Hello my friends. Little time no talk. Sorry about that. I'll try to do better next time. You're all such good friends even when I stay out of touch for a while....
So today, as I'm on the way home from a nice day with the family at a water park, I was reminded that Amy Winehouse passed away. I shrugged my shoulders, wondered who had her in the various "Death Pools" around the country, and went about my day.
I like to read the newspaper online because I am frugal (and by frugal, I mean cheap). I clicked onto the New York Daily News because it is the one I read more than anything, and they label Amy Winehouse's death a "tragedy". Hold on folks, this is going to get a little bumpy...
Amy Winehouse had exactly ONE song that I know of that did anything chart worthy, and it was a biographical song about the fact that she refused to go to "Rehab" to deal with her issues. Over the last few years, I have heard nothing about Amy Winehouse other than that she is still on drugs, and every performance she attempts turns into a giant sh*t show. The fact that she died, presumably from an overdose, or some drug related thing that caused her body to say "Enough is Enough!" is newsworthy, yes...but not my idea of a tragedy.
My best friend lost his grandmother unexpectedly last weekend. That is a tragedy. Casey Anthony somehow got away with killing her daughter. That is a travesty and a tragedy. 100 innocent people were gunned down in Norway...yes I said Norway. That is a tragedy.
I also read how her "sultry voice changed the landscape of Pop music." Yeah, that's why Lady GaGa makes a sh*t ton of money - because of her Amy Winehouse idolization. Please. Amy Winehouse had one catchy little song years ago, and that's it. It's like Kurt Cobain all over again. Nirvana was an OK band, but Dave Grohl did OK for himself after the demise of the all mighty Nirvana - last I knew, the Foo Fighters made so much money, that if they write a check, their bank bounces.
I'm getting off my soapbox now and anxiously awaiting your comments, which are welcome here, on Facebook, or Follow me on Twitter and tweet me at @billwinters18.
I have come to the end of this entry...and even THAT isn't a tragedy!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
To Protect and Serve....and flex their "Badge Muscles" for show.
Hello again everyone. You're probably getting sick of me by now, but I had to vent a little bit tonight.
Before anyone makes too harsh a judgement based on the title of this entry, let me start by saying that I come from a family that has represented the Police for a long time. My father was a former New York State Trooper, and my brother proudly served on the City of Poughkeepsie Police force. They served with honor and dignity and a respect for the badge, the uniform, and the very idea of protecting the public. I respect the job of a police officer to the highest degree. These are men and women that, at any given moment, are put in harm's way, and it's their job to be there so that innocent people like myself and my wife and children don't have to be. That being said, I have to share what happened earlier tonight.
I was a passenger in a vehicle, coming home from a baseball game. As we hit the village of Highland, the Fireworks display had ended, and traffic was pretty heavy for a little village. As the driver of the vehicle went to make a right hand turn to head toward my house, a town police officer appeared out of nowhere, waving his flashlight/baton, and screaming. "WHAT, ARE YOU TRYING TO HIT ME? GO THAT WAY!" Waving his baton to signal that we should be turning left instead of right. The driver of the vehicle yelled back to him, "NO I'M NOT TRYING TO HIT YOU...I JUST SAW YOU NOW." "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU JUST SAW ME? I'M WEARING A TRAFFIC VEST AND CARRYING THIS LIGHT!" "I'M JUST SAYING I DIDN'T SEE YOU!" Yes, the voices were escalating just as I have them typed here. The driver then proceeds to crank the wheel to turn the way the officer directed him, when I hear {THUMP} "STOP THAT VEHICLE RIGHT NOW!" He had hit the back of my ride's car with his baton, in anger, because someone had dared yelled back at him after he yelled at the driver of the vehicle. So the vehicle was pulled into a sidewalk parking spot.
Did I mention we had 3 kids in the vehicle as well? Well, we did.
So after sitting for a few minutes, Officer Roid Rage comes flying up on his 4 wheeler (not wearing a helmet - fine example to set for the kids) and after more verbal back and forth with the driver, says to him "YOU CAN'T THINK WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT I TELL YOU." He then says to the driver "YOU HAVE KIDS IN THE CAR, AND THIS IS HOW YOU WANT TO BEHAVE?" Funny, I thought the same thing about his actions.
The driver gets back in the car, Officer Roid Rage makes him show his license, registration and insurance, and then basically brow beats him some more as a second officer pulls up for "moral support". The driver had already apoloigized to him for misreading his directions, which as a passenger watching the whole thing, I saw the exact same way the driver did.
The driver should not have yelled back at the officer. I get that. I'm sure he was embarrassed and wasn't trying to run down a police officer, especially since he used to BE A POLICE OFFICER IN NYC! That however does not necessitate Officer Roid Rage to strike the vehicle with his baton and continue to antagonize the poor guy as he was trying to apologize and cooperate.
With all the rumors floating around about the behavior of police officers in local police forces around our area, I just think everyone needs to tone it down. All we were trying to do was get home. The yelling shouldn't have happened, but neither should an officer strike a vehicle because his panties got a little bunched. Protect and serve. Don't antagaonize and intimidate. That's all I'm saying.
I finally made it home, by the way. No tickets were issued. I never got the officer's name, otherwise I might have called the police to report him. Again, the whole thing could have been avoided if there wasn't any shouting going on. I'm just glad I wasn't driving.
Has this happened to you? I anxiously await the replies. I especially want to hear someone from the police side of the story. I understand if the guy felt he was in a bad position, but the driver basically told him he didn't see him, and tried to move on from there. This officer just wouldn't let it go that easily. He had to prove a point. He had to flex the "Badge Muscles" and put on a show for the public. He also had to scare the three kids in the back of the car that had no idea what was going on.
Again, for the record, a police officer is a thankless job. For all the crap they put up with, I can understand having a little edge to you, but the chip on the shoulder isn't needed.
Comment here on the blog, on Facebook, or follow and tweet me at @billwinters18.
Apparently, in the town of Highland, the Fireworks don't end with the Grand Finale.
Before anyone makes too harsh a judgement based on the title of this entry, let me start by saying that I come from a family that has represented the Police for a long time. My father was a former New York State Trooper, and my brother proudly served on the City of Poughkeepsie Police force. They served with honor and dignity and a respect for the badge, the uniform, and the very idea of protecting the public. I respect the job of a police officer to the highest degree. These are men and women that, at any given moment, are put in harm's way, and it's their job to be there so that innocent people like myself and my wife and children don't have to be. That being said, I have to share what happened earlier tonight.
I was a passenger in a vehicle, coming home from a baseball game. As we hit the village of Highland, the Fireworks display had ended, and traffic was pretty heavy for a little village. As the driver of the vehicle went to make a right hand turn to head toward my house, a town police officer appeared out of nowhere, waving his flashlight/baton, and screaming. "WHAT, ARE YOU TRYING TO HIT ME? GO THAT WAY!" Waving his baton to signal that we should be turning left instead of right. The driver of the vehicle yelled back to him, "NO I'M NOT TRYING TO HIT YOU...I JUST SAW YOU NOW." "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU JUST SAW ME? I'M WEARING A TRAFFIC VEST AND CARRYING THIS LIGHT!" "I'M JUST SAYING I DIDN'T SEE YOU!" Yes, the voices were escalating just as I have them typed here. The driver then proceeds to crank the wheel to turn the way the officer directed him, when I hear {THUMP} "STOP THAT VEHICLE RIGHT NOW!" He had hit the back of my ride's car with his baton, in anger, because someone had dared yelled back at him after he yelled at the driver of the vehicle. So the vehicle was pulled into a sidewalk parking spot.
Did I mention we had 3 kids in the vehicle as well? Well, we did.
So after sitting for a few minutes, Officer Roid Rage comes flying up on his 4 wheeler (not wearing a helmet - fine example to set for the kids) and after more verbal back and forth with the driver, says to him "YOU CAN'T THINK WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT I TELL YOU." He then says to the driver "YOU HAVE KIDS IN THE CAR, AND THIS IS HOW YOU WANT TO BEHAVE?" Funny, I thought the same thing about his actions.
The driver gets back in the car, Officer Roid Rage makes him show his license, registration and insurance, and then basically brow beats him some more as a second officer pulls up for "moral support". The driver had already apoloigized to him for misreading his directions, which as a passenger watching the whole thing, I saw the exact same way the driver did.
The driver should not have yelled back at the officer. I get that. I'm sure he was embarrassed and wasn't trying to run down a police officer, especially since he used to BE A POLICE OFFICER IN NYC! That however does not necessitate Officer Roid Rage to strike the vehicle with his baton and continue to antagonize the poor guy as he was trying to apologize and cooperate.
With all the rumors floating around about the behavior of police officers in local police forces around our area, I just think everyone needs to tone it down. All we were trying to do was get home. The yelling shouldn't have happened, but neither should an officer strike a vehicle because his panties got a little bunched. Protect and serve. Don't antagaonize and intimidate. That's all I'm saying.
I finally made it home, by the way. No tickets were issued. I never got the officer's name, otherwise I might have called the police to report him. Again, the whole thing could have been avoided if there wasn't any shouting going on. I'm just glad I wasn't driving.
Has this happened to you? I anxiously await the replies. I especially want to hear someone from the police side of the story. I understand if the guy felt he was in a bad position, but the driver basically told him he didn't see him, and tried to move on from there. This officer just wouldn't let it go that easily. He had to prove a point. He had to flex the "Badge Muscles" and put on a show for the public. He also had to scare the three kids in the back of the car that had no idea what was going on.
Again, for the record, a police officer is a thankless job. For all the crap they put up with, I can understand having a little edge to you, but the chip on the shoulder isn't needed.
Comment here on the blog, on Facebook, or follow and tweet me at @billwinters18.
Apparently, in the town of Highland, the Fireworks don't end with the Grand Finale.
Friday, July 1, 2011
"Oh Say Can You See....la la la la....."
Hello again my friends. Today is July 1st, and if my math is correct, that would make Monday July 4th. The birthday of the United States of America! Celebrated by parades, fireworks, and all the Red White and Blue you could possibly imagine. Everything is Stars and Stripes!! Baseball games will have a rousing National Anthem. Shame that most of the people won't know how to properly sing it.
I have had the honor of singing our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner quite possibly 25 times or so at different sporting events, some as little as a High School Hockey game, some as large as a Minor League Baseball game (I have also sang the Canadian Anthem in the past too, but that's another story for another time.) It is not an easy song to sing, and most people do not even know the proper lyrics to it. As much as I have performed it, I have an advantage, but if you polled 100 random people, I think at least half would get the words wrong. Unfortunately, celebrities don't help. Ask Christina Aguilera. I'm sure nobody was watching, it was only THE FREAKIN' SUPER BOWL!!
When I was in good old Staatsburg Elementary School, I was taught America the Beautiful. Most people know America the Beautiful. It's an easy song to sing. The range is a little tough, but so is the Star Spangled Banner's. America the Beautiful is a nice little song, describing the different landscapes across this beautiful country we live in. The Star Spangled Banner is based off of a British drinking song...ironic since on July 4th, we celebrate our independence from the British.
On March 3rd, 1931, the Star Spangled Banner was named our National Anthem by President Herbert Hoover (who shares my birthday...which I'm not overly proud of now.) I am of the opinion that this was a mistake. I think America The Beautiful would have been a better choice.
Don't get me wrong. I like the Star Spangled Banner when I hear it done INSTRUMENTALLY. When I hear it played at the Olympics as they raise the Stars and Stripes, I get tingles. The best part of it instrumentally is that NOBODY SCREWS UP THE LYRICS. I get tingles when I hear people SING America the Beautiful - check out Ray Charles if you don't believe me.
What do you think? Do you KNOW all the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner? Do you like my choice as an alternate National Anthem? Do you have a better choice? It's INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR FREEDOM! LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD! Comments are welcome here, Facebook, or follow me on Twitter at BillWinters18.
God Bless you all....and God Bless the United States of America (my Obama impersonation loses A LOT in written form!!)
I have had the honor of singing our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner quite possibly 25 times or so at different sporting events, some as little as a High School Hockey game, some as large as a Minor League Baseball game (I have also sang the Canadian Anthem in the past too, but that's another story for another time.) It is not an easy song to sing, and most people do not even know the proper lyrics to it. As much as I have performed it, I have an advantage, but if you polled 100 random people, I think at least half would get the words wrong. Unfortunately, celebrities don't help. Ask Christina Aguilera. I'm sure nobody was watching, it was only THE FREAKIN' SUPER BOWL!!
When I was in good old Staatsburg Elementary School, I was taught America the Beautiful. Most people know America the Beautiful. It's an easy song to sing. The range is a little tough, but so is the Star Spangled Banner's. America the Beautiful is a nice little song, describing the different landscapes across this beautiful country we live in. The Star Spangled Banner is based off of a British drinking song...ironic since on July 4th, we celebrate our independence from the British.
On March 3rd, 1931, the Star Spangled Banner was named our National Anthem by President Herbert Hoover (who shares my birthday...which I'm not overly proud of now.) I am of the opinion that this was a mistake. I think America The Beautiful would have been a better choice.
Don't get me wrong. I like the Star Spangled Banner when I hear it done INSTRUMENTALLY. When I hear it played at the Olympics as they raise the Stars and Stripes, I get tingles. The best part of it instrumentally is that NOBODY SCREWS UP THE LYRICS. I get tingles when I hear people SING America the Beautiful - check out Ray Charles if you don't believe me.
What do you think? Do you KNOW all the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner? Do you like my choice as an alternate National Anthem? Do you have a better choice? It's INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR FREEDOM! LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD! Comments are welcome here, Facebook, or follow me on Twitter at BillWinters18.
God Bless you all....and God Bless the United States of America (my Obama impersonation loses A LOT in written form!!)
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