Happy Independence Day

No I have not forgotten what day is today, nor have I forgotten to make sure to wish you my readers a happy one. Yes it comes a little late in the day, but I worked 11 hours plus today. Not moaning and groaning, just letting you know why this is tardy.

While I am at it, allow me to tell you something about the folks I wished happy Independence Day, or happy 4th of July to here in the Tucson area yesterday and today. Not one - except for my coworkers and a barmaid at my hotel - greeted me back likewise. In fact a young lady working at a burger joint in South Tucson looked at me quizzically then sneered at me after I wished her a Happy Independence day yesterday. Then this morning, at an overpriced snooty coffee shop that is in business nationwide, when I wished the counter clerk a happy independence day, his response was: "Ha-Hah"! I wish I could relay to you the sarcasm and nastiness that was in that simple little reply to me as he rolled his eyes in the true fashion of what I believe to be an ultra-liberal jerk-off. Other folks just looked at me as if I had two, maybe even three, heads when I wished them likewise.

I do not get it - I thought Tucson and Arizona in general were bastions of freedom loving Americans. now I am none to sure of that. To tell you the truth I was absolutely flabbergasted at the responses or lack of them I got when I wished folks a Happy Independence day or Happy 4th. Even in New York City I would have gotten more enthusiastic and patriotic replies than I did here - many more. As a matter of fact, besides the lack of reciprocal patriotic well wishes for this great day I noticed a few other differences between out here and the rotten apple. In NYC and the surrounding areas you likely would see lots of American Flags flying today, and you would likely hear a good amount of fireworks going off all throughout the day. There was absolutely none of that in area of Tucson, South Tucson or Phoenix that I visited today. Now I am sure there will be some fireworks tonight - those permitted by the government - but what about regular Joes and Janes celebrating the fourth as it has been for over 200 years - with a bang. Heck it is INDEPENDENCE DAY - you would think that if only on this day the citizens would be allowed to show some independence from the government control, wouldn't you! Just does not seem to happen out this way. What a shame - I miss it!

All the best,
Glenn B

How To Spend A Boring Day on Surveillance

Sometimes when a law enforcement officer is out on surveillance things can be just a little boring. I mean what with hours of sitting in a fixed location just waiting for something to happen. Other times, well they can be very boring indeed because nothing at all does happen. It is at times like these that the ever vigilant law enforcement officer may start watching things other than what he is supposed to be watching and thereby amuse himself. Sometimes he even gets a little squirrely from all the boredom and instigates some action to surveill - and that is when things get nutty. Take for instance the following photo essay on what I imagine is a common ground squirrel in the Tucson area:

Alert - Alert - Here comes trouble - head for the burrows fast...

Hey - wait a minute, what is it that that guy has in the bag; he's throwing some this way.

Wow, it looks like some sort of nut and sure smells pretty good but sure not like any nuts from around here. Should I take a bite?

I don't know if I can trust that guy - he looks like a New Yorker; then again pickings have been pretty slim around here lately. Oh what the heck - you only live once.

Wow - this is pretty good, what do you call these things?

Hey - where did all the nuts go?

Ah come on back Mister - we didn't mean nothin' by sayin you wuz frum NY.

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Now - of course - none of this really happened while any law enforcement officer was out on surveillance - these pictures were taken during my free time - but it is the kind of thing that could happen if one was driven to boredom on a nutty surveillance.

All the best,

Glenn B