Rambos back in action tonight

Tuesday, 7:35 pm

By Kate

Feb

05

2008

Our young paint ball Rambos are back in action tonight, shooting cars with abandon. The police department called to let me know that reports are coming in quickly tonight. The officer on the phone asked if I could write up a summary of what happened to me and the time frame involved and damage done. He will pick it up within an hour or so. Sounds as if he’s picking up other written summaries tonight as well. He’s not a happy fellow.

It’s interesting to listen to the police officer’s take on the matter. He totally blames video games. He’s certain this kid has Playstation and XBox 360 and all kinds of shooter games. Now the kid is taking it to the streets.

I didn’t want to say...but my kid also had Playstation and shooter games. He also had a paint ball gun. It doesn’t naturally follow that the kids will go out and start shooting cars (or people) if they play video games. I’d be more inclined to make the argument that, with a brand new paint ball gun, everything becomes a target. And 14-15 year olds don’t think things through to a logical conclusion. If memory serves, they can, on occasion, have very faulty thinking apparatus at that age. The suggestion I would make is that when a kid has a paint ball gun, it ought to be put someplace where the parents can keep an eye on it. And the kid doesn’t take it out of the house without the parents’ knowledge and consent, with a very precise picture of where it will be used and with whom. With an adult hovering on the periphery. But that’s just me.

So, I’m kind of hoping this youngster (or several) are caught tonight. Or soon. I’d like to receive a call from the police officer saying that the kids are ready for community service...would I like to submit any suggestions? 

Soggy Super Tuesday

Tuesday, 3:12 pm

By Kate

Feb

05

2008

So, it’s here. The day that many states get to vote for their presidential candidates of choice. I hope most of the states had better weather than we did. Snow, slush, heavy rains, thick fog...just an average New England day in the winter, I guess. Didn’t seem to keep people away. There was a slightly heavier turnout than I’ve noticed in the past. Usually when I go vote, there are one or two other people in the entire room. Today I had to stand in line for a few minutes. That’s good.

It was quiet. No one offered an opinion about anything or voiced a hope that their candidate would win. It was a serious affair. It’s nice to have the reminder every so often that we the people do matter sometimes. Or at least we’re given the impression that we do, anyway.

There were enough ballots, my pen worked just fine, and the ballot scanner/reader seemed to work just fine, too. I’d like my candidate to win, but, if not, the other one will be okay, too. Whoever emerges as the victor on the Democrat side gets my full support even if I didn’t vote for that person. I don’t envy the one who gets the job in January. Hoping, of course, that it’s a Democratic administration. That administration will inherit one heck of a mess to clean up. Rather than channeling one of the Kennedy brothers, I’d suggest they start channeling FDR.