Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Speaking of Rapid Deployment


Man opens fire at Omaha mall, killing 8

...20-year-old Robert A. Hawkins...killed eight people, then apparently killed himself...he was introverted, a troubled young man who was like a lost pound puppy that nobody wanted...Hawkins wrote that he was "sorry for everything," would not be a burden on his family anymore and "now I'll be famous,"...Police received a 911 call...By the time officers arrived six minutes later, the shooting was over..
That's why we need Immediate Action, Rapid Deployment. And that's why EVERY law enforcement officer should be carrying his weapon at all times. It can happen anywhere, at any time, and you'd better be ready or, as Lt. Col. Dave Grossman puts it, you won't be able to live with yourself if you get caught unarmed.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Funny

This is funny. That's all for today....move along....nothing else to see here.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Immediate Action , Rapid Deployment

Today I got to go to training rather than another typical day at work. The training for today was IARD (Immediate Action Rapid Deployment), which a is relatively new concept. IARD was developed in response to the Columbine school massacre and other suicidal attacker events of recent years. The basic concept is that if there is an "active shooter" (someone is in the process of killing innocents) law enforcement's old concept of "contain and wait for SWAT" doesn't work anymore because it plays into the hand of the suicidal shooter. The more time that is takes to formulate a response, the more time the bad guy has to perform his dastardly deeds.

IARD trains us to aggressively confront the active shooter, something that is totally contrary to what we've been taught in the past and totally contrary to one's concept of self-preservation. It takes a whole different mindset to go forth into the fray with bullets coming towards you. However, every bullet fired at you is one that is not being put into someone else. And that, at it's center, is what IARD is all about...being willing to go into harm's way and trade your life for someone else's. The difference is that the shooter has no plans to go home...and he's not. We have plans to go home....and we will.

IARD at Wikipedia

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Irresistible?

Lets101 - Free Online Dating

Wicked Awesome!


Sarah and I went up up to Hollywood last night courtesy of a very good friend who gave Sarah the tickets for her birthday. The show was awesome. Go see it if you have the chance. Save the money and go. There's a very good chance that I'll go again. It is that enjoyable.

I took off work early and we left about 4 pm for an 8 pm show. The plan was to get up to Hollywood to grab a bite to eat before the show. That didn't work out. Traffic was horrible. We drove for about 40 minutes and only got as far as Fountain Valley. Sarah had to make a nature call, so we got off the freeway and found a facility. Back on the freeway a couple minutes before 5...and then we drove for 2 hours and 45 minutes before arriving at the Pantages in Hollywood with 15 minutes to spare. I was really starting to worry whether we would make it or not at one point. 3 and a half hours to go 61 miles...that's 17 miles an hour on average. That sucked.

We parked just across the street from the theater and walked across. The Pantages is a beautiful old style Hollywood theater. I could have walked around that place for an hour or more just soaking up the history and inspecting the details. See some photos at this Flickr stream. From the moment I walked in until the lights went down, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the place.

The visible stage decorations were something to behold also. The only thing Sarah had to compare it to was the musical Rent, which we saw at the Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Sarah commented that Rent wasn't much compared to this. Actually, I'm glad she saw Rent first because I think it gave her a better appreciation for the spectacularosity of this event. (No, I'm not just making up words....if you've seen the show, you'll get it....if you haven't, you won't)

I was almost prepared to be disappointed. Three different people who knew that I was going told me how awesome the show was. The lights went down and the music and curtain went up. An hour and a half later it was intermission and I felt like I'd been there just a few minutes. After a quick intermission nearly another hour and a half passed and it was over seemingly minutes after it began. I was not disappointed.

The story was...well, awesome. I sat there (and still am) marveling at the ability of someone to write such a story. The music captivated me. The performances were spectacular. If you don't know the story of Wicked, it's basically the back story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda (with a "Ga"), the Good Witch, from the Wizard of Oz. Here's a good overview of the story. I didn't know what the story was about except in the very general sense that it was about the wicked witch. I don't think knowing the story going in would be a spoiler, but I enjoyed watching the story unfold without knowing what was going to happen. I'll never see the Wizard of Oz the same way again.

Spend the money and go see the show. You won't regret it.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Pondering

Driving home from work this evening, the sky was angry. While the winds were blowing, the smoke was heavy but moving. It was being blown generally out to sea. This evening the wind had died down and the smoke is starting to hover in the sky. It was a eery brownish orange color, thick and dark and it blocked the sun. I couldn't help but think that I imagine that's what the sky would look like in hell.

It was so remarkable that I called Sarah and told her to go out in the balcony and look and she took this picture



That's the sun, not the moon.  46 years in OC and I've never seen anything like this.

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." Matthew 24:6-7

Interested in OC history?

Check out Chris Jepson's OC History Roundup blog. He's got lots of great links also.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Camping

Took a trip out to Joshua Tree for the long weekend last week. Had an awesome time. Did a lot of hiking and boulder hopping, some climbing, and some relaxing. See the photos here.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Thursday, September 13, 2007

All the kids are doing it...

1. Go to http://www.careercruising.com/.
2. Put in Username: nycareers, Password: landmark.
3. Take their "Career Matchmaker" questions.
4. Post the top results:

Mine:

1. Multimedia Developer

2. Production Woodworker

3. Website Designer

4. Special Effects Technician

5. Industrial Designer

6. Animator

7. Desktop Publisher

8. Computer Programmer

9. Actor

10. Interior Designer

Very much on. I have done aspects of 1, 3, 7, and 8 as part time "fun" jobs. Woodworking has always interested me, but I've never had the trainer or training available to learn. 4, 5, and 6 all sound like a blast. 10 I actually considered as a career at one point. That leaves 9 (actor) which sounds cool but I've never tried it or really had an overwhelming desire to try.


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Now playing: Erik Pietsch - Sandy Toed Beach Bum Life
via FoxyTunes

Saturday, September 01, 2007

A Trip to the Viper Room

Last night I made a run up to the Viper Room in West Hollywood. Yes, the same Viper Room where River Phoenix did the speedball that killed him on the sidewalk outside the club.

I was there to see Sarah Kelly, who I had the chance to meet late last year when she performed at my church. She's an awesome lady with a killer voice. The first time I saw her in person I was surprised that big voice was coming out of that little girl (allright...woman). If you haven't heard her, go check her out. She put on a great, if short, show to cap off the European Tour that she just finished. I got a chance to talk to her for just a minute. Now she's taking some well deserved time off to go back home and put together a worship team. I wish her good luck.

The really weird part is that I've been to the Viper Room before and didn't even know it. I've lived with a memory of that joint (there's no better name for it) for many years and was never aware that it was the Viper Room until last night. I knew the place immediately.

It must have been nearly 25 years ago now. I had met a girl named Macy who lived in West Hollywood. I drove up one night to take her out. We went to dinner at a place on Sunset that's now known as Miyagi's, although I have no memory of what it was called back then. After dinner, Macy suggested that we go to a club. Then, as now, checking out a late night club in West Hollywood was an experience entirely foreign to me, but I wouldn't have passed it up for anything. I remember it like it was yesterday...well, maybe last week.

It was an open mike night for indie artists. I remember the place was full of smoke and Hollywood types...real Hollywood types...the type that live in Hollywood, not the movie stars...there's a big difference.

I think often of Macy and wonder how she is. She was a free spirit, and not the girl for me, nor me the guy for her at the time, but the short time I dated her lives well in my memory. I hope she is happy.