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President Obama is Stupidly
Spliff, I'm only guessing as to why the friend/driver of Gates hasn't spoken. I think he left once Gates was able to get into (errr, break into) his house. So when the cops showed up to investigate, it was only Gates inside, that they had to talk to (or listen to verbal abuse from). But let me ask you this, Spliff. If you were in Gates shoes, would you be angry at the police for showing up, because someone called THINKING two people were breaking into your house? Or would you thank them, show them ID, and everyone would've left happy?— July 27, 2009 1:11 p.m.
Parent of the Year Award Goes to....
I heard why they called him Blanket, but it wasn't that. Something to do with the definition of what a blanket is, and blah blah blah. I think it just so happened, that a "blanket" was placed over the child during the balcony incident, because he didn't necessarily want pictures taken of the kid. But some fans were yelling that they wanted to see his baby, so he thought that was a nice compromise.— July 27, 2009 12:48 p.m.
Parent of the Year Award Goes to....
I thought two of Jacksons kids had the same name? Aren't there two that are named Prince? And, I wonder if the singer Prince, has any kids named Michael (you know, kinda like Kennedy having a driver named Lincoln). Or maybe Prince (a Jehovahha's Witness) has kids that he just named with symbols.— July 27, 2009 9:52 a.m.
President Obama is Stupidly
At racquetball tonight, my friend mentioned something interesting in the sauna. He loves George Will (I find him boring, and don't usually agree with his politics). Will said something along the lines of "Gates can't play the race card, because he's a black man at a prestigious university, in a town with a black police chief, a black mayor, a black governor...and in a country with a black president." And yes, that's an okay point, but as refried pointed out...if you've had years of abuse by the police, things like that wouldn't matter much to you. I think a better point was something I thought of. And I could be getting this wrong (in which case, antigeek will surely point that out). Didn't one of the police officers that went to investigate Jeffrey Dahmer, show up at his house. He saw a African-American boy (underage), that was drugged. The cop asked the deal, and was told by Dahmer "Oh, that's my lover. He's just real drunk." The cop didn't investigate further, and left. And...we know what happened to the kid! So, if cops don't thoroughly investigate -- ask for IDs, talk to people in the house, or whatever other procedures there are, sometimes someone ends up dead. But, if the cop DOES investigate, then what if Dahmer really was just with a male lover? Does he claim the cops are harassing him because he's gay? The police always seem to be in a no-win situation.— July 27, 2009 1:18 a.m.
Burger and Fries with Extra Lettuce (drive thru with guns)
The smell of McDonald's breakfasts always made me sick to my stomach. But, to answer your question sfmc...I don't eat there much, ONLY because I'm trying to watch my weight. And, it's hard to go there without getting a double cheeseburger or Big Mac (I've always thought the quarter pounders were gross). But...the problem with the logic of people that work at a place is this...EVERY RESTAURANT is going to have some funky stuff going on. You might see a cockroach (we once had them in our shake machine, which is odd, since they were taken apart and washed each night). It's the same reason I laugh when my friends say "You can't be rude to a waiter, they'll spit in your food." First, why would anyone be rude to a waiter in the first place. Second, who cares if someone spits in my food. Unless they have swine flu, I'm not gonna know, and not gonna care. Sometimes food was dropped on the floor and still served, but not usually. Sometimes people didn't wash their hands after a break, but that too, was rare. So....no, working there didn't kill it for me.— July 27, 2009 1:13 a.m.
In the Realm of the Senses
You're right about salt. I recently ate at Anthology, which previously had good food. They used so much salt (even on a salad!) that it was gross. I do disagree with you about the Marine Room. I've noticed the food isn't as good as it used to be (maybe that's just me). You mentioned loving the lobster bisque. I had it a few weeks ago, and it was horrible. Also...I've never understood why critics never care for the various systems. I find the star system to be perfect. On the times I don't read a review (for a movie that looks like a cheesy romantic comedy), seeing the 1 and a half stars, is really all you need. Nothing in the written review about Sandra Bullocks performance is even necessary at that point. Siskel & Ebert used to always complain about the thumbs up/thumbs down. And, that makes a bit more sense, as that's just a "good" or "bad"...and many times, you're on the fence about something. Or they may hate to give a "thumbs down" to a film that had many great aspects about it.— July 26, 2009 4:24 p.m.
President Obama is Stupidly
refried...that's a very good point. I hadn't really thought that thru...that it's easy for someone like me, that may have no been bugged by cops my whole life, to be able to be nice to them. And that just two words could set him off. So yeah, I can see your point. Although, I doubt that is what happened, it's still a good point. And I certainly realize now, that someone could have a different mind-set from years of this type of thing happening. Although, I then jump back to saying, it probably doesn't happen as much as Gates thinks it does. I mean, I've found myself wondering if Gates watches a movie like, say...Boogie Nights. And when Don Cheadles character doesn't get a loan for a goofy stereo store he wants to open...does he shout at the screen "Yeah, that's right. No black man would ever get a loan from a bank!" When, that's not even the point of the scene. It's a guy with a horrible business plan, no collateral, no experience running a business, etc. And that same logic applies with cops, as I've said before. They are usually jerks to EVERYONE they pull over. You can't say "It's because I'm [insert race here]." sfmc: by not reading most of the posts, believe me, you didn't miss much. And, you pretty much nailed it. The only thing I disagree with you on, is Gates arrest. Because, they didn't charge him with "disorderly conduct", so that was the police saying that Gates probably learned his lesson (which obviously he didn't). You mention the restraint the police had by not pepper spraying him. And you talk about people shouting things at the police. Well, my friend that's a sheriff, said when he worked in Oceanside, he'd drive by gangs that would flip him off and yell stuff. He just ignored it. But, you could have another cop that would pull over and see if they could find something to nail these guys with. But, it's different if the police just happened to be driving by Gates place and stopped and questioned him for no reason, and he started yelling. Then I'd say, the police should just let it go. But they were investigating a call. And because it took a lot longer, and they had trouble getting to the bottom of if he lived there (he initially showed his Harvard ID, which didn't show his address)....maybe they felt like so much time was wasted, that it was worth arresting a guy that is causing such a scene.— July 26, 2009 11:50 a.m.
Burger and Fries with Extra Lettuce (drive thru with guns)
Well...at our McDonald's in Mira Mesa, there was this huge, big break room downstairs. We weren't allowed to take breaks sitting in the main lobby. The last thing we wanted, was slow service, and people to look around the lobby and see a bunch of us, in our uniforms, NOT working. I'd think the police would have similar things, about going to restaurants in their uniform. Some places try to give the cops free food, and that's a big no-no. So many weird things can happen when a cop walks in.— July 26, 2009 11:36 a.m.
President Obama is Stupidly
I've gotta head out now refried, but one last thing. Don't you agree, that even if Gates has had numerous bad experiences with cops, that them showing up to PROTECT his home, shouldn't have become one of them? I'll give you another example. When I was 19, I was playing with my friends younger brothers. They had a huge family, and the kids were 5 and 7 years old. I loved those kids. Gave them Christmas presents (and I'm a Jew), played with them, told them jokes, etc. Once, as we're wrestling, the grandmother in town from Oregon, I believe...was looking at me funny. I felt odd, but you know what? It made sense. She's wondering why a 6'1" adult male, is wrestling with little boys. A perfect thing to wonder, and I took no offense (and assume she asked the family about me). And when that little girl was murdered in Boulder, Colorado. A neighbor that was always with the kids in town, and played Santa Claus, he wasn't offended when he was questioned by the police. In fact, he said "I would've been bothered if they DIDN'T question me." This is the attitude we should have with cops. Even if a few of them are bad.— July 25, 2009 7:24 p.m.
Burger and Fries with Extra Lettuce (drive thru with guns)
No, here is what they did. They would cut ONE CORNER off a regular 20. And tape it to the corner of a $1. Then, they'd take the 20 off a different 20 dollar bill, and tape that two the second corner. They'd do this with 4 different 20s, because most businesses have no problem taking a $20 with one number slightly ripped off a corner. Now, if things are slow, you can see something isn't right. But, you get handed bills so quickly, that if you just glance at the 20 in the corner, you might not notice. I believe just the act of copying money, is illegal. I believe I read that somewhere once.— July 25, 2009 7:20 p.m.