A Real Drug Problem?

My daughter sent this to me yesterday and I felt it was definitely worth sharing.

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why
didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up? "

I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young .

I was drug to church on Sunday morning.

I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.

I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.

I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word.

I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors, to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

~author unknown~

The Rebuilding of New Orleans

The government is finally getting their act together. At least as far as New Orleans is concerned. After 'Katrina' hit there has been much criticism of the government and the way they are handling things. Most of all, FEMA has been taking a huge publicity beating. Well, they may not have handled the initial emergency response so well, but it looks like they may be on the right track for the rebuilding process. At last someone in government is thinking sensibly.

Sandstone County - Episode Three

Sandstone County Sheriffs Department - To Serve, To Protect, To Get Rid of All Dirtbag Criminals by 2026

Found in the Sandstone County Cemetary

Self-explanatory

You Have To Be Rich

WASHINGTON (AP) - A startling Internet video that shows someone spraying graffiti on President Bush's jet looked so authentic that the Air Force wasn't immediately certain whether the plane had been targeted.
It was all a hoax. No one actually sprayed the slogan "Still Free" on the cowling of Air Force One.
The pranksters responsible for the grainy, two-minute Web video - employed by a New York fashion company - revealed Friday how they pulled it off: a rented 747 in California painted to look almost exactly like Air Force One.
"I wanted to do something culturally significant, wanted to create a real pop-culture moment," said Marc Ecko of Marc Ecko Enterprises. "It's this completely irreverent, over-the-top thing that could really never happen: this five-dollar can of paint putting a pimple on this Goliath."

StillFree.com

The video shows hooded graffiti artists climbing barbed-wire fences and sneaking past guards with dogs to approach the jumbo jet. They spray-paint a slogan associated with free expression.
After the video began circulating on the Web on Tuesday, the Air Force checked to see whether the plane had been vandalized.
"We're looking at it, too," said Lt. Col. Bruce Alexander, a spokesman for the Air Mobility Command's 89th Airlift Wing, which operates Air Force One. "It looks very real."
Alexander later confirmed that no such spray-painting had occurred.
Ecko acknowledged Friday that his company had rented a 747 cargo jet at San Bernardino's airport and covertly painted one side to look like Air Force One. Employees signed secrecy agreements and worked inside a giant hangar until the night the video was made. Ecko declined to say how much the stunt cost.
"It's not cheap," he said. "You have to be rich."

Sandstone County - Episode Two

Sandstone County Sheriffs Department - To Serve, To Protect, To Get Rid of All Dirtbag Criminals by 2026

An old man lived alone in Sandstone, Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.

The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation. Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison. Love, Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: "For Heaven's sake, Dad,don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!"

At 4a.m. the next morning, A dozen FBI agents and all the local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns. Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.

His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It's the best I could do for you from here."

Out With The Old - In With The New

I took a road trip with my son-in-law this morning. We went to Minong to pick up his new boat. He purchased a new Tracker Pro guide V17. It's a sweet craft that's nice and wide. This extra width is the best feature in my opinion. It has many of the goodies and should come in very handy this summer. Kabetogama here we come.

I have a photo here of him bringing in the new boat and hauling out the old. Not a very good shot because he has to hurry off to work (has to pay for it somehow) so no time to remove the cover and get a good photo. Also, he doesn't like cameras much and hides when he sees one. There will be plenty of times this summer for better photo ops, I am sure.

Does anyone smell Walleye?

Sandstone County - Episode One

This plate was spotted recently in downtown Sandstone.

Sandstone County Sheriffs Department - To Serve, To Protect, To Get Rid of All Dirtbag Criminals by 2026

Breaking News From Italy: The Godfather Captured

Two mugshots of Provenzano taken in 1959 are the

most recent photographs of the Mafia boss that can be reliably dated

The real godfather from Corleone was elusive for years, but today has been captured.

BBC NEWS Europe Profile: Bernardo Provenzano



http://us.ft.com/ftsuperpage/superpage.php?news_id=fto041120060705484121&page=1

Picture on right is a computer

generated image.

For more background check here - http://gangstersinc.tripod.com/BernardoProvenzano.html
and here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardo_Provenzano

I Blog therefore I am

Fine day of Shooting

After trying to get together, for over a month for this shoot, my brother and I finally got our schedules in sync. We went to the lodge today for a fine day of handgunning. He basically wanted to test his first batch of reloads. I shot my 9mm and he used his 40 cal. We shot off a few rounds of factory loads and then fired some custom rounds. After a few clips of each were fired he then shot a few through his chronograph. He diligently recorded all the data. Finally, after the work was done, we each speed fired and off-handed a few more clips each.

The temperature was great and the breeze was only slightly more than we desired. It was a very productive and enjoyable day. I can't wait until the next shoot and hope we can match our schedules a little easier next time.

Never Honk At Old Ladies

Mob Cops

I couldn't ignore this one -

Officers did Mafia hits
April 08, 2006
NEW YORK: Two highly decorated former detectives were yesterday convicted of moonlighting as hitmen for the mob in one of the most sensational cases of police corruption in New York history.
Louis Eppolito, 57, and Steven Caracappa, 64, could get life in prison for their roles in eight murders between 1986 and 1990, a time when they were on the payroll of both the New York police department and Luchese crime family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso.
Federal prosecutor Daniel Wenner described the case as "the bloodiest, most violent betrayal of the badge this city has ever seen".
Prosecutors said the two men carried out two hits themselves – after pulling the victims over in traffic stops – and delivered up some of the other victims to the Mafia to be killed.
Neither defendant showed any emotion during the 10 minutes it took the jury forewoman to reply "proven" 70 times to the racketeering acts of which they were accused. The verdict was reached after two days of deliberations.
Their $US5 million ($6.86 million) bail was revoked and they were led off to jail to await sentencing on May 22.
The men's lawyers said they would appeal. "It's an appearance of justice but it's not justice," said Bruce Cutler, who once represented John Gotti and put on a thundering defence for Eppolito, claiming the Government's mob witnesses were lying to save their necks.
Prosecutors said the two used their law enforcement positions to help the Mafia at a price of $US4000 per month – more if they personally handled a killing. They earned $US65,000 for one of those slayings, prosecutors said.
The officers also supplied Casso with inside information on law enforcement interest in the mob, prosecutors said.
Casso was said to have referred to the two men as his "crystal ball".
They were convicted of charges that included racketeering conspiracy, witness tampering, witness retaliation and obstruction of justice.
"There has never been, in the history of the NYPD, an officer convicted of being a hitman for the mob," said Tom Reppetto, co-author of American Mafia and NYPD, histories of the Mafia and the police department.
"There's cases of police misconduct, but going to work for organised crime? Wow."
Caracappa, who retired in 1992, helped establish the city police department's unit for Mafia murder investigations.
Eppolito, the son of a Gambino crime family member, was a much-praised street cop, although there were suggestions some of his arrests resulted from tips from mobsters.
In his autobiography Mafia Cop, he portrayed himself as an honest cop from a crooked family and also played a bit part in mob movie GoodFellas.
After retiring in 1990, he unsuccessfully tried his hand at Hollywood scriptwriting.
The former detectives insisted on their innocence from the time of their arrests in March 2005 but neither took the stand at their trial.



If this stuff interests you see the Wiseguys Forum
Come on in everyone. I've just started a new forum and need members. If you are at all interested in the mob, organized crime, or crime in general (even crime fighting) come have a peek. If you love gangster movies or love 'The Godfather', as I do, come join us.I'll make you an offer you can't refuse --------- Wiseguys

Minnesota Twins : News : Minnesota Twins News

It' arrived. The Twins opener starts tonight.

I have great faith in our pitching rotation this year. It has a lot of depth. Let's hope that Tony Batista can do what he needs to do.

Minnesota Twins : News : Minnesota Twins News: "Tony Batista"

Immigration Solution - Abolish The EOIR!

United States immigration policy is in the news a lot lately and it's time to add my thoughts on the subject. First, it should stay in this nations focus until some results are seen. It should be one of our greatest priorities. Illegal immigration hurts American workers. Now don't go telling me that I'm a racist, as I know many of those opposed to the proper restructuring of immigration policies often use these smear tactics. This is not a racial issue at all. It is simply a mater of doing what is right for the country. We should not be rewarding the illegal influx into America with amnesty and/or citizenship. The key word here is illegal and those who argue that we were all immigrants seem to ignore this glaring difference.

I have no problem with people entering this country legally and even becoming citizens, if that is what they desire. However, what is the use in having a legal society if the laws are meaningless. What kind of message are we sending the world today? You can ignore our laws because we won't bother to enforce them? If some of them are needed here temporarily, fine. A minimal guest worker program might make sense. But all out amnesty is totally ignorant. We must seal up our borders and absolutely and strictly enforce our immigration laws.

And for the real facts and solutions to our immigrant problem you must check out the following site, as it opens the eyes and breaks things down much more thoroughly than I have time for.

VDARE.com: 12/06/05 - Abolish The EOIR! Juan Mann's Absolutely Definitive Essay

Within their web page they state, "The EOIR is a little-known federal agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, It comprises the nationwide U.S. Immigration Court system and its appellate body, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) in Falls Church, Virginia. The EOIR is the centerpiece of a largely unknown de facto stealth permanent amnesty and non-deportation program for illegal aliens and criminal alien residents."

Have you even heard of the EOIR. The government at it's best again.

They, also, explain the problem with the closing of our borders. "the EOIR process is the major reason that the federal government remains paralyzed in confronting the millions of illegal aliens and criminal alien residents running free in the United States, despite the supposed intent of policy, and the existence of at least somewhat appropriate laws.

Congress can threaten to "close the border" all it wants, but as long as the EOIR remains in place, all is well for open borders. The system will remain sabotaged behind the scenes."

Let's clean up our system. Truly close our borders once and for all. Make sure our laws are meaningful and the positively enforce the laws of our nation.