR "JURY SYSTEM" ...BUT IT IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD. JURORS TAKING AN OATH SAYING THEY WILL DECIDE BY THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED, YET THE "REAL JURY" IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE WRONG BY A LARGE MAJORITY. THE ONLY POSSIBLE SAFEGUARD AGAINST A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS TO TRY TO PREVENT POSSIBLE JURORS FROM BEING UNDULY INFLUENCED BY PUBLICITY PRIOR TO TRIAL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF OUR CONSTITUTION ALLOWS FOR ANY NUT-CASE TO DECLARE THEMSELVES A "JOURNALIST" AND IN THE CYBER AGE POST BLOGS (WHEREVER THE HELL THEY GOT THAT TERM) WHICH MAY PRESENT ENTIRELY A ONE-SIDED, BIASED, AGENDA DRIVEN, PICTURE OF A CRIME, USING MANY ITEMS NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CRIME WHICH HAPPENED BEFORE AND/OR AFTER A CRIME, OR NOT EVEN PROVEN TO BE AUTHENTIC OR CORRECT. IN THE MARTIN DEATH, THE CHARGED CRIME OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER OCCURRED IN A MATTER OF LESS THAN A MINUTE, AND STARTED WITH THE FIRST PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO, AND NOTHING ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EVIDENCE IN THE CRIME. NO LAW VIOLATION OCCURRED BEFORE THE PHYSICAL CONTACT, ZIMMERMAN HAD COMMITTED NO LAW VIOLATION...HE HAD EVERY LEGAL RIGHT TO FOLLOW THE SUSPICIOUS PERSON; HE HAD EVERY LEGAL RIGHT TO CARRY THE GUN; HE EVEN HAD THE LEGAL RIGHT TO IGNORE THE WARNING OF THE POLICE DISPATCHER TO NOT FOLLOW THE SUSPICIOUS PERSON. `YET, READING THE BLOGS, A PROSPECTIVE JUROR NOT TRAINED IN THE LAW, WOULD THINK BECAUSE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH HAS A RULE NOT TO CARRY A GUN, OR TO FOLLOW A SUSPICIOUS PERSON OR THE DISPATCHER TO HIM NOT TO FOLLOW, THEY GO INTO THE JURY ROOM WITH THAT IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND. THAT IS WHY A PERSON LIKE ME, TRAINED IN OBJECTIVE JOURNALISM, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND DEVOTED TO JUSTICE, FEELS OBLIGATED BY MORAL SENSE OF DUTY TO ENTER THIS DEBATE ON THE SIDE OF "JUSTICE" FOR THE STATE, FOR TRAYVON, FOR GEORGE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR ANY READER OF THESE SELF-SERVING BLOGS THAT MAY BE CALLED TO BE JURORS. CONTROVERSIAL? I MAY BE TO PEOPLE WHOSE AGENDA CALLS FOR UNJUSTIFIED PERSECUTION RATHER THAN JUSTIFIABLE PROSECUTION. IF THE COURT/JURY WERE TO DECIDE THAT THE FIRST PUNCH BY TRAYVON WHICH REPORTEDLY BROKE GZ'S NOSE IS A "PERMANENTLY DISFIGURING INJURY" THEN TRAYVON COMMITTED A SECOND DEGREE FELONY, PUNISHABLE BY 15 YEARS IN PRISON, AGGRAVATED BATTERY, FSS 784.045 AND GZ HAD THE RIGHT UNDER FLORIDA LAW, 782.02, "JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE" WHEN A PERSON IS "RESISTING ANY ATTEMPT ...TO COMMIT A FELONY UPON HIM," THIS IS A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT STATUTE FROM THE ‘STAND YOUR GROUND" LAW. OR, IF THE COURT/JURY DOESN'T DECIDE THE INITIAL BROKEN NOSE CONSTITUTED A FELONY, THE SUBSEQUENT REPORTED BANGING OF GZ'S HEAD INTO THE CONCRETE, IN ADDITION TO THE BROKEN NOSE, COULD BE DETERMINED TO CONSTITUTE A "GREAT BODILY HARM" WHICH IS ALSO COVERED BY THE SAME SECOND DEGREE FELONY STATUTE WHICH, AS THE EVIDENCE SAID WAS THE POINT IN WHICH ZIMMERMAN FINALLY RESISTED UNDER JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE. ALL EVIDENCE RELEASED TO DATE INDICATES ANY CRIME STARTED WITH THE FIRST CONTACT BY MARTIN'S FIST WITH THE NOSE OF ZIMMERMAN, AND FURTHER BY THE BEATING OF ZIMMERMAN'S HEAD INTO THE CONCRETE, WHICH ZIMMERMAN FINALLY RESISTED THE FELONY ASSAULT/BATTERY WITH A SHOT INTO MARTIN.
IF THIS IS PROVEN IN COURT TO BE THE CASE, JUSTICE BY LAW SAYS ZIMMERMAN'S ACTION WAS JUSTIFIED AND DESPITE EXPECTED BLOGS OF SELF-APPOINTED JOURNALISTS AND SLEUTHS, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN SHOULD BE FOUND INNOCENT OF ALL CRIMINAL WRONG-DOING IN THIS CASE. TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE AN INJUSTICE...TO TAKE AWAY ZIMMERMAN'S LIFE TO ASSUAGE MOB RULE, THE PRESSURE OF DISHONEST SO-CALLED JOURNALISTS, OR EVEN THE FAMILY OF TRAYVON, JUST ADDS MORE PEOPLE TO THE LIST OF "VICTIMS" OF THIS VERY UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT AND IS NOT "JUSTICE" BUT A ORCHESTRATED LEGAL LYNCHING.
I HAVEN'T FOLLOWED DAVE'S WEBSITE SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF THE MARTIN DEATH BECAUSE I LOST RESPECT FOR HIM EARLY IN THE CASE BECAUSE I FELT HE WASN'T OBJECTIVE IN HIS REPORTING BASED UPON THE DIGESTION OF ALL REPORTS GATHERED ON THE INCIDENT. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON I LOOKED AT HIS BLOG ON THE "PRICK OF THE NOSE" WHERE HE INJECTED HIMSELF AND HIS UNSCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT INTO A MURDER CASE IN AN EFFORT TO BOLSTER ONE SIDE WITH "PURE JUNK." THIS WAS FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY HIS "SHOOTING UP THE TRUTH" BLOG AND DECIDED TO ANSWER, IN MY OPINION, THIS SELF-IMPORTANT, POMPOUS INDIVIDUAL WHO APPARENTLY HAS GOTTEN A BIG HEAD OVER THE ACCLAMATIONS OF A HAND-FULL OF LIKE-MINDED BLOGGERS. I HAVE LOST ALL RESPECT FOR HIM AS WHATEVER HE THINKS HE IS IN THE MEDIA WORLD OF JOURNALISTS, AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN LIGHTLY COMING FROM A REAL PROFESSIONAL AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL JOURNALIST WHO THINK HIS PARADING AS SUCH IS A FURTHER DISGRACE TO THE PROFESSION.
Now to deal specifically with Dave's recent blog about me and SnoopySleuth's also.
Dave...to answer you direct about our conversation of a year ago, although any suggestion I may LIE about it or ANYTHING ELSE is very inflammatory and not welcomed but will try to answer objectively and professionally and not let your juvenile attempt to discredit me interfere.
I, being a student of legal cases and wishing to learn all I can about interesting and extremely tragic crime matters, started reading your blogs of covering the Anthony case. Not being a fan of blogs or even the internet because of the undocumented and untrue statements allowed to be printed as "fact" I was at a somewhat disadvantage not knowing any of your background. However, I am one journalist/investigator by profession who ALWAYS gathers as much information as possible from any source to digest with an open-mind to hopefully allow me to form an opinion of the truth. Because it would be impossible to attend the Anthony case, I watched as much as possible everyday on TV and read everything I could, including your blogs. I enjoyed your coverage and writing style, though knowing nothing about your previous background. In my retirement from law enforcement, I had two specifically interesting cold-case experiences I had worked closely that I thought would make good true-crime novels. One, now a 46 year old missing person case I worked from the first hour of its reporting, three teen girls from the Chicago area disappearing from a holiday beach setting with 9,000 potential witnesses, never to be heard from again. It is one of the nation's most baffling missing person unsolved, cold-cases. Being such, as an investigative news reporter/photographer/bureau chief for the seventh largest newspaper in America at the time, my investigation with a detective from the Indiana State Police earned me 1966 TV Emmy award as a contributor to the NEWSCOPE programming of WFLD-TV, Chicago, It also left me with thousands of pages of notes clips, evidence, etc. to back MY INVESTIGATION THAT NOT ONLY PROVED WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GIRLS BUT WHO MURDERED THEM. I had written a full manuscript about the case but was unsatisfied with my product, realizing I had too busy with my professions in life to take time to read novels and learn what was enjoyable reading for a person. My last 18 years in law enforcement didn't help my writing abilities as sticking strictly to the FACTS in writing to be used by prosecutors in preparing cases for court presentation lacked the "human element" and "journalistic license" necessary to be interesting to the lay reader, unable to DEVIATE EVEN A LITTLE FROM THE FACTS AND NOT ALLOWING MYSELF TO "MAKE UP" LITTLE THINGS TO SPICE UP THE FINISHED PRODUCT. I had the FACTS...I had the EVIDENCE....I had the solution to one of American's most baffling mysteries...I even had a publisher interested and chomping at the bit....What I didn't have was the ability to put it on paper in an interesting manner for consumption of the average reader.
Your blogs were interesting reading to me, however, I just admitted that I am not a reader of novels. So I contacted you in an effort to find a person with a writing style to edit, re-write, co-author the manuscript and we had ONE telephone conversation. I will admit I am VERY DEMANDING ABOUT THE TRUTH, EVEN WHEN IT IS FLUFFED UP FOR BETTER READING....I ALSO HAVE A 62 YEAR PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION TO UPHOLD WITH ANYONE WHO SEES MY NAME ON ANYTHING AND I WON'T LET THAT BE COMPROMISED BY ANYONE FOR ANY PRICE....YOU BET I WOULD BE DEMANDING THAT EVERY "T" WOULD CROSSED AND EVERY "I" WOULD BE DOTTED.. ANYTHING LESS WOULD NOT DO.... Being a highly successful police detective for years, including making FLORIDA CASE LAW in a narcotic case I engineered from the start for prosecution, and winner of Officer of the Year awarded by two separate highly respected civic organizations, the Kiwanis and Optimist clubs, my ability to question and judge people was an invaluable asset. Early in the conversation I could see my first impression of you from the website was in error. You were strictly an amateur in the writing profession, which you readily admitted. You had no previous experience or background as a writer, journalist, media person. YOUR ONLY CLAIM TO FAME AT THAT TIME IN THE MEDIA OR INVESTIGATION FIELD WAS AS A SPECTATOR AT A COURT TRIAL AND WRITING ABOUT IT ON AN INTERNET WEBSITE YOU FOUNDED..MY JUDGEMENT OF YOU FAILED MISERABLY AS TO YOUR QUALIFICATIONS. ..YOUR CLAIM ABOVE TO AN APPEARANCE ON A TV PROGRAM AS AN "EXPERT" ON A 1997 MURDER GIVE ME SHUDDERS TO THINK ABOUT AS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF "PUBLIC BE DAMNED" AS MEDIA PUTS OUT TO THE PUBLIC SUCH IMPOSTERS.....,.BUT OUR CONVERSATION COULD HAVE ENDED IN FIVE MINUTES AS FAR AS YOU BEING QUALIFIED TO DO ANYTHING IN CONCERT WITH ME, ALTHOUGH YOU NEVER MENTIONED APPLYING FOR A "LOW PAID FLOOR SWEEPER" THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR....AS FAR AS MY GRAMMAR/SPELLING..I AM AN EXCELLENT SPELLER AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, BUT I DON'T GO BACK AND CHECK FOR MIS-STRIKES, BUT JUDGING FROM OTHER OF YOUR SMALL BAND OF FOLLOWERS, THEIR SPELLING ERRORS ARE NOT MIS-STRIKES...YOU MAYBE MISSED YOUR CALLING, DID YOU EVER THINK OF BECOMING A TEACHER?
While you were such an amateur in the journalistic phase, you were an fairly interesting person to talk with and I enjoyed talking with you. However, with a little success many times the head of the person swells and they become an "EXPERT" in any phase of life they can "SELL" their BS to. That is so apparent on the blogsaphere....People become "EXPERTS" without having any experience or background on a given subject....and become "JOURNALISTS" because they say they are...but the worst thing I object to and got me into this debate is the venture into police investigations by an absolute amateur that has time to write blogs that could affect an entire judicial system and deny an human being the right to a fair trial...I REALIZE I AM GIVING YOU CREDIT FOR BEING MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU REALLY ARE, BUT ANY ATTEMPT TO DISTRACT FROM THE TRUTH IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL PROVOKE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM ME IF I SEE IT....
So Dave, I hope this answers your questions about our conversation.. YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE COURTESY TO CONTACT ME TO LET ME KNOW YOU WEREN'T INTERESTED.... I WOULD GUESS YOUR REALIZED THAT YOU WEREN'T QUALIFIED AND WERE TOO EMBARRASSED TO EVEN MAKE THE CONTACT. ...AND I DIDN'T CONTACT YOU FOR THE SAME REASON, YOU JUST WEREN'T QUALIFIED. YOU DID ME SUCH A FAVOR....I AM NOW WORKING WITH A REAL PROFESSIONAL IN WRITING, A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF MANY BOOKS ON TRUE CRIME, A DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF AN EXCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION OF AUTHORS OF TRUE CRIME NOVELS AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING, WHO WRITES A WEEKLY COLUMN CALLED "JUSTICE STORY" FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORK DAILY NEWS (I realize it isn't as important as your writing for the Orlando magazine) who just devoted a FULL PAGE IN THE NYDN TO MY 46 YEAR INVESTIGATION OF THE MISSING GIRLS CASE AND WILL CO-AUTHOR THE BOOK. HE ALSO WRITES SCRIPTS FOR TRUE CRIME TV AND THINKS THE STORY HAS SUCH POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS....AND TO THINK I MAY HAVE TIED UP WITH YOU ON THE PROJECT...
NOW SWITCHING TO SNOOPY... As a fervent follower of Dave and one of his hand-full of shills who answer any criticism of him, your comments on me I find funny and sad both...You should have stuck with accounting...doing tax returns for people in your retirement....for YOU ARE NEITHER A JOURNALIST OR A SLEUTH (detective)...Much of what I wrote above in this long comment are also meant for you as a TRULY AMATEUR IN BOTH WRITING AND INVESTIGATIONS, SO I WILL SHARE A VERY GREAT TOOL I USED SUCCESSFULLY IN MANY INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE OPPOSITE WHAT YOU SAY ARE YOUR "ONLY ASSETS" AND THAT IS "LOGIC/COMMON SENSE." Many detectives fail year after year in their work using LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE...Some crimes, mainly by juveniles and non-pros, are solved by those means and it is good to have in the quiver, if only to be used in the process of elimination of possibilities of the crime happening this way or that...HOWEVER, THE REAL TEST OF A DETECTIVE IS TO SOLVE THOSE CASES THAT DEFY LOGIC OR COMMON SENSE, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE TOUGHEST, DONE BY CRIMINALS WHO KNOW THE DETECTIVES WILL LOOK FOR THE EASY CLUES, AND PLAN THEIR CRIMES ACCORDINGLY....SO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE THEFT OF A NEIGHBOR BOY'S BICYCLE BY LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE, BUT TO APPLY THAT TO TOUGH CASES IS ANOTHER THING ENTIRELY....If you had said your biggest ASSET was a THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FLORIDA LAW, I MAY BE MORE IMPRESSED, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO INTO TALKING ABOUT THE SANFORD CASE. AT MY RETIREMENT DINNER THE POLICE CHIEF NOTED HE FOUND THAT I HAD THE BIGGEST PERSONAL FILE OF ANY OFFICER, STATING "11 POUNDS OF PAPER, 10.4 POUNDS EXPRESSION OF PRAISE FOR HIS WORK.... HE HAD A UNIQUE CAPACITY RARE IN POLICE OFFICERS, THE ABILITY TO WORK OUTSIDE THE BOX, OUTSIDE THE LINES, TO SOLVE CRIMES WERE DONE IN UNUSUAL WAYS." SO MUCH FOR "LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE" BEING A KEY TO SUCCESS OF A DETECTIVE.
AS EXPRESSED THOROUGHLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS COMMENT, THE FLORIDA LAW FAVORS THE CASE OF ZIMMERMAN. I DON'T SAY THIS TO TAKE SIDES, ONLY BECAUSE IT IS THE TRUTH...UNBIASED TRUTH... In regards to your statement about my not being there, this certainly is true, neither were you, the police, Trayvon's parents, the black panthers, the self-appointed black leaders that flocked to Sanford, Dave with his needle to prick his finger, AND OF COURSE, NO WITNESSES....So the case against GZ is going to be a, HOPEFULLY FAIR, INTERPRETATION OF WHAT LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE EXISTS, TOGETHER WITH "CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE" APPLIED TO THE LAW IN THE CASE. AS STATED ABOVE, NO CRIME WAS COMMITTED BY EITHER TM OR GZ "BEFORE THE FIRST PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO....ALL THE MEDIA BS ABOUT TRAYVON BEING A "CHILD", ON HIS WAY TO THE STORE FOR TEA AND SKITTLES, TALKING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND, WEARING A HOODIE, BEING "SUSPICIOUS", GZ BEING TOLD NOT TO FOLLOW HIM, GZ FOLLOWING HIM, GZ HAVING A GUN IN VIOLATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH RULES, HIS FIRING A GU IN VIOLATION OF THE HOA RULES ON NUISANCES, AND A MILLION AND ONE OTHER THINGS THAT MADE GOOD READING AND TV NEWS BULLETINS SHOULD HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE CASE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND PROBABLY MOST WONT BE ALLOWED INTO TESTIMONY....
To tell you the truth, THE ONLY MEANS I DEAL IN, this case may be decided on ONE WORD IN THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER STATUTE,. FSS782.04 (2).....TO PROVE THE CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER, IT HAS TO BE PERFORMED BY "AN ACT IMMINENTLY DANGEROUS TO ANOTHER".....AND....(REMEMBER THAT LITTLE THREE LETTER WORD, "AND" NOT "OR" , BUT "AND" ) "EVINCING (to show plainly; indicate; make manifest, especially) A DEPRAVED (morally bad, corrupt, perverted) MIND REGARDLESS OF HUMAN LIFE, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT ANY PREMEDITATED DESIGN TO EFFECT THE DEATH OF ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL".....TO RIGHTFULLY CONVICT GEORGE ZIMMERMAN THE STATE MUST PROVE HE WAS ACTING WITH "PLAINLY, INDICATED, MANIFESTLY OR ESPECIALLY, MORALLY BAD, CORRUPT OR PERVERTED MIND" AT THE TIME HE PULLED THE TRIGGER, NOT MERELY THAT HE SHOT ANOTHER FOR WHATEVER REASON....THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE WORD THAT I HAVE HEARD THRU THIS ENTIRE CASE ABOUT GZ BEING "MANIFESTLY OR PLAINLY A MORALLY BAD, CORRUPT OR PERVERTED PERSON." HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PROVE THAT?.....THROW IN THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT SHOWED GZ WITH INJURIES THAT COULD INDICATE HE WAS A "VICTIM" OF A CONTINUING SECOND DEGREE FELONY OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY BY TM, AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER FLORIDA LAW, 782.02, "JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE" EXONERATING GZ IN HIS "RESISTING ANY FELONY UPON HIM."... THAT IS NOT EVEN TAKING IN THE "STAND YOUR GROUND" STATUTE.
It doesn't take my 62 years of interest in justice, or even my attendance at many hundreds of crime scenes, photographing hundreds of dead people, attending autopsies of victims, my special training in many phases of CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION in colleges by FBI, DEA, ATF special agent instructors, or even my years of law enforcement service, to take a few minutes to OPEN A Florida law book and compare what has been so widely published about this incident with the law, without any pressure being exerted by special interest groups or individuals, devoid of any personal feelings, sympathies or agenda, and come up with a VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT AGAINST A CONVICTION OF GZ FOR SECOND DEGREE MURDER, NOT BECAUSE ANY REASON BUT FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE..... PERSONALLY, I THINK THE STATE BOWED TO PRESSURE AND THREW CAUTION TO THE WINDS AND THREW GZ INTO A JAIL CELL ON AN OVERCHARGE AT BEST AND FOR POLITICAL REASONS AT WORST!!!!
ANY BLOGGING JOURNALIST AND/OR SNOOPY SLEUTH COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME AS I DID ABOVE IF THEY WERE TRULY INTERESTED IN JUSTICE AND TRUTH IN THIS MATTER. WHAT DID DAVE DO, SPENT HIS TIME PRICKING HIS FINGER, DRAWING A MAP OF TRAYVON'S ROUTES, LOOKING UP HIGHLY PREJUDICIAL, UNUSABLE, AND WORTHLESS RULES OF HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, DEVOTING BLOG AFTER BLOG, TRYING TO BUILD A CASE AGAINST GZ IN THE ARENA OF PUBLIC OPINION, WHILE CLAIMING "UNBIASED" JOURNALISTIC EXCELLENCE...
I CAN AGREE WITH DAVE'S ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE CASE AND AGAINST GZ WITH A MINOR BUT IMPORTANT CORRECTION. DAVE SAID ABOVE, "HE, (GZ) NEVER SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED THE ‘BOY', PERIOD" (The change, "BOY"..GZ HAD NO WAY TO DETERMINE TM WAS A "BOY" IN AGE ALONE, WHEN HE FOLLOWED HIM, WHEN THEY FOUGHT, AND WHEN HE PULLED THE TRIGGER. TM HAD EVERYTHING A MAN HAS, AND HE HAD TO ABILITY TO FIGHT LIKE A MAN, GET THE BEST OF GZ, AND IN DOING SO COULD HAVE COMMITTED A FELONY THAT GAVE GZ THE RIGHT TO USE DEADLY FORCE....THE FACT TM HADN'T REACHED THE AGE OF 18, AND THE CONSTANT USE OF "BOY" AND "CHILD" WHEN REFERRING TO HIM AND THE USE OF SEVERAL YEARS OLD PHOTOS, LEGALLY DOESN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE FACTS OF THE CASE, ONLY AGAIN FOR PREJUDICIAL USE IN THE PUBLIC ARENA AGAINST GZ. BUT I HAVE TO AGREE, GZ SHOULD NOT HAVE FOLLOWED THE SUSPICIOUS SUBJECT...FOR HIS OWN WELFARE, IT WASN'T WORTH THE DANGER OF A SUSPICIOUS MAN HAVING A GUN OR WEAPON...GZ MADE A BAD DECISION...I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW WHY HE MADE THE DECISION....MANY MILLIONS WISH HE HADN'T ...MY BACKGROUND TELLS ME HE WAS A "WANNABE COP"....LIKE SO MANY OTHER "WANNABES" THEY GO OVERBOARD TO PROVE THEIR WORTH IN A PROFESSION THEY KNOW LITTLE ABOUT AND THRIVE ON THE NOTORIETY THEY GET...GZ'S LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK, AND MOST HAVE THEIR OPINIONS, AND I AM NO DIFFERENT...ALTHOUGH I KNOW IT IS SOMEWHAT UNFAIR TO JUDGE A MAN I HAVE NEVER MET, I THINK HE IS BASICALLY A GOOD PERSON WHO HAD A DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS. HE PROBABLY ADMIRED THE WORK OF POLICE OFFICERS AND PICTURED HIMSELF IN THAT PROFESSION...FOR REASONS UNKNOWN TO ME, HE PROBABLY LACKED SOME QUALIFICATION AS THE PROFESSION HAS CONSTANTLY BEEN UPGRADED ON THOSE ELIGIBLE....MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, MOSTLY MEN, CAUGHT IN THIS SQUEEZE TURN TO SECURITY GUARD WORK, MAYBE IT IS A SIGN OF MANHOOD TO WEAR A UNIFORM, CARRY A GUN IN DIFFERENT INSTANCES ON THE JOB AND HAVE A CONCEALED PERMIT OFF WORK. MANY HAVE SCANNERS AND LISTEN TO POLICE CALLS...MANY JOIN NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUPS AND ARE VALUABLE ASSETS TO THE COMMUNITY....SOME ARE MORE ALERT TO CRIME AND SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY THAN SOME POLICE OFFICERS...BUT SOME GO OVERBOARD IN THEIR DESIRE TO SHOW THEIR WORTH, MAYBE IN HOPES OF THAT BIG "COLLAR" THAT WILL GET THEM KNOWN IN POLICE CIRCLES AND EVEN BE CONSIDERED FOR A JOB....WHATEVER WAS GOING THRU GZ'S MIND THAT NIGHT I'M SURE WASN'T THE SHOOTING OF ANYONE FOR ANY REASON... BAD DECISIONS USUALLY HAVE BAD CONSEQUENCES..THIS BAD DECISION WAS THE WORST AS IT SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT APPARENT WARNING PROGRESSED INTO AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT THAT LEFT ONE PERSON DEAD AND ANOTHER RUINED FOR LIFE.
BAD DECISION TO FOLLOW? YES.. .ILLEGAL? NO... THAT BEING AN AGREEMENT, I CALL ON DAVE AND OTHER BLOGGERS TO STOP INFLAMING THE PROSPECTIVE JURORS WITH WORTHLESS BACKGROUND ISSUES AND STICK TO THE EVIDENCE OF THE ONE MINUTE OR SO ALTERCATION IN WHICH A CRIME MAY HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BEFORE ANY SHOT WAS FIRED, AND WHAT THE ACTUAL LAW SAYS MUST BE PROVEN TO FIND GEORGE ZIMMERMAN GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER....PREDICTION; THE STATE WILL TRY TO PLEA BARGAIN A GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER PLEA.....AND AS IN SO MANY CASES WHERE THE DEFENDANT IS WITHOUT FUNDS TO PAY FOR A GOOD, EXHAUSTIVE DEFENSE, THEY TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT AND ACCEPT A LESSER PENALTY TO FINALLY END THE CASE... SUGGEST READERS PRINT THIS RESPONSE AND SEE IF MUCH OF MY COMMENT HERE IS THE BASIS FOR ARGUMENT AT TRIAL, IF ANY, AND SEE THAT I AM RIGHT ABOUT MUCH OF THE BLOGGING ABOUT "PRICKED FINGERS" AND "NUISANCE RULES OF THE HOA" ARE NO WHERE TO BE HEARD IN THE TRIAL....
IT HAS BEEN NICE...DAVE SHOULD HAVE PAID ME TO WRITE THIS AND PUT SOME LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE TO THIS CASE ON HIS WEBSITE...LOL...IF ANYONE STILL QUESTIONS MY CREDENTIALS, LOOK FOR MY BOOK, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL LIFE..THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AMAZON HAD TWO USED ONES FOR SALE @ $125 AND $200...I DIDN'T NEED HELP OR A CO-AUTHOR FOR THAT ONE BECAUSE EVERY WORD IS TRUE AND THEREFOR EASY TO WRITE, AND THE 550 OF MY BEST PHOTOS ARE WORTH SEEING...FROM THE PHOTO IN LIFE MAGAZINE AT AGE 20, THRU NEWS PHOTO CONTEST AWARD WINNERS, TO INTIMATE CLOSEUP OF JFK AND JACKIE, NIXON, ASTRONAUT BORMAN, A KING, A QUEEN, THE FIRST STILL PHOTOS OF BILL VUKOVICH"S RACING DEATH AT THE INDY 500 IN 1955, TO THE FINAL PHOTOS OF ME HOLDING THE 13 MONTH OLD GIRL I BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE WITH CPR AFTER DROWNING...I WILL NOT TAKE A BACK SEAT TO ANY ATTEMPT TO PAINT ME WITH THE SAME BRUSH AS A INTERNET BLOGGING JOURNALIST.
As I said inn the beginning, several hours ago, MY INTEREST HERE IS NOT WAR OF WORDS, BUT JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL...As far as your "challenge" Dave to end your reply, and your cheap comment about former Gary, IN Police Chief Houston you called my "BELOVED CHIEF HOUSTON WHO DIED IN A FEDERAL PRISON," I WANT TO CORRECT YOUR INVALID ASSUMPTION AND AGAIN SET YOU STRAIGHT....Gary was fast becoming the ‘MURDER CAPITAL OF THE NATION" in 1969, 43 years ago when I left and moved to Florida to be eligible to take a high position with the Fl Game and Fresh Water Commission as I was first on the eligibility list after all testing. About the same time I left, a young black man went on the Gary Police Dept., one of the toughest jobs in the nation. His name was Houston. I met him once I think. I was very familiar with the department as my father served that city for 25 years in the days when John Dillinger broke out of jail in Crown Point a few miles away on a night when dad walked the beat...the same beat he walked the night a man opened fire on him and he returned the fire in an narrow areaway at 3am, running out of bullets as he fired at just the flash of his attackers' shots...He was lucky, four of his six shots hit the gunman, while he tried to get bullets from his pocket to reload....Not only did he survive, and his adversary didn't, he used the experience to invent and patent a revolutionary new revolver grip for police officers that carried the six extra bullets inside so officers would always have a reload as close as his gun hand...We sold them internationally for decades. His last squad car partner on the Gary force served as my "surrogate brother" for years growing up as an only child, only to have him die in my arms on Aug. 4, 1955 when shot seven times in the chest thru a door when answering a call of a man raping two little girls ages 7 and 8....ALL POLICE OFFICERS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US I WOULD BE GLAD TO CALL "BELOVED".....So I will accept your description of Chief Houston falling into that category....HOWEVER, FOR YOUR FEW READERS TO KNOW, OFFICER HOUSTON JOINED THE FORCE ABOUT THE TIME I LEFT GARY, AND DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HIS FIRST NAME OR EVEN MEETING HIM, BUT I MAY HAVE. IN THE EARLY 70'S, GARY WAS SO BAD MOST OF THE WHITE, TAXPAYING CITIZENS FLED TO THE SUBURBS, INCREASING THE
TERRIFICALLY DANGEROUS STREET CRIME. BECAUSE HOUSTON WAS A BLACK OFFICER, DEALING WITH MOST BLACK OFFENDERS, HIS JOB WAS DOUBLY TOUGH, BEING CONSIDERED A "TURN COAT." I NEVER MET OFFICER HOUSTON DURING HIS MORE THAN 40 YEARS SERVICE TO THE STEEL CITY AFTER I MOVED TO FL.... UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN VISITING GARY AND MEETING HIM AT A FOP MEETING THERE WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE MEMBERS AS CHIEF ...HE TOOK A UNPOPULAR STAND THAT NIGHT AGAINST THE MAYOR AND ADMINISTRATION THAT NAMED HIM CHIEF... I HAD TO ADMIRE THIS MAN WHO PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST, MOST CRIME RIDDEN CITIES IN THE NATION FOR 40 YEARS, TAKING THE IRE AND RIDICULE OF MANY BLACK HOODLUMS DAILY THRU THOSE YEARS...ONLY TO RISE ABOVE ALL TO THE HIGHEST POSITION ON THE DEPARTMENT....WE TALKED AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND I EXPRESSED HOW HAPPY I WAS THAT HE SURVIVED THE STREETS AND HOPE THE SURVIVE POLITICS THAT WENT WITH THE CHIEF'S POSITION IN SUCH A CORRUPT CITY.,...LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, I READ IN THE INTERNET COPY OF THE DAILY PAPER FROM GARY THAT HOUSTON, THE FINE DETECTIVE CAPTAIN AND RETIRED U.S. MARINE OFFICER, AND ANOTHER DETECTIVE WERE. INDICTED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY FOR A CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION FOR ILLEGALLY ENTERING A HOME TO EFFECT AN ARREST....IT SMELLED OF POLITICAL PAYBACK TO ME....A SETUP...POSSIBLY A BAD DECISION..I WASN'T THERE...TELEPHONE CALLS TO FRIENDS THERE CONFIRMED MY SUSPICIONS...
I WROTE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE SAME PAPER I STARTED FULL-TIME WORK AT IN MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL AT 16, (JUST A CHILD..BUT GREW UP FAST SEEING THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE AS A FULL-TIME NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER AND SEEING MORE MURDERS BEFORE I WAS AN ADULT THAN THESE BLOGGER JOURNALISTS WILL EVER SEE)...IN MY LETTER, PROBABLY FOUND BY DAVE IN A GOOGLE SEARCH, I PRAISED CHIEF HOUSTON AND THE TWO DETECTIVES FOR THEIR SERVICE TO A WORTHLESS CITY AND AN UNAPPRECIATIVE CITZENRY...I LOST TRACK OF THE CASE AGAINST THEM, ALTHOUGH I HEARD HOUSTON AND THE CAPTAIN TOOK RETIREMENT. I NEVER EVEN KNEW ANY WERE CONVICTED, SENT TO PRISON, OR UNTIL TODAY THAT CHIEF HOUSTON DIED...SO IF YOU WANT TO GO ALONG WITH DAVE AND ASSUME THAT MADE CHIEF HOUSTON A "BELOVED" FRIEND YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO AS YOU PLEASE....BUT I POINT THIS OUT AS JUST ANOTHER RECKLESS AND INFLAMMATORY STATEMENT BY AN AMATEUR WHO PARADES AS A "JOURNALIST" IN A TIME WHEN APPARENTLY "JOURNALIST" MEANS A FAR DIFFERENT CATEGORY OF PERSON THAN IT DID YEARS AGO....BUT EVEN IN MY LAST DAYS AS A "TRUE JOURNALIST" IN THE TURBULENT 60'S, THE ANTI-WAR, PRO-COMMIE, ULTRA-LIBERALS WERE INVADING THE NEWSROOMS OF MEDIA OUTLETS LARGE AND SMALL, JUST OUT OF LEFT-WING COLLEGES, WITH THEIR AGENDAS FOR SLANTING NEWS TO FIT "CAUSES" NOT REPORTING "NEWS" HONESTLY AND FAIRLY....I GOT OUT, MOVED, WENT INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT...THINKING I WAS DONE WITH THAT TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL...ONLY TO FIND IT HAS INVADED THE INTERNET WITH A BUNCH OF SELF-PROCLAIMED "JOURNALISTS" THAT CAN DEDUCE THAT BECAUSE I STUCK UP FOR A BLACK POLICE OFFICER THAT I MET POSSIBLY TWICE IN MY LIFE, THAT HE WAS A "BELOVED" FRIEND....I WOULD BE CAREFUL BELIEVING ANYTHNG THAT IS SAID BY THIS TYPE "JOURNALIST."
Because of the length of this, Dave would be doing a favor for his readers if he would post this as a "Guest Opinion" in its own section and prove that he is the "unbiased" journalist he claims and is not above printing opposing views. In return, I will let this speak for itself and not take up any more blog space with asny more comments.
Sincerely, Dick Wylie
WOW! Dick Wylie needs to be taught some blogging etiquette! We do not TYPE IN BOLD LETTERS-why? because it is offensive AND its hard on the eyes.
[I've run into people like him a time or two. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Mr. Tirade. He is, what I would consider to be, an angry old white man who refuses to catch up with the times. All he wants to do is YELL at people he disagrees with, which is everyone but other angry old white men still living in the 1950s. No offense to anyone else, but this is 2013 and he doesn't know it. It is clearly evident that I am way too liberal for him, yet, in reality, I'm not.]
Sorry, Tommy'sMom, I meant to tell you the blond joke gave me a chuckle. I think Dave used to be a blond but that was many hairs ago. Back in those days he really lived on the edge, especially when he ate his cottage cheese on the expiry date.
Dave is going to give your blond man a sex change so now you know why...lol
[I would NEVER eat cottage cheese on the expiration date. It's gotta have at least a week left or I ain't touching the container, let alone open it. Nothing grosses me out like sour milk.]
Dick Wylie has left another highly negative and combative comment and I have decided not to publish it. It is nothing more than insulting to me and some of my readers. I let him get his message across and enough is enough.
As I've stated so many times before, newspapers do not publish every letter sent to the editor. Twice, I allowed Dick Wylie to go off the deep end on my blog and there will be no third time. I am the editor of this blog, and it is my decision.
Also, the Investigation Discovery show I was on will replay at 4 pm EST today. It must have been on again last night because I got a lot of visitors searching for it.
Hi Dave! I was just coming in here to say I saw the show was going to be on at 4pm today-but you beat me to it! I set a reminder so I don't miss it!! Hope all is well!
[Hi, Linda!!! Great to see you! Yes, it will be on again, so I hope people watch it. Thank you for coming in and letting me know you will be. All seems well, and I hope you are in better shape than that!]
Hello Dave and everyone. I am continuing to update the Jodi Arias thread here. In fact, I am just about to add more. I hope some of you will check it out. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them. I am also interested if you are following the Arias case. Jodi Arias' is claiming self-defense in this death penalty murder. Hope to see you drop in even if it is just to read. Any of your feedback, both negative and positive, will be appreciated. Thank you. Snoopy
You can find the Arias' thread HERE that Dave so kindly set up on his blog.
Dave~~I really like the new banner!!
[Thanks, Snoopy.]
I could expect nothing more from a rank amateur like you not to publish my last comments...Only a yellow spined chicken would not publish something so enlightening of a major trial and pass it off to your readers as a "highly negative" and "combative." I guess if don't agree with Dave,. and line up with priase at the King, and dare write a comment proving how wrong he is about the GZ case, HE ACTS LIKE A DICTATOR, NOT A JUST AND FAIR EDITOR OFWHATEVER HE CALLS HIS LITTLOE PROJECT... Just another example of HOW HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE A FAIR AND OBJECTIVE JOURNALIST...a kid grabbing the ball from the field and taking it home because the other kids won't play the way he wants...I will stop writing this because I know it won't pass the Emperor"s "praise me or it wont get published" rule...While I disagree with you on the gz case, I had a little more confidence in you as a man not to hide from criticism and let your readers decide , you have proven to me that you are a very small minded man that can print untruthful statements like " my beloved Chief Houston" and wont let your readers know the real story...I will find another way to get my recent comments out to your readers and show you for the small boy you are....u
[Dick? If you stopped flinging dung at people, I might let you comment, but you are tossing YOUR human waste at my blog. Find another forum. If you want to DISCUSS the case instead of DISGUST the readers, I'll let you back in, but you are making a complete fool of yourself while trying your best to destroy me. That is your only motive.]
Mr Wylie~~I am a bit perplexed as to what your goal really is. I am certainly willing to hear you out but only if you cease the hysterics. I need a few answers first.
Have you been sent here on an assignment to set us all straight? If so, by whom or is that top secret? Are you a gun owner? Do you have a carry and conceal permit? How do you feel about black people? Any hidden racial tendencies?
Most of us who participate here are middle aged to senior citizens. Do you think that we do not have the mentality to know if Dave has been duping us? That we do not know the difference between a blogger, journalist, investigative reporter or a detective working for law enforcement.
I believe we are all of sound mind and Dave has not enticed us with any laced koolade.
So, Mr Dick Wylie, why have you taken it upon yourself to come in here, degrade Dave and set us all straight?
For everything, there is a reason, what is yours? If you holler at me in all CAPS, I will refuse to read your comment. I think, after all this time, I have Dave figured out so now I am interested in what makes you tick, Mr Wylie!!
[At no time did Wylie come in here to discuss the case. His sole agenda has been to attack me. I am going to allow him to continue to do that? PFFFT.]
What an interesting discussion with so many different topics all wrapped up, not so neatly under one new post.
Since the beginning of this new site I've went into moderation. Dave and I tried to fix the problem way back then but were unable to so I seldom comment here. I seldom write well often using incomplete sentences and thoughts so moderation became a problem for me. A p.s. was often needed to clarify my comment. I have no interest in the Martin/Zimmerman case either.
One comment above mentioned snarky commentators/comments. I love snarky. Most of what has been labeled snarky I felt (MOO) was a humorous, intelligent, quick-witted response to what was becoming a mundane conversation. I never once felt the "snarky" came from a place of mean or arrogant. I could not understand the objections and the rudeness directed back to the snarky commentator/comments. I just stayed out of here.
I need and enjoy to read different personalities, different points of views and humor at a site or it is simply dull. Humor, even with the most serious of conversations is a good thing, at least for me. I wish there was respect for different personalities and for everyone not to take every word so personally. Not everything is directed at you. (you = anyone)
Dave~~I totally agree. I believe Mr Wylie is one old dog not willing to learn new tricks. I was going to teach him to fetch, quit barking and then roll over and play dead. lol
Oh well, maybe a couple cookies and a glass of warm milk will fix him up. He probably gives himself a headache so we will leave him with the self-mutilation and having to live in his own skin. That is ample punishment for his faux pas.
Cali~~what did you do, swim across the moat? I personally watched Dave put his pet alligator in there today. Next time you go skinny dipping in the moat, remove your false teeth. The gator finds them hard to digest.
I worked hard for my title, Snarky Snoopy and I challenge anyone to dethrone me. Just kidding. Every so often I get a few jabs and pokes but it just water off the duck's back. Since I entered the blogosphere, I have so many battle scars that I don't know if I am black or blue.
As to humor, sometimes one must tread lightly when a somber case is being discussed. Not everyone appreciates it, regardless, and that is what keeps us all suspended by gravity and going around in circles.
Who told u I wore false teeth, who? I rode the alligator, that's nasty water, really. According to comment I read Dave has us all trained well.
I never wrote that Snoop was Snarky, did not say that. True about humor, I've been called out a few times on what I considered a small silly comment. Going back where I belong.
Cali~~oh please don't run away. You are such a delight. I can just picture you riding a bucking alligator while it trashes around in the murky waters of the moat. I wonder if Dave keeps any saddles in his" tacky" room.
In answer to Snoopy Sleuth questions of me above, if I am allowed to post on your site the answers...
i will try not to hit the caps button...i do not do it to offend anyone...i have been typng for 65 years and old habits are hard to break...i try to do that to emphasize a point bu dont go back and hit the shift to releaqse...i dont do it to make anyone unhappy...
Snoopy I went to your website as you invited me to do so i dont get dave more angry at using his precious site, but couldn't find anyplace to send a comment...if you would be so good to contact me direct at [EDITED BY ADMIN] asnd tell me how to use your site, i would be glad to check it out...i especially like your "no censorship" policy and realilzing people have different opinions sometimes and to be fair, both sides should be able to post their opinions. i think we got off on the wrong foot thinking i was lumping all bloggers into some type of negative stereotype when i went off on dave. i actually am a very fair minded person, but where justice matters are concerned, i am very quick to stick up for what i believe is messing with our system of justice for all.
now to answer your questions above;
i was not sent to any website to set anyone straight...if anyone would even suggest something like that to me, besides turning them down, i would expose that person to any person or site they asked me to do something that dirty...and to me immoral and repulsive.
yes, i own guns...i have been shooting since age 5..my father was a 25 year police veteran and a survivors of two shootouts in one of the worst crime cities in the nation, Gary, IN, (sorry, gary, in) where i grew up. my surrogate brother, my dad's last squad car partner died in mny arms after taking 7 -9mm in his chest...i hae been shot at in my newsman days there...i hae two honorable discharges fro the u.s.marines and u.s. navy both where guns were a part of training...i have personally witnessed hundreds of murder/suicide/accidental death crime scenes and attended many autopsies of gun shot victims...i have had carry permit since my 18h birthday...i also possess a concealed carry permit nationwide under federal law for retired police officers in which i have to qualify for on the range yearly on the same course and sfore as all Fl law enforcement officers...this was passed by congress and signed by the president for the express purpose of adding another person to the thin blue line of law enforcement officers who may come across a felony crime being committed, or an officer or civiloian in trouble, and while we are not getting paid one dime for possibly exposing our selves to death, injury and/or lawsuit, i am proud to say i will answer that call anytime, and the life i save may be your, your wife, child, etc...i took an oath to protect and serve and that was never eerasede from my mind...and neither was the devotion to justice i learned to cherish and defend...
How do i feel about black people? you asked...They are human beings aren't they? as a person with devotion to justice for all, all includes every race. i could stop there but it is so important in this forum.. to explain. gary, indiana was known as the "melting pot of the nation" when i was growing up. the steel mils hired amny unskilled laborers and workers. many negroes, at the time they like to be called that ) made their ways from the segregated southto gary for jobs. although they was no official segregation, housing patterns had pockets of many foreign citizens living together with their own churches, etc, and a in the middle of town was a large black ghetto..we lived in an all-wite sectin of the city along the shore of the lake and i ent to all all-white public school, although we played sports against many negro teams. my dad had many good friend in the negro area and would take me as a child to their busnesses to meet them. When i started as a nesphotographer at 16, most of my spot news experiences was in the negro ghetto, mainly murders, drug raids, prosititution, fires, etc...so i worked there alot, and made many good friends who would give me info that they didn't want to give police. in dec. 1958, azt about 2am, i was at a tenement fire in the ghetto. to get a better photo of the flames rolling across the ceiling of a first floor apartment i went inside..i heard the whimperng of a child...i put my camera down, and followed the noise to a small pantry off a kitchen whhere the flames lit up four little negro children, all under age 2, lying on a mattress, with embers starting to burn the blanket//i rolled two on the floor and grabbed two in my arms, screamng for help...a gary officer who had seen me go into the apartment came runnng, grabbed the other two, just as the ceiling fell on the bed...at 24 years old, i risked my life to save four little negro children whose mothers were out on the streets as prostitutes, and you ask me how i feel about black people? if you feel offended by my tsatement on bloggers, why shoulldn't i feel offended by your question?also, in 1953, on a night off from the marine base qat parris island,sc, i went with two other merinses, one a negro sgt just back from Korea, to Savannah...we went into a drug store with a soda fountain and sat down in a booth..a young white waitress came and said to we three uniformed marines, "i cant serve you with this nigger." m,eaning the much decorated, twice wounded marine sgt...that was my first experience with segregation..we immediately got up and left, going to a negro bar where the patrons treated us great...hidden racial tendencies? yes. certainly...after what i had witnessed and dealt with in racial relations, i cant stand the thought of in this great land of america, where we have bent over backwards to pass civil rights legislation, banned words that offend for opolitical correctness, given welfare paymenst to millions of able bodied black men and womento have more babies, to buy drugs with, join gangs, and then thieir "leaders" come to a town like Sanford to pressure police and legal officials to indict a white man who was within his legal right to use "deadly force" agasinst a pertpetrator of a felony against him...it m,akes a guy like me feel so stupid for risking my life to save little negro children when their leaders would put me in jail fof life if GZ name was Dick Wylie...it has nothing to do with skin color and everythng to do with justice and caving to poltical preessure for the sake of votes...if that makes me wrong, so be it...but bloacks that follow that pattern are only hurtng themselves...and the next white man who maybe will think twice before he risks his life for another black chilod or children...
and i didn't come to dave's site to set anynje straight or to argue with dave...i haven't visited the site it probvably over a year..as a retired LE officer and believer in our justice system, and with definite feelings about the GZ case that dave wont let his readers see in my comment, i came across his "prick the finger" blog and as a photographer saw it as a hokey=pokey attempt to throw bad light on a possible piece of evidence in the case, a photo of GZ face and severely broken nose, which would constitute a 2nd degree felony and give GZ the right top use deadly force...not talking about "stand your ground" law...whebn i commented and dave came off so high and mighty about his journalistic credentials, i admit, i lost it somewhat...
by the way, getting back to "black people"...dave snidely accused me of having my "beloved Chief Houston' die in federal prison...He was talking about a Let to the Editor of the gary newspaper a couple of years ago when i posted a "tribute" to Chief Houston at a time when he and two other detectives weer being charged with a federal civil rights violation on an arrest...i wsn't excusing his actions because i wsn't there and knew littloe about it, but praised Gary police chief Houston as black poplice officeer in gary, the mjurder capital of the natin in the 80's, for 40 years of devoted service as a black officer where the overwelming population of gary was black and considered him a traitor, b ut held out and became chief...and "my beloved" I met only once 44 years ago justg before levng gary to move to fl, and again about 3 years ago at a GFOP meeting in gary...hardly enough time to me my "beloved" onlly having met him twice in my entire life...but again dve made the charge and wouldn't print the response..apparently it didn't go along with the 'racist" undercurrent against me because i dare find problem with the trial of GZ. once he saw my answer and found my "beloved" was a black man i was given tribute to for long service to the public...
AND YOU WONDER WHY I AM ANGRY?
[I will give Snoopy your e-mail address. I deleted it to keep spammers from adding it to their list. This is for YOUR protection. Also, if you treat me with respect, I will respond in kind. If you don't, you will have no voice here.]
.
Dave! I LOVE this clean, lean, newspaper-y banner. Very handsome and worthy of your input here on our behalf. After watching 60 Minutes tonight (the Times-Pic segment), it's nice to see a serious "news" look here- there is a market for intelligent writing....
[... intelligent writing... I like the sound of that... Actually, I had a newspaper look in mind when I designed it. I'm going to make some other changes. Minor stuff but, still, I want a cleaner look. Thank you, Karen.
I watched 60 Minutes, too. I always do. Even have the iPad app.]
Nope I'm finished. I like my false teeth and all self respecting gators would return my teeth. To insinuate that I' ld ever swim in Florida water was insulting. There is something in the water there with all the crazy's down there. No offense to Florida.
Mr. W. , think we are nuts yet?
Like the new page, Dave, it's cleaner looking and loads on this old machine a lot faster.
BTW I just received an email from this blogsite that included a link to click on. Just to let everyone know, I don't click on links in email unless I'm sure of the sender and since I'm not that close with the blog owner, or any of the members I will only click on the links posted in here that look familiar. This one was sent to me by Dave who has never communicated with me in any way shape or form outside of this blog. No offense. It's just saved me a whole lot of trouble with computer problems.
[Thank you, Connie. I didn't think about the loading time, but you're right. I'm going to eliminate some of the ads, too. The blog just looks too busy to me.
That e-mail came from my marinadedave (at) yahoo account. It's SPAM!!! Someone hacked my account again. When I woke up this morning and checked it, all hell had broken loose. I'm sorry and I tried to send warnings to everyone, but some of them bounced back. I also put a warning up on my Facebook page. I'll put one up here, too.]
Conniefl: I received the email too. But, I did open it. (I have corresponded with Dave via email in the past). It takes you to a page for a weight loss product, Raspberry drops? Gawd, I hope I don't start having computer problems.
I was a little perplexed by receiving it. The only thing I could surmise was that the girl in the ad looks a little/lot (depending on ones eyes) like Casey Anthony?
[I'm so sorry you got that e-mail, Sarah, and I sure hope it was harmless. If you don't have malwarebytes on your computer, I would recommend it. It's free, although I do have the paid version. Most spam sites don't send viruses any more. Spyware and malware? Yes. I also have the paid version of SUPERAntispyware (but there is a free version) that scans my computer every day. I do whatever I can to protect my computer, but with Yahoo mail? This has been a problem in the past. Yahoo mail is not as safe as gmail, but most of my mail goes through one of my domain host accounts. I do not send e-mails from any of my Yahoo addresses unless I get an e-mail from someone first. Generally, the marinadedave account is used to receive mail, not to send it. That remains safe.]
Sarah I only keep my 2 daughters in my email address book and one particular address that's wierd.. mine is aaaa@yahoo.com It's not a valid address yahoo recognizes so when I open something that tries to access my address book to email everyone on it, I will get an email bounced back as undeliverable to aaaa@yahoo.com. By the time my daughters say "I got a wierd email" I already know about it. I used to frequent chatrooms for 50's and above, and you wouldn't believe the number of times I've had to get my unlisted phone number changed... but I've had the same email since 1998. Wierd. I posted in here about the email in case others had received it.
Too funny Sarah. Ok here is what it did to whoever opened the link who has my email. I just got a spam ad for those raspberry drops into my email. It attaches your address book when you open it. No harm done to me... I didnt open it lol.
Change your password immediately!!!
Dave ~~ DO NOT give out my email address to anyone without my permission.
Mr Wylie, I invited you to come and check out my blog. I DO NOT allow anyone to use my blog to malign any other blog owners or people who contribute to my blog HOWEVER you may freely discuss the cases I follow both the pros and cons. I do appreciate your response to me, thank you.
[I would never give out anyone's e-mail address without implicit permission. You know that, and he never asked.]
To: Dick Wylie~~ I am posting a link to my blog. I run an unbiased blog but I DO NOT allow maligning or slandering another blog owner or any person who contributes to my blog. I refrain from discussing religion and politics as they can become too controversial. Using profanity is frowned upon and will be edited from comments if it is too vulgar unless said language is evidence in the case being discussed.
You are welcome to visit my blog and if you feel inclined to leave a comment. Your comment will go into moderation and I will approve it. Once approved any following comments will show up automatically.
Here is the link to my blog...
Mainstreamfair
I should warn you that I am an old backwoods Canadian woman and my weapon of choice (due to our strict gun laws) is a chainsaw. lol
While we await the next new post....heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeereeeeeeees Casey!
ORLANDO, FLA. - Lawyers for Casey Anthony, who was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2011, will be back in a Florida court on Tuesday to appeal her four convictions for lying to the authorities.
The convictions stemmed from claims Anthony made after her toddler disappeared in 2008, triggering a nationwide search that drew widespread media attention
Read more here...
Casey Anthony appeals four convictions for lying
[I don't think she's going to be there, but I could be wrong. She doesn't have to, and knowing her, she'll be too lazy to go.]