The Triple G...3 Reasons Men Go To Prison, Intro.

What I am about to say, may sound like an oversimplification to a complex societal and criminal problem. It is indeed a moral problem. I would like to classify all the reasons men commit crimes into 3 general categories. Sometimes they overlap. Sometimes they are remotely connected. Sometimes they are very connected. All three are well known. All three are concepts all of us can relate to. All three are pursuits of normal/natural men. Some men dedicate their entire lives to the pursuit of one, two or three of them. I must say all of them are important. I venture to say that many men would declare: "I'll vote for those." All three are goals. All three are things men have fought and killed for. What are they?

They are the Triple G. My next three blogs will explain each G.

The Customer Is Always Right

"There is only one boss. The customer. And they can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending their money somewhere else."
(Sam Walton)

I think most of us realize that the customer is not "always right." But that is not the message attempted to be conveyed. These days jobs are not plentiful. Potential employees, particularly those who work in retail and service industries need to understand that the customer insures them that they can continue to have a job if the customer is pleased with the service and/or product. Yes, it can almost guarantee job security if an employee treats a customer well. I know that working with the public is not always easy, but it can be enjoyable, successful and rewarding. Rule #1....learn how to treat people right.

Little Gangster (Part 14) No Party Invitation

Mosca was a gang member. He loved his gang. He loved to get high. He loved to party. He was a good dancer. He was 5' 4." He carried a switch blade knife with him and a 38 special revolver most of the time. He was sensitive about his stature. He was 18 years of age. One Saturday night an attractive girl in the neighborhood had a party. She was 16. She knew Mosca but not well. She did not invite him to the party. Mosca became upset. Maybe he would not have become so upset had he not mixed his marijuana use with several beers. It made him react differently and with bitter emotions. It was Saturday night. He wanted to be at that party. The party represented something. It represented fun, friends, adventure and a chance to express his identity. The party was a chance to meet girls. The party was a chance to show everyone he had "game." The party represented pleasure and a chance to show his authority in the neighborhood. He felt life was passing him by. He had no recourse. He had no alternatives. From being upset, he became furious. He then became deranged. What he did was extremely foolish. He went to where the party was. He hid behind some bushes and started shooting his gun at the people attending the party. He killed two and wounded two. He was caught, arrested, tried and convicted of two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. If he ever gets out of prison he will be an old man who probably won't be interested in going to any parties.

Practice As You Play

Football season is starting soon. Every high school, college and NFL football coach probably wants to win a championship. It is his job to get every one of his players to practice with skill and passion. This is nothing but common sense to me. I believe you practice as you play. Practice with all of your heart. Give it every thing you have on every drill and every play. This can at times be a major task. Why? Because you do not want to injure your own team mates. No worries. Practice like you are supposed to practice. If you have any sense, you would not purposely try to injure a team mate. Particularly if he is the quarterback or another starting player. Think about Friday night, Saturday afternoon, or Sunday afternoon.
You need to win that next game. One game at a time. Win it. One game at a time. Practice hard. Play that game with everything you have. Another thing: If you practice hard.....you increase your chances of getting into that game. Give it everything you have. Leave it on the field. Win a championship.....one game at a time.

Thank You, Sgt. Petry

He is a United States Army Ranger. He has served in 8 combat deployments, 2 in Iraq and 6 in Afghanistan. He is Sgt. First Class Leroy Petry. He is from Santa Fe New Mexico. He is a career soldier with a wife and four children. On May 26,2008 Sgt. Petry and his Ranger unit were involved in some heavy combat. Petry was already wounded with a bullet that went through both of his legs. A grenade landed by him and his fellow soldiers. He picked it up and did not allow it to harm his comrades.
In the process, he lost his right hand. He applied a tourniquet to himself and saved his own life. On July 12, 2011, President Barack Obama presented to Sgt. First Class Petry; The Congressional Medal of Honor, which is the highest award a military person can receive. Most deservedly so. He is a soldier's soldier. Someone heard him quote: "Never shall I fail my comrades."

Thank you Sgt. Petry. I firmly believe that every student in a United States high school Civics, US History class, or current events portion in his/her academic schedule, should know who you are and what you did. I am pretty sure they learned about Casey Anthony. Thanks again.

Casey Anthony? The System Has Spoken

Nobody is perfect. The legal/justice system is not perfect. Why was Casey Anthony found innocent of murdering her daughter? The answer is simple. There was not enough evidence to find her guilty. When a person is on trial for an accusation that can put her away for life or possibly end her life, absolutely no reasonable juror will make a decision that is based on hunches, hearsay and opinion only. What did the evidence say? Apparently not enough. More evidence was needed. The truth will eventually come out. The truth endures forever. "A lying tongue is but for a moment, but the truth is established forever." What of the people who are protesting the decision and making cruel accusations? They represent a mob. They represent a bunch of busybodies who need to get a life. They are self-righteous accusers. I will admit, they do have a right to speak out. Particularly in this great (although imperfect) nation. The system has spoken. You don't like the jury system? If the jury made a mistake, better this mistake than to send an innocent person to prison for life, or worse yet: capital punishment. Don't hate Casey. Pray for her.

Rocks are Lethal

In major league baseball; most pitchers are able to throw the ball over 90 miles an hour. The batters are required to wear batting helmets for safety reasons. If hit by a pitch on the head without the proper protection, the results could be very serious, perhaps even fatal. Let us consider rocks flying through the air at high speeds. In ancient days; stoning was a form of execution. Rocks are lethal. When I was in junior high school a friend of mine accidently killed an acquaintance in a "friendly rock fight." As a kid I participated in rock fights. I know what it feels like to get hit by rocks. In the Middle East rocks are used in protest and war. My nephew was blinded in one eye after being struck with a rock. Let us not forget that the giant Goliath was killed by a small stone released by a shepherd boy named David. Rocks are lethal.

Recently, a US Border Patrol agent used his weapon, and fired on a man who was throwing rocks and wood with nails sticking out. He killed the man. It appears to me that the agent was just trying to defend his own life. Rocks are murder weapons when they are willfully used to hurt people. They are dangerous. Rocks are lethal when thrown at people. I have a great idea. Do not throw rocks at law enforcement agents. By doing this one increases the possibility of not getting shot, and thereby extending one's life. Some might say that it is irrational to shoot at someone who has just caused you severe pain due to a thrown rock. I say it puts a law enforcement agent in survival mode. Throwing rocks at people is wrong. It is absolutely wrong. It is also a stupid act.