Dumb Robber?

I was surfing around the web this afternoon looking for items of interest that I could post on the California Fire News blog when I came across this article:

SoCal Robbery Suspect Caught Trying to Become Policeman

KTLA News

February 28, 2009

CHULA VISTA -- A robbery suspect was arrested when he showed up to take an test to become a police officer.

Police say 40-year-old Romeo Montillano was arrested and booked into San Diego County jail. Montillano was being sought by police in connection with a December robbery at a Chula Vista Kmart where a man took a TV and other items, then beat up store employees who confronted him.

A short time later, investigators learned Montillano had signed up to take the February police officer's examination.

Police contacted Montillano, and the suspect promised to show up to take the test.

When the suspect showed up on test day, he was arrested for investigation of robbery and other crimes.

Police say that as Montillano was being arrested, he asked whether he could still take the police exam or reapply at some later date. They told him no.

Ok, I'm laughing. This guy wanted to be a cop, but he's on the run for stealing a bunch of stuff and beating up people in the store he was stealing from.... Uhm... DUMB! I guess this is one of those times when you ask "What was he thinking?" and then you answer your self by saying "He wasn't thinking!!!". Too stupid!! The guy deserves to go to jail just for being dumb! LOL

So, since the news in this post gave me a giggle, I will add a picture that might give you folks a giggle... (Gotta love the LOLcats!)

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Truckers Can Be Heroes Too

I know lots of folks look at trucks on the highway as just an obstacle in their way. They are wrong, though... If it weren't for trucks and the people who drive them, there wouldn't be much of anything to call your own.... Because if you have something, more than likely it got to you in the back of a truck.

Anyway, in the news here the last couple of days there has been a story of a trucker that a lot of folks are calling a hero. There is a truckstop near the town of Ripon, California and on Thursday night, one of the trucks in the lot caught on fire. Well, not the whole truck, just the trailer. The trucker didn't just jump out of his truck and run away. He put the truck in gear and drove it out of the parking lot and down a nearby street to an area where it was isolated and the fire was unable to spread.

The Ripon Police Department was dispatched along with the fire department. The first patrol car on the scene had his dash-cam going when he arrived and the video has been on the news this morning. I "grabbed" it and put it on YouTube this morning so I could share it here:

The Modesto Bee has a number of still photos of the aftermath of the truck fire. What a mess, huh? From the angles of the photos, it looks as though only the trailer burned, not the tractor. Lucky for the driver, I would imagine, because that means that all his belongings in the truck are still there.

I also posted the Modesto Bee article on the California Fire News blog this morning.

In my opinion, that trucker is a hero. By staying with his truck and driving it out of the truckstop he prevented a disaster. At night, truckstop parking areas are usually full of trucks parked close together. If that trucker hadn't moved, who knows how many trucks would have burned and who knows what kind of loads would have been destroyed. The hero's name is Randal Jack, and I salute him for keeping his head when he looked out his mirrors and saw the flames.

This Post is a Test...

I've been having trouble accessing my blog since Wednesday night.. Or any blog that is on blogspot.com, for that matter. So, I'm playing around with Windows Live Writer which came with my new laptop... We'll see if this will get published, or if I'm blocked completely...

BTW, I have contacted my ISP about the problem getting to blogspot and they're checking into it.. Blogspot is the only site I'm having trouble with at the moment... **sigh**

UPDATE (2/26/09 midday)

Well, blogspot/blogger isn't the only site I can't reach. I just found out that I can't get into Gmail either. I reported it to my ISP and the tech said that it's all been forwarded to the "domain" guy. So we're waiting now to hear something back from that guy....... Frustrating... **double sigh**

ANOTHER UPDATE (2/26/09 evening)

Still can't log into blogger or gmail............. **sigh**

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UPDATE AGAIN (2/27/09)

Well, this morning I can get into gmail and blogger........ Lets see if this thing will publish a post now.............

~~~

It worked! Hurray!!

Casey Anthony's Diary ... Wow... Just Wow

There was another document release in the Caylee Anthony case and among the documents and photos that were released is a page from a diary that Casey Anthony kept. The entry in the diary is dated June 21st, which is just days after Caylee was last seen by anyone other than her mother, Casey.

Casey wrote on the left hand page "Everyday Is A Brand New Beginning" and "Carpe Diem - Seize The Day". Any speculation out there as to what she meant by those?

The diary entry itself is disturbing, to say the least. (See image. I've enlarged it and lightened it so that it is more readable.) Here is the text of the entry:

-- I have no regrets, just a bit worried. I just want for everything to work out okay. I completely trust my own judgement & know that I made the right decision. I just hope that the end justifies the means. I just want to know what the future will hold for me. I guess I will soon see

-- This is the happiest that I have been in a very long time. I hope that my happiness will continue to grow

-- I've made new friends that I really like. I've surrounded myself with good people -- I am finally happy. Let's just hope that it doesn't change.

I have to wonder how many other diary entries there are in that book that were written between June 15th and July 16th. How can the defense explain this away? Casey states in her own words that she has no regrets and wants everything to work out okay. She feels no regrets for the disapearance of her little girl? No regrets for the death of her little girl? She's the happiest she's been in a long time? Really? You've "lost" your child and you're happy, Casey? Why? I just might tune in to Nancy Grace or Greta tonight to see if they have some kind of expert that can explain this diary entry.

The documents were released to the defense this past Friday, then over the weekend there were reports of Casey's attorney, Jose Baez, checking himself into a hospital for stomach problems. Perhaps the stomach problems stemmed from Jose reading through all of the documents and photos that were released this time. The defense released this statement this morning: “The State’s forensic report on duct tape, plastic bags and other items is a one-sided law enforcement-generated report and is biased and speculative. It uses ‘junk science,’ the kind of flawed comparative analysis that the two-year study by National Academy of Sciences released today.” It's interesting that the only thing I've seen from the defense is this one statement that criticizes the forensic testing on the duct tape, plastic bags and "other items". I wonder what they will have to say about Casey's own words.....

I'll be honest, I haven't even started reading the documents themselves. The only thing I've looked at so far are the photos that were included this time. Go check out the photos for yourself on the Olando Sentinal website. They're pretty interesting. (Another media link, WFTV9, has more photos for viewing.)

Off I go now to peruse the pdf's of the rest of the documents. Here's some links for them:
http://www.wftv.com/_blank/18740657/detail.html (18 pages)
http://www.wftv.com/_blank/18740700/detail.html (201 pages)
http://www.wftv.com/_blank/18740668/detail.html (122 pages)
http://www.wftv.com/_blank/18740657/detail.html (75 pages)

Photo Update

Thanks to an anonymous poster/commenter and CNN Prime News, I learned that the image I used above wasn't a "complete" photo. It's apparently been cropped to show more of the book and less of the background. When the cropping happened, they chopped off the upper corner of the book where there is an "03" written.
So, I went hunting and found a more "complete" image of the book. And, yes, there is an "03" in the upper left hand corner of the book. So, was this written in June of 2003? I've also seen some mention by posters on a couple message boards that it looks as though there were pages removed from the book. I can't see it, but apparently some folks do.

If this was written in 2003, what was going on in June of that year? What "decision" did she make in 2003? And why did the investigators photograph that page?

Snow in the Mountains Means a Bad Day for Truckers

Well, Northern California is getting snow in the mountains this weekend. I've talked to my trucker friend a few times this weekend and he's not a "happy camper". If you take a look at the image to the left (A screenshot of the CalTrans Traveler Information page), you'll see that they are saying that I80 Westbound is closed to trucks. Well, that doesn't mean my friend can sit back and wait it out. For the simple reason that he's hauling the U.S. Mail, which means he doesn't stop, even if they block all the other trucks. He has to put chains on and run it anyway, he has to deal with the folks in cars, SUV's and pickups doing stupid things on the highway in front of him. For instance, this morning he had a guy in a SUV pass him and then suddenly change lanes and slow down right in front of my friend's truck. It's a good thing my friend was going slow (due to having max chains on his truck) because he was able to slow fast enough to not hit the idiot in the SUV.

Anyway, it's been a few hours since I heard anything from my trucker friend, so I figured I'd check out the traffic cams up on the hill. It looks nasty up there. I started from the Nevada end and worked my way "down the hill" with the cams. Take a look at the screenshot to the left. That is at the Truckee Scales. Normally, you can see the hills in the distance. Not today! Too much snow falling. The wind is blowing pretty good up there too, when you watch this camera, it really sways with the movement of the pole that the camera is on.

The next camera in line isn't working this afternoon. It's at the Ag Station on the Westbound side of the highway. Thats where you have to stop and tell them where you're coming from and what kind of agricultural products you're carrying when you're coming into California.

After you pass the Ag Station, you get into the city of Truckee. So the next camera is at the junction of I80 and Highway 89 which is in Truckee. Lots of snow, huh? If you're watching the camera live, you can really see the snow blowing past the lens of the camera!

I am glad I'm not up there in that mess. I'm sitting here in the comfort of my living room, listening to the rain and wind outside. I feel sorry for the truckers that have to travel in that stuff up on the mountains during storms like the one we're having today! I'm also very thankful that when I drove trucks way back when, I drove for a company that had a "no chain" policy for the cross-country drivers. We carried the chains, but the company wanted us to find a spot to wait out the chain controls rather than put them on and run. My partner and I spent a lot of time in truckstops waiting for weather conditions to improve back then.

The next view is a bit further west at Kingvale. The traffic on the lower section of the road is going westbound. You can barely see the upper/Eastbound side through the snow flying. Although, if you look close right next to the "E" in Kingvale, you'll see the taillights of a car headed east. I was almost tempted to give my trucker friend a call to see where he was when I saw that white truck headed west. I decided not to distract him though, so I have no clue where he is on the hill.

Are you glad that you are sitting in the warmth of your home looking at these pictures on your computer instead of having to drive in that lovely white stuff? lol..

Ok, the next camera is the one at Whitmore Grade. This one puzzled me for a long time because I couldn't quite figure out where the camera was. In a previous post on this blog, I posted a map or two trying to show where it is. I wish Caltrans had a camera on the Eastbound side as well, but I'm guessing that this location is where a camera is needed since I've seen a number of spinouts and such when I'm watching it.

Anyway, you can see all the traffic trying to make it back down into the Sacramento Valley. And all the snow blowing around. No spinouts yet, but I'm sure there will be one or two before the day is over.

This is the last screenshot for today. It's at Crystal Springs and I added it in because of the fellow at the back of the truck over there on the left. I watched the poor guy putting the chains on the wheels of his truck. And watched a few idiots in cars that seemed to try to get as close to him as they could. Dummies...

One of the things that struck me as I watched the cameras today was that I saw very few plows or sand trucks running. My trucker friend's favorite rant about Caltrans is the lack of plows running down the road. He says that he sees more plows and sand trucks sitting alongside the road than he sees on the highway itself. What the heck are those guys doing? Napping?

New Florida Amber Alert Issued

Another child is missing in Florida.

Earlier this week, I didn't think I would watch the memorial service for Caylee Anthony. But, this morning I watched it on CNN and during one of the short breaks in the coverage of the service, the news announcer mentioned yet another missing child. The family of this little girl didn't wait for 31 days before telling anyone that the child was missing. (More about the service later...)

An Amber Alert was issued early this morning for Haleigh Cummings, who lives with her father and his girlfriend in Satsuma, Florida which is in Putnam County. Haleigh was last seen sleeping in her bedroom while her father was at work and his girlfriend slept in the next room. Apparently the girlfriend was awakened by a loud noise around 3:30 am and went to check on little Haleigh when she discovered the girl was missing. The woman told police that the door to the home was not locked at the time, according to Sgt. Jason Nettles of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities are concerned because at least 25 registered sex offenders live near the missing girl's home in Satsuma, Fla.

Haleigh is 3 feet tall with blond hair and brown eyes. Anyone having information is asked to call 1-888-FL MISSING.

Source
Code Amber


Now, for the service. As I said, I wasn't sure that I wanted to watch the service when it was first announced. I don't know why I changed my mind this morning. I have to admit, Cindy planned a moving and dignified memorial for her granddaughter. Lee, George and then Cindy stood up and spoke to the people who gathered in the church for the service. Thankfully, there were no disruptions during the memorial.

Lee's speach was puzzling to me. He didn't mention Caylee by name. He referred to her as "C M A". Yes, those are Caylee's initials, but they are also his sister's initials. What was the "promise" that he spoke about? A lot of posters on the message boards I'm reading believe it was a promise made to his sister, who is in jail accused of murdering Caylee, not a promise made to the child who is gone.

George and Cindy both spoke of Caylee. They spoke about their love for her, they spoke about the things she used to do and what love and life she brought into their lives. They also spoke about Casey. George asked people to write to Casey. I'm sorry, George, but I'm not going to write to your daughter.

Cindy commented on all the bracelets and pins that she was wearing in Caylee's honor. George spoke of a locket he was wearing with Caylee's name on it. The Caylee pins were obvious on both George and Cindy, but oddly enough, Lee did not wear a Caylee pin. He only had a shamrock pin on his chest. Why? The shamrock thing was a "Casey thing" since her birthday is so close to St. Patrick's day. I suppose that is another little indication that Lee is thinking more of his sister than of his murdered niece.

From what has been announced by newscasters, Casey elected not to watch the memorial service for her daughter. Instead, she met with her lawyer, Jose Baez. Yesterday, Mr. Baez read a "statement" about the service:
"This is a statement by my client and she's authorized me to a make a statement to the public with regards to tomorrow's memorial.

I miss Caylee every day and every minute of every day. I can't be there for Caylee's funeral, but some day I want to go and visit her grave and tell her how much I miss her.

I allowed my parents to be in charge for the funeral for Caylee. I told them I wanted her buried in a casket and I wanted there to be a gravestone so I could go and visit her. I asked them if there could only be a private funeral for just the family.

I know they cremated her. I still don't want a public event with cameras and everybody around for Caylee's service, but I can't stop my parents from doing what they want. I truly hope that it will help them."

Casey's statement uses the word "I" fourteen times and she only mentioned Caylee's name four times. It gives you a hint of what is in Casey's head. It seems that she wants all this to be about her and not about her daughter.

I am guessing that this memorial service for Caylee is going to be analyzed to death by news casters, commentators, bloggers and posters on message boards for days to come. I am glad I watched it this morning for myself. But, I am not going to analyze it to death. It is over, the child is gone and the family members need to heal as much as they can as they wait for the trial to come. Rest in Peace, Caylee.

Now, bring on the trial and show us the evidence. The world wants to know what happened to that beautiful little girl.

Anyone have a kitty THIS hungry? lol

I found this video on the LOLCats website this morning and it's a great one for a laugh... Couldn't resist posting it here... lol


I've had cats off and on for most of my adult life and I have never had one that fought me like this for their food! LOL! Too funny...