Snarky Tom's Rants, Raves and Ruminations

 The title is a Beatles thing. You need to be a fan to understand.  Well, Dec25 is almost here. And again, I have no idea what to get the few who I do shop for. However, I get a real kick out of the stereotypes that online big box stores like Walmart suggest. Adult Women: Perfume Jewelry Oversize Knit Sweater Instant Pot Another gaudy oversize sweater with giant hearts Another Instant Pot The Pioneer Woman 2-Piece Rectangular Ruffle Top Ceramic Bakeware Set A Blender Assorted beauty related hair doo-dads Air Fryer Do you see what I'm driving at? These are travesties for gifts. I think I would be unattached if I gave thoughtless phoning-it-in type of gifts like these. Would-be Walmart Christmas Slogans: When you truly no longer care, give crap.  To show how much your love has really waned, an Instant Pot.  It's not much better for men. Adult Men: A 44" Portable Basketball Hoop (for the guy who never exercises!) Apple Airpods with case (this may actually be a feasible ...

I would like to begin with a disclaimer. I am not now or ever been in law enforcement. I have never been trained in any form of law enforcement. The closest I have ever been in law enforcement was being employed several times as a security guard. Guard. Not officer. I consider the difference is one can carry a firearm. That's what makes you an officer. Anybody else is a wannabe cop. Yes. I was a wannabe cop not because I wanted to be a cop, but because most of the times I sat on my ass and did my college homework or years later I walked around a mall and flirted with all the lady shopkeepers. However, I have common sense. And part of being in law enforcement is not just training, stamina, strength and whatever else they teach you at the academy; it's common sense. Today's lecture is about No-knock warrants. These things are bad. Specifically, when the adrenaline-filled individuals with a battering ram all geared up for a fight are at the door. Your door. The wrong door. Som...

With the marches and riots that occurred over the last several weeks, we find that still not much has changed. Unarmed black men continue to die. Part of it is their own fault. I know that sounds like an unsupportable and undefendable statement, but wait for the explanation.  Rayshard Brooks with family Rayshard Brooks was killed two weeks ago after police were called to a Wendy's in Atlanta, Georgia. As always these days, there was decent video taken by witnesses, Wendy's surveillance cameras and the officers' body cams. The story told was Rayshard was DUI; passed out in his car in the Wendy's drive-thru line. When he failed the breathalyzer, police attempted to take him into custody. He scuffled with them; obtained one of the officer's taser and fled. He was chased down and shot dead when he used the taser on one officer and attempted to use it on the other. Categorically, he was armed. However, a taser may hurt like hell, but it's not likely to kill you unles...

George Floyd Today the name that's on everyone's lips is George Floyd. But how soon will people forget him and his name since the rioting, looting, murdering, chaos and commotion has taken over. Does anyone remember the man's name in Georgia shot down by a pair of hillbillies? Ahmaud Arbery, in case you couldn't recall his name. What about the man in St. Louis in 2014? Michael Brown. The thing the three of these men have in common is: 1) They're all dead, 2) they had brown skin (African-American), 3) they were all unarmed (no weapons) and 4) they were killed (murdered) by a white man. Two of those white men were police officers. There are more examples besides these. But what happens, we remember the events but, in many cases, forget the victims and in many cases, the perpetrators.  However, we remember the aftermath. The aftermath in most cases affects us directly. The deaths of these men only affects us directly if we knew them, if they were family or if they live...

When it rains, it pours, but not today. Well, at least, weather-wise. The virus is still with us. But more interestingly, some of the rich one-percenters are not. No, they're not dead. They've fled. At least, in NYC. A NY Times article noted that the rich have fled the city. As all of you know, the virus has hit NYC worse than anywhere else in the U.S.  In some of New York’s wealthiest neighborhoods, more than 35 percent of the residents fled the city in March and April. The citywide average, by contrast, was 5 percent. [New York Times] You know what this means? It's time to go shopping. There are riches to be had. No one around to stop you. I'm sure their doormen have all left or died. I'm not saying for people to commit crimes, but I can understand if the poor, destitute and unprotected from the virus feel like it's their birthday. If you know what I mean. During the Black Plague, the same thing happened in many of the wealthier European cities. The rich wou...

I have stepped back from this nightmare for a week or so to work on another post that I'm now stepping back from it to catch-up on the Coronavirus pandemic. Sometimes you have to take a break, rethink things, and approach it possibly from another side or at least, with fresh eyes. Things we learned recently. Congress is reluctant to return to Washington, D.C. because it has become a hot spot for Coronavirus. In spite of that, Trump still wants to reopen the country. What's a few thousand more deaths to him? However, the funny haha moment is now there are staffers inside the WH that are Covid positive. Some key personnel, like Dr. Fauci, are self quarantining because of having contact with the infected staffers. And Trump still refuses to wear a mask. And his VP too. Who takes over the country if these two assclowns die from the Coronavirus? Something to think about. About 6 states are reopening or planning to reopen soon and about half the country is considering a partial r...

The Googled definition of diabolical is: characteristic of the Devil, or so evil as to be suggestive of the Devil. That's a fair assessment, but not necessarily involving any Devil. There are two sides of every human being. A good side and an evil side. We all choose to use one or the other at times. We may choose one to be our main life force, but no one is 100% good and no one is 100% evil. That's how a diabolical mind goes undetected for years. Most criminals are stupid. It's apparent with the number that are in prison. Yes. There are innocent people convicted and placed in prison by dishonest and/or overzealous police and prosecutors. But for the majority, they're in there because they did the crime and now they're doing the time. There are a few. A minority that escapes detection. These are the ones with the diabolical mind. That is, they know how to control a situation where they can commit crimes undetected for years. They hide in plain sight. They...

Two days ago, Queen Elizabeth II had her 94th birthday. It got me thinking: She has always been queen since I've been alive. There are a minority of Brits who are living that can say they remember life when her father, King George VI, ruled. She's been monarch, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, since 1952. For those mathematically challenged that's a buttload of years (68). Queen Victoria ruled about 64 years (1837-1901). Vicki held the record until 4 years ago when Queen Lizzie II past her and every other monarch that ever lived. Very impressive. See what tons of money can do for you. Give you long life and good health. Of course, her mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, lived to 101, passing in 2002. Longevity may be in her DNA or in her bones. Good for her. With any luck, she'll be the only British monarch in my lifetime. Yes. That means she'll outlive me. I don't doubt that that could happen. She is the longest-serving femal...

I don't know if you have heard. Apparently, our pets can contract this virus. As the virus came from the animal kingdom and transferred to human, it would seem plausible that it can be transferred back. But how? Me being me, I believe if you have it, you can give it to your pet. If you don't have it, but they get it from let's say someone else's pet who has it because their owner has it, you could probably get it from your pet. Oh, the shitstorm is brewing again. I am overreacting a bit. Don't listen to me. Read on. Listen to these people. They're medically trained. I am not a doctor. I only play one when I'm walking through maternity offering free pelvic examinations. The AVMA has stated that there is no proof that your pet can transmit the virus through petting your pet. They claim that your pet probably won't catch it from you, but to exercise proper protocol for the virus. Their website does cite that a few critters have been infected in Hong...

I have lost count to the quarantined days because due to a knee injury, I have been shut up in my apartment for most of the last 30-40 days. Except for the dash down to the local grocers, I have not been hanging out in parks chasing little old ladies or any of my other outdoorsy hobbies. I don't mind the seclusion as I can really get into me and not be inundated with other people's shite. I know that sounds antisocial, but a little antisocial is okay. Ask me in June or July if we are still self-imprisoned. I might be ready to kill some mother flocker. However, at this moment, I am Zen as Fahk. What I am not zen about is the shite that's going on in the rest of the country and especially the stupidity from the White House. I own this shirt, but in blue Let's start off with the CDC says everyone should wear a mask when outside and of course, continue to use the 6 foot social distancing guideline. I feel if you can go further away, even the better. The President says...