I've been loosely following a story in the local paper. Not too long ago, four teenage boys came up with a plan--if you can say they had a plan. I get the impression that when teenage boys get together, they can sometimes stop thinking all together and act solely on impulse. Anyway, these boys went to the local park and stole two American flags. They painted vulgar things on them and then burned them. There was no anti-American sentiment involved, no attempt to demonstrate free speech (flag burning is an occasional hot button here in the States). They were just up to no good (see the Richard Burton post below).
They were caught because there was a witness (further proof of the impulse notion), were quickly charged with criminal trespassing and criminal damaging and were sent before the juvenile court judge. Each was sentenced to 60 hours of community service, two days in a veterans hospital, and they had to write an apology that would be delivered at the upcoming Veteran's Day service.
The news got out via myspace, and some moron from West Virginia thought the whole thing was unjust. He thought the judge was too lenient and that these boys should be shot. This myspace jerk was so adamant that he vowed that he himself would drive up here and shoot them. So, now the boys will not deliver their apology in person. Instead, it will be printed in the local paper. And so, extra security measures will be employed at the Veteran's Day service.
To further complicate the situation, one of the boys is the son of the local police chief. The police chief has been hesitant to investigate the legitimacy of the death threat because he is trying to remain "neutral."
The lesson to learn here is don't act on impulse. It almost always has the potential to balloon into something you could never imagine.
Assignment: I haven't given one lately, so don't grumble. Is there a local news story where you live that might be interesting to pass on, something that would demonstrate some local color?
They were caught because there was a witness (further proof of the impulse notion), were quickly charged with criminal trespassing and criminal damaging and were sent before the juvenile court judge. Each was sentenced to 60 hours of community service, two days in a veterans hospital, and they had to write an apology that would be delivered at the upcoming Veteran's Day service.
The news got out via myspace, and some moron from West Virginia thought the whole thing was unjust. He thought the judge was too lenient and that these boys should be shot. This myspace jerk was so adamant that he vowed that he himself would drive up here and shoot them. So, now the boys will not deliver their apology in person. Instead, it will be printed in the local paper. And so, extra security measures will be employed at the Veteran's Day service.
To further complicate the situation, one of the boys is the son of the local police chief. The police chief has been hesitant to investigate the legitimacy of the death threat because he is trying to remain "neutral."
The lesson to learn here is don't act on impulse. It almost always has the potential to balloon into something you could never imagine.
Assignment: I haven't given one lately, so don't grumble. Is there a local news story where you live that might be interesting to pass on, something that would demonstrate some local color?
Comments
As for local news stories: nothing ever happens in Norfolk (save for the odd peasant uprising every hundred years or so). I just searched our latest Parish Newsletter from cover to cover and the only news story in there was about a window getting broken on fireworks night.
I think the most exciting thing that's happened here lately is Peahen losing her keys yesterday.
Hoorah for the quiet life.
Sounds like Old K.
I'll have to check the papers. I usually just get the Globe, as the local papers generally suck, but I'll see if something funny's up.
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"Personal attacks, obscenities, intolerant or biased messages and political endorsements or attacks" are the whole point!
Give the number to Knudsen, then hide behind something.
The Weekly Dig (I have a link to it on my blog) has an "Oh Cruel World" column where they publish a scathing anonymous letter every week. No holds barred on the language. Most of the time they are hilarious.
You can't name a person you're angry with, but you can something like "that no good lousy useless school board," etc. Sometimes it's funny, and sometimes it's sad because people really can be stupid. You have to assume that some of them are drunk dialing.
There's a video of it on YouTube if you really want to see it. I refrained. Too many painful memories.
Rich, you know, I don't know why that is. Actually, three of the boys involved were sons of local cops.