Saturday, May 24, 2014

The Isla Vista Shootings

I just finished watching the morbid manifesto video (be advised it is pretty intense, graphic in the mental picture he paints, and not for the weak of heart or young children) allegedly left by Elliot Rodger prior to his allegedly killing 7 people and wounding others in Isla Vista, CA. I also read up some more on it as I have been doing on and off all day.

To me, the most disturbing thing of all was the fact that his parents notified the police, weeks ago, about YouTube videos that the alleged shooter had posted and that reportedly dealt with killing people and suicide (source); and then the police investigated and it seems it was left at that, with the soon to be alleged shooter remaining free. Had the laws been more similar, than not, to those in effect when I was a young lad, the guy would have been detained at the very least for a mental evaluation in someplace like Bellevue (a hospital in NYC with a mental facility where police often bring emotionally disturbed suspects) and if found to be bonkers and a threat to others he would have been detained in a mental institution, by force if necessary, possibly for the long term. That surely does not happen today, as regularly as it once did, when potentially harmful crazies are encountered by the authorities.

It truly is a crying shame that dangerous lunatics are allowed to roam freely among us and yet we law abiding citizens are punished for their, the crazy people's, actions by repeatedly having our rights and liberties restricted more and more after each such act of madmen. What makes it worse is that our rights and liberties are continually restricted more and more not to really protect anyone but merely for political reasons so leftists can get votes and gain control over us. After all, isn't California one of the most restrictive states when it comes to firearms! Yet, this obviously, in my opinion, very mentally ill person was able to acquire a gun or guns and kill people even. That even after the police were forewarned (and I am not blaming the police) weeks in advance of his potential and or his intentions to kill folks. I would bet that their hands were tied because being tolerant of loonies is par for the course in CA (as it is in too much of the USA). If that is not a shameful situation for us to be in then nothing is and something really ought to be done about dealing with the real problem - the people who are out of their minds and who actually pull the trigger in such shootings because they are free to do as they please even when seemingly an obvious threat.

All the best,
Glenn B

Donald Levine Has Passed Away...

...and while you may be wondering, who was Donald Levine, let me tell you he brought many a happy adventure to the lives of countless children (mostly boys) in the 1960s and 1970s. You see, he was the head of research and development for Hasbro, the toy company, back in the mid 1960s though 1970s. He also was the creator of the first action figure with moving parts - GI Joe (source).


GI Joe hit the market in late 1964, when I was 9 years old. I remember some of my friends had them and I pestered my mom for one for a long time before she finally relented and got me one. I cannot recall if it was at the same time I got GI Joe, or later, when I was also surprised with a GI Joe footlocker too. I imagine I would have gotten a GI Joe without any fuss and much sooner too had we not been piss poor. Now, when I look back on it, I am surprised I got one at all; at $4.00 it was an expensive toy, at least for us.

Cost be damned, it was among the best toys I ever had and it got a lot of play time. My son got to play with GI Joe too, not the original sized 11.5" figure but the smaller versions that came out in the 80s.

GI Joe was based upon honoring military veterans and was accessorized with military uniforms, helmets, guns and other weapons of all sorts. The idea to create an action figure, with moving parts, and to dress them in military uniforms to honor vets was Mr. Levine's idea, he was a vet himself. Imagine kids being allowed, even encouraged, to play with military action figures and that they would not get expelled or suspended if they brought them and their tiny toy weapons to school. It was another age.

More on Mr. Levine's story here: http://www.foxnews.c...tcmp=latestnews

Rest In Peace.

All the best,
Glenn B