11/11

http://enchantedtraveler.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/omaha-cemetary-22.jpg

Jumped Normandy 2000,2001 and was ground committe 2004. The Cemetary in in the geographic center of Omaha Beach. Words are insufficient to describe being there. Fallen Comrades.

Murphy's law or Sumdude in Texas.

Not mine, have had some like it but I couldn't help not posting this. Murph is a Deputy Sheriff in TX. SomDude is out there. Posted for your reading pleasure.

Since the case is now over, I can tell the tale. I get a call at 0800 hours since I am the on call investigator. The Sgt of Patrol tells me that they have a dead body in a yard, and he needs me to come out. It is cold, really cold (well for us Texans it is), so I drive out to a dirt road with some houses on it. While enroute, they call and tell me the guy has a stab wound in his chest, and he is DRT (Dead Right There). Being that this is my very first homicide to investigate, I have to call my LT. He calls the Sheriff, the Texas Ranger, and more investigators. So I get there, and Patrol has six guys, not in custody, but detained. Our dead guy is just laying there, not doing a whole lot except being dead. LT arrives, Sheriff arrives, Texas Ranger arrives, we walk up to the first guy and ask; "What went on here?" He replies; "No habla Ingles". More phone calls for spanish speakers. Narcotics LT arrives and speaks to the guys. They tell us: "We don't know how he got there (the dead guy), you could ask around maybe?" More questions, desperate need of coffee, Find out the killer has fled, possibly to Mexico, this after freezing our @sses off for three hours, and working the scene. Odd, no blood around the body, almost no blood on the body. Hmmmmm. More coffee. Take the suspects down to the office for questioning. "No Habla". End up with a list of 17 people to talk to, no one speaks english, all are here illegally, great, just great. More coffee, and a McDonald's psuedo food. Its now 1600, tempers are flaring, out of coffee. The people are now talking to us we discover that the body had been moved. Aha! The plot thickens! Then we find out it had been moved again. And Again, and yet again. WTF?! I ask the Ranger if this is normal, and he tells me; "Compared to what?" Get together, sort it out, and discover here is the chain of events:Dead guy gets into a fight with killer over an incident that occurred 10 years ago in Mexico, he gets stabbed with a 3" blade knife, which penetrates between the ribs, cuts the Aorta, and nicks the heart. He dies according to the M.E. in about 90-120 seconds. Blood alcohol level was .28, way, way up there. Five friends who are there, are also drunk. They decide to take him to the hospital. So they put the now-dead guy in a car. Drive to end of road. Have flat tire, so turn around. Drive to different house. Unload dead guy, take him inside, and make him comfortable on the sofa. Drink another beer, due to hard work. Decide to make dead guy feel better, so they clean him up with rubbing alcohol, and splash some on his face "To make him feel better" (I AM NOT KIDDING). Owner of house tells them to get the dead guy off his sofa, he is leaking. Pick up dead guy, put him back in car, remember to change tires. Drive to end of road, decide to get another beer before going to the hospital, turn around go back to original house. Get dead guy out of car, drink beer. Homeowner yells to STFU or she is calling the cops. Pick up body, carry across a fence to the field, drop body (where he is found) because he is heavy, and they need a beer. Leave body, and go drink a beer. Neighbor wakes up, sees body in yard, freaks, calls cops. Murderer has fled to Oklahoma where his is living in a hotel under an assumed name. Local Swat detonates a flash bang about 2' above his head as they serve the warrant. He needed clean underwear.And that is how I found my crime scene. It was described in trial as "The Weekend at Bernies murder" by the Texas Ranger. We lost the case because the defense lawyer destroyed the citizen witnesses on the stand. It was tragic, but he just destroyed them. Thus ends my first (but unfortunately not the last) homicide case I have investigated.

Unseen Academicals

Not bad, Good development on Unseen University and The Staff. Not that it resembles any institution of Learning that I know. ;) God Bless you, Mr Pratchett, thank you for all the enjoyment I have received over the years. Mr. Pratchett is suffering from the onset of Alzheimers, considering his life is based on the use of words, I can't think of a more vicious fate to a person. Enjoy him please whilst you can.

PA Resident

Managed to blow a hole through his neighbors house. Owns a cannon. Gotta love our local characters, They do keep things interesting. For the record, all of the cannon used in the movie "Gettysburg". are owned by private collectors with most of the ones used in the movie owned by a dentist from Lancaster, PA. Got no problem with that, just so they keep the down range clear when firing their toys. That is all.

http://www.kens5.com/latestnews/stories/KENS20090405-Cannonball-Pa.14a2c2aeb.html

Boondock Saints; All Saints Day

Looking forward to this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2-PYxgL50

Retirement

Currently on Terminal Leave from the State. Down in Dc back on Active Duty. In Case anyone cares, The e-mail for this site has been updated and you can ping me here. 6 years and I'll be able to cash in my retirement with the green machine as well with the change to the retirement rules. People ask me why I pulled the plug and I told them it was time and I needed to do it while I am still capable. Ran yesterday with the Battalion and while I didn't finish with blazing speed, I am happy I finished. Legs still hurt though and I need to work on my times. Working on it though.

Ben

I was in Alaska last week and flew back by way of Seattle. Sat next to Ben. Ben is 84, built ships in Newport News during the war, raised three kids and has had a good life. Ben is also one of those guys who would say "Excuse me" if he was Bleeding out on your foot. One of the things was things Ben did was cut and install Asbestos in ships. OK, We know now but then it was doing the job and it was what had to be done. Ben has asbestosis and a litaney of other things that happen when you get old. What Ben had at 35,000 Ft was shortness of Breath. Know I have been where Ben was at the moment and I gotta tell you it REALLY sucks. But Ok, He tells me he ain't felling very good and is a little short of breath. By the way, Ben's got a Pacemaker installed. Now when you are at 35,000 over the Canadian Rockies and the old buck in the seat next to you tells ya he ain't felling very good, you should pay attention. Ya know why, These guys didn't bitch, moan, Complain or run to the shop steward every time they suffered some slight insult to their fragle psych. They did their job, raised a family, put their kids through school and pretty much did what we all did or at least should do. And Ben tells me he ain't feeling good. The attendents are good, plugged in and started doing what what they needed to do. Before I went to the Dark side, I was a paramedic, Pretty good one I thought and it has stood me well over the years as when the stuff is hitting the fan I can do the cool thing pretty well. Ok, little O2 and a basic survey and away we go. Med Com plugs in and I give a patient report, Doc sounds cool and recommends continue to Destination as it does not sound like Ben is about to crater. Keep a eye on him and we get in to Sea-Tac with no further hiccups. Off the plane and into the loving arms of Sea-Tac Fire-Ems. Hand him over and give report. Shake his hand and walk away. God Bless you Ben. Thank you for what you have done and what you have accomplished. May He hold you in his hand on the last day.