Archive for January 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma-
This is downright hilarious and definitely something you don’t often see. Judge Wapner’s People’s Court TV show in the 1980s would have titled it, “The Case of the Policeman on a Power Trip.”
An Oklahoma State Trooper was racing to provide backup on a call when he came up on the back of an ambulance that was also in a hurry to get somewhere. With apparently minimal effort the trooper seemed to easily pass the ambulance and within a minute arrived at his destination. The trooper stayed at the call for a minute or two then quickly pulled back out on to the road and chased down, and pulled over, the ambulance. Just as the ambulance came to a stop the parametric in the back exited quickly and confronted the trooper, explaining that he was in charge of the ambulance. The trooper pushed him aside and started yelling at the driver telling him he was going to give him a ticket for failure to yield and giving him hand gestures as he initially drove by.
What the trooper didn’t know at the time was that the ambulance also had somewhere to be in a hurry…..it was transporting a patient to the hospital. You would think that once that was discovered the trooper would send the ambulance on its merry way, so no further danger was faced by the patient. This was not the case at all. I will not get too heavily into the details of this one because luckily the son of the woman being transported was in the ambulance with her, and using his cell phone so graciously caught the whole incident on video for our viewing pleasure and the dash cam video in the police cruiser was released (Both YouTube videos are below). Watching the trooper power trip is fairly entertaining. Watch him as he attempts, but apparently fails, to arrest the parametric in charge. Aren’t these guys supposed to be on the same side of the law and helping each other?
The moral of the story: Someone definitely needs some anger counseling.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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NEW YORK CITY-
At some point in each of our lives we will all go to great lengths to do something that we truly believe in. Sometimes it comes down to doing something for the principle of the matter, while other times we do it because we believe it’s our duty. Jury duty would be a great example of someone’s sense of civic duty. Despite jury duty being required by law, anyone with the desire and a lame excuse, can usually get out of jury duty, and many people take that route. But that’s not everyone, some people summoned for jury duty take it very seriously and will commit to the long, and sometimes thankless hours required to carry out their civic duty.
But it’s not only jury duty that people take seriously as their civic duty. Another example would be something most people take more seriously than jury duty, however, it’s not forced upon anyone by law, and is a right for most, but also a choice. Voting. In America no one is forced to vote, yet, most choose to because they want to have a voice. Take the case of voting in the Presidential Election every four years. As the saying goes, “Every vote counts,” and if you lump together many thousands of “every vote counts” you may have something that could actually matter. But no matter what anyone says, the odds of any individual vote making a difference in any Presidential Election is zero, after all, the Electoral College is really what decides who the next President will be. But I’m not here to educate anyone about how the President is elected, if you want to know that I would suggest a quick visit to Wikipedia, where you can look up the Electoral College.
But when it comes to voting for the President most people know that they don’t really have any say in the outcome, it’s more about making a statement and voicing their opinion. Still, despite the reality of it, most American citizens still take their right to vote very seriously. And please do not take the tone of this post the wrong way, I fully support every American casting their vote (and I do myself every election). The tone of this post is more to set up what the post is really about.
New Zealand-born Susan Scott-Ker and her Moroccan husband are American citizens. In fact, they had lived in America for 13 years on Green Cards, but got tired of their opinions not mattering, so they became American citizens (just a year before the 2008 Presidential Election) simply so they could vote and have their opinions finally count. But a few months after becoming American citizens Scott-Ker was transferred to India and as of October, 2008, the couple worked and lived in India. While there they had waited very patiently for their New York State absentee ballots to arrive in India so they could cast their ballots for the next President of the United States. As time went on and the ballots did not arrive they began calling around, including the American Consulate. They also considered hiring a round trip courier so they could get their ballots counted. Reality set in and they realized even if they had the ballots in hand, they would not have enough time to get them back in time.
The couple weighed their options and considered going on a vacation so they could kick back on a beautiful beach somewhere. Instead they jumped on a plane on a Tuesday evening catching a flight from Bangalore to New Delhi, about 1,100 miles. Then from New Delhi to Chicago, another 7,500 miles. By 5:30 on Wednesday morning, they had cleared immigration and customs at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, and flew the last 700 miles to La Guardia.
They were in New York six days before the election. The entire journey lasted 22 hours and covered 9,300 miles. They went nearly as far as humanly possibly in one direction around the globe, costing them $5,000, all for a right they so dearly wanted, and something many take for granted, the right to vote.
The moral of the story: This one’s twofold……You gotta do what you gotta do……..and no one ever has any excuse again not to vote (that is unless you hate both candidates, and that’s a whole different story).
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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MANHATTAN, New York-
Everyone remembers the tragic oil spill on March 24, 1989 of the Exxon Valdez, where the tanker hit Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef, and spilled approximately 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean; an ecological disaster still be felt today, more than 20 years later. I know, some of you have been trying to forget about that mishap for years, I’m sorry to have reminded you of it. I guess you could say Exxon is not perfect, and that all companies will make mistakes, but the Valdez, that was a biggie and I believe/hope Exxon is still paying for it today out of their deep pockets.
But what about other mistakes the company has made? Mistakes that are more comical in nature than anything else, and don’t really cause any damage to anyone or anything, but really leave you asking yourself, “What the hell is going on?” That’s exactly what Manhattan accountant Frank Van Buren was asking himself after a recent dealing with Exxon. Van Buren is a business owner, and for 17 years has loyally used an Exxon gas card for his company.
One day when Van Buren noticed his card was about to expire, he naturally called customer service and ordered two replacement cards. He received the cards, but two weeks later he received a mysterious box from Texas (left on his front doorstep). In the box he found 1,000 exact matches of the two cards he had already received with his name and account number on each. Immediately, Van Buren called Exxon to complain. Embarrassed and apologetic by the mistake, the Exxon representative asked him to immediately shred the cards, which he did over a three hour period.
End of story? Not quite. Not too long after another box arrived on his door step, looking much like the first box. The mystery box was easily identified on round two, another 1,000 card each in Van Buren’s name and account number. More upset this time, he called Exxon again and they said they had no idea what was going on, but would inquire with Citibank, who handles Exxon’s accounts. Citibank was also baffled and apologetic. Van Buren said he did not want to deal with the cards on round two and wanted to return them, but the return was refused……are you kidding me? In the end it was also disclosed that none of the 2,000 extra cards had any activation stickers, that are used to prevent identity theft. Hmmmmm……. the last time I saw a credit card without an activation sticker was, um, never.
The moral of the story: Some billion dollar companies need to spend a few more billion and get their #$@& together.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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SANDUSKY, Ohio-
Although, this is by no means a tragic story, it is a little sad in some respects. It’s always nice to help thy neighbor, and just pitch in and help others when possible, but sometimes doing a good deed goes unnoticed, and other times can get you in trouble.
Forty eight year old John Hamilton of Sandusky, Ohio always takes pride in his yard. He likes to keep it in tip top shape, so when he has visitors, or when people just drive by, he can rest assured he has done his best and can be proud of his work and dedication.
So imagine how hard it was for John to stand by idly and watch as the grass at Sandusky’s Central Park kept growing and growing and growing until it was about a foot tall. Seeing that no one else seemed to care, John took the bull by the horns, got out his own lawnmower, and started mowing. I would think the city counsel would thank him and maybe even pay him for doing their job. But instead, John was greeted by a policeman and handcuffs.
The police reports said John was arrested because he refused to stop mowing, and he was charged with obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. Under the circumstances I say I can’t blame him, but the one place I think he missed was once a police officer asks you to stop what you are doing, you better obey or be prepared to pay the price.
The moral of the story: Do what you gotta do, but you better listed to the police if you know what’s good for you. It’s usually not worth getting arrested to prove a point.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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CHICAGO, Illinois-
Some people do, some people don’t……kiss on the first date that is. In this day and age of open sexuality and the “whatever goes” sexual mentality, no one really cares anymore if a girl (or guy) kisses their date on the first date. Back in the day (when our grandparents were of the dating age) kissing on the first date was a lot less popular, but not totally unheard of.
You’re probably thinking, “So they didn’t kiss on their first date, who cares?” Yes, this post is about a couple who didn’t kiss on the first date, but they didn’t kiss on their second nor third dates either. In fact, Melody LaLuz and Claudaniel Fabien, both of Chicago, worked in the city’s public schools and taught abstinence. To most abstinence means refraining from sexual activity. In the case of Melody and Claudaniel abstinence meant to them that before marriage they would never be alone in a house together, nor would they ever kiss. Yes, that’s correct, not until their two minute smooch at the alter did the two love birds ever kiss, not even once.
Those ideals are admirable but not for everyone. But I do give the couple kudos for setting the example for the kids who look up to them. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.
The moral of the story: Always do your best to practice what you preach.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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NEW YORK CITY-
Some things in life make no sense at all. This is another one of those stories that really leaves you scratching your head. You would think that someone had put some thought behind it, which would therefore make you think there is some logic behind it too.
Millions of Americans have been caught up in the ugly mortgage situation that has caused so many to lose their homes to foreclosure. Although, this story is not about someone losing their home to foreclosure, it does have some similarities.
Pasang Sherpa of Queens, New York was just your everyday immigrant trying to live the American Dream and make an honest living. Pasang just wanted to make his mark and provide for his family like every other hard working American. Pasang must have thought he won the New York State lottery when the city’s parks department auctioned off the rights to the most sought after vendor location at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He must have thought he had died and gone to heaven landing that sort of prime real estate. But in America, some say, nothing is that easy. There was a catch to this beautiful winning story. The annual rent for the spot Pasang occupied was a whopping $643,000 a year, nearly $54,000 a month to sell frickin’ hot dogs.
Okay, so I know the cost of living in New York is a lot higher than in other parts of the country, but let me do a little quick math. So $54,000 a month, is $1,800 a day, and say he works from dusk till dawn 7-7, seven days a week, that means poor Pasang would have to sell 150 hot dogs every hour for 12 straight hours. Let me switch the math a little. How much could a hot dog cost in New York? $3, $4, $5? Let’s be real generous and say a hot dog vendor standing in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art can sell his scrumptious dogs for $8 a pop (I’ve never been to NY, but I doubt it). At $8 a pop that would mean he has to sell 225 dogs a day or 28 an hour over 8 hours, or 19 an hour over 12 hours (quite possible)….but that’s just to pay his stinking rent. Again, I’m thinking $8 a dog is quite high and that does not even cover the cost of his supplies or any profit he may want to make as a business man trying to make a living and support his family in the great state of New York. No matter which way you look at it, no place in the world is worth $1,800 dollars a day to sell hot dogs, much less anything else.
As a small rebuttal against Pasang Sherpa, he had to have had some idea going in what the rent would be for that prime piece of hot dog real estate, and if so why on Earth would he get himself into something like that? He was finally evicted when he became $310,000 behind on his payments.
The moral of the story: When that cost of occupying a 10×10 piece of land is the same as the mortgage on a mansion it’s definitely time to move.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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This is the ninth installment of a StrangeRush mini.
I Miss My Bike- LEWISTON, Maine- Ruth Slovenski received her bike as a gift when she was a teenager, and it had lots of sentimental value. Sadly, the cherished, 66-year-old, Huffy bicycle was stolen from the 83-year-old woman one Saturday when she was visiting a nursing home. What I want to know who steals an antique bicycle from an old lady? Talk about bad karma. Luckily, a security camera caught video of the culprit.
It’s Just a Flower- CENTRALIA, Washington- A western Washington woman got the shock of her life when she was arrested and cited for theft. She was on city property and had picked several daffodils for a family member who was a patient. An unrelated man witnessed the woman picking the flowers and called police. And I say to Mr. Flower Patrol Officer, who cares? Let the woman give her ailing family member a little comfort.
Drug Smuggler- SANTIAGO, Chile- A Chilean woman flying from Chile to Spain got in some trouble for smuggling cocaine. She carried two suitcases, but the drug was not in the suitcases, nor was it anywhere on her person. The suitcases she carried where actually made of cocaine. A police detective said the suitcases were made with a substance that combines cocaine with resin and fiber glass to form the suitcases. On the flip end a process could be used to separate the cocaine back out. I’d imagine that drove the drug sniffing dog crazy trying to locate the correct pocket with the white stuff in it.
The Most Popular Mom on the Block- MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina- Naomi Antoinette Aranda just wanted to be the ‘cool’ mom. The 45-year-old woman was the go-to person when high school kids need a free ‘Get-Outta-School-Card.’ She was arrested for forgery when it was found that she had faked doctor’s notes for four students, including her own son. She used a combination or business cards and forms, with a fake signature, and faxed her handy work to the schools. From a school kid’s perspective, you have to admit, it sounds tempting.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah-
Doing foolish things as a child is part of life. I was better behaved than many kids I knew, but I still grew up making my fair share of mistakes. I did things at the time I didn’t give much thought to, but after many years I realized how the ill-advised actions and their consequences helped to form me as an adult. Had I never made the mistake and faced the consequences it could have been a valuable lesson missed.
Typically, when a young person gets away with doing something wrong or against the law they forget about it quickly, minds racing about girls/boys, money, alcohol, and other gratifying things, there is little time to dwell on mistakes, much less any time to repent for them.
In Utah, an unknown man made a mistake as a child and could not let his transgression go. Thirty-five years before, the unknown man had stolen a stop sign from an intersection and his actions had haunted him ever since. Over the years he had prayed that no one had gotten hurt from the missing sign and even called the Utah Department of Transportation in an attempt to correct his mistake, but was told not to worry about it. Not satisfied, the mystery man took out a cashier’s check in the amount of $600 and anonymously mailed it to the UDOT, signing it, “a very foolish youth.”
The UDOT of transportation spokesman said the money would almost pay for the installation of three new stop signs.
The moral of the story: If you anonymously send $600 to a transportation department to fix a wrong you did 35 years ago, you’d better get over it, you have more than paid your dues.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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DENVER, Colorado-
Have you ever asked yourself if you would push someone out of the way of a speeding car and risk your own life? I think most people would say yes, but you probably wouldn’t really know for sure until you are in that sort of situation and are able to see how you instinctively react.
Every so often a story circulates about someone who has gone above and beyond and really put their own neck on the line to save someone else. And that is exactly what 58-year-old Jim Moffett of Denver, Colorado did. Reports of the incident state that Mr. Moffett and another man were assisting two elderly women while crossing a street in a snowstorm. A man driving a pickup truck sped toward the four people and Moffett pushed the other three out of the way and was himself hit, sustaining a bleeding brain, broken bones, a dislocated shoulder, and a possible ruptured spleen. After the accident, he was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Jim Moffett did two Good Samaritan deeds for the day and should have been applauded for both, especially saving the lives of three other people and nearly dying while doing so. Well, the Colorado State Patrol didn’t quite see it that way. For his troubles they elected to instead give him and the other man citations for jaywalking. A trooper made a statement about the incident saying, despite Moffett’s intentions, jaywalking caused the accident. And I say, “Welcome to Denver, folks, please enjoy your stay.”
And ironically after the Trooper’s statement, and since Moffett was assisting the women while they crossed the street, it sounds like they were the jaywalking instigators, however, they were not cited. Hmmmmmm, Mr. Colorado State Trooper, please explain to us how that logic works?
The moral of the story: I’ve personally never had the desire to give a police officer the finger, but if I were in Mr. Moffett’s shoes I think the urge may arise within me. Is there no love for doing a good deed in Denver?
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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NEW YORK-
God only knows how many times in my life I have said, “It’s about principle.” If you buy a product or service and do not get what you were supposed to or promised, it’s well within your rights to fight it. I’ve done it myself, and I’m sure I’ll do it again. Like many people I know, “The principle of the matter,” mean a lot to me.
I recall being a kid in the 1980s and watching the People’s Court with my great grandparents. The People’s Court originally ran from 1981 to 1993, producing a staggering 2,484 ½ hour episodes. The very popular show was presided over by the admired and respected, Judge Joseph A. Wapner. A specific episode from so many years ago stuck in my mind, but because the details were so vague to me I had to use keywords in Google to track down the specifics of the case. In that case a man purchased what he claimed was a flat can of beer from a small liquor store, and the store in question refused to replace it or refund his money. So out of what could only be called principle, the man took the liquor store owner to court and Judge Wapner awarded the plaintiff the 80 cents he sought, the cost of the beer. This is the only People’s Court case I have any memory of and I know it stuck in my memory as a 10 year old because it was probably my first lesson in principle. At the time I could not comprehend why someone would waste so much time suing someone else for a mere 80 cents; nor could I understand why the defendant would go to court and waste their own time when all they had to do was replace the damn beer. Nowadays, we are used to ultra customer service oriented businesses like Costco who will take back just about anything, at any time, and for nearly any reason. What I didn’t understand at the time is what lengths people will go to to stand up for their rights and what they believe is right. Obviously both parties in the People’s Court case were consumed with pride and did what they did for the ‘principle’ of the matter. So, taking matters of principle to the extreme likely doesn’t happen too often like the example sited above, but it does happen.
Jumping out of the 1980s syndicated TV show and into a more modern time, an example is not hard to find. In November of 2006 a 63 year old New York City man named Simon Belsky was ticketed and fined $115 for parking in front of a Brooklyn fire hydrant. Belsky, a retired VP of a hardware firm, said he had nothing better to do than to fight the ticket, but also insisted that there was no hydrant anywhere near his parked van, the nearest one was down the block. In the three years since the citation the $115 fees jumped to $200 because of penalties. Still, Belsky was not paying up. He would see it through to the end, costing him a whopping $7,500 in all to fight the $115 ticket. If that is not a case of principle, what is? Belsky eventually won his case and said he would sue the city to recover the $7,500, and if he won any of it back would donate it to education.
The moral of the story: If you’ve been wronged and you know it, don’t take it lightly, and if you’re gonna go down, don’t go down without a fight.
© 2010 StrangeRush.com
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