Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift offers our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Constable Brian Bachmann, 41

Brazos County Texas Constable’s Office

August 13, 2012 – Constable Brian Bachmann was shot and killed while attempting to serve an eviction notice. The shooter also killed one passing civilian and wounded another. A responding police officer from College Station Police Department was wounded by gunfire. Two other officers were injured. During an intense shootout police eventually shot and killed the suspect. Constable Bachmann is survived by his wife and children.

Agent Wilfredo Ramos-Nieves, 42

Puerto Rico Police Department

August 14, 2012 – Agent Wilfredo Ramos-Nieves was shot and killed while conducting a narcotics operation. He is survived by his wife and children.

Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Triche, 28

St. John the Baptist Louisiana Parish Sheriff’s Department

Deputy Sheriff Brandon Nielsen, 34

St. John the Baptist Louisiana Parish Sheriff’s Department

August 16, 2012 – Deputy Jeremy Triche and Deputy Brandon Nielson were shot and killed while investigating an earlier shooting where other officers were injured. A third deputy in the second shooting was also wounded by the assault rifle-wielding suspect.

Deputy Triche leaves behind his wife and two-year-old son.

Deputy Nielson is survived by his wife and five children.

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The Language Of Police: Cop Slang

The language of police

Everyone has their own pet names for various items, and many people have used cute little nicknames for their favorite or not so favorite people. But when it comes to cops and their slang, well, it’s a language all it’s own. For example…

A little while – response offered to bad guys when they ask what they’re going to jail for… “A little while.”

Aluminum Shampoo – using a metal flashlight to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Angry Betty – usually a high and crazy, mad, arms-flailing female crackhead

Back To The Barn – heading back to the police station

Badge Bunny – woman obsessed with cops (I mean really obsessed…well, you get the idea). Cop groupies.

Basket Weave – design that’s stamped into a leather gun belt

Break Leather – drawing a firearm/weapon from its holster

California Roll – when a driver almost, but not quite, stops at a stop sign (they slowly roll past the sign through the intersection, never coming to a complete stop)

Canoe Maker – a medical examiner (during autopsy, an M.E. “scoops” out the insides leaving behind a human “canoe”)

Code Brown – got to get to the bathroom, and fast!

Connect The Dots – using a metal flashlight to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Cue Ball – a bad guy, especially a gang member, with a shaved head

Deuce – driving under the influence

Doing The Funky Chicken – a “Tasered”suspect’s flailing and erratic movements

Driving Miss Daisy – having an older, supervisory officer riding along on patrol

Duracell Shampoo – using a metal flashlight to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Fish Eye – a person is said to “fish eye” when he knows an officer is watching him, so he pretends not to notice. However, he’s quite obviously watching the officer out of the extreme corner of his eye while trying to keep his head aimed straight ahead

Flashlight Therapy – using a metal flashlight to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Foot Bail – to run from the police

Frequent Flyer – the person you arrest over and over and over again. Think Otis Campbell of Mayberry.

Grunt – patrol officer

Gump – Cross-dressing male prostitute.  “Gender Unknown Male Prostitute”

Hang Paper – issue a traffic citation (ticket)

Happy Feet – suspect is a runner, or is about to flee

John Wayne – excessive use of force (He went all “John Wayne” on that guy.”)

Lead Poisoning – multiple gunshot wounds (Look at all the bullet holes. He must’ve died of lead poisoning)

Light ‘Em Up – initiate a traffic stop by turning on blue lights. Also used as an unofficial command to begin firing at a suspect(s)

Maglite Shampoo – using a metal flashlight to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Minnow Mounties – Fish and Game officers. Also known as Moose Marshals

Mutt – criminal. AKA – suspect, slimebag, scrote, and a**hole

On The Beach – suspended from duty

One-Oh-One X-ray – a male dressed as a female

Opossum Cop (‘Possum Cop) – Texas game warden

Organ Donor – a person riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet

Out Of The Bag – an officer out of uniform, or a plainclothes officer/detective

Overheads – lights on top of a police car. AKA – lightbar

Paper Hanger – person who writes fraudulent checks

Pickle Park – highway rest area frequented by men attempting to “hook up” with other men

Polyester Pig Pile – When several officers “pile on” an extremely combative suspect to effect an arrest

Pumpkin Patch – Holding cell (bull pen) housing new prisoners dressed in orange jumpsuits

Q-Tips – elderly, white-haired folks traveling the highway, usually to and from Florida. From a distance they have the appearance of Q-tips lined up in a box

Rabbit – run from the police

Scooby Snack – a suspect who’s bitten by a police k-9

Screen Test – slamming on the brakes so the unruly, spitting suspect in the rear seat slides forward, hitting their head/face on the screen/divider between the front and rear compartments

Sergeant In The Trunk – GPS tracking system on patrol cars (an officer’s whereabouts is known at all times)

Swivel Head – the head-turning reaction exhibited by bad guys when they see a passing police car

Three-Striper – sergeant

Two Beers – the almost-always-used answer by drunk drivers when asked how much they’ve had to drink

Walkin’ the Dog – taking a break

Walnut Shampoo – yep, you guessed it, using a wooden baton to deliver a polite “love tap” to a combative suspect’s head

Whale – black and white police car with no lightbar

Yardbird – a suspect who springs from the bushes and takes off running

Zebra – a sergeant who’s not well-liked. An “ass” with stripes

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Collecting Crime Scene Evidence: How-To Videos

Collecting crime scene evidence

“Looks like they entered through the back door, Chief.”

“Brilliant, Dusty. So you’re thinking because the glass is broken, there are footprints in the soft soil, and…wait, what’re these? Tool marks on the doorknob? Well, of course this is where they entered. Why didn’t I think of that? We certainly didn’t waste a single dime when we sent you to that fancy Crime Scene University over in Tuscaloosa.”

“Thank you, Chief. I try. Now stand back, please. I’ve got work to do.”

Dusty knelt down on one knee and released the metal clasp on a small, green plastic tackle box. The chief leaned in for a closer look at all the “do-dads,” his pet name for his star tech’s tools-of-the-trade. Dusty gave him a nasty look when his 5-foot-5, 265-pound frame blocked her light. He quickly stepped back into the shadows while she continued to grab what she needed from the box.

A few seconds later, Chief I. B. Dumb stood to the side with his liver-spotted hands shoved deep into the pockets of his blue polyester pants, wishing he’d thought to wear the red flannel long-johns the missus gave him as a present last Christmas. His right hand was hard at work, jingling coins. The left was still numb from exposure to the cold night air. He watched, though, proud as a peacock, as his crackerjack crime scene technician, Dusty Printz, went about the business of collecting bits of broken glass, removing the cheap dented Walmart doorknob, and making impressions of the clown-size footprints beside the back stoop. Why, this woman could give old Sherlock himself a run for his money. And he couldn’t hardly wait to see Printz work her magic back at the lab. Yes sir, they’d have their suspect in custody by first light. He was sure of it.

So how does Dusty Printz go about the business of processing and developing crime scene evidence? Well, there are numerous methods, but here are a few Crime Scene Investigator Network videos explaining and showing the basics of developing prints with black powder, superglue, and magnetic powder. Also,

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NYPD Officers Shoot and Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Justified?

Police in New York City shot and killed a man who lunged at them with a large kitchen knife. In fact, several bystanders caught the deadly encounter on cell phone video. The scenario unfolded when officers approached 51-year-old Darrius Kennedy after spotting him smoking marijuana at 44th St5reet and 7th Ave. As the officers attempted to restrain him, Kennedy began to struggle, breaking free of the officers’ grasp. He then produced a large Ikea knife and started backing away, waving the knife at them. He also took a few swipes at pedestrians, possibly cutting one, during his backwards walk down the middle of the street.

Several police officers, with weapons drawn, joined in on the slow-motion walking pursuit of Kennedy. They repeatedly yelled for him to drop the knife, and they used pepperspray at least six times, hoping he’d be forced to put down the deadly weapon. Unfortunately, neither tactic worked. So, two patrol cars attempted to block Kennedy’s path, but he managed to get by the first car. However, when the officers in the second car got out, well, that’s when Kennedy made his move, lunging at the officers, aiming the knife in their direction. The two NYPD officers then discharged their weapons. One officer fired 9 times. The other fired 3 rounds.

Immediately after the shots were fired, bystanders began yelling that the shooting was unjustified. One man even went so far as to say the suspect had been shot in the back, even though he was not in a position to see the event. Comments on many websites, Twitter, and Facebook demand that the officers involved be charged with murder. A cousin of Kennedy’s said she didn’t understand why the officers didn’t fire a warning shot, or simply shoot him in the leg or arm. His aunt stated that she believed there were other, better ways to handle the situation with her nephew. She also said they didn’t have to shoot him so many times.

Here are five of the hundreds upon hundreds of anti-police comments posted online regarding this incident:

– Pigs want trigger time. They shoot to kill.

– should have shot him in the leg or arm arent they trained to shoot at specific targets murderers

– The victim was holding a knife with a 6 inch blade. That’s seems like a huge target. With all the police surrounding him, not one of them could shoot it out of his hand? Not even fire off a few warning shots into the air? These questions need to be answered.

– Police could have did things. The kind of provoked his reaction buy cornering him. Even though they could not tell if he was EDP or not they should have saw some of the signs and not backed him into a corner or make him feel any more threatened then he already did. That was excessive force! As soon as the pepper spray did not work they should have known something else was wrong with him.

– You’re just like the rest of the 10 cowdly cops who shot the man because that’s all their train to do. NYPD is a bunch of butchers as usual. Just shoot the suspect Ray Kelly has your back.

So what are the rules when officers encounter knife-wielding suspects? Was this a justified shooting by the NYPD officers? Of course it was, and here’s why.

Police officers are forced to make many split second decisions during the course of their careers, and one of those decisions is when to use force. If they choose to use force they’re then faced with deciding which level of force should be employed. Should a Taser be used when a combative suspect is holding a knife? Should the officer go for her firearm if the suspect is swinging a baseball bat at her head? Is an officer ever justified to shoot an unarmed suspect? Are there situations when officers must retreat? All of these decisions are made within one-half to three-quarters of a second. That’s about how long it takes the average human to react to a given situation.

Let’s first examine the scenario pictured above. Here, an officer stands facing a knife-wielding suspect who clearly presents a danger. The bad guy is holding an edged weapon (a knife) in the classic “ice pick” position. Years ago officers were taught that a suspect could be shot, and justifiably so, if he were wielding a knife in a threatening manner while positioned within a distance of twenty-one feet from the officer (the 21 foot rule). The reasoning was that the suspect was without a doubt an immediate, deadly threat. Officers were taught that they’d not likely survive this scenario without using deadly force. In fact, it’s doubtful that an officer could draw his weapon and squeeze off a round, without aiming, if a suspect began his charge from a distance of twenty-one feet or less. Suppose the officer did properly assess the threat and did manage to draw his weapon and fire. How long would it take to think about and perform those two basic tasks?

The fastest officer tested was able to draw his weapon from a security holster in a little under 1.5 seconds. The slowest was a about 2.25 seconds. Sounds pretty fast, huh? Maybe not.

The average suspect can cover the distance (21 feet as seen above) to the officer in as little as 1.5 seconds, nearly a full second quicker than the slowest officer is able to defend himself.

Today, officers must rethink the twenty-one foot rule a bit. Sure, the thug is potentially a deadly threat, but not an actual deadly threat until he makes some sort of hostile movement toward the officer. Of course, the officer should have his firearm in a ready position as soon as he perceives the threat. And this is a situation where the officer should always choose his firearm over a non-lethal weapon, such as a Taser or pepperspray. Remember the the old saying, “Never bring a knife to a gunfight?” Now there’s a new addition to that rule. It’s, “Never bring a Taser to a knife fight.”

The key to knowing when it’s time to shoot is simple. If the officer feels that his life, or the life of an innocent person, is at risk, then the shoot is justified. However, the officer must be prepared to articulate his reasons for pulling the trigger. Was the suspect making stabbing motions while advancing?  Was he charging at, or lunging toward the officer?

There are reasons that may not justify the shoot, such as the suspect being so intoxicated that he couldn’t possibly have followed through with the threat. In short, the threat must be real, or at least perceived as being real in the eyes of the officer. However, if the threat is real and incoming, then there’s no doubt…deadly force is justified.

And, the officer must be able to recognize when a threat is over. If the suspect drops his weapon the justification for deadly force ends immediately.

When a suspect points a firearm at an officer, deadly force is immediately justified.

In situations like the one pictured above, it’s not uncommon for officers to hesitate briefly before using force to stop the threat. Why? Interestingly, officers often perceive women and children as being less of a threat than a male suspect. That’s why FATS and other simulated firearms training uses both women and children in the shoot/don’t shoot scenarios. The woman in the picture above is very much a deadly threat, therefore, the officer is justified in using deadly force.

Again, based on what we see in the above video (and others) of the recent NYPD, the use of deadly force was justified.

By the way, police officers are trained to shoot center mass. They are NOT trained to shoot arms or legs, because those are generally hard-to-hit moving targets, and a miss could result in stray bullets hitting innocent bystanders. Not to mention a miss would provide the suspect even more time to complete his attack on the officer. And, police officers NEVER fire warning shots. After all, what goes up must come down, and where it lands nobody knows (bullets fired into the air could easily strike innocent people, including young children and babies). Also, firing a warning shot would leave the officer with one less round in her weapon.

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Pearl Harbor Revisited

Pearl Harbor revisited

 

*Photographs by Paul Beecroft

Paul Beecroft has spent a good deal of his life in law enforcement, in England. He’s worked Foot Patrol, Area Car, Instant Response Car and also as a Police Motorcyclist. He currently serves as a coroner’s investigator and has traveled all over England, Wales, Scotland and even Germany to investigate crimes.

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Electrochemiluminescence: Fingerprinting With Electricity

Electrochemiluminescence

Remember the good old days when dusting for prints meant using a brush to spread various colored powders across surfaces you thought and hoped a bad guy had touched? Then came time to apply the tape, when you prayed you wouldn’t screw up the fingerprint while removing the sticky stuff from doorknobs, desktops, knife blades, and the wall behind the toilet (yeah, sometimes guys place a hand or two there while tending to business).

Oh yeah, let’s not forget about the black powder that magically transferred to your clothing, your cheeks, your tie, to your partners hands, the walls, the dishes in the kitchen, the light switches, and the neighbors white cat. My goodness, that stuff is messy!

Well, there’s a bit of relief on the horizon for investigators who suffer from Mr. Monk Syndrome (don’t like to get their hands dirty). And that relief comes in the form of electricity. That’s right, there’s a new fingerprinting sheriff in town, and it’s called electrochemiluminescence.

Chinese scientists have devised a way to electrically “light up” fingerprints, even very old, or “barely there” prints. Electrochemiluminescence occurs when passing electrical current through the combination of a compound, such as ruthenium complex, and a partner chemical like tripropylamine. The mixture then becomes chemically unstable as electrons pass through (it’s in an “excited” state), causing it to give off light as it returns to ground (an electrical circuit flows from positive to ground/negative, sort of like completing a circle).

In this case, a technician transfers the print to a stainless steel plate (or glass plate treated with indium tin oxide), which serves as the electrode (the positive part of the circuit). A reagent solution containing the chemical compounds mentioned above is then added. Then, in short, the print simply lights up—ridge patterns, lines, outline of pores in the grooves, and even the finest of lines branching from the ends of the ridges are all illuminated.

These electrically-charged prints are so resolute that photographing a high quality image is easily achieved, and all without damaging the fingerprint.

So, maybe the day has finally come when there’ll be no more black smudges and stains all over the burglary victim’s white leather couch, white silk dress, freshly painted white walls, and white marble tiles.

Best of all, though, the investigator can go home at the end of the day still wearing a clean and crisp, bright white shirt.

And, no more black powder on the tip of the detective’s nose. Yep, as anyone who’s ever fingerprinted anything will tell you, as soon as the fingerprint powders come out, that’s when the nose starts itching like crazy.

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Wrongly Convicted For Rape And Murder – A False Confession

In 1975, the unthinkable happened in a small town in Virginia. An 88-year-old retired school teacher was brutally raped and strangled, and her attacker left her lying on the floor believing she was dead. Moments later, though, the woman managed to crawl to her telephone and called the police. While on the phone, in an extremely weak voice, all she managed to get out was that she’d been attacked. Minutes later, when police broke into her back door they found the gasping woman seated in a chair wearing only a torn slip. She managed to tell the two patrol officers that she’d been raped and choked by a “negro man.” The woman died at the hospital less than an hour later.

The local police, assisted by the county sheriff and his deputies, immediately initiated a manhunt. In simpler terms, in 1975, that meant round up all suspicious black men and bring them in for questioning. And that’s what the officers did, but the results were negative. Each of the men brought in were ruled out.

The search for the killer continued for several days until a sheriff’s deputy happened upon a young black man riding his bicycle near a small country store. The man appeared to be a little “odd,” and after a quick background check the deputy learned that his “suspect” had been released from a mental hospital just two days prior. So the officer hauled him in for questioning…lots of questioning.

The local sheriff decided to personally conduct the interrogation, hoping to put away the man who killed that defenseless and sweet retiree, a woman he thought highly of and checked on two or three times a week. A woman who also brought brownies and other treats to the local police on a regular basis.

During the interrogation, the suspect’s attention often wandered, and was extremely unfocused. In fact, he often starting singing, warbling theme songs from old TV westerns. The sheriff’s patience wore thin, telling the man to, “Look at me. Look at me!” Finally, tired of the suspect’s lack of interest, the sheriff said, “”You’re not half as damn nuts as you act like you are, you know that? You know what happened last week, don’t you? Huh?”

Twice, the sheriff took his suspect to the woman’s home hoping get some sort of reaction from him. Nothing.

According to transcripts, the sheriff’s continued interrogation was relentless, and at one point told the man, “Go ahead and tell us what happened so we can go home, OK?” Suddenly, out of the blue, the suspect uttered the words the sheriff wanted to hear…sort of. He said he pushed a woman down, tore her clothes, and then had sex with her. But most of what he told the sheriff was wrong according to what they knew about the crime and what they’d found at the scene. The man also said the woman, his victim, was “colored.” She was white.

Well, after hours upon hours of intense interrogation and hearing the “confession,” the suspect was finally charged with the rape and murder of the sheriff’s elderly friend. And a few weeks later he was tried and convicted for those crimes and was sentenced to life in prison. The evidence used to convict him was a single pubic hair found on the suspect’s clothing (it was not tested), his odd confession, and a single fingerprint that did not match the victim.

In 1983, lawyers for the convicted man appealed his case with success. The court ruled that the sheriff had not, in spite of hours and hours and hours of intense questioning, advised his suspect of his rights. Charges were dropped and he was released from prison after already serving five years. However, he was committed to a mental institution.

The real twist to this case came thirty-three years later, when the Virginia State Police re-opened the case as part of Governor Warner’s effort to exonerate wrongly convicted innocent people. Within a few days of submitting DNA samples for testing, state investigators received a match to items seized at the original crime scene. However, it was not the DNA of the mentally challenged man who had already served five years for raping the schoolteacher. Instead, the DNA matched another man, a man who’d recently been released from prison after serving a sentence for rape and sodomy.

The second man was arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison for the schoolteacher’s rape and murder (based on the recent DNA tests), and his conviction finally led to the exoneration of the wrongfully convicted mentally challenged man. Sadly, he’d passed away a few years before he was exonerated.

Experts say intense questioning tactics by the sheriff led to the suspect’s false confession, an attempt to please the top officer so they could both simply go home. Also, taking the man to the scene of the crime provided him with details he otherwise wouldn’t have known. Poor police tactics was the conclusion of many experts.

By the way, the fingerprint that was found at the scene, the one police said didn’t match the victim…it belonged to the sheriff.

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Dairy Farmers To Begin Reviewing Mystery and Thriller Books…SAY WHAT??

Dairy Farmers

In the coming weeks, dairy farmers from each county in the continental U.S. will begin the arduous task of reviewing all mystery and thriller books. Yes, these farmers, cow pokes, and manure-movers will put down their pitchforks, switch off their John Deere tractors, and begin turning pages. Yet, and I think it’s safe to say, most have absolutely no experience as editors or writers. In fact, some of them have probably never read an entire mystery book, like I’ve never read books on farming. Not one. Still, county, city, and state governments have decided that the bovine farmers will have the final say as to whether or not your books will make it, or not.

Actually, a single thumbs-down review by “Mort the Morning Milker” will result in the author’s banishment from writing, confiscation of all computers and pens and paper, and the immediate termination of internet service (no more Facebook or Twitter). It’s the law because elected officials say it’s the law, and they know best, right?

Anyway, you, as a writer, if banished by the milkers, will be immediately ejected from all writing organizations and critique groups. In short, your life’s dream and career will soon be in the hands of people who don’t have a flippin’ clue about your vocation.

Is it fair? Certainly not. But I understand that soon to follow will be landscapers critiquing the landing techniques of jet pilots. Daycare employees are on schedule to begin pointing out flaws in the design of all ballistic missile submarines. Me…well, my first order of business is to have someone round out the corners on Picasso’s The Three Musicians (people don’t have square and rectangular legs, you know).

Absurd, huh? Doggone right it’s absurd. Crazy even.

So I ask you, then, what on earth makes officials in the city of Pasadena, Ca. think the average “Joe and Jane Citizen” are qualified to determine whether or not a police officer is justified in his/her decision to use force? Who knows, but that’s exactly what they’re planning to do (have police review boards made up entirely of average citizens).

Honestly, it’s difficult enough for those of us who’ve worked in the field to come to those conclusions. However, as experts using many years of training and experience as a basis for our determinations, we can generally place ourselves in a position similar to what the officer(s) in question faced at the time of the incident.

A civilian, however, who’s most likely never been in a physical confrontation of any kind, especially one where the use of deadly force is necessary, has no experience or training to draw on as a basis for forming a logical and educated conclusion. Mostly what they have to go on is someone’s testimony or written words, and possibly a video or aftermath photos, and that’s it. And that’s not enough. Not even close.

Perception of threat, escape, harm, etc. at the exact time of an incident is a crucial factor when determining when or if to use force. How an officer (or anyone else for that matter) perceives an immediate (imminent) threat is also crucial when determining what level of force is necessary.

Is this guy going to escape and harm someone else? Is this person going to harm me? Is this person who’s holding what appears to be a weapon…well, is he going to kill me if I don’t stop him?

How long does an officer have to make those determinations? Sometimes a fraction of a second—not even a whole second…think about it—, and it is extremely difficult for a police review board to know what an officer experienced at the exact moment the incident occurred. But police officers usually have some idea because they’ve “been there, done that” even if it was only in a training capacity. It is, however, IMPOSSIBLE for an untrained, inexperienced civilian—a “Mort The Milker”—to sit in a meeting room several weeks after a legitimate use of force incident occurred and make any sort of educated determination based solely on photos, videos, statements, etc.

Nope, these decisions cannot be accurately made by an average civilian any more than the average Mort The Milker should be scrutinizing the latest Dean Koontz novel, hunting for dangling modifiers and the correct usage of lay and lie. I do agree, however, that strong checks and balances be in place. And I agree that they should be utilized whenever needed. Err on the side caution. Review all cases, if necessary. But the reviews should be conducted by people with education and/or experience in the field.

One way civilians can educate themselves is to sign up to shoot FATS (firearms training simulator) or a similar system. And when they do, it’ll take approximately two minutes to make a believer out of them. In fact, ask anyone who’s participated in the FATS training at the Writers’ Police Academy. Lots of doubting writers enter the room as skeptics, but they come out believers in having to experience “the moment” to truly understand.

Use of force is a serious matter, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Nor should force be used unnecessarily and/or without justification. Never.

BUT…dairy farmers should stick to what they know best, milking cows. And Joe and Jane Citizen should do the same (stick to what they know), and leave policing to those who know the business. Unless, Joe and Jane want to and are able to take the time to learn about what it is they’re tasked to judge. And they must leave emotions and media opinions at the door, along with their own personal beliefs about police officers. This would not be the time to seek revenge for receiving a traffic ticket. After all, we’re talking about someone’s life, and someone’s dreams, and someone’s career, and someone’s family. And it could all be over with a “thumbs down” verdict by a citizen with a vendetta. But, if the officer was indeed wrong in his actions, then so be it. And the truth will come out without a lot of digging.

I believe the fair way to handle this is to have a panel consisting of both civilians and police officers. But with the mixed panel comes the possibility of a draw, and who gets the job as tie-breaker?

I, for one, know what it’s like to have bullets zinging by your head. I also know what it’s like to use deadly force, and it’s a gut-wrenching experience—both killing someone and then waiting to hear, even though I knew, that the shoot was justified.

Still, I’m comfortable in knowing I did the right thing in that particular situation. No doubt whatsoever.

What I’m not comfortable with, though, is dairy farming, because I know nothing about it, which is why you’ll never hear of me passing judgement on Mort’s milking mannerisms.

Now, Pablo, about that painting…you do know that people don’t have eyes on the side of the head, right? And the nose, it goes between the eyes…geez…

At no time were any cows, writers, or dairy farmers hurt during the writing of this article. Also, any implication that farmers or writers are less than intelligent, well, that’s your conclusion, not mine. Some of my best friends and family members are farmers and they’re far more successful than I could ever hope to be….an theys probly better righters than me too.

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15 Libraries Taking Summer Reading to the Next Level

15 Librairies

Summer reading programs have long been a staple of library activities in communities all across the nation, yet many libraries today are offering much more than the usual programs that encourage young kids to read by tracking their progress and offering rewards. Today, many reading programs are accompanied by seriously cool reading and education-related events and there are numerous reading programs targeting adults and teens, pushing whole families to enjoy a few good books over the summer months. While not an exhaustive list (there are a lot of amazing libraries out there), here we highlight some of the libraries we think are going above and beyond in their summer reading initiatives, offering programs and activities that help readers spend their summers reading, learning, sharing, and growing.

  1. Framingham Public Library:

    Framingham Public Library has a great summer reading program for keeping young minds engaged during their break from school, but where it really stands out is in what it has to offer adults. In recent years, the library has developed summer reading programs that target adults, offering additional entries in a raffle for every book they read. Readers log their books, which are of their own choosing, and at the end of the summer can get a chance to win a grand prize: a new Kindle. The library also sponsors other adult-focused events over the summer, including screening foreign films and hosting lectures on topics like super heroes and mythology.

  2. The Charles H. Stone Memorial Library:

    When kids sign up for the summer reading program at this North Carolina library, they get a whole lot more than just motivation to read. The library has incorporated a number of fun and exciting events into their summer reading program. These include a mobile space lab, yoga classes for kids, magic shows, nighttime parties for tweens, and plenty of fun activities for teens. Kids of any age can also compete to see who can read the most books, with a cash prize to the winner.

  3. Pima County Public Library:

    From the end of May until the end of July, patrons of this Arizona library can enjoy a reading program that offers incentives and fun for readers of all ages. Readers track their progress throughout the summer in a reading passport and can take part in a huge assortment of activities at the library. Adults can learn more about native plants, taking photos, or even how to paint landscapes; teens get access to events on anime, cardio kung fu, and superheroes; and younger kids can enjoy juggling shows, story time, and rocket-building activities. All in all, there are more than 100 different activities for readers over the summer that can make a quick trip to this library a real adventure.

  4. Metropolitan Library System:

    This library system in Oklahoma offers patrons some seriously amazing ways to beat the summer heat and have fun. What’s on the docket? Magic shows, steampunk-themed exhibits, business building classes, wizard rock shows, and a gnome hunt. The summer reading program throughout the library system offers a chance for everyone from toddlers to teens to get reading over the summer, with games and prizes for all involved.

  5. New Orleans Public Library:

    Kids who are lucky enough to live close to this library can take part in a fun reading program that motivates them with small incentives to keep reading throughout the summer. When they’re at the library picking out some new reads, they can also enjoy activities like a presentation on birds of prey, complete with live birds, as well as magic shows, interactive bug presentations, and more. Older kids and teens can enjoy poetry and drama workshops, movie and game nights, and even fun crafts. The summer programs must be doing something right, as this year the library recorded 3,260 kids and almost 500 teens signed up.

  6. Newton County Library:

    Kids and adults alike can find activities to get them reading and learning over the summer at Newton County Library in Georgia. Through the end of July, kids can sign up and pledge to read at least 15 minutes a day, with those meeting the goal winning free books and gift certificates. They can also head to the library to hear storytellers, read books under the stars (with a flashlight, of course), and other activities. Adults shouldn’t feel left out, however, as the library also has plenty planned for them. There are lunchtime book clubs, poetry reading groups, bridge clubs, and other activities to help motivate adults to read, read, read during the summer.

  7. Indianapolis Public Library:

    This year’s reading program at the IPL is called Gear Up for Good, and it’s open to toddlers, young kids, teens, and parents. All can earn points and rewards for reading, even parents when they read aloud to their kids. So what makes this program stand out? A couple of things. There’s an amazing children’s book blog full of recommendations, an earn-and-learn program to help youngsters pay off library debt, and loads of educational programs, from science to steampunk, for teens and younger kids. Even better, each week the library screens a family friendly movie that all can enjoy.

  8. Fort Worth Public Library:

    At this Texas library, readers aren’t just challenging themselves. They’re also working to take part in the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge, which is open to participants of all ages and offers some pretty snazzy prizes for the winners. In addition to really pushing reading during the summer months, Fort Worth also brings in patrons with a number of exciting and fun activities, including storytellers, parties, art exhibits, games, movies, and even a jazz festival.

  9. Harris County Public Library:

    Harris County Public Library is working to build a “reader nation” with their summer program, in part by not just focusing on younger readers. At Harris, patrons can take part in adult summer reading programs as well, which have enjoyed great popularity since it was implemented last year (an 81% jump in participation). What makes it so cool? Participants can get recommendations and share their thoughts through the ReaderNation blog or from a personal reading consultant. The more books patrons read, the more chances they get to be entered in drawings for really great prizes. Teens and kids can also get in on the fun through their summer-long reading program and activities as well.

  10. Clermont County Public Library:

    Featuring the theme of “Read: Morning, Noon, and Night” this year, the reading program at this Ohio library is a great way to help get kids reading and having fun while doing it over the summer. There are four different age-leveled programs at the library, all of which offer fun prizes and rewards to kids who make it through multiple books over the summer, including an iPad for teen readers. One of the coolest aspects of the program is its digital integration, as there are blogs, booklists, tweets, and Facebook updates on all activities, and kids and parents can sign up and track their reading online.

  11. Findlay Hancock County Public Library:

    Findlay Hancock County Public Library is another library that’s helping to get adults in on the summer reading fun. Since 1993, the library has offered a summer reading program for adults, both to get them reading and to help them set an example for younger readers. In addition to tracking their reading, the library offers adult readers discussion groups, programs on wildlife, and classes on topics like scrapbooking, jewelry making, and even basket-weaving.

  12. New York Public Library:

    You know this library’s summer reading program is massive: the website for it is simply called “summerreading.org.” This year, the New York Library system alone logged almost 23,000 registrations for the program, not including those in Queens or Brooklyn. So many flock to New York’s reading programs in the summer because they have a lot of offer. Children, teens, and adults can sign up online and find books, write reviews, track reading, create booklists, earn badges, and build an online profile. Even more enticing are the activities that libraries throughout New York city host. From chess games to films and video games to knitting circles, there’s something for everyone.

  13. Aiken County Public Library:

    What’s cooler than being able to win prizes for reading? At Aiken County Public Library, kids can meet creatures big and small from the local River Ecology Lab, take part in a Star Wars family fun night, embrace creativity in an abstract painting class, watch puppets, learn about chocolate, and much more. Of course, the reading is a pretty great motivator, too, and kids and teens can read their way to a number of great prizes through the end of July at the library.

  14. Seattle Public Library:

    In order to celebrate the anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, the summer reading program this year is called “Read the Future” and is open to children, teens, and adults. Readers young and old can sign up online for the program, where they can collect badges for the books they’ve read and can review books they like or didn’t like. Even better, the more reviews they post, the more chances they’ll get to be entered in grand prize drawings. In addition to the fun online offerings, the library also offers a wealth of activities throughout the summer including movie nights, grown-up story times, operatic performances, readings, and lectures on science and literature topics.

  15. San Antonio Public Library:

    Like Fort Worth, San Antonio Public Library also has a mayor-sponsored summer reading program, but this one’s for teens. This year’s theme is “A Summer Among the Stars” and features reading lists and activities that help teens to learn more about the mysteries of the universe, alien life forms, and more. Teens can share reviews of books they’ve read (or listened to) online and attend activities on topics like writing, anime, chess, knitting, and more. One thing this library offers that others don’t? A free lunch program, which can help underprivileged kids get some food, enjoy a book, and take part in community activities.

* Today’s article by Online Education Database

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Salem…A Witches Brew of Scenery and History

Then came the scarlet letter

 

Salem Witch Museum

Roger Conant, the first settler of Salem. The statue stands in the intersection in front of the Witch Museum.

A short walk from the museum leads to some interesting discoveries.

Hawthorne Hotel

The Gull Lady, visiting her friends.

Home to relatives of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne visited the house many times as a child which gave influence for the book, House of Seven Gables.

Courtyard inside the grounds of the House of Seven Gables. The red building is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s childhood home. It was originally a few blocks from this site, but was moved to be a part of the museum.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s home until he was four.

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