Another “What were they thinking?” moment

February 13, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary, Humor, Pictures , , 3 Comments

So you have to ask yourself, “WTF?? What was the photographer thinking, and was it done on purpose?”  The look on her face…   and on his!

To coin a phrase…

oh myyyyyyy

The Huffington Post has some other… unusual… Valentines Day pictures, here.

Angels, Devils, and Dr. Pepper

February 12, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary, geek, Humor, Personal , , , 2 Comments

I was driving down the street this afternoon, heading to Quizno’s for another of their fantastic salads, when I passed a trio of boys trying to attract the attention of passing motorists.  They were all about 12 years old, and one held up a sign that said “Dr. Pepper $1.00”.  They waved and yelled as I drove past, trying to get me to stop.  I don’t particularly care for Dr. Pepper, and I already had a 44 ounce Pepsi sitting next to me, so I drove on.  I thought about holding up my big cup as I drove by, but the moment passed before I could manage it safely.

That’s when the angel appeared.

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REAL “San Francisco values”

February 10, 2012

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary, Gay , , Leave a comment

The wingnuts go on about “San Francisco values”.  Here’s a clear example of what they (don’t) mean.

There’s even a dispatcher in this bunch.  Cool beans!

 

Your tax dollars at work

February 9, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary , Leave a comment

I’ve been a government employee for 17 1/2 years now, and I can still be flummoxed by decisions that come down from above. Here’s the most recent mystery of upper echelons:
After two years of memos requesting a sidewalk due slippery grass in areas where she walked to get to her car, the county agreed to one of our dispatcher’s request, and a few months ago, installed one. A few weeks ago, someone fell off her spiked heels and went down. This someone wasn’t an employee, just a visitor. After a few more weeks, the sidewalk was closed, and yesterday it was removed.
I wonder what will happen if someone should fall down the stairs leading into dispatch?

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A Rare Thing

February 8, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary, Personal, Pictures , 3 Comments

Here’s something that doesn’t often happen.  I’m all dressed up for dinner!  Enjoy the view, it’s a rare thing.  I was even told that “I clean up well”!

At first we thought it was the ghost dialing 9-1-1…

February 6, 2012

Jim Reeves Personal , , Leave a comment

The place was locked up and appeared secure when the first unit arrived that afternoon to check out the call to 9-1-1.  Since nothing seemed amiss, and there was nothing to suggest someone was inside who needed help, the Deputy cleared and left.

That evening, it happened again.  In both instances, the 9-1-1 call was just static, with no one speaking.  The 9-1-1 screen also indicated “Quick Dial Tone”, which means the line has been disconnected, and it’s not possible to call it back. These lines can ‘glitch’ in certain circumstances, and that glitch gets sent to 9-1-1.  It’s particularly common during wet weather.

The evening shift Deputy went to check again, and this time found an open sliding glass door in the back.  He told us he was going to check the residence.  After a few minutes, he called for another deputy to respond, and for the sergeant.  We immediately assumed he had found a body in the house.  Turns out that’s not what happened.

People in our professions often develop a black humor, in order to deal with the stresses of the job.  While we were getting other units responding, we were joking that the deputy had found a body, and the ghost had dialed 9-1-1, twice, and that it might not be too happy that it took two calls to get results!

Well, it turns out it wasn’t a dead body, after all.  There is one important lesson to be learned here, however.  When you rent some run down house out in the middle of nowhere, go ahead and hook up the phone line.  Pay the few bucks a month to have a working line.  That way, the phone line won’t ‘glitch’, and the cops won’t come out and find your meth lab.

Crime and Punishment

February 6, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary, Personal , , , 1 Comment

They say no good deed goes unpunished.  I’ve been living that for several years, now.  The latest wrinkle makes me the victim of theft, losing a laptop computer from my living room coffee table.  Here’s a cautionary tale for you, the moral of which is not to let just anybody move in with you.  I’m at the point of suggesting that you don’t let anyone you’re not sleeping in the same bed with move into your home.

Just about ten years ago, I made that mistake.  I let a cousin move in with me after his mother died, and he had no place else to go.  At the time, he made some promises to me, and over the years has broken every one of them.  A paranoid schizophrenic with a history of alcohol and drug abuse, he had been on medication, was seeing the mental health counselors, and was not drinking.  I told him he could move in if he stayed on his meds, didn’t drink, and only smoked outdoors.  It was less than 18 months before he began breaking those promises.  I held off doing anything, hoping he would be able to be coaxed back into following his agreement.  That hasn’t worked, and his paranoia and psychosis has merely deepened.

The most recent event occurred at the beginning of this month.  On Friday night (actually Saturday morning early) I noticed a laptop computer of mine was missing.  My first thought was that he had hidden it, as he has done odd things in the past.  After a thorough search, I put up a note where he could see it that said he had better return the computer, or I would report it as stolen to the police.  When I got up the next day, he insisted he did not take the computer, and that it must have been someone, a “friend” of his, that had taken it.

I went ahead and reported it stolen to the police, providing the serial number and other pertinent information to the Visalia Police Department.  I also provided the name and other information I had on this “friend”, listing him as the prime suspect.  It appears my cousin let him in, they were drinking together, and at some point he walked out with my computer, probably while my cousin was passed out on his bedroom floor.

This is the laptop (not the exact one, but a picture of the same model) that was taken.  I’m hoping it ends up in a pawn shop, eventually.  If it does, with the serial number being entered into NCIC and CLETS (the nation wide and state wide criminal computer networks) it will pop up as a stolen computer, and I should eventually get it back.  I don’t think I have any important personal information on the computer, as I had recently re-loaded all the software, and hadn’t used it all that much.  What personal passwords and whatnot that are on it are also password protected, so I should be OK.  They might get onto a few websites, but unless they’re gay, I doubt they’ll be very interested in them!  I’ve already changed my online banking paswwords.

If someone in the Visalia area offers you a deal on a Compaq CQ60-417DX Celeron 9 laptop, check it carefully.  If the serial number is 2CE920GPKC, call the Visalia Police at 734-8117, or your local law enforcement.

And don’t let anyone you don’t want to wake up next to every morning move in with you.  Especially if they’re mentally ill.

 

You never hear of it these days

February 3, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary , Leave a comment

I’ve not heard a public service announcement for it in decades. Late night TV used to be full of it.
Lazy-eye blindness.
I wonder if we cured it?

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